Due to popular demand arts organisation, Artlink have reprinted it’s short story publication called ‘Angel Wings’ written by acclaimed Scottish author Anne Donovan and illustrated by Tess Wood. ‘Angel Wings’ is work of fiction based on the experiences of a selected group of people with experience of mental ill health. After discussion Artlink commissioned Anne Donovan to write imaginatively about a child’s experience of having a mother or father who experiences mental ill health. Anne was asked to write it in a way that would speak to children and young adults assuring them that they were not alone and that the experience is relatively common.
Angel Wings has been used as teaching tool across the country in exploring issues of health and wellbeing. Very recently we received extensive feedback from a Mind Your Head Co-ordinator in Shetland who has been using the book with a composite P 4/5/6 class, one of the pupils said: ‘It is very important to accept others who may be different from yourself. In Angel Wings it has a very good explanation of mental health, it said that mental health is an illness, it is a bit like a T.V and it is not tuned in properly and it can go onto different channels and they can hear voices that we can’t hear, some are nice but some are scary’. More information about the project in Shetland is on the Angel Wings blogsite (under the downloads section) which can be accessed here.
Artlink are keen that the story continues to be put to positive use in supporting children and young people to explore issues of mental ill health. The book is suitable to be used within a formal educational settings for ages 8 and up – further teaching materials linked to the Curriculum for Excellence can be found on the resources page on the blogsite. Hard copies of the story can be obtained from info@artlinkedinburgh.co.uk Artlink 13a Spittal Street, Edinburgh EH3 9DY 0131 229 3555 with a small donation for postage. ISBN 978-09551882-3-7
