A colourful community art project is bringing patients, carers, staff and volunteers together across Pilgrims Hospices through a shared creative initiative called Tiles of Joy.
Led by ceramic artist Jayne Wright of JAW Ceramics CIC, the project began in 2023 in partnership with Power of Women (POW) Thanet and has since grown to include more than 2,000 handcrafted tiles created by people across Thanet and beyond. Now part of Pilgrims Hospices’ wellbeing programme, patients, carers, bereavement groups, staff and volunteers have been invited to design their own ceramic tiles reflecting what brings them happiness. Participants shaped and decorated clay pieces before each tile was fired and returned for display.
Clay Comfort
The finished artworks are now installed at Pilgrims Hospices in Ashford and Thanet, forming permanent displays that celebrate individual stories while creating a shared piece of community art. The project has also helped encourage new thinking around creative therapies within Pilgrims’ wellbeing services, with staff exploring how clay-based activities could further support patients and families in the future.
A member of the wellbeing team said: “It has been such a meaningful experience for everyone involved. Seeing people relax into the process, express themselves so freely, and then light up when they see their finished tile on display has been incredibly special.”
Pilgrims wellbeing patient Ann Mapley, who took part, said: “The brief was to design tiles that meant something to us and for me that was my grandchildren. One of them loves George’s dragon and the other loves snails, so I created a dragon and a snail on my tiles. It was such a fun afternoon, there were lots of laughs and giggles as we all tried to get everything just right with help from the lovely ladies running the session. Seeing the mural come together has been wonderful; it looks so lovely now.”
Tiles of Joy continues to highlight how small moments of creativity can bring people together, spark reflection and create lasting connections through shared artistic expression. The project spans locations including Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Broadstairs, Ramsgate and Westgate-on-Sea in Kent.
