The Healing Nature: Velindre's First Staff Art Exhibition

27 October 2025

On Thursday 23 October, the Arts in Health programme launched 'The Healing Nature' - Velindre's first staff art exhibition.

This group exhibition of photographs created by our staff offers a unique window into the restorative power of the natural world. Using their cameras, staff have captured the vital role nature plays in supporting our mental and emotional well-being. At a time when the pressures on healthcare workers have never been greater, these photographs celebrate the healing power of creativity itself.

Whether snapped on a stroll after a shift, a peaceful day off, or a weekend out with family, every photo tells a story of stepping outside, slowing down and reconnecting with what matters. We invite you to pause, reflect and experience the calming, grounding and inspiring power of the natural world.

See below for a list of contributing artists. Some have included details of their artistic practice:

• Aaron Thomas, former MDT coordinator for Immunotherapy Toxicity Service (3 artworks)
• Amy Matthew Stanbury, Research Nurse (3 artworks)
  • Sunset:  I feel this image radiates a sense of hope and renewal. The warm light blankets the field, symbolising the promise of rest and new beginnings. I hope that the tranquil countryside scene invites reflection and offers a reminder of the quiet resilience found in nature
  • Blossom: I hope that this image captures the exuberance of spring, with pink blossoms bursting into life under a brilliant blue sky. Each bloom is a testament to nature’s resilience, emerging after the stillness of winter. For me, this scene embodies the theme of the healing qualities of nature by reminding us of the strength found in renewal and growth.
  • The Sea: This image reflects the soothing beauty of the sea and its power to inspire serenity and introspection. The ebb and flow of the waves demonstrate the constancy of change, offering a moment of peace amidst life’s chaos. This image is a tribute to the sea’s role as a healer and a sanctuary.
• Claire Illari, Staff Nurse (2 artworks)
  • Untitled: I took this photo while walking our dogs around our community's local pond in Caerphilly.  A grey heron stood motionless in the reeds, patient and certain, waiting for what would come.  I often see herons there and think about the way they experience life. Maybe they don't question the depth of the pond or the path of the clouds. Maybe they simply trust. And perhaps that is what hope is. Not just the longing for something unseen, but the quiet belief that what we need will arrive in its own time, just as the heron’s next meal, the pond’s next rainfall, and the dawn that always follows night.
  • Untitled: I took this photo with my phone of a flower which was in a bouquet in a very busy supermarket. The colours were striking and in a moment, my thoughts were taken from a stressful shopping trip to thinking about rainbows. Each colour of the rainbow holds its own energy, blending together in perfect harmony. Red with its strength, yellow glows with warmth, and blue soothes like a calm sea. Together, they create a spectrum of hope, a symbol of new beginnings.  Just like the feelings evoked in seeing a real rainbow after a storm, this little flower sparked a moment of wonder for me. A brief but fulfilling nudge, that the unexpected can happen, even when least expected - even with seeing an unusual flower in a busy supermarket.
• Debbie Worthing, Advanced Therapies Wales (5 artworks – multi-frame)
  • The calming power of nature: When the many demands of living in a hectic 24/7 society feels overwhelming, the restorative power of our beautiful Welsh coastline never fails to recharge my inner sense of calm and balance.
• Emma Aherne, Macmillan Generic Therapies Technician (3 artworks)
  • Balanced pebbles: When life feels rocky, getting a balance of everything can take time and patience. But when we get this in the right order through prioritising what's most important to us, it will all even out creating a sense of stability and serenity. Take a minute to step back and look at what you have built for yourself, recognising all the hard work you have done. Looking over this and at what is in front of us may still seem bumpy. But when we look ahead at the landscape of the bigger picture, we can see the vastness of the sea, with endless possibilities for renewal and healing. The water gives us the opportunity for reflection and appreciation of what we travelled through behind us, to reach where we are now.
  • Gate pathway: What is best for us may not always be the most obvious route to take to achieve it. When the uphill path with the clear blue sky that looks greener on the other side is closed, it can feel unfair. It may just be the pathway that we are already on and have been following that is right for us. The path less obviously travelled may be the straight road to the light ahead. The sun highlighting the road suggests leading to the hope of new beginnings, resilience and healing.
  • Sunlight forest: Hope is what beams through when obstacles are in your way. No matter how deep rooted, tall or branched out these can be, just know that rays of light break through the darkness. The way it filters through the trees symbolises guidance and clarity, echoing the warm feelings of hope. When we can’t see the wood from the trees, the sun lets us know that there are better times ahead. Sunlight is what influences the changes of the seasons, stimulates growth and restoration of the natural world.
• Michelle Daniels, Training & Pastoral Care Lead Nurse (2 artworks)
  • Untitled: A flower surviving the cold winter snow showcases the world's natural ability to surpass anything. Hope thrives even in a place of uncertainty because true hope is unseen. Hope that is seen is no hope at all.
  • Untitled: Hope, life, connection. Life supplies life, and one's hope ignites another. We are all interconnected and codependent to each other. The absence of one impacts the whole circle of life.
• Paul Shaw, Oncology Consultant (2 artworks)
• Sam Bellanato, Quality Improvement Officer, ABUHB Microbiology (3 artworks)
  • Untitled: With the setting of the sun we can reflect on the past keeping hope for a brighter tomorrow

A heartfelt thank you to all our contributors for helping bring this beautiful exhibition to life. We hope this art project has offered our staff a meaningful space to express their creativity beyond the boundaries of their everyday roles. Through our Arts in Health programme, we aim to harness the power of art as a calming and inspiring outlet, supporting both staff and patients in reducing stress and enhancing wellbeing.

Find out more about our Arts in Health programme here.