AN award-winning artist and photographer is launching two new community smartphone /device photography programmes for people living in the Camborne, Pool and Redruth area, as part of an exciting new project to research how creativity and arts activities can be used to help improve people’s health and wellbeing.

Ruth Purdy's ground breaking programme is being supported with funding from Smartline.

The three-year research project, led by the University of Exeter with Coastline Housing Ltd, Volunteer Cornwall, and Cornwall Council, is looking at how technology can be used to help people live healthier and happier lives.

As part of the project the Smartline team fitted environmental sensors in the homes of 300 Coastline Housing customers in Camborne, Pool, Illogan and Redruth and gave participants tablet computers and IT training sessions to record the data produced by the sensors.

Ruth is working with researchers from Smartline as part of the In Residence scheme which provides funding to help local entrepreneurs to take their initial ideas to the next stage.

Ruth will be offering two eight week programmes aimed at encouraging people living in the area to get together and learn new skills and make new friends. Both community smartphone photography sessions will take place from the end of April and are free of charge to those taking part.

The first programme will be held on Wednesday mornings and will involve participants going “out and about” to take digital photos of a range of different locations in the Redruth and Camborne area using their Smartline tablet or camera phone.

The group will be set a weekly photographic challenge, with their work exhibited at a Smartline digital snappers event at the end of the programme. The first class will take place on Wednesday, April 24.

The second programme will be held at Miner’s Court in Redruth on Tuesday afternoons and will involve looking at the history of Camborne and Redruth through photographs, maps and stories.

Participants will have the opportunity to digitise their existing photos and images as well as taking new photos using their Smartline tablet or camera phones. This material will then be used to make models and collages of local places and people, with the final results displayed at a special celebration at the end of the programme.

Although the scheme will initially be targeted at people living in the development, any surplus places will be open to other local residents. This programme will begin on Tuesday, 28 May.

“We know that loneliness and social isolation can sometimes lead to health problems, with people feeling stressed and depressed “ said Ruth. “Research shows that regular contact with creativity can improve people’s lives by developing positive behaviour and thoughts and we want to see whether this programme will produce similar results.

Karen Spooner, from Volunteer Cornwall, and the Smartline community development manager, is excited about the launch of the new community photography classes.

“Last year we held a series of “guided conversations” with people living in the Camborne, Pool and Redruth areas to help us understand their wellbeing needs, aspirations and desires for their communities” she said. “Residents told us they wanted more activities which brought people together and helped them feel they belonged in their local communities.

“Since then we have provided a range of activities to bring local communities together and tackle social isolation, including community coffee mornings, workshops in first aid and IT skills, local groups working together to raise funding to transform underused green spaces and community exercise classes.

“All these activities have encouraged people to get together and try new things and we hope that this new project will prove just as successful”.

For more information or to register your interest please call Ruth on 07800 586315 or email contact@mitber.com