MATURE student and artist, Diane Goring, has her graduation ceremony booked in October and has finally achieved her BA Hons Fine Art degree.

However, the project she undertook for her final year has, without doubt, become far more important.

Prior to embarking on her degree, Diane was an independent social worker. It perplexed her that she couldn’t understand why so many children kept hitting the headlines.

They were dying when there was public care involvement that should have protected them.

Her project ‘Silent Voices’ evolved as she began to undertake research around why that was happening. The numbers have escalated over the years and Diane is determined to try and make a difference.

The image ‘Just a Tear’ became the catalyst for that project.

In November 2024 Diane was fortunate enough to have an exhibition about the project held at the Old Brick Workshop Gallery in Wellington.

Diane says gallery owner Alison Cosserat was brilliant with the sensitive curation of the images that created a strong pictorial narrative about why the children were dying.

The project is slowly gaining momentum with positive feedback from the exhibition leading to her making of a video with the use of a professional actress, other friends and colleagues which included the findings of her research.

In February 2026, the British Association of Social Workers published an article about the video which was the next progressive step.

Following this came the very monumental goal which she hopes will lead to other opportunities.

In November 2026, along with an actress and another social work colleague, she is delivering a seminar to the British Association of Social Workers to an audience of health care professionals including social workers, managers and trainees.

Diane believes that this opportunity and others like it may really help, not only raise awareness of all the issues and findings about these vulnerable children, but that the face-to-face training will help practitioners to develop their skills and confidence in working with the most challenging families.

She hopes the day may even help save lives.

The artist has been using her art over the years to make money for charity. So far she has been able to donate nearly £2,000 to various community charities such as the Transition Town Wellington, The Wellington Hospital League of Friends Hospital, the Friends of Wellington Park and Save the Children.

With future plans to hold seminars in London and Birmingham alongside an exhibition, Diane is offering free workshops in return for donations to the project starting with a first workshop painting a Monet in oils. Having visited Monet’s garden in Giverny, Diane has plenty of photos and subject matter, she says.

In addition to the workshops Diane is also offering mentoring to other artists with an initial free consultation - she is keen to share knowledge about the art world and to help artists achieve their goals.

Anyone interested in a workshop or making a donation can contact Diane on 07855583160 or email her on [email protected]