Tuesday 13^th October 2-4.30 p.m.

Article by Marilyn Hambly, Chair of Derbyshire Carers Association (DCA)

I have been the Chair of DCA’s Board of Trustees since 2021 and am still passionate about the need for family and friend carers to be recognised and supported throughout their caring journey. The role often brings a multitude of difficulties, stresses and strains that even carers themselves fail to fully recognise because their focus, quite naturally, is on the needs of the person they love and look after.  My own family experience includes looking after my husband, who relied on my help as his carer during the last few years of his life. Sadly, after 51 years of marriage, he died during the early months of 2022.

My forthcoming October birthday this year marks a special milestone in my life. So, as a “childless cat at lady” who is still learning to live as a single person, I have decided not to hold a party but to organise a fund-raising event in aid of DCA’s charitable activities.

I have long admired and loved the paintings and drawings created by the wildlife artist, Pollyanna Pickering. One of her beautiful original paintings hangs on my fireplace wall: and several printed copies of Pollyanna’s work decorate various walls around my home. So, I am especially delighted that her daughter, Anna-Louise Pickering, has kindly agreed to give an illustrated talk at The Maltings in Wirksworth on 13^th October.

Anna-Louise is a writer, photographer and conservationist. She accompanied her mother on journeys across all seven continents and documented their travels with photographs and writing text for their books. Her talk, Wonderful World: Travels with a Wildlife Artist, will explain her work alongside her late mother,  who was passionate about only painting animals she had seen and sketched in their natural habitats.

Various forms of creative arts have played an important role in my life. Few people can achieve the quality of artists like Pollyanna Pickering, but we can all enjoy the work of other people and also make our own humble attempts at creativity. There is plenty of research evidence that highlights the key role that the creative arts can play in helping individuals cope with stress and improve mental wellbeing.  This has certainly been my own experience. Music, singing and writing poetry are the special activities that have cheered my heart and helped me to find enjoyment in my life, especially during difficult times.  I even wrote a poem about one of Pollyanna Pickering’s paintings. The poem was published by Forward Press Poets in 2009, and in 2025 the same poem was included in an anthology of my own poems published to help raise funds for Derbyshire Carers Association. My book “Trust” is still available for sale and all proceeds are being donated to the charity.

I look forward to welcoming Anna-Louise and everyone attending on 13^th October. Admission is free and includes light refreshments. A donation to Derbyshire Carers Association is requested at the door. Suggested amount is £12 per person.

 

Marilyn  Hambly