Celebrating communities at the Storyhouse Great Get Together - Brightlife Cheshire
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Newsletter - Summer 2019 Celebrating communities at the Storyhouse Great Get Together Communities from across Cheshire Is there any better way third festival of its kind to be held West and Chester came together in to celebrate all that we at Storyhouse, and a wonderful a display of unity during June, at have in common than by sharing opportunity for us to highlight the the Great Get Together festival at the things that give us joy? work we are doing at Brightlife Storyhouse in Chester. Here in Cheshire West and to help turn Cheshire West and During the event, part of a national Chester, we were lucky enough Chester into an Age-friendly initiative in memory of Jo Cox MP, to have an entire programme of borough. With this in mind, we Storyhouse hosted communities community events designed to are taking the opportunity in this from across the borough in a do just that – in the form of the newsletter to celebrate some celebration of all that we have in Great Get Together at Storyhouse more of the fantastic Brightlife- common. in Chester. It was great to see funded projects that are helping The free programme offered arts so many older members of our to make Cheshire West and and crafts, performances, creative community leading activities, Chester a great place to grow workshops, film and a marketplace. volunteering or just coming along older. We hope that you enjoy Workshops included pyrography, to have some fun and sample reading about them as much as turning memories into art, knitting new experiences in friendly we have enjoyed helping them to cannula sleeves, dementia friendly company. Loneliness and social grow. clay workshops, LEGO building and isolation are still a major problem ukulele jams. in the UK so events like this really Wellbeing was at the heart of the help keep the spotlight on Jo Chris McClelland programme with Tai Chi sessions, Cox’s inspirational vision that we Head of Brightlife group led life coaching and ballet have more in common than that classes designed for older people. which divides us. This was the
Growing connections with Grozone
Growing Connections is a from Wincham. After his wife of
Brightlife-funded project designed 46 years died, he found himself at
to encourage and support people a loose end and was feeling quite
aged over 50 to enjoy the outdoors, low. His worried family found out
make new friends, and rediscover a about Grozone so he decided to
love of gardening. give it a go. “I do a bit of everything
The project is hosted at Grozone’s there, from weeding and picking
Community Garden: a horticultural fruit to helping people with learning
and wildlife project in Northwich. difficulties,” he says. “It’s widened
“Growing Connections is about my friendship group, and while I’m
getting people of all ages together there, I’m not missing my wife. They
to do healthy activities that make look at me like a father figure and it opportunity to be available and I
them feel better,” says development makes me feel useful… I get as much hope it still will be for me when the
officer Caroline Rose. “We’re quite out of them as they get out of me.” time comes!” Thanks to Brightlife
flexible in the activities we do, it can The project is positive for everyone funding, Growing Connections has
be anything from crafts to growing involved as it adds structure, helps been able to help more than 30
food to cooking. It does everyone so improve self-esteem and allows people, all of whom have gone on
much good in a myriad of ways – the people to feel a part of a community to join other Grozone projects to
older ones share their knowledge – all with the added benefit of being further develop and share their skills,
and skills with the younger ones. out in the fresh air. “It fills gaps that giving them a real and lasting sense
It’s very enriching.” Someone who are needed,” Caroline explains. “I’ve of purpose. For more information
has found a sense of purpose with always had a fear of being stuck on Grozone please contact Caroline
Growing Connections is retired inside because of ill health when Rose on 07500104691 or caroline.
service technician Roy Pearce (69) I’m older. That’s why I wanted this rose@groundwork.org.uk.
Mentoring project to help young mothers
experienced mums to share their and it helps them too.”
skills and knowledge with those The mentoring is designed to
who feel lonely and isolated. be long-term, with relationships
Winsford mother-of-three Kate lasting over a couple of years so
Blakemore came up with the idea for that trust is built up and a deep
Bright Stars after experiencing her relationship forms that can be life-
own difficulties during pregnancy changing for both women.
and childbirth. Mentors receive coaching, training
A pioneering mentoring programme “We help lots of women on their and safeguarding guidance which
is looking for women over 50 to motherhood journey,” she says. enables them to know how to
help younger mums who may “Many haven’t got their own handle some of the challenges they
have mental health issues or are mothers around to support them. may face.
experiencing family breakdowns. It’s a real win-win because some of Any mature mums interested in
Bright Stars, run by the charity the older women are experiencing becoming mentors can email hr@
Motherwell Cheshire, encourages things like empty nest syndrome motherwellcheshirecio.com.
Brightlife Newsletter - Summer 2019
Putting older people centre stage
Brightlights is a pioneering acting
group for the over 50s which meets
weekly at Neston Theatre Arts.
Run by Samantha Giblin, the Artistic
Director of the Little Actors Theatre
Company, along with director Mike
Lockley, the group was launched
in early 2018. According to Mike,
the value of participating in the
arts shouldn’t be underestimated.
“Acting is especially good for older
people as learning lines has huge
benefits for memory while the sense
of achievement in putting on a play
really helps to build confidence and
self esteem,” he says.
Pictured above: Little Actors Theatre Group
Founder member David Tidbury (66)
from Ellesmere Port already had Arthur Ronald (83) from Neston was and it leads you to unexpected
acting experience when he saw an a complete novice to acting when avenues,” he explained. “You learn
advert for the project so he thought he joined and found he enjoyed the so much about different things
it would be fun to try it again. “It’s a sense of community. which can only be a good thing.”
great social activity and I’ve made “It’s great to be with a group of Members, who range in age from
some good friends,” he says. “For people that all have a joint venture mid-50s to mid-80s, wrote a play
those two hours I’m here, it’s an with an end goal,” he said. “It’s called ‘The Cruise’ which they
escape and I can forget about my such a constructive and absorbing performed at a the Leverhulme
troubles. And it gave me a real lift activity to be a part of.” Drama Festival at the Gladstone
when we got so many nominations Arthur says it’s also widened his Theatre in Port Sunlight, and which
for our last performance.” horizons as he now chaperones received five nominations and the
Samantha stresses that members those involved in youth theatre and award for Best Presentation.
don’t have to be aspiring actors: really enjoys spending time with a For more details about Brightlights
other ways to be involved include different generation. Theatre, contact 0151 336 4302
stage management, lighting, sound “It’s so enriching being involved in or visit their website at www.
and producing. a drama – it helps work your brain littleactorstheatre.com.
Save the dates Chester Pride Silver Sunday
You won’t want to miss these two Saturday 10th August Sunday 6th October
important events coming soon!
Join Brightlife at Chester Pride to
show your support of LGBT+ people
during August, then look out for
lots of activities in the borough to
celebrate Silver Sunday in October.
Brightlife Newsletter - Summer 2019
Changing the record for people with dementia
the store were clearly just what life-
long music fan Carl needed to begin
to enjoy life again.
The store and café owner, Jimi, a
former carer, saw the potential for
his café to help others like Carl, so
he contacted Bright Memories to
offer them the use of his store for a
weekly group. Now Carl and his wife
Helen attend the group regularly to
meet with other people in a similar
position. Carl enjoys listening to
the music he loves, while Helen has
made some supportive friendships
with other carers.
Bright Memories is delivered by a
Of all the places you might expect carers an opportunity to socialise partnership comprising Cheshire
to find dementia support, a record and unwind. The group was inspired Warrington and Carers Trust,
store is probably not the first by a customer called Carl who had Alzheimer’s Society and Age UK
that springs to mind. But that’s visited the Electric Church with his Cheshire. In addition to social groups
exactly where Bright Memories, daughter. Carl had been diagnosed for those with dementia and their
a Brightlife-funded project that three years previously with early- carers, the programme also offers
helps people living with dementia onset Alzheimer’s and had become outdoor and arts-based activities
and their carers, has launched its increasingly withdrawn. However, and training and consultancy
latest social group. The weekly when Carl’s daughter brought him for organisations who want to
group, held at the Electric Church to the record store she noticed a become more dementia friendly.
café and record store in Winsford, sudden change in his mood – he To find out more about Bright
enables people with dementia to became much livelier and was Memories, please call 0300 102
continue to enjoy doing the things chatting away to everyone. The old 0008 or email brightmemories@
they love whilst also giving their records and friendly atmosphere in cheshireandwarringtoncarers.org.
This newsletter is also available in large print. Call 01606 884444 to request a copy.
@lovebrightlife /BrightlifeCheshire
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