Ages and Stages volunteers and ambassadors work with the New Vic Theatre to support a Programme of activities for people living with a diagnosis of dementia, together with families, partners and carers. We collaborate with artists to produce stimulating and joyful work together. There are also social events and outdoor creative walks. For more information, please contact: Jill Rezzano jrezzano@newvictheatre.org.uk or Gail Washington gwashington@newvictheatre.org.uk
Activities 2024
This year has been another busy one for the Thursday morning group of people with dementia and their carers. There have been many different activities through 2024, ranging from quiet chats over a cuppa and biscuits, to non-stop physical and mentally stimulating sessions, stretching our creativity to the limits. The two outstanding sessions have been a twelve week course with Kirsty Cotton (which will hopefully be on-going at some point in 2025) and a three week session with Sue Harding.
Kirsty asked the group what they would really like to do to change people’s perceptions about living with dementia. The group was full of ideas, and over the three months produced a series of activities named “Dementia Debunked” These consisted of a film, podcasts, interviews, and some workshop activities, with the idea of opening our work to wider audiences. The group was keen to show other members of the community of all ages that although dementia is a difficult problem to live with, it is still possible to have a full and creative life. We are hoping that in 2025 we will be able to offer workshops to adult groups and even possibly to visit schools.
Sue’s session was equally demanding, but enjoyed by all. “The Tempest” by Shakespeare was seen in an entirely different light by all the members of the group! We all acted, sang, extemporised, and perhaps most important of all, laughed our way through the sessions, and the group want to tackle another of Shakespeare’s plays before too long!