Amanda Bass
Associate of Open Access Arts
Director of Music, Drama and Wellbeing
Jeanette Rourke
Founder of Open Access Arts
Director of Drama, Film and Wellbeing
Originally achieving a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and MSc in Neuroscience, Amanda then went on to take BA (Hons) in Drama and English Literature. She has combined her skills and passions to bring the healing power of drama into healthcare.
Working in care homes Amanda has developed programmes to promote wellbeing and help residents with dementia enjoy their remaining memories through music and movement. Additionally, Amanda has worked with acute mental health patients, creating activities that celebrate their unique creativity. She has also taken on the role as specialist mental health mentor at London Universities, supporting students with different additional needs to achieve their degree on a one-to-one basis.
Continuing on an Educational theme, Amanda has taught English in Sudan and as an additional language in the UK to children and adults.
She has worked as Education Coordinator at the National Autistic Society Learner Support Service for adults with autism, and in the same role at St. Mungo's Recovery College for adults with a background of homelessness, substance use, mental and physical health issues and isolation. Her expertise lies in engaging people through imaginative activities and projects that contribute towards academic progression.
Amanda's stage work includes collaboration with the Critical Stage Company and Only Connect, where she creates touring theatre-in-education programmes.
Jeanette is the founder of Open Access Arts and heads up the creative collaboration in Partnership with Ron Bambridge - Me and Thee Films
She is the driving force behind all the work you will find on this website.
For over thirty years, Jeanette has been promoting social inclusion in the arts are wellbeing.
She has a PTTLS+ teaching qualification from Cambridge University.
She is a qualified drugs worker and member of the Federation of Drug & Alcohol Professionals (FDAP)
Art in Dementia training and more....
Please see Collaborators/Qualifications and...
Our Current focus is on Hello you! Dementia-friendly creativity. We provide creative opportunities to empower people affected by dementia.
In 2013 Jeanette developed and set up The 'Born To Shine Wellbeing Day' with homeless charity, St Mungo’s. Held every year for 6 years (over 300 sessions) with at least 30 attendees every week. Thats over 10,000 visits. There were many, many ,creative adventures, including drama workshops and an annual play, developed and directed by Jeanette and performed in a professional theatre each year. This project was open to all including those linked in with wellbeing and recovery, mental health and drug and alcohol services.
Jeanette spent many years collaborated with Playing ON Theatre Company, including workshops on the locked wards at The Maudsley Hospital. Working with both patients and psychiatrists, developing the play Hearing Things, written by Writer’s Guild award winner Philip Osment. This drama explores the dilemmas of psychiatry from the points of view of patients, relatives and staff. The play was developed over five years and is based on extensive research in locked wards of some of the top UK mental health care facilities.
Watch highlights of the play here.
Jeanette's other work!
Jeanette is a multi-award winning, writer, director, actor and filmmaker. Find out more here.
Jeanette trained with RADA and the Institute of Performing Arts in Paris and Berlin. More information here: Spotlight.
Victoria Latham Kelly
Associate of Open Access Arts
Movement, Drama and Wellbeing
Victoria is an actor born in Lancashire.
She studied at Drama Studio London winning
an honours award for her high achievements upon graduating.
She was then given a scholarship from RADA
and The Actors Centre to train in Paris, Berlin
and London. Victoria has worked extensively
in stage and screen,
Victoria's has worked with director David
Tucker and Che Walker on Scorched Earth,
joining the team of Raging Calm, working with adults, identifying as socially excluded.
Katie Miller
Associate of Open Access Arts
Art Psychotherapist
Katie Miller - Art Psychotherapist
Katie is an Artist, Arts Educator and Art Psychotherapist who has directed her art making towards collaborative projects and participatory art making. Katie has worked
as an art therapist and community artist with vulnerable adults and young people in London, Brighton, Ecuador, Greece and France.
Click on Katie to go to her Website -
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Draw On Community Threads
Hackney Migrant Centre’s
ME AND THEE FILMS
HJeanette and Ron Me And Thee Films
HMe And Thee Films Some Highlights
Ron Bambridge & Jeanette Rourke - Me and Thee Films