‘When Shadows Fall’ Raven Treasure Box & the healing power of expression through The Arts.

To celebrate the paperback launch of ‘When Shadows Fall’ on May 12th in Mental Health Awareness Week illustrator Natalie Sirett, has created the most beautiful healing treasure box. The physical box was made by Natalie’s ninety two year old father-in-law - Bert. It symbolises to me a miniature ‘Bothy’ - a free place, as created by an elder in the story, for all to shelter from the harsh weather of reality. In the Raven Treasure box Bert built the foundations of a precious space where young people have the freedom to express themselves in word and art as we explore these themes in the story. On and in this skilfully carpented box Natalie has wrought her exquisite art to inspire young people to explore the three acts of the book. The first drawer explores childhood dreams, the second - the fire of adolescence and the third; the sky and a journey through trauma to the possibility of acheiving childhood dreams of flying.

The Raven Treasure box It is a magical object containing images and icons related to themes of trauma, exclusion, wellbeing, community, refugee realities and a journey to healing and hope.

As each drawer is revealed we invite audiences to explore the power of the creative process in journal writing and illustration for themselves. Participants charcoal portraits of each other as they listen to a reading of Kai and Omid doing the same activity in their GCSE art studio.

There is a growing societal awareness of the mental health benefits of being gifted time and space to express ourselves through the arts - a space that has been denied young people in an increasingly test based education system in which arts subjects are sidelined. The young in ‘When Shadows Fall’ depend on that rewilding space, and for adults in their communities to help protect and nurture the ‘land of their growing.’ The outpouring of creativity released is revealing just how much that portal of creativity is needed.

‘When Shadows Fall’ is a journal seen through the eyes of eighteen year old Kai and his friends Omid, Orla and Zak as they looks back on their school days from nursery to sixth form. This communal act of telling speaks through poetry, prose, art and engaging with the powers of nature to heal.

The Raven Treasure Box, containing inspirations from ‘When Shadows Fall,’ is proving to be a powerful catalyst for the exploration of hope-light through harnessing the most potent of superpowers - empathy, creativity and imagination.

The work of A Level Arts Students who created a ‘When Shadows Fall’ exhibition.

People across generations are taking this treasure home while others are choosing to donate their own expression treasure up for Natalie and I to gather and curate into an exhibition to be opened in Refugee Week 2023 by CounterPoint Arts.

Information about the book will feature in Refugee Week. The theme this year is ‘Healing.’ Resources will be created by English and Media Centre, Little Tiger and Schools for Sanctuary.

“Full of empathy and hope … Kai’s story is a must read for teens to explore how easily things can fall apart but also how we can heal.” – A. M. Dassu, author of Boy, Everywhere

‘When Shadows Fall’ Little Tiger publishes in paperback on May 12th 2022.

Edited by Mattie Whitehead.

“Empathetic, original, searingly sad in places, but full of hope, & the power of friendship, art, music, wild places, and ravens” – Nicola Penfold, author of Where the World Turns Wild

“Sita’s lyrical prose captures the raw emotions of adolescence – of a young person navigating their way through grief and troubled times. A book for all of us.” – Gill Lewis, author of Swan Song

Endorsed by Amnesty International UK