Creative Spaces: Sunshine and sponges!

dementia, communities & environments

Our Creative Spaces in the Community project is using the outdoors and nature-focused activities to build social networks, foster independence and enhance the physical and mental health of older people living with dementia in rural communities in Cornwall.

We'll be using this section as a place to generally share our thoughts on dementia and those it affects, including relevant projects, events, activities etc. If we've read it, written it, seen it or heard it and we think it should be 'out there' then here's where we'll share it.

The sun came out yesterday afternoon....it must have known we were taking some Trevarna residents to the school fete at Penrice Community College.

Students from the school's Green Team have been involved with the Creative Spaces project from Year 1. They've visited the home many times, joining in activities with residents and accompanied us on various trips to places like Eden, The Lost Gardens of Heligan and Lanhydrock Gardens. So we were delighted to be able to take residents to their school fete and reciprocate the community support. That's what this project is all about.

The residents had such a great time. They won lots of raffle and Lucky Dip prizes and listened to a couple of students from the Green Team playing in their band. One lady had her fortune told by a pupil with a crystal bowl (definitely tongue in cheek with more 'bowl' than 'ball'!) and received sweets from the Hand of Destiny as a result. They even paid to throw wet sponges at the teacher who runs the Green Team (he's been instrumental in involving his group in the project. I like to think that they were supporting the students after all the time and effort they've spent in the project; but maybe there was just a hint of a wicked sense of humour in there too.

A quick stop off at the cake stall on the way out meant we could have homemade fruit cake and cup cakes with a cup of tea back at Trevarna on our return.