Eluned Morgan with the ‘Conversation Blanket’ 
Eluned Morgan and Jenny Rathbone with Muslim Doctors Cymru 
Speakers of Everywoman Festival
The Staff Lottery recently supported Beth Morris Workshops delivering a range of creative arts sessions at Everywoman Festival earlier this year at Insole Court, Cardiff.
Everywoman Festival’s aim was to empower and support women, and those assigned female at birth, on health topics that may be difficult to talk about. Offering an exciting programme of workshops and seminars, the event combined clinical topics with the arts, making it accessible to all generations.
Beth Morris, already based at Insole Court, regularly delivers a range of engaging workshops for all ages and abilities, in an aim to improve confidence and wellbeing. The Staff Lottery supported Beth Morris Workshops to run therapeutic art workshops for the festival’s attendees, and to organise a female led art fair to enhance the overall event. The activities included mindful art and slow therapeutic stitching ‘Conversation Blanket’ workshops, that allowed women to experience how art can be beneficial to their mental health, and provide a valid strategy for managing mental health conditions.
The art fair also hosted local artists, who’s work relates to women’s health, providing an opportunity to sell their work and promote their businesses. Some of the local artists involved were Eliza Eliza, Kraken Kreations, Black and Beech, Buddug and Melin Tregwynt
As the first event of its kind in Wales, the Everywoman Festival was a huge success, with over 1000 people attending throughout the day. The event was opened by Eluned Morgan, the Minister for Health & Social Services in Wales, who later participated in the ‘Conversation Blanket’ workshop. There were also great talks from Dr Aziza Sesay, Emma Brockwell, Helen Ledwick, Sula Windgassen and many more. Suzanne Rankin chaired the opening session and was impressed with the event and what we had achieved.
After the event, attendees (ticket holders, speakers and stall holders) were all invited to provide feedback in order to measure the impact of the event, and make recommendations for 2024. The key outcome figures are:
· 94% would recommend the event to a friend
· 56% of attendees rated the day as 10/10 (88% rated 8/9/10)
· 83% said they would definitely attend next year
· When asked the best thing about the day 37% stated “all of it” and 19.5% stated main stage talks
The atmosphere and ethos were clear to those who attended:
“Amazing atmosphere, felt empowering and non-judgemental. Ethos you promised was there. Nothing was taboo and no embarrassment”
“I thought the Everywoman Festival was an incredible day, I feel so much more informed, prepared (and less scared) of the menopause now thanks to the talks I went to. Thank you for such a beautiful and inspiring event”
“This was the best event I had been too, I had an exceptional day even as I was working at the stall for Endometriosis. I am ecstatic to know that it is happening again next year and I would like if there were more of these events spread across the country”
The team are currently planning Everywoman 2024 for 15th June 2024.
The Staff Lottery Bids Panel were delighted to support this bid, as it supports the health and wellbeing of every woman across Cardiff and the Vale. It’s a hugely beneficial event, bringing important topics to the conversation, and allowing to build connections between women in the local communities.