USERS and facilitators of a creative arts and music session for people in Okehampton with learning disability or are on the autism spectrum are encouraging residents of the town to come and get involved.

The Turning Tides Project, based in mid Devon, is a group of artists, teachers, dancers, musicians, facilitators, enablers and support workers who believe that everyone has the right of equal access to the arts.

They make the arts and music accessible to people with learning disabilities.

The project is running a weekly music and creative arts group on Monday afternoons at the Pavilion in the Park between 1.30pm and 3.30pm, at a cost of £5.

The group has recently had a lot of fun working on writing, performing and recording original songs which have been included on their recently produced CD.

The group were also involved in designing their own album covers.

Future projects include more original song writing, creating film soundtracks, individual and group collage work, local interest projects and a performance at a summer festival.

Vicky Hooper, who co-ordinates the sessions, said: 'We hope everyone involved has lots of fun with us here in a safe, friendly environment.

'These sessions are designed to be welcoming and let the users be as creative and involved in the group as they want. Everyone who comes is made to feel welcome, and the focus is on enjoyment.'

Turning Tides offers many other exciting opportunities for people to get involved if they cannot come along to the Monday sessions.

Their website – http://www.theturningtidesproject.org.uk">www.theturningtidesproject.org.uk – has lots of information on the project and the blog page has some of their recorded music tracks and shows off some of their other creations.

To find out more about the Monday sessions or the Turning Tides project, call Vicky Hooper on 07853 366040 or e-mail [email protected]">[email protected] or alternatively, go to [email protected]">[email protected]