Portadown Wellness Centre: Teens craft wooden planters for children’s cancer retreat

From left, Alan McDowell, Jamie Covington, Billy Wilson, Jesse Turner, Alex Reid, Jordan Russell

Founder of Portadown Wellness Centre, Alan McDowell, was inspired to open the centre following a period of mental illness that led to hospital stays and he tried to take his own life on two occasions.

The former businessman's mental health issues were triggered by a trauma and as part of his convalescence, he spent time in the Hope Valley Counselling centre in England, where he was treated by psychotherapist and counsellor Gillie Jenkinson, which was the starting point for his recovery.

During a period at Holywell Hospital, Alan experienced first-hand the benefits of engaging in woodwork, which was another pivotal point.

"While unwell in Holywell Hospital, I noticed that there was a really lovely woodwork occupational therapist called Ken Johnson, and over lunchtime, Ken took me for a bit of woodwork in his own time," Alan (61) says.

"What I noticed was, over sanding a bit of wood I started to talk. Doing that little bit of practical activity, created distraction from the cycle of negative thinking. During that hour I started to feel well and then we started to work for two hours. And that is why we do practical therapeutic activities at the Portadown Wellness Centre."

The Armagh centre's aim is to help people to recover from mental illness, regain their confidence and self-worth, and become happier and more fulfilled individuals.

Emotional support is combined with practical activities and there's a wealth of services and workshops available from arts and crafts, to cookery and baking, gardening and horticulture, pottery and ceramics, children's psychotherapeutic counselling and so much more.

Currently, seven young men from Edgarstown and Corcrain, Portadown, are learning woodwork skills under the tuition of facilitator William Megaw, supported by youth worker Jordan Russell. Over a period of 10 weeks, the participants have constructed seven wooden planters, which will be donated to The Cancer Fund For Children's Newcastle retreat Daisy Lodge.

"You would think Daisy Lodge is a place mainly of sadness; I have never been in such an inspiring, upbeat environment in my life," Alan says.

"It's an amazing facility and so we’re hoping that the young lads will realise, ‘God, we can make a contribution to our society and we are valuable’ — that's what we’re hoping for."

The project is going well and the young men are on track to present their handiwork to the Cancer Fund For Children tomorrow.

"I’ve seen the first two weeks, they actually didn't want to come because that's part of their history; they start a project and they quit," Alan explains.

"It's tough for them to get there on a Thursday night and they shared that last week, but once they get there their energy level goes up.

"William, the woodwork teacher, is brilliant. He is so patient with them. And then once they get a screwdriver in their hand and sawing a bit of wood, they get the energy back again. They get to learn stickability."

The creative project opens doors for people who may not have had such opportunities presented to them in the past,

Alan explains: "We said: ‘Look if you learn how to do these could you sell these?’ and we started that thought process. ‘And if you could sell these — how much could you sell them for and how many could you make?’ and that is the initiation of a little business for them and they’re quite excited about it.

"Now It’ll take a little bit of mentoring and it’ll take a bit of stickability, but they will have the skills to be able to do it. It’ll be up to them to do it, whether they do it or not, but they will have the skills in their life that if they choose, they can be generative in life."

‘I enjoyed helping the less fortunate’

When Billy Wilson first heard about the opportunity to support The Cancer Fund For Children, he signed up immediately to take part.

Billy participates in the Personal Youth Development Programme (PYDP) managed by Rural Action, which aims to help at-risk young people build and develop life skills that foster good relations, build confidence and resilience and make them more employable.

"I am involved in a PYDP programme called Evolve that runs from Edgartown Residents Association," Billy says.

"We were asked would we take part in a project that was about giving back to people less fortunate in the community and once the idea was given to us, I really wanted to do it."

The 18-year-old welcomed the opportunity to develop a new skill set, he says: "We are able to use a large chop saw that I had never used before. I have also enjoyed learning about woodwork and what it takes to make these planters.

"I had done a bit of woodwork in school but not to this extent, we have more scope to do more things and use different tools in a controlled environment.

"I have enjoyed learning new skills, but most of all I love that fact of giving something back to the community and to those less fortunate than us. It feels good to be able to give back and help out in a small way. It feels so much better giving to people than running about doing nothing."

‘I learned how to use new woodwork equipment’

Another PYDP participant, Jamie Covington (18), has gained a lot from the Portadown Wellness Centre's woodwork initiative.

"I learned how to use the drills and saws and stuff, otherwise I normally wouldn't know how to do that, well some of us didn't, I know I personally didn't," Jamie says. "You get to learn skills while you are doing it. We touched on it when we were in school, but this is proper woodwork.

"I enjoyed quite a lot, just learning new skills and putting it all together for a good cause."

The teenager says he found things challenging initially whilst he got to grips with using equipment that he was unfamiliar with prior to the training, but he enjoyed the project nonetheless.

He adds: "It's quite heart-warming really to know that you’re able to give — even though it's something small — to somebody maybe less fortunate. It's nice to give back to somebody."

For more information on the Portadown Wellness Centre, see portadownwellnesscentre.com. For information on The Cancer Fund For Children, visit cancerfundforchildren.com

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