Lara finds Jack Drum Arts again as a young adult, where she finds safety and security, and new friends.

Born and raised in Crook, Lara’s youngest memory of Jack Drum Arts is of a mums and babies group where there were cups of tea, nail varnish and plenty of toys.

She then went on to attend various sessions at Stanhope Town Hall throughout her childhood, recalling memories of the after-school clubs, tuck shops, and drama - specifically watching an older group perform on stage, where she describes:

“Dancing all over, hands all over the place, fancy clothes, music - seeing it grow is a beautiful experience.”

She said:

“Every chance I got I was involved. And I loved it, it was an escape because at school I was just bullied and isolated, and then I would come to Jack Drum after school and I would look forward to it every week thinking I’m going to be socialising with people, I’m going to be speaking with people.”

Now Lara has realised that she is autistic, which was undiagnosed throughout Primary and Secondary School. She also suffers from anxiety, which she has received inconsistent support for through the NHS, and has resulted in suicide attempts.

“I didn’t know who I was, what I was or what do to with my life.”

Returning to Jack Drum Arts

At the age of 23, Lara has reconnected with Jack Drum Arts through the Creative Making and Crafts programme for adults who are not in work or education.

Lara stumbled across the programme on Facebook. She commented on how easy it was to access - and likes how there is no obligation to attend, and always feels welcomed and supported by staff and participants at Jack Drum Arts.

She has ambitions of working, but struggles to commit due to her mental health. Instead, she is looking for opportunities like this that allow her to learn new skills, meet new people and improve her mental health.

Through attending Creative Making and Crafts she has made new friends, kindling over common experiences. She commented:

“I’m not alone in this, there’s somebody else who thinks the same way and does the same things, and it’s nice to know you’re not alone, it’s really nice.”

“It helps with anxiety and stuff like that as well, because you’re occupied so you’re not over thinking about what you’re about to say.”

“You get told to do something, and then you are left to go and just to do it. That’s perfect for mental health, if you say ‘you do this this and this crack on’. Lovely. You couldn’t ask for anymore. Lovely. Because sometimes it’s hard when you get handed some equipment and go ‘right be creative’. You just sit there numb and think ‘well what am I going to create?’ But when somebody gives you the tools and says ‘right do this and get on with it’ then you can be a bit creative but stick by the rules, and you’ve kind of got a guideline to go by so you don’t feel uncomfortable going too off the subject.”

“And coming here [to Jack Drum Arts], it’s a break. It really is a break - you can switch off […] it switches you off from the whole world.”

Lara’s desire to connect

Lara is enthusiastic about the new skills she has gained from Creative Making and Crafts, and is keen to share these with others - and is also keen to support others who are experiencing what she has experienced by sharing her story with young people.

She has plans to attend Games Night with a new friend from the programme where they will will help to look after the young people who participate, and she will be working with the participants from Creative Making and Crafts on the Queen’s Jubilee Gala Event in June 2022.

She comments on Jack Drum Arts:

“It covers all ages, you’ve got your primary school kids, your secondary school kids and then your adults - it’s wonderful.”

 “It’s helped me to be who I am today.”

 Lara is an articulate, insightful and self-aware young person, whom Jack Drum Arts have witnessed grow into the young adult she is today.

 “I’d get stuck in those ruts where I’d be on to my second week of not going out anywhere, not even going to the supermarket. And you get in that cocoon and you think well if I go outside what happens if this goes wrong one or that goes wrong. And by coming here, you know you’re going to be safe and it’s a little bit of a walk outside so you’re getting the fresh air, and you come in here and you have a bit of chit chat. You know you’re gunna be safe […] it’s a safe zone, where you know you can leave the house and you’re going to be OK and that’s all you need to realise. The worlds not so bad […] it’s nice to remember that.”

 Lara quotes Bob Ross:

 “You need the bad days to know when the good days are happening.”