Russell, The Forest Project lead, talks about this fantastic puppet making group

Can you tell us what the Forest Project group is?

The Forest project is a group of West Kent Mind service users who have come together to make puppets around the theme of a Russian folk tale – The Soldier and Death. The story is about a soldier who contrives to trap Death in a bag so he can avoid being taken himself. He is successful but unwittingly consigns the rest of the world to unending life. Each participant has chosen a character from the story (major, minor or inferred) to turn into a puppet.

What sessions have you run so far and what have these sessions involved?

We started back in September 2023. In that time, we have created jointed limbs, heads, and bodies which we are now putting together. There has also been quite a lot of laughter as the group’s creations come to life.

How does the service support good mental health and wellbeing? 

We meet for an hour and a half each week. The group get to chat as they work and solve the specific challenges of their puppet design. They are very supportive of each other. Creating a puppet is a real journey which often allows us to process deep thoughts and emotions and project them onto the figure in hand. It’s a deeply calm, gentle, yet powerful process.

What’s your favourite thing about working with this group?

I never fail to be surprised by the range of creativity and wonderful ideas this group has brought to the project. For some, this has been the first time they have ever turned their hand to anything like this and everyone has created something utterly unique. We have soldiers, bears, devils, Mother Death and a fantastically decrepit Baboushka! It has been really rewarding to help the group realise their ideas and bring their creations to life.