What we do
Havens

Inspiring art installations, quiet gardens or even a hidden nook to claim as their own, these are the havens of NHS Lothian staff. Through interviews and portraits, find out more about these havens and the impact they have on wellbeing.

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Nature Bathing at East Lothian Community Hospital

Find out more about our double award-winning holistic and pioneering art and environment strategy at East Lothian Community Hospital in Haddington

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Get Involved
Collections: Alasdair Gray

With the release of the Poor Things Film, we’re celebrating Scottish writer Alasdair Gray, whose artwork is part of our Tonic Collection and hangs in NHS Lothian hospitals.

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London Symphony Orchestra Strikes a Chord with Staff and Patients at NHS Lothian Hospitals

The uplifting events saw patients and staff enjoy some respite and distraction through an afternoon of music.

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About us
Case Study: Nature Bathing

Drawing on elements of nature can quickly take you out of a clinical space, which can feel confined or detached from the outside world. Viewing nature via artistic representations can promote restoration, significantly improve mental health and reduce stress or anxiety

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Case Study: Context and Place

A community hospital like East Lothian Community Hospital is a hub, a nerve centre for local people, responding to and tending to their needs. The art and design programme took inspiration from the site, the surrounding landscapes and the local people.

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Home » What we do » Tonic Participation » Havens

Havens: Stories and Portraits of NHS Lothian staff

NHS Lothian Charity’s Tonic Arts and Green Health programmes are proud to present “Havens: Stories and Portraits of NHS Lothian Staff.” This unique project explores the hidden sanctuaries where NHS Lothian staff find moments of peace amidst their demanding work.

Award-winning photographers, Craig Easton and Lottie Davies, spent a year capturing the stories of over 75 staff members across various roles and locations. Their residency involved not just portraits, but also photography and creative writing workshops, empowering staff to express themselves through art.

The culmination of this year-long journey is a powerful exhibition showcasing a selection of these portraits and stories.

The public exhibition at Stills: Centre for Photography will run from 28 June – 13 July 2024, then will travel to various NHS Lothian sites for patients, visitors and staff to enjoy.

These stories also have a permanent home on our NHS Lothian Charity website.

Havens stories and portraits

Join our amazing NHS Lothian staff on their journey to discover their hidden havens – those peaceful pockets within the busy healthcare environment where they find moments of quiet to recharge.

Visit our Havens webpages

As part of the Edinburgh International Festival, the London Symphony Orchestra play at a Hospital in the Lothians. Image © to Mihaela Bodlovic

Our Tonic Arts Participation Programme brings the transformative power of the arts to patients, visitors and staff in healthcare settings across NHS Lothian