Wellbeing: Samaritans volunteering inspires Big Panda tales

Volunteering for a suicide prevention charity inspired a Swansea artist to write a wellbeing book picked up by one of Britain's biggest publishers.

James Norbury created the uplifting adventures of Big Panda and Tiny Dragon, drawing on Buddhist philosophy and spirituality.

His illustrations have already seen him amass 138,000 followers on Instagram.

The drawings have even been spotted with young monks in the Dalai Lama's temple in India.

The artist said he wanted to share ideas that helped him through difficult times in his own life.

After working as a volunteer for the Samaritans, Big Panda and Tiny Dragon were born.

"We're all doing our best and yet we tend to think we are not enough," he said.

"A lot of people might feel the same as me and I wanted people to see my drawings and feel better about things."

"From the response I've had, it's working, so I am going to keep doing it," added the artist.

His first hardback edition of the tales of Big Panda and Tiny Dragon went on sale on Thursday, after being published by Penguin Michael Joseph.