Bright Beginnings

Bright Beginnings is a Research and Development Project commissioned by Midland Metropolitan University Hospital and funded by Arts Council England.

Triangulating the experiences of migrant mothers and maternity clinicians, and using the arts and creativity to do so, the project seeks to improve access to maternity services for migrant mothers.

Creative focus groups were held with health visitors in community settings and maternity clinicians at City Hospital to better understand their experiences working with migrant families and what the challenges and barriers might be. Movement and breathwork were used to ground the groups and provide a source of relaxation and nuturing in their busy days. Using weaving to express their thoughts and feelings, the participants shared their experiences with one another.

A ten week pilot in two blocks was held for migrant mothers at Brushstrokes Community Project in Smethwick in Spring 2024. Working with migrant mothers, they expressed their experiences of maternity services through embroidery, and some really rich and important discussions took place.

In Autumn 2024, a final focus group was held in Balsall Heath with migrant mothers who had experience of maternity services in South Birmingham.

The project will culminate with a textile installation compiling all the project findings into one giant sewn pamphlet to be displayed as part of the opening launch exhibition at Midlands Metropolitan University Hospital in April 2025. The installation will be created through community textiles workshops for migrant women, at Brushstrokes Smethwick and Thimblemill Library, Bearwood.