Grange Stories

The Grange Day Centre in Newcastle

Working together with The Grange Day Centre in Newcastle and ceramicist Annette Poulson, Curiosity Creative has recorded a series of digital stories with older people.

The group, who all attend the Day Centre, worked with Annette to make ceramic hands which will form a large art installation. The group also worked with the Curiosity Creative team to make individual digital stories.

What emerged was tales of romance, pop music and the pains and pleasures of everyday life.

This two-year project is funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.

The Grange Centre, Throckley, Newcastle upon Tyne is charity which provides day opportunities for elders who require day care support to prevent social isolation, family breakdown, relapse of functional illness, or to offer support and respite for families/carers. This enables people to retain their independence and remain in their own homes for as long as possible

For the past two years Curiosity Creative has been working with some of our elders, helping them create their own digital stories. During this time Alex built up trusting and warm relationships with participants, staff and other artists which has ensured a quality process with wonderful stories being created.

It has proved to be a brilliant opportunity for participants to share fun times of their lives with others. The joy in their faces when reliving parts of their youth was a delight to behold and at times family and friends viewed them in a new light. For others it gave a safe environment to express themselves emotionally and to voice fears for the first time. The raised self-esteem and therapeutic value of the project was clear to see and helped participants bond and create friendships that would not have been possible without it. I would highly recommend Curiosity Creative as an imaginative, person centred, caring and professional organisation which can help give a new voice to participants. We look forward to working with them again in the future.

Michele Wright, Day Centre Manager, Grange Day Centre,

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