Essex Freemasons help Get Started with a new inspirational initiative gaining momentum across Essex to help small groups in local communities.

Derived from the Sanskrit for circle with a centre point, mandalas have long been used for mindfulness and can also help stimulate brain activity and improve fine motor skills. Research has shown that colouring helps to reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and provide a sense of accomplishment.

£6,000 donated by the Essex Freemasons Community Fund has kick-started a new project, which is already being distributed to hospitals throughout the county, and has now been extended to over 20 local charities and community groups supporting children with autism and learning difficulties, adults suffering with mental health, stroke survivors, as well the elderly with Alzheimer's and dementia. 

Jointly funded by Art Charity 'Get Started Art' and six Masonic lodges supporting the newly established Cross Keys Community Fund in Thurrock, four thousand Art Therapy Colouring books were printed and delivered last week. Within 72 hours, over one thousand had been donated or allocated to Hospitals throughout Essex and Ipswich with a further two thousand to 20 other groups as well as over 10,000 colouring pencils. The Alzheimer's Society and Dementia Care Essex have also been donated with enough of the colourful books to cover all day centres in the County, covering Braintree, Maldon, and Colchester among others.

On Saturday 21st October, at a charity ball held at Langdon Hills Golf and Country Club in Upminster, another £3,100 was raised towards the new initiative. Well known to many Essex Freemasons, Lee Taylor and Charles Elliott, who were both there, offered to help promote the inspirational idea across Essex and beyond.

More donations from Masonic Lodges and Local Businesses will allow for more books to be printed and distributed. With the involvement of Local Hospitals, Alzheimer's Society, Age Well East and various specialty units for children with special educational needs or learning disabilities, it is clearly a much-needed incentive that can reach so many.

What is needed now are details of other local community groups across the County which could benefit from this project.

Each one of these special Art Therapy Colouring Books bears the Essex Masonic Grand Lodge logo and has varying degrees of mandalas.

Visit News (getstartedart.com) and please contact [email protected] to help others in your area and across Essex to feel better, by starting from 'a centre point in a circle'