Dragonfly Wheel created by patients

Our Day Therapy Unit patients have been flexing their creative muscles by helping design and decorate an old bicycle wheel for display at Cafe Flourish on Saturday 7 September.

The decorative wheel is one of many wheels which have been distributed to various groups across the Doncaster borough. Flourish Project Coordinator, Kate Sully, approached St John’s Hospice about the opportunity and the Hospice’s Activities Coordinator, Richard Smith, seized the opportunity to get on board.

Richard said: “Engagement in creative activities helps relieve symptoms of chronic pain and helps boost emotional mood.

“Our Day Therapy Unit patients were on board with the project from the start and it was fantastic to see them bring their individual personalities to the project.

“One patient drew his very own frog whilst another took some dragonfly templates home with her to complete in-between therapy sessions.”

Richard added: “The design of the wheel is no accident, our hospice emblem is the dragonfly.

“Once the dragonfly larvae develop their wings and leave the pond, they are unable to return beneath the water’s surface.

“This element was encompassed into the design of the bicycle wheel with the ‘pond’ represented by the wheel and the escaping dragonflies outside of it resting on the wooden stick. We are thrilled by the results of the project and can’t wait for it to be displayed over at Flourish in early September amongst the other entries.”