I went to a Prescription Art class yesterday, thanks to my friend Emily. The classes are held for psychiatric inpatients at St James's Hospital but because I knew Emily and she helps run them, she said I could come along. :) It was nice and relaxing and we chatted and did a bit of art (well I wrote a few words and drew some flowers in felt pen).

Bob, who set up Prescription Art, knocks up over 50 hours a week running sessions in hospitals, day treatments centres and hostels across Leeds. He carries the paints, paper, pens, pastels, crayons and colouring books in a big black suitcase as he travels between the different venues which reminded me of a magician. Although Emily and Bob aren't art therapists, the session made me realise how much I miss art therapy and my art therapist Alice who I used to see it London.

I don't think I'll get to see an art therapist here as there are only four to cover the whole of Leeds and they do mostly private work and the Leeds Mental Health Trust can't afford to recruit any more. The trust is pretty cash strapped to say the least; three years ago there were about 600 inpatient beds for Leeds and West Yorkshire and now there are just 96.

Thank goodness for people like Emily and Bob who, erm by the way, don't get paid for the work they do. Hurrah for them!