“Poetry is permission to connect with other people’s emotions. You can reach out beyond difficulty and touch someone else’s human understanding.”
Tim Farron, MP
Back in 2023, Tim, who’s our local MP, invited our previous project Refuge from the Ravens to showcase at the Houses of Parliament, so it was great to renew our shared history. This time in a visit to our latest project, the Bellwethers exhibition at Abbot Hall, along with 12 of the people who’d made the poetic artworks.
As ever, he was empathetic and interested in everything that Bellwethers represents – after all, this exhibition touches on the lives of many of his constituents. It’s the story of what happens behind the picture postcards of the Lake District. Here, as in the rest of the country, an increasing number of people are struggling to make ends meet, struggling with substances, struggling even to keep a roof over their heads.
After meeting with the group and being guided around the space by them, Tim sat down to join a lively chat and as we left the statistics behind, the discussion turned towards emotion. About how art can speak to our common humanity, and even help to heal damage – all the things that make us create as human beings – the value and the mystery of it too.
Ian from the group kickstarted things: “As people in recovery, we don’t relate to the future because we don’t know what it holds. We do know the past and it weighs heavy. Now I’m writing about the past, going back to my roots, I’m looking into the darkness. Insane times. But I’ve realised that saying it changes it. Your imagination goes into it and there’s a mindset change: from a death wish to life.”
Alex jumped in: “Because of being in recovery, I’m open to whatever comes along, so I’m trying new things. I jumped on the poems, I never thought I would. I ran away from school when I was a kid, never thought I’d volunteer to pick up a pen again.”
Tim: “It’s the process of making, writing your life down it heals you, writing your troubles, it creates community. I saw Ravens do the same – bringing that to the Houses of Parliament I was really struck by how the poems hit me, they were so emotionally open, so strong. The writers truly had something to say.”
Adam reflected: “I liked the art coming together with the words. Hearing other people’s different experiences, their understanding or confusion. It blows me away – it’s like looking in someone else’s head.”
Back to Tim: “The poems here feel very powerful because they touch me with their rawness. People are talking about what actually matters. What’s actually happening in our communities and we need to hear everyone.”
Over the months of the Bellwethers exhibition at Abbot Hall, thousands of people have seen the work. We’ve been in and out of the space many times — and directly heard many responses from visitors, from gallery staff and volunteers. And there is a common denominator – people see it, respond emotionally and are often surprised. It cuts past a purely intellectual judgemental response and delivers a message in the language of emotion.
The conversation continued down into the café and probably would’ve kept going well into the afternoon, but for the relentless timetables and busyness of a politician’s working life. As we all wished Tim goodbye, Ian offered a final thought, by way of a happy ending: “The poetry, the creativity, the walking out into the countryside opens up another world, it helps to appreciate what actually surrounds you. Now I’m finding a world of overlooked things and emotions. Focusing on one point of interest, as you describe it, you lose your mind into it, take yourself out of your situation, into something different. I’m finally coming to life.”
