Arts Council England funded project – THE WRITE TRAIL – made its way to Ealing in May. The month-long literary festival, aimed at cultivating connections and championing the inclusive spirit of creativity for all, coincided with other national campaigns including National Walking Month and Mental Health Awareness Week (13 – 19 May).
“Its just a bad day, not a bad life.”: Muna, Ealing Centre Manager
“Your life isn’t yours if you always care what others think;” Brooke, Customer Service Assistant
To celebrate this year’s theme for Mental Health Awareness Week: Moving More for our Mental Health, Podium Ealing hosted a Health & Wellbeing event on Tuesday, 14 May 2024. Embracing the spirit of moving more, hosts of THE WRITE TRAIL filled the Dock Club with interactive word games and a scavenger hunt. The ‘hunters’, including our team, also shared their favourite quotes and mottos that keep them moving.
And that’s not all! We were delighted to be joined by Dr. Raj Chandok (award-winning GP based in North West London) and Health & Fitness Trainer Alexander Kritikos (Gymbox Ealing), who shared how they ‘keep it moving’ and emphasized the importance of creativity amid the challenges of every day modern life. They also provided some very useful tips on the day-to-day things we can all do to protect our mental health and emotional wellbeing.
The month of May was indeed an eventful one at Podium Ealing as we continued to celebrate creativity, culminating in a spoken word open-mic night on May 31st. It was a fun-filled evening which saw local creatives and poets from the Borough celebrating the written word through poetry, prose, and song.
Dr Poonam Madar and Evelyn Ofori-Koree (THE WRITE TRAIL team) were joined by guests Dr Raj Chandok and Alexander Kritikos.
Podium client and creator of THE WRITE TRAIL, Dr Poonam Madar, said of THE WRITE TRAIL:
“Everyone harbours creative potential and it can be enjoyed anywhere and everywhere. Even work spaces are more than just places for work – they represent places where ideas are exchanged and opportunities are created to meet other like-minded creatives, as I have also done in Ealing, which boasts a rich cultural hub. As a lifelong West London resident, I am proud to celebrate the rich tapestry of the written word in all its forms across Ealing.”
Dr Poonam Madar is a London-based Sociologist and writer. Through her Working Warrior consultancy, she designs and hosts bespoke writing experiences centred on creativity, innovation, wellbeing, and dynamic learning. Poonam can be contacted on info@working-warrior.com.