New artwork created by local NHS perinatal mental health team and Derby & Burton Hospital's Charity Air Arts team, displayed at The Royal Derby Hospital

As part of the Derby & Burton Hospital's charity's Air Arts programme, the ‘Belong’ exhibition for 2025–2026 proudly features a heartfelt contribution from the Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) team at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

This year-long exhibition explores the theme of ‘belonging’ – a sense of identity, community and connection. The PMH display captures this.

Created by Recreational Worker, Lissa Statham, from The Beeches Mother and Baby Unit in Derby, with the support of dedicated staff and mums, the PMH display is a tribute to shared experience and collective creativity.

Covering 24ft, and made up of four individual artwork boards, the display is prominently located along the corridor to obstetrics and gynaecology at the Royal Derby Hospital, near the small Costa café, offering a moment of reflection and connection for those who pass by.

The display features several themed boards – one includes heartfelt messages written by parents about their experiences of the service; another is dedicated to The Beeches with photos and descriptions about the mother and baby unit; a third showcases a book with butterflies emerging, surrounded by quotes from patients; and the final board features reflections from staff, sharing what The Beeches means to them.

Jill Matthews, Chief Officer at Dery & Burton Hospitals Charity, said: "We are delighted to display the pieces Lissa has produced with patients, as part of our art exhibition, ‘Belong’. All of the pieces chosen have been created by artists and will help create a space for positivity and upliftment within the hospital environment."

The PMH team’s submission stood out to the charity's exhibition steering group for its “authenticity and emotional resonance.” As noted in the selection feedback, “we were impressed with the ward’s submission ideas. We can’t wait to see the finished pieces. We have a space near to obstetrics and gynaecology where we feel the artwork could potentially have the greatest impact.”

Kerby Walker, Interim Perinatal Clinical Lead at Derbyshire Healthcare, said: “This collaborative piece of work led by Lissa Statham, Recreational Worker and involving staff and patients on the Beeches Mother and Baby Unit is a testament to the power of creativity in nurturing community and wellbeing in healthcare settings.

“Touching on the unique perinatal journeys of individuals provides the opportunity to share experiences and instil hope to others. Derbyshire Perinatal Service consists of a mother and baby unit, two perinatal community teams and a maternal mental health service.”

The Derby & Burton Hospital Charity's Air Arts ‘Belong’ exhibition will run until June 2026 across the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (Royal Derby Hospital and Queen's Hospital Burton sites).

For more information about the exhibition,  please visit www.airarts.net or download the brochure here https://bit.ly/3HSCPGG.

For further details about the Trust’s Perinatal service visit https://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/services/mental-health-and-emotional-wellbeing/perinatal-mother-and-baby-services.