Future Pathways supported Fiona with her sculpture. Since then, Fiona has created workshops to help others find healing through creativity.
What made you decide to use your own creative talents to support other people?
I had the idea in March 2022 when I was at an all-time low. I wanted to support women who had similar experiences to me. I wanted to help them with the healing process, to go from feeling fragile to feeling stronger.
I was supported by Ewain, my Support Coordinator at Future Pathways. He helped me develop the initial idea. Through funding, I could buy tools and materials to help me set up the workshops. Later, I had a different Support Coordinator called Edith. She supported me through my emotional challenges and setbacks.
What has helped you along the way?
I was supported by MsMissMrs – a social enterprise that supports women. They helped me to set up my social enterprise and register it with Companies House. Through Future Pathways, I was also in touch with Brilliant Leaders. They helped with business strategies and funding applications. And gave me support with Break The Mould, which is still going.
Since then, I was able to get funding from the Start It Award to grow my social enterprise. This helped me to make a bigger impact, support more survivors, and maintain a healing and focused environment for people.
I’ve also received funding from Arnold Clark, which supported me to run evening classes. And I secured a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, Awards For All, for 2 years of funding. This means I can now support 48 women, all in recovery who are ready to start rebuilding their lives.
Can you tell us more about Break The Mould?
Break The Mould is a Glasgow-based social enterprise. It provides therapeutic sculpture workshops for women who have experienced sexual trauma, violence, homelessness and trafficking.
Through creative expression, my organisation offers a safe and supportive space where participants can rebuild their confidence, empower, develop skills, and strengthen their community connections.
How do you think creativity can help people in their recovery journey?
Participants tell us that the workshops can bring profound changes, from renewed self-worth to stronger community connections. By using sculpture making as a powerful tool, I help women process trauma, rebuild trust and overcome feelings of isolation and inequality. The workshops are not only emotional and psychological healing but also opens doors to education, employment and stronger family and community ties.
You have described the sculpture as tapping into fragility and resilience. Can you tell us more about that?
Fragility is sometimes seen as a weakness, but we can explore the beauty in fragility as it invites connection. We soften around fragile things; we protect them. We meet with empathy in that shared vulnerability. Relationships deepen and meaningful relationships grow. Resilience wouldn’t exist without fragility.