Photography classes click with brain injury survivors

Former Bucks Herald photographer Derek Pelling has been leading the classes since the start of February and is delighted with the way his ‘students’ have responded.

Now he hopes that the group will soon be in a position to mount at an exhibition at a high-profile venue in the town - and the Bucks County Museum has offered to showcase this.

Derek, now a successful commercial photographer, said: “The group have taken some great pictures so far and I hope we can continue to further this. I’m very much looking forward to holding an exhibition in the future to show off their work.

“Although teaching was way out of my comfort zone, seeing the guys enjoying themselves and learning has made it all very worthwhile.”

The Monday morning classes were made possible after the charity received a grant from the Big Lottery Fund at the end of last year to run photographic and art sessions. An art teacher has now been hired and will be leading classes on Wednesdays.

Headway’s trustees have introduced the sessions as part of the programme to widen the charity’s appeal, especially among 18 to 30 year-olds, the main cohort of Aylesbury Vale’s estimated 1,500 survivors of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) – a condition which can be caused by accident or illness.

The charity, based in purpose-built premises behind the Co-Op in Wedgewood Street, Fairford Leys, would be delighted if survivors and their families visited to see what is on offer to help their recovery pathway.

Any ABI survivors, their carers and families interested in finding out more about the photography, art sessions or what else is on offer should contact manager Karen Styles on 01296 415469 or [email protected]