The award-winning ‘Our Work of Art’ programme with its network of 40+ creative volunteers is set to continue its valuable befriending work. The volunteers (aged 50-70+) are supporting older, frailer and vulnerable people, and each other, through a new project called ‘Covid19 Daisy Chain’.
Covid19 Daisy Chain, a local volunteer initiative, in the Canterbury District, will be focused on the theme of ‘Our home is’. The initiative, over the next year, is funded by Kent Community Foundation, Kent County Council and Canterbury City Council.
It will help many older, frailer people overcome the loneliness, isolation, worry and frustration of living under Covid-19 lockdown conditions. The aim is keep people connected and to boost their wellbeing. The volunteers will be phoning and emailing or writing to an array of older people (aged 60-100) living in isolation, including those who live in sheltered housing and care homes, and who first met the volunteers in 2018/19 group activities.
The project leads – Catherine Arnell, Espression Arts CIC supported by Fay Blair, Kent Arts and wellbeing – will mentor and support the volunteers. Collaboratively they will devise creative activity sheets. These will be delivered or posted to people and in the later project phases, small creative activity kits will be produced too for people to do at home.
The theme of ‘Our Home is’ naturally embraces things to do with people’s daily routines, lives and their immediate environment. It will be interesting to see what people celebrate about what matters most to them; what they appreciate and what they miss, during the Covid-19 lockdown period. The aim, later on, is to also include some local children and students in these creative conversations and to see their creative contributions and how this all can be combined together into a community art showcase celebration.
Dr Neil Brown, Chief Officer of Age UK Canterbury who is a championing partner in the project said:
“This daisy chain concept is lovely; having a volunteer at the centre of each daisy, surrounded by a small array of people, some that the volunteer supports as well as other people who support the volunteer. We are delighted to build on our successful partnership working with Espression Arts CIC and Kent Arts and Wellbeing and the wonderful volunteer network”.
The need for project Covid-19 Daisy Chain is acute given all group and day centre and social group gatherings have had to be suspended. People miss having that regular social contact with people.
Anyone interested in this project please contact Fay Blair fay@kentartsandwellbeing.org.uk Mobile: 07786 307 664 or Catherine Arnell catherine@espression.co.uk or on Facebook Messenger, Twitter, Instagram @EspressionArts and see feeds #Covid19DaisyChain
ENDS
Notes:
Our Work of Art : the initiative, the volunteer network and the programme
Guiding the creative volunteer network and project is Canterbury based creative Catherine Arnell, from Espression Arts, based in a pottery studio café/shop at 29-30 Palace Street, Canterbury. She was the creative lead in the founding Our Work of Art project with Kent Arts and Wellbeing. Local volunteers were recruited and trained in arts and wellbeing, who then went on to help in regular ceramic painting sessions at Age UK Canterbury and Age UK Herne Bay and Whitstable, and then a rural outreach programme including other creative crafts in 2019.
Catherine is supported by the Kent Arts & Wellbeing team, Fay Blair and Ken Scott.
Working with and on behalf of beneficiary project partners Age UK Canterbury and Age UK Herne Bay & Whitstable.
The project back story can be seen here. www.kentartsandwellbeing.org.uk/news
Twitter, Facebook and Instagram #Covid19DaisyChain #OurWorkOfArt
#OurWorkofArt2018 #OurWorkofArtRuralOutreach2019
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Fay Blair, Co-Director, Kent Arts & Wellbeing
Mobile: 07786 307 664 Email: fay@kentartsandwellbeing.org.uk
Catherine Arnell, Director Espression Arts CIC, Espression Arts studio/café
Mobile 07957 641471 Email: catherine@espression.co.uk
Facebook Messenger, Twitter, Instagram @EspressionArts
Espression Arts CIC Registered Community Interest Company
Kent Arts & Wellbeing Not-for-profit limited company
Age UK Canterbury
Registered Charity Number 1094385 Chief Officer
Email: neil@ageukcanterbury.org.uk Tel: 01227 462368
