Our Stories: Meet Sarah

“I first started working for Purple Patch in September 2018. I was fresh out of university and had just graduated with a drama degree. I loved the way they use art, music and drama, and it seemed like a really warm place to come to meet new people and do creative things. 

I started volunteering and soon I was acting as programme support. By December 2018 I was a permanent member of staff. I started on 2 days, and I’ve worked my way up through the ranks. During the pandemic we were delivering our sessions on Zoom and that’s when I became a programme artist, and over time I’ve worked my way up to being a programme leader. 

I love finding creative ways to dive into the different themes. We’ve done obstacle courses, mindfulness sessions with yoga and self-massage, we’ve written songs and poems. One of my proudest sessions was exploring Masala chai. We smelled different spices, choreographed a dance and mixed the tea into paint to create a muti-sensory group mural. 

If someone’s having a hard time, they’ll talk about it with the group and everyone will come in with some kind of emotional support. Everyone is incredibly supportive and accepts one another for who they are. That’s one of the best things about the Purple Patch groups. 

It’s a wonderful organisation to work for. I’ve met some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, working here. Everyone has each other’s backs all the time. It’s a very open, warm, loving and trusting environment. I think that’s what makes it special.” 

Purple Patch Arts supports learning-disabled people to thrive and to be heard. They create environments where everyone is empowered to express themselves, and to engage with, and understand, themselves, other people and the world around them. They’ve had various grants from Leeds Community Foundation, including a Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund grant to support their lifelong learning programme.