CARE homes across Wychavon are being invited to take part in a series of music and reminiscence workshops aimed at people living with dementia.
Arts Uplift CIC, a community interest company specialising in arts, health and heritage, has partnered with Museums Worcestershire to bring five reminiscence sessions to care homes.
The company has been running regular community sessions in Evesham at Wallace House on a fortnightly basis since November which will continue until August and has now started the second phase of the 18-month-long project.
During the sessions, participants handle memory objects from various themes such as hair and beauty, holidays, as well as sing along to songs from different eras.
Local musicians Heather Wastie, Deborah Rose and Tristan Pate will use the memories of the participants to create stories and songs which will be recorded and performed live.
The first of the nine new songs to be created will be performed by Heather at Evesham’s Dementia Cafe on March 6 from 11.15am
This project was inspired by the original Suitcase Stories where storyteller Gavin Young who created six new stories from Worcestershire people’s memories.
Jenny Davis, director of Arts Uplift CIC, said: “The overall outcome of the sessions so far has been laughter and joyfulness. The combination of the objects and singing really brings back people’s memories of good times. I’ve seen people not managing to communicate very well, but when the music is played they join in with the songs fully.
“Equally I have seen people that can’t speak but will spend hours devouring over an old magazine or examining the old objects. We still have places on our community fortnightly and monthly sessions so it’s not too late to get involved.”
This project has been supported by Wychavon District Council, Arts Council England, The Elmley Foundation, Worcestershire County Council, The Bransford Trust, John Martin Charity, Wyre Forest District Council, Bromsgrove District and Redditch Borough Council.
E-mail [email protected] or call 07946 585978 for more.
