Reaching out a little bit further

As a charity, Tarvin Community Centre has a duty to reach out to the local community and serve its needs and aspirations. One question that might be asked, however, is "how local should this community be".

Recently the Committee agreed to look a little further afield and approach Iddenshall Hall Residential Care Home to see if there was a part that the Community Centre could play in providing a link back to the community for some of the residents.

Sue Hardacre explains. "I was at Leeds Playhouse recently on a promotional visit about the production of Beryl coming to us in October. I heard about the efforts that the company make to adapt performances so that dementia sufferers could attend, performances slowed down and made more accessible. While there is no way that Tarvin could do something as challenging as this, it got me thinking. Were there people locally who might appreciate a theatre performance but who were currently excluded because of age or infirmity?

The Community Centre approached Iddenshall Hall and had an enthusiastic response from Lynne Loughlin, the Senior Activities Co-ordinator. Whilst their Hall has many residents whose conditions make many activities a difficult proposition, there are some who still seek to maintain their links with the world despite their physical limitations. Lynne and her staff are, of course, very active in promoting this approach in-house with a wide programme of visits and events that help create a more fulfilling and rounded life for residents.

Will there be any tickets sold in Iddenshall Hall for theatre performances or film shows? Perhaps, though evening performances are a bit of a challenge to many elderly people whose bedtime may be quite early. But there are a number of activities in the day that residents might be able to access; the Library, the Wednesday Club, the W.I. What is important is that the offer has been made, the contacts created and a mutually supportive relationship forged.

As a start to this new approach, Iddenshall Hall are issuing a warm invitation to Tarvin residents to come to a COFFEE AFTERNOON from 2.00pm till 4.30pn on FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25th in the Edna Rose Room. Over a cuppa and cake you are invited to meet Iddenshall Hall residents, to chat and create new bonds, to help bridge that gap between a Home and the community so that those who need that specialised care can appreciate the contribution they can still make to the well-being of residents in the wider world.

Please do come along.