Who We Are

The charity Friends of Breathe Arts Health Research was set up in 2018 to support arts-based interventions in the health sector.

At present it does so by supporting the work of Breathe Arts Health Research CIC (Company Number 08132323). Breathe is an award-winning not-for-profit social enterprise that designs and delivers creative programmes, underpinned by scientific research, to improve health and wellbeing. Their work is co-designed with artists, scientists, healthcare staff and patients, to meet specific clinical needs.

Breathe’s innovative and artistic approach to transforming healthcare experiences offers those they work with a sense of empowerment, hope and creative fulfillment when they need it most. Breathe are one of the first arts and health companies to be recognised by NHS England for their work. In 2019 Breathe were featured in the World Health Organisation report on Arts in Health and have previously won the NHS England Innovation Challenge Award.

Breathe currently work across over 80 healthcare locations in the UK and have delivered work as far afield as Australia. Annually they engage 50,000 people through 1,400 projects and events. You can find out more about their work on their website.

The logo for the CIC Breathe Arts Health Research
An elderly person is indoors. We are looking at them from behind, so we cannot see their face. We can only see the top third of their body, and they are mid stretch; one hand is gracefully held above their head 
(c) Camilla Greenwell

Breathe’s current programmes include:

The Breathe Magic Intensive Therapy Programme: for young people aged 7-19 with hemiplegia. This award-winning approach uses Magic Circle magicians, alongside Occupational Therapists, to teach magic tricks designed to develop hand/arm function, cognitive abilities, self-confidence and independence.

Breathe also run Melodies for Mums: a pioneering 10-week programme of music-making for women with or at-risk of postnatal depression, improving mental health and reducing social isolation. After just six weeks of singing, mums had experienced a decrease of nearly 35% in their symptoms. 65% no longer had moderate-severe symptoms.

The Performing Arts Programme at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust is made possible with support from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity. This includes:

  • Breathe Harmony – a choir for NHS staff, reducing stress and improving health and wellbeing

  • Breathing Spaces – live performances in public and patient areas to reduce stress and anxiety

  • Breathe Dance – to improve strength, balance and wellbeing for older patients with vestibular conditions

There are 3 people; two adults sitting crosslegged, and a baby lain on a cushion in front of one of the adults. Both adults are singing and doing actions using their hands. There's a drum in the foreground, and the photo is very colourful 
 (c) Felipe Pangani