05 at home news issue 3 final

3

June – September 2015

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An arts programme for the older generation living in care homes

Programme

Hello and welcome to the third at hoMe programme of events for our oldergeneration living in care homes in West Yorkshire.

A programme packed with real opportunities to enhance the care home experience.

In this issue we offer more great artists and performers for residents, families and staff to enjoy. We also have a special feature on our plans for National Care Home Open Day and we’re offering participating care homes the chance to try at hoMe before you buy. Book one of our greatly subsidised artists and performers for the special day and see for yourself how good it can be.

To help give you some insight about how it is working for one of our existing at hoMe members, we have another special feature on a really resourceful activities coordinator at one of our member homes. Hear direct from him about how he views his role and at hoMe and hear from us about how he manages to make the absolute most of the events he books and does a great deal for the image of care homes in the process.

And finally, you can find out so much more about at hoMe by reading this issue but if you take away just one thing...We do have developed this service because we believe that residents in care homes have the right be moved and entertained by the arts in the same way as those of us living independently. This is about preserving a sense of identity, wellbeing and independence and achieving a good quality of life. We’re not in it for money...we are a not for profit, voluntary sector company, so all we ever want is to make a positive difference. And it helps if we can generate enough funds through running this new service, to make sure it is sustainable and will be around in years to come.

So we invite you to join us in making a difference...read on...sign up...stay in touch, tell someone about it and help us make a difference one care home at a time. And to see the difference it can make see our new promotional video on YouTube:https://youtu.be/DRLK8n5Tq7g

at hoMe is designed to increase access to great arts experiences for older people living in care homes. The scheme is based in West Yorkshire and is open to all care homes in this and surrounding areas, with shows, performances and activities for residents and their friends and family – and a special programme Just for Staff.

It is one of only four projects selected nationally to receive financial support over three years, as part of Arts Council England and The Baring Foundation’s Arts and Older People Programme. This funding means that we can offer a unique opportunity to care homes to access a high quality programme of entertainment by artists and creative practitioners at subsidised rates.

For the care home sector at hoMe offers a unique programme of trips out and about and events in the home, delivered by expert artists and performers. There is also an exclusive just for staff programme with unique events as a special employee benefit.

Everything on offer is selected by an experienced arts programmer, so for busy managers and staff this means that planning an activity programme is easy with lots of support from We do, and it is guaranteed value for money. Other membership benefits include arts training for managers and care staff, networking with other care home staff and access to our Membership Mark to set the home aside as nurturing and valuing the cultural lives of your residents.

See page 4 for more information about the benefits and the cost of membership.

Hello and welcomeHello and welcome, What is at hoMe ? page 3Everything you need to know about at hoMe page 4Programme introduction page 5at hoMe, in the home pages 6-10Care home open day page 11at hoMe, out and about pages 12-13at hoMe, just for staff pages 14-15 Well Worth It page 16Views from an activity coordinator page 17At a glance page 18A short guide to booking page 19The people behind at hoMe page 20

Inside this programme:

Contact us

What is at hoMe for care homes?

at hoMe is a new project by We do. It is about inspiring and supporting access to arts and culture for older people living in care homes.

www.wedocreativity.co.ukwww.athomewiththearts.co.uk

Email: [email protected]: 01484 663 518 Postal Address: 3 New Street, Honley, Holmfirth HD9 6AL

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Everything you need to know about at hoMe membership

• high quality entertainment and activities that stimulate mind, body and soul

• a constantly changing programme to keep things interesting

• something for every taste and every personality

• trips to galleries, museums and theatres where all the planning has been done for you so you can relax and enjoy it

Benefits for care homes

Benefits for older people living in care homes

The most obvious example is Back to Nature, toasting marshmallows over a fire, gazing into the embers, enjoying the evocative smell of woodsmoke and summer herbs and flowers – and it can be taken inside (without the campfire obviously). If we really are blessed with sunshine, then our trip to Cartwright Hall Art Gallery offers opportunity to sit in the gardens – maybe we could even take our tea and cake outside. Staff don’t need to be stuck inside either, with our trip to Yorkshire Sculpture Park for a wander round the Henry Moore exhibition in the park and galleries followed by delicious refreshments. Or if that’s a bit too soft and gentle there’s always the chance to scare your socks off with Shuddersfield, a tour of all the haunted corners of Huddersfield (and a glass of your chosen tipple at a local pub to fortify yourself for the journey ahead).

There’s nothing to stop homes taking some of our indoor events outdoors into the garden – what could be nicer than a nice cup of tea, a gentle breeze and harp music wafting on the wind – then you’ll wish that Fiona-Katie Roberts would just keep Harping On forever. Or perhaps you fancy an outdoor concert from Vintage Vocalist, taking everyone back to the golden era of the 1940s. For those that associate summer in West Yorkshire with the rousing sound of a brass band, look no further than Award Winning Black Dyke Band, performing their 160th anniversary concert at Huddersfield Town Hall.

There’s no two ways about it, summer is around the corner, the swallows are back, the spring blossom has given way to lush green, people are lingering outside cafes and bars and the urge to be outside is strong. It’s not just about vitamin D and fresh air – crisp bright mornings and balmy evenings lift the spirits and gladden the heart. So we couldn’t resist planning some outdoor activities, despite the well known hazards of British summer, it’s still always worth the risk (and we usually do a good job of Plan B).

Programme introductionWe’ve got two different ways to enjoy stories – you can listen to someone elses stories with one of the region’s finest storytellers. Rod Dimbleby will spin a yarn or two with ‘Ow do, a warm Yorkshire Welcome - and if we’re lucky his wife will come along to sing some songs and ballads. If you’re more interested in residents telling their own stories, then Tall Tales and Truths is for you. This is a really special opportunity to have a professional author create new pieces of writing based on conversations and time spent 1:1 with residents. Staff might enjoy a different kind of tall story, at the Comedy Cellar – stand up comedians from the Edinburgh circuit ready to have you tittering into your tequila or laughing into your lemonade.

Then there’s Dancing with Strangers, a dance workshop with an opportunity to get involved with a longer project that links the residents of the care home with the residents of their old street through dance. You won’t find this anywhere else!

Of course, no at hoMe programme is complete without The Ukulele Lady, available free to new members, or a subsidized fee for those who enjoyed it so much they want her back for more.

• arts programme Just for Staff with discounted tickets to shows and events

• enjoy a more interesting place to work with regular arts events and performances

• enhance your skills with training to help you get the most out of at hoMe and the arts

• networking with others trying to make a difference so you can share ideas with staff from other member care homes

Benefits for staff working in care homes

Benefits for friends and families • Opportunities to share new experiences

together, whether in the home or Out and About the specially designed events give you both something to enjoy and talk about when you meet

• Peace of mind that your loved one is taking part in an active arts, culture and social programme

• Events that brighten the week and give your relatives something to look forward to

• Support to make it easier to take trips Out and About including a friendly events team who will meet and greet you and work with venues to make it as easy as possible

• Helps you easily improve the quality of the care experience for residents and their families with a lively, high quality entertainment and activity offer

• Helps make your care home stand out from the competition with a membership mark that says you are committed to the cultural and social wellbeing of your residents

• Saves you time as we do all the researching, quality control and planning so you and your staff don’t have to

• Saves you money as artists, performers and events are guaranteed cheaper than if you went to them direct

• Enhances the workplace with positive, enjoyable activity and training and events offers just for staff

How to join at hoMe

at hoMe membership costs £625 per care home per year (flexible payment terms are available for single independent care homes, and deals available for multiple memberships). You can find a membership application form on our website www.athomewiththearts.co.uk or call or email us and we can send you a copy.

Don’t forget you membership includes a FREE event to get you started so let’s get going...contact us to arrange a time to suit you (see programme for details of free event).

What you get for your membership feeAs well as the benefits listed, your membership includes:

• 1 x free introductory event in your care home – one of our most trusted artists will come and give a unique, interactive performance in your care home

• Access to at hoMe training for 2 people • Discounts on high quality arts events, artists

and performers• Access to the Just for staff events

programme for all your staff...and sometimes their friends and families as well!

• Use of the membership mark for your marketing materials (once the 2 members of your home have attended the training)

See the at hoMe website for full details about what membership includes.

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‘Ow do! A Warm Yorkshire WelcomeRod is a storyteller with a fair dollop of Yorkshire humour. When he first began storytelling with older people he found himself slipping into the language of his childhood – the Yorkshire dialect – and found that this, the language of his parents and grandparents took them right back to their earlier lives. He tells stories of Yorkshire and beyond, and they are stories too good not to be heard by all. As if that’s not enough we will also get to hear some ballads and songs from Rod’s wife to really bring the whole event to life.

Advice from We do: Rod’s been recommended from various different people so we know he’s got the skill and talent to entertain all kinds of audiences. His reputation precedes him – the only test will be whether any ‘incomers’ in the room will make sense of someone ‘speykin’ Yorksher’– but I’m sure we’ll be able to help them out!

Dates available: Friday 3rd July, Thursday 30th July, Tuesday 11th AugustLength of event: 1 hour Size of audience: As many as fit comfortably in the roomRequirements: NoneMembers price: £45 (Market price £50)Booking deadline: 2 weeks before event date

at hoMe in the home

We really want you to get off to a good start as soon as you join at hoMe, so we’ve made it extra easy for you to enjoy your first event – we’ve chosen it for you and we’re offering it free to all new members. We will work with you to set the date for the The Ukulele Lady to visit, and we’ll help you get your first booking under your belt so you are confident to get stuck in to the rest of the programme. There’s nothing to stop you booking something else first and saving Jacqui for later if you prefer – just give us a call when you know when you want her and we’ll sort the rest.

Free introductory event

Jacqui Wicks…ukulele lady The Ukulele Lady has been a hit in every home she’s visited so far, so we simply couldn’t allow new members to miss out! She is a talented singer and musician, but most of all she’s got a special talent in cheering people up and getting them to join in. By the time she leaves everyone has a smile on their face and a tune in their heart.

She can perform in the lounges to a group, or wander round and do personal requests around the home – and if anyone fancies a sing along, she’s sure to coax it out of them. We hope you’ll really enjoy this free event and we’re sure it will set you off to a flying start with at hoMe.

Dates available: Flexible – to be agreed when bookingLength of performance: up to 2 hours Size of audience: Any numberRequirements: Information about acoustics is helpful – eg carpeting/soft furnishings? Members price: FREE to new members £80 existing members (Market price: £130)

Our programme of events in the home offers the opportunity to enjoy amazing arts experiences right on your doorstep – in fact some of the roaming artists will bring it right into your bedroom if you want. All these events are open to residents, friends and family to join in so spread the word.

Natasha Harper is a singer who can build a rapport with her audience, performing hits from the 30s and 40s by female stars including Billy Holiday, Evelyn Dall, Gracie Fields, Judy Garland and Vera Lynn. She performs at some of Yorkshire’s biggest vintage events such as Howarth Wartime Weekend and Brighouse 1940s weekend, bringing her unique Vintage Vocalist sound to big crowds. Natasha will give you a true feel of the decade and her beautiful voice is sure to transport residents on a sentimental journey back to the golden age of song.

Advice from We do: Natasha Harper was recommended to the at hoMe programming team by staff and family from one of our existing member homes – and we really do love to get feedback and recommendations from our homes, so keep them coming! So, by popular demand here is Vintage Vocalist complete with authentic costume and props to transport you back to the 40s.

Dates available: Mornings - Friday 5th June, Tuesday 16th June, Sunday 30th AugustLength of event: One hour Size of audience: As many as fit comfortably in the roomRequirements: NoneMembers price: £50 (Market price £60)Booking deadline: 2 weeks before event date

Dance

Music

Film

Storytelling Literature

Poetry

Magic Performance

Photography

Key to symbols:

Visual artParticipatory DBS

Comedy

Freeintroductory event

for new members

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01484 663 518

www.athomewiththearts.co.uk

Talk

Vintage Vocalist Natasha Harper 40s singer

Refreshments


Harping onFiona Katie Roberts is as comfortable playing her harp in a doctor’s surgery as she is at concerts, festivals or weddings. She has toured internationally, with famous bands and as a solo musician and has over 20 years’ experience of playing to audiences who are swept away by the mesmerising sound of her harp – not to mention the beauty of the appearance of this instrument. Fiona also designs and makes her own harps so she can combine playing with tales of how she makes them. Residents can simply relax and let the music carry them along.

Advice from We do: We have worked with Fiona Katie Roberts at Live at the Lux, our arts programme based at Robin Lane Wellbeing Centre, Pudsey – so we have first-hand experience of how beautiful her music is. It really is hard to believe that all that sound comes from just one instrument – fascinating to see it in the flesh and learn more about it from a self proclaimed ‘harp fanatic’.

Do you remember a time when you listened to a piece of music and felt a physical reaction, perhaps tears or a swelling feeling of happiness in your chest? This is because music has a direct effect on your physical body – it can cause your pupils to dilate, your pulse and blood pressure to rise or fall, and the part of the brain connected to bodily movement to become active – blood is even redirected to the muscles in our legs. Maybe that’s why we begin tapping our feet when we hear a tune we like. Studies have shown all kinds of useful applications. For example, Dr Victoria Williamson, lecturer in psychology at Goldsmith’s College, London states that,

‘Music can be incredibly useful for somebody who is in a situation where they have lost a lot of control from their external environment. It can give them a sense of control back, as well as creating a calm personal atmosphere and blocking out some of the disturbances around them’

Something to stimulate all the senses. Outdoor practitioner Adele Jackson can offer either an outdoor or indoor experience. Adele will bring everything needed to turn your outside space into a safe and cosy campfire circle.

Enjoy the warmth and glow of the fire while toasting marshmallows, cooking tasty treats and sipping hot chocolate. A campfire circle is a perfect setting for remembering and sharing stories of the great outdoors – perhaps the adventures that we’ve had; the places that we love; or the woodlands where we used to play.

If you prefer, Adele can bring the outdoors inside. Scented plants, coloured leaves and textured seeds will provide the inspiration for creating artwork and poetry.

Advice from We do: We enjoyed having Adele in care homes in our spring programme, it made perfect sense to include her in the summer programme to make the best of the great British weather. We think this will be a lovely way for people to connect with the natural world, at a time of year when we should be able to enjoy some sunshine. Adele is very experienced and will come along for a visit before the session to make sure she’s thoroughly prepared to run a safe, enjoyable event.

Back to Nature

Photo: David Widdop

Dates available: Friday 12th June, Wednesday 24th June, Saturday 25th JulyLength of event: 2-3 hours Size of audience: 3-10, with opportunity to come and go as desired Requirements: For the campfire, 4metres x 4metres outdoor minimum, water supply, drinking cups and washing up facilities. Indoor activity – table, electricity for CD player Members price: Campfire £215 includes preparatory visit, firewood and cooking ingredients; Indoor activity £185 includes materials (Market price £200/£250)Booking deadline: 2 weeks before event date

Music for your Soul

How often do we get to tell our story to someone who wants to listen rather than talk? When did you last receive a lovely letter in the post? Who will remember your stories in the future? Novelist Sarah Butler will work one-to-one with residents, exploring stories they want to tell through conversation prompts, and active listening. For those that have less verbal communication she will also use objects and music to connect and get to know them. She will create a short new piece of writing inspired by each participant, which will be gifted back to them through the post.

Advice from We do: This really is a special opportunity for residents to have their story told and recorded, whether they talk about past, present or future, truth or tall stories (or something in between), Sarah will weave a tale from her time with them. Although the numbers who can take part are small they will get a meaningful and long lasting experience – maybe it could be a gift from a friend or family member for their loved ones to take part and to get a lovely personal keepsake piece of writing.

Tall Tales and Truths

Dates available: Friday 7th August, Friday 4th September, Thursday 10th SeptemberLength of event: 1 hour Size of audience: As many as fit comfortably in the room Requirements: NoneMembers price: £60 (Market price £75 plus travel expenses)Booking deadline: 2 weeks before event date

The wellbeing benefits of music for people of all ages includes an increase in performance, improved mental health and stress relief and it can significantly help those suffering with long term problems or conditions.

So next time you’re feeling a bit fraught or wound up, listen to the music that you associate with calm and relaxation – it actually does slow your heart rate and calm you down. Or if you need waking up in a morning, how about pumping out some hard core techno at 90 beats per minute – or maybe not – your neighbours probably won’t thank you for that. Especially if you work shifts.

If you want to test out the mood changing benefits of music in your care home, book some of our wonderfully talented musicians and see what happens. Vintage Vocalist Natasha Harper (page 7) can bring her sound of the 40’s to you with songs from Billie Holliday, Gracie Fields and Judy Garland. Or if you fancy something more relaxing, Fiona Katie Roberts brings Harping On (above), a mesmerising performance on the harp that is sure to carry people away with its beautiful sound.

Dates available: Friday 10th July, Tuesday 14th July, Thursday 20th AugustLength of event: Sarah will spend around 45 minute with each personSize of audience: Sarah will work one-to-one with residents – 4 participants per session.Requirements: No special technical requirementsMembers price: £120 (or £30 per person) (Market price £250) Booking deadline: 2 weeks before event date

01484 663 518



Dancing with StrangersWhat happens when a neighbour leaves your street to move into a care home – do you wonder what their new home is like, what their life is like? Do you think of them when their front door is repainted or their prize rose blooms in the summer? Or if you move into a care home, do you daydream about what happens on your old street now you’ve left? Who moved in? Do they enjoy sitting in the same corner of the garden catching the last of the evening sun? Are there still wild parties at number 27?

Inspired by this Rita Marcalo invented her project Dancing with Strangers - a dance project first commissioned by Compass Festival 2014 connecting care home residents with the people living on their old street – without having to leave their armchair!

Dancing with Strangers involves a series of dance sessions in the care home which lead to short duets between Rita and a handful of residents. Rita then performs the duet on the street where the resident lived, with the people who live there now. A film is made of each street performance and screened in the care home for participating residents. Residents of care home and street are re/connected.

Rita would like to work with a handful of care homes on her project. So how would it work?

1. First, Rita is offering members of at hoMe, a free session where staff and residents get a chance to meet and dance with her.

2. Second, Rita will find out which care homes loved it and would like more and she will build them into her plans to get the full Dancing with Strangers project off the ground. Rita and We do will work together to raise the funds to do the big project (fingers crossed!) and then the fun will really begin.

Advice from We do: We’ve seen some video clips of Rita dancing with care home residents and taking their dances out onto the streets to share with the great British public – it’s heart-warming and comforting to see people open their hearts and minds to and share a dance with an older person they’ve never met. It might take a minute to get your head round the idea, but trust us, you’ll love it!

For participating care homes this is a great opportunity…whether you simply enjoy the free dance session or take advantage of having the buzz and activity of the whole project, for a tiny cost, it’s a win win.

Dates/times available for introductory session: Afternoons only: Thursday 27th August, Wednesday 16th September, Thursday 24th September.Length of introductory session: 1 hour participatory dance session with the residents, followed by a 30-minute meeting with the staff.Size of group: 10 to 15Requirements: Chairs for the group to be set out in a circle Members’ price for introductory session: Free (market price £150)Members’ price for full Dancing with Strangers project: £150 (market price £5,000) for a series of dance sessions and visitsBooking deadline: 2 weeks before the desired date

Make some ‘positive noise’ on Care Home Open Day 2015!Care Home Open Day is a UK wide initiative inviting care homes to open their doors to their local communities. Thousands of care homes take part each year, welcoming the public and arranging events and activities that can create long lasting links between care home residents and communities.

Taking place on Friday 19th June this year, Care Home Open Day is about making positive noise and showing people what excellent care homes are really all about.

The theme for Care Home Open Day 2015 is The Arts – for good reason! We believe that for people who love the arts there is no good reason why that should stop just because they live in a care home. And for those who have always thought that the arts probably aren’t their ‘thing’....maybe we can open the door to some incredible new experiences. Opportunities to hear; feel; touch and participate in the arts can move us and bring us to life in very special ways. Trying something for the first time, or rekindling an old passion can light a fire in our bellies. This is the stuff of a good life.

The team here at at hoMe want to help homes across West Yorkshire celebrate this day in style. We’ve put together a special menu of really exciting and interesting artists that you can book to perform on the day at a great subsidised price, which will be a fantastic hook to bring in members of the public, as well as residents friends and family members and people of all ages from the local community. And for this special day, you don’t have to be a member of at hoMe to take advantage of the offer which means that when it comes to the at hoMe membership service, you get to try before you buy, to see how it can work for you. If you’ve already registered to take part in the open day, look out for these special offers coming your way – if not, sign up now!

“Care Home Open Day 2014 was a tremendous occasion for homes across the country to show off the terrific work, excellent management and open cultures that we expect to see organisations providing day in, day out. Along with more than 250 CQC inspectors and staff who were out and about supporting the day, I had a ball visiting three different homes, joining in some really fun activities.”

Andrea Sutcliffe, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, CQC

So if you’re looking for a vibrant musical performance in the home, a lively ukulele lady, South Asian music and dance, a choir, musical storytelling, , synchronised swimming on dry land or a campfire circle - look no further than at hoMe.

For more information about Care Home Open Day 2015, and to register to take part, visit www.nationalcarehomeopenday.org.uk


01484 663 518


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Million Dollar Memory from programme 1

Photos: Lizzie Coombes

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– trips for residents and their friends and family

at hoMe out and aboutat hoMe out and about offers opportunities for people to get out to some of our most amazing arts and cultural venues. We’ll do our best to make sure we’ve thought of everything to take the hassle out of your trip. You might come as a group from your home, or a single person might come with a relative. Either way we’ll meet you there to give you your tickets, organise your refreshments and make sure your trip goes with a swing.

What better way to make visiting your friend or relative in a care home more fun than enjoying some time together watching a show or taking part in an activity. You’ll both have something lovely to remember and to talk about next time you meet.

You might even decide to get out and about on one of our specially organised trips. We’ve thought about all the practicalities and will be there to meet you on the day, so you can just enjoy time together, sharing new experiences.

If you have a relative or friend in a care home or you know someone who has, then make sure you can make the most of whats on offer with at hoMe by signing up for our regular programme updates. And please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with us.

Fill in the slip and post us to stay in touch or just give us a call or email to find out more on 01484 663518 or email [email protected]


Calling friends and family

Cartwright Hall Art GalleryCartwright Hall is Bradford’s civic art gallery and offers an exciting programme of contemporary exhibitions. The collections consist mainly of 19th and 20th century British art, with strong collections of international contemporary prints and contemporary South Asian art and crafts. We will have plenty of time to wander round the exhibitions followed by afternoon tea in our own very own private room. If the sun is shining we might even snatch a few rays in the beautiful park and gardens before we head home.

Black Dyke Band This is a special date in the calendar of Black Dyke Band as it is their 160th Anniversary concert, marking many achievements along the way. In 1855 most of the members worked at Black Dyke Mills, so the close link to the community was formed and remains to this day. Their list of accolades is long and includes names like Paul McCartney, Evelyn Glennie, Prime Minister Edward Heath (he was a guest conductor!), Peter Gabriel, Tori Amos... the list goes on. Needless to say, they were crowned National Champions at the National Championship contest in October 2014 - this is a brass band at the top of their game and this will be an afternoon to remember.

Advice from We do: We have reserved some wheelchair accessible spaces during the concert, and will bring refreshments to you in the stalls so you can relax and soak up the music. We have also reserved complimentary seats for carers. (1 per ticket)

Date: Sunday 12th July 2015 Time: 3pm Venue: Huddersfield Town HallAccessibility: Fully accessibleMembers price: £7 includes interval drink (Market price ticket = £13, drink = £3 = £16)Booking Deadline: Thursday 25th June

Advice from We do: Cartwright Gallery have been really helpful and welcoming to us so we know they will go out of their way to make sure we have a lovely time. There is plenty of parking which is very close to the front door and the building is wheelchair and disabled accessible.

Date: Thursday 17th September Time: 1pm Venue: Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, BradfordAccessibility: Fully accessibleMembers price: £5 includes Private Afternoon Tea (Market price £15)Booking Deadline: Thursday 3rd September

Your Name

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Do you want to receive 3 printed at hoMe programmes per year through the post or by email? Post Email

Your email

Do you want to receive emails about upcoming events? Yes No

Do you have a friend or relative in a care home in West Yorkshire? Yes NoName of care home

Name of relative/friend (optional)

Suggestions or requests for at hoMe or anything you want to let us know?

Where did you hear about at home?

Postal Address: 3 New Street, Honley, Holmfirth HD9 6AL

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at hoMe just for staff We want to give something back to the staff who work in care homes because they need something to look forward to just as much as the rest of us. These events give staff time to socialise, meet other people in similar jobs from different homes and generally enjoy themselves. We’ll be there to meet and greet you, give you your tickets and make sure you’ve got a drink in hand.

01484 663 518


Is laughter good for you? There’s tons of medical evidence that shows the positive biological effects of laughing, relaxing, becoming absorbed in something totally enjoyable – for reducing stress, reducing the need for painkillers…joy is a natural healer.

The links between people’s levels of happiness and wellbeing are now the subject of serious scientific enquiry. In 2008 the Government commissioned a review of the work of over 400 scientists to find evidence for ways to improve wellbeing. They came up with ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’, which included ideas like ‘connect with people around you’, ‘be active’, ‘be curious’, ‘keep learning’ and ‘do something nice for someone’. Or, put more simply – join something like at hoMe.

Comedy Cellar The Lawrence Batley Theatre’s ever popular Comedy Cellar brings the cream of the current stand-up crop to Huddersfield. This special Edinburgh Festival Preview features Bobby Mair, Award-winning Canadian voted in the Top 10 jokes of the Edinburgh Festival 2013. You may know him from 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Russell Howard’s Good News or Virtually Famous. Andrew Watts received 5 star review from Chortle for his much acclaimed 2014 Edinburgh show, also seen in The World Stands Up & FHM Stand-Up Hero. Join us for a good laugh and a glass of something of your choice.

Date: Thursday 2nd July Time: 8pmVenue: Syngenta Cellar , The Lawrence Batley Theatre, HuddersfieldAccessibility: Fully accessibleMembers price: £6 includes comedy and drink (Market price with drink, £12)Booking Deadline: Thursday 18th June


Shuddersfield Ghost WalkHuddersfield’s very own ghost walk never ceases to scare, inspire and surprise the audience. Take a storytelling ghost walk with Chol Theatre through Huddersfield town centre and hear the stories gathered by local author Kai Roberts, theatre maker and Canadian exile Rebecca Legg. We may even have to stop off for some Dutch Courage in one of Huddersfield’s fine drinking establishments.

Shuddersfield was developed as part of Discover Huddersfield and the walk can be downloaded from www.discoverhuddersfield.com. This trail was created by Rebecca Legg and Chol Theatre. Before moving to Huddersfield, Rebecca spent several years creating and leading ghost walks in her native Ontario, Canada. Special thanks goes to Kai Roberts, author of Haunted Huddersfield who contributed a great deal to the development of this trail.

Date: Saturday 12th SeptemberTime: 7pm Venue: Meet Huddersfield rail stationMembers price: £5 includes one drink (Market price £10)Booking Deadline: Friday 28th August Photo: Black Orchard Photography

Yorkshire Sculpture ParkBritish summer isn’t really British summer without a day out wandering round some landscaped gardens, with art, architecture and tea rooms. The only one of its kind, Yorkshire Sculpture Park is an international centre for modern art. Open air displays of Henry Moore and other artists, a historic estate, indoor galleries, a shop – and really good café and restaurant to reward yourself after all that fresh air and art. Join us for a day out and explore whatever takes your fancy at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Date: Wednesday 29th JulyTime: 11am Venue: Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, WakefieldAccessibility: Fully accessibleMembers price £10 includes entrance parking and light lunch (Market price: £25)Booking Deadline: Wednesday 15th July


01484 663 518


01484 663 518


Photo: Jonty Wilde


The at hoMe team want one thing...to improve the experience of care home living by providing the same access to great arts, culture and social experiences for people living in care homes, that the rest of us take for granted.

We think a programme of monthly activities might cost less than you think.

Have a look at our suggested programme below and see how an average 50 bedded home could have a vibrant year round programme for less than £1 per resident per week. This includes the membership fee, the free event, one special event per month and a couple of trips out for residents. Not to mention the additional benefit to staff with savings of up to 50% on tickets to shows across the region.

And to make it even easier to afford, you can spread the payments.

From this programme you could have a blend of live music, performances, trips out, intimate 1:1 sessions, storytelling and a dance project over several weeks …and that’s not including all the half price shows and events for staff. So how about: • ‘ow do – a warm Yorkshire welcome £45

• Harping on £60

• Tall tales and Truths (four of your residents spend time with the author and receive four new pieces of writing through the post – that’s £30 each – perhaps a lovely birthday present from a relative or from the home?) £120

• Dancing with Strangers £150 for a series of dance sessions in the home, and a video of Rita dancing with people in the streets where your residents lived

• 8 residents go with friends and family to Cartwright Hall 8 x £5 = £40 • 3 residents go to see Black Dyke Brass Band at Huddersfield Town Hall = £21

• Back to Nature, for a special summer party in the garden £185

That’s £621 for around 10 events in this programme. Taking this as an average spend for each of the 3 programmes in the year and adding the membership fee, that adds up to 94p per resident per week in a home of 50 residents.

Suggested programme for your home

Views from an activity coordinator

Well worth it – less than £1 per week per resident

For care homes, the purpose of the Membership Mark is that it publicly signals a commitment to taking part in the scheme and nurturing a good cultural and social life for their residents. It is a great way for homes to show their residents, visitors, potential customers, commissioners and the wider public, that they are willing to go the extra mile for for their residents happiness.

Care homes stand out with the at hoMe membership mark

Care homes can use the Membership Mark on their publicity literature and will be listed on our website. This will mean that members of the public can check whether a care home they are considering is part of the scheme. We also know that in some local authorities the rate that care homes are paid by the local authority commissioner depends on the grading they receive - demonstrating better quality of life and a focus on person centred care through membership of at hoMe, is likely to be seen positively in the grading assessment.

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Craig Green, activity co-ordinator at Tolson Grange, is on a mission. He believes that everyone that lives at Tolson Grange is entitled to have their lives enriched by meaningful activities and is capable of much more than might be expected.

Like us, Craig likes to do things a bit differently . . . he’s used what’s on offer through the homes at hoMe membership to achieve even better value for his residents and his employers. He’s taken full advantage of the events he has booked by organising related activities in the run up to the event and after it, so the events themselves become inspiration for so much more. He programmed South Asian dancers as the centre piece for a special mothers day celebration and ran reminiscence sessions about swimming alongside the Million Dollar Memory performance about synchronised swimming on dry land. There was also a cruise themed day with sun dresses and cocktails with phonographer Jonathan Turner.

Not only does all this activity improve the experience of living in a care home for Tolson Grange residents but because Craig has used every event to raise the profile of the home through social media and articles in local press and care industry publications, he is actually challenging the negative press image of care homes.

Who better to explain why it works than Craig himself, so in his own words:

Rewarding . . . Exciting . . . Emotional . . . Fulfilling . . . Motivating . . . Challenging . . . Enriching and Inspiring = a close description of the role of a modern day ‘activity co-ordinator’.

At times the role feels more like a life style choice, it really can be impossible to ‘switch off ’. But it’s about accepting this and understanding that the position you are in is so much more than a typical day job.

Some days (or most days) your work does not cease as you walk out the doors of your work place. Quite the contrary, with a world of resource at your fingertips in the comfort of your home, you can find yourself planning something exciting for tomorrow.

Your success of working in any care home setting really is very much down to you as a person, your personality, your natural caring instinct, your enthusiasm, your passion and your belief in what you do is benefiting the lives of your residents. These are all things that cannot be taught unfortunately.

For us lucky ones who feel ‘at home’ working with our residents, we can now unleash a whole world of creativity and adventure upon the lives of our residents. There really is no limit to what can be achieved especially if it means your resident is enjoying doing those things that define them...the things they have enjoyed doing all their life which make them who they are today...the ‘person centred’ activities that are individual to them.

I am very fortunate to have almost unconditional support from my managers and colleagues, encouraging me to constantly step ‘outside the box’. Some of the recent events we have organised have not been what you would call traditional care home events. This is one of the reasons we jumped at the opportunity to support ‘We do’ with their ‘at home with the arts’ project. It’s forward thinking, it’s different, it’s exciting! But it’s also based on a very simple concept! ‘making what is already available to most people not living in a care home, available to those living in a care home’

A huge part of the success of this project does lie upon our shoulders, the activity co-ordinators.

So I urge you to:Be inspired to bring these exciting artists to the lives of your residents and their families; be inspired to go the daily extra mile to bring new joy to the lives of your residents and their families; if budgets are an issue, be inspired to fund raise and break down those barriers for your residents; be inspired to inspire others to want to also be inspirational and continue doing the unbelievably great work you are already doing.

I feel very privileged to be in the position I am in, working with amazing people who have lived some of the most interesting lives I have ever had the pleasure of learning about…”They are my inspiration”Craig, Green, Activity Coordinator, Tolson Grange, Anchor Care Homes

Craig’s words are inspirational and we know there are others of you out there who could use the at hoMe membership to enhance your activity offer within your care home.


At a glanceEvent Booking deadline Price Page refJacqui Wicks – Purveyor of Fine Songs

Ongoing FREE/£80 06

Harping on

Harping on

Shuddersfield

Dancing with Strangers

Cartwright Hall


Thursday 20th August



Wednesday 2nd September

Thursday 3rd September

Thursday 10th September

£60

£60

*£5

Free/£150

*£5

Free/£150

08

08

15

10

13

10

Comedy Cellar

‘Ow do! a warm Yorkshire Welcome


Black Dyke Band


Back to Nature

Yorkshire Sculpture Park


Thursday 18th June

Thursday 18th June

Thursday 25th June

Thursday 25th June

Tuesday 30th June

Thursday 9th July

Monday 13th July

Thursday 16th July

*£6

£45

£120

*£7

£120

£185/£215

*£10

£45

14

07

09

12

09

09

15

07

A short guide to booking events

Other useful things to know

Cancellations: We understand that things can change, and we will try to be as flexible as possible. You will get full information about booking and cancellation policies with your membership pack. If you need to cancel an event, please let us know as soon as possible. If it is less than 2 weeks before the event, charges will be incurred, but with plenty of notice we can always try and re-schedule things to better suit you.

Additional dates: If an event you want to book has already been snapped up, let us know as there may be the possibility to arrange a date specifically for you.

Tel 01484 663 518Email [email protected]

01484 663 518


How to book events for Programme 3

All bookings and tickets for trips must be made by someone from the member home, including tickets for family and friends (we cannot accept direct bookings from them).

The booking process will eventually be entirely online (www.athomewiththearts.co.uk), but because we want to get to know you, bookings for this programme can also be done via phone or email.

Option 1Go online to www.athomewiththearts.co.uk and log in using the details we have issued you. If you are unsure about these details, just give us a call. Once you have logged in, simply select the event(s) and date(s) you want to book and then follow the onscreen prompts to finalise your booking. If it any point you need assistance, we are happy to help, just give us a call. There is no online payment system so we will issue you with an invoice on receipt of the booking information.

Option 2 Call the at hoMe team on 01484 663518, where you will most likely speak to Charlotte. She will ask you some questions about what event, date and time you would like to book, what the space you want to use is like and how many residents you want to include.

Once the booking is made and the costs confirmed we will send you an invoice, and the artist booked will make contact with you to finalise any details. If you are booking for a trip out and about, you don’t need to worry about tickets – someone from the at hoMe team will be there to meet you at the venue and help you with anything you need.

Just for staff events are booked in exactly the same way. As with residents’ events, we will invoice the care home for the tickets, so you will need to make arrangements within your home about individual ticket payment.

If this process presents challenges, ring us - we’ll work round it to help you get your staff out to the shows they want to see.

We will need to take the name and contact details (email address preferably) of each person attending, so we can let them know in advance about any arrangements.

First things first

To make bookings, you need to be a member. If your care home is not already a member, see page 4 for costs, benefits and how to join.

Market Price

Vintage Vocalist

Back to Nature

Vintage Vocalist

Back to Nature

Date availableDates negotiable with care homes

Friday 4th September


Saturday 12th September

Wednesday 16th September



Thursday 2nd July

Friday 3rd July

Friday 10th July

Sunday 12th July

Tuesday 14th July

Saturday 25th July

Wednesday 29th July

Thursday 30th July

Friday 5th June

Friday 12th June

Tuesday 16th June

Wednesday 24th June

Thursday 21st May

Thursday 28th May

Tuesday 2nd June

Wednesday 10th June

£50

£185/£215

£50

£185/£215

07

09

07

09

£130

£75 + fuel

£75 + fuel

*£10

£200/£5000

*£15

£200/£5000

*£12

£50

£250

*£16

£250

£200/£250

*£25

£50

£60

£200/£250

£60

£200/£250

June

Staff onlyOut and about

* includes price of ticket and refreshments

July

Harping on




Vintage Vocalist

Thursday 23rd July

Tuesday 28th July

Thursday 6th August



£60

£45

£120

Free/£150

£50

08

07

09

10

07

£75 + fuel

£50

£250

£200/£5000

£60

August

September

Friday 7th August

Tuesday 11th August



Sunday 30th August

at hoMe is funded by:

A consortium of arts and care partners. Please visit www.wedocreativity.co.uk to find out who they are.

at hoMe is supported by:

at hoMe is a project managed by:

The people behind at hoMe

Contact usat hoMe is a new project by We do. It is about inspiring and supporting access to arts and culture for older people living in care homes.

www.wedocreativity.co.ukwww.athomewiththearts.co.uk

Email: [email protected]: 01484 663 518 Postal Address: 3 New Street, Honley Holmfirth HD9 6AL

Rachel works with artists and venues to develop all the events, trips and activities that go into the at hoMe programme.

at hoMe is managed by We do, a not for profit creative company who believes that the arts can help people to flourish.

Arts Council England and The Baring Foundation

We are one of four organisations nationally to have secured the ‘Arts and Older People in Care Commissioned Grant from ACE and Baring Foundation to deliver at hoMe. This grant means that we can offer the programme to care homes at subsidised rates, enabling more older people to access the arts.

The consortium

We do are the lead organisation in a consortium of arts organisations and care providers who work together to deliver at hoMe. Consortium members include representatives from Ideal Care Homes, Anchor, Kirklees Council, Hoot Creative Arts, The Lawrence Batley Theatre, Holme Valley Sharing Memories and South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Rachel Massey – Programme Curator

Alex is the person you are most likely to meet as she is often out and about talking to care home staff and residents and helping people understand how the scheme could work for them.

Alex Bradshaw – Project Manager

If you call us with any enquiries, to make a booking or to become a member, Charlotte will probably be the person you talk to. She deals with all aspects of the membership process, bookings, invoices or payments

Charlotte Furness – Administrator

Follow us on social media:

www.twitter.com/athomewitharts

www.facebook.com/athomewiththearts

05 at home news issue 3 final

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