Festival for the young at heart
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OCTOBER 2016
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IT ALL began when Christine Chilcott, board member of Aged Care Deloraine wanted to have an exhibition at Grenoch aged care facility.
“I wanted people to see that growing old doesn’t have to be a negative thing,” says Christine.
Meanwhile, when attending and speaking at an International conference, Deloraine Aged Care’s Music Therapist, Alex Morse heard about Scotland’s month long creative ageing festival ‘Luminate’.
Luminate aims to bring people together to celebrate their creativity as they age.
Alex shared this information with Christine and together they hatched a plan to create something similar in Meander Valley.
What started out to be a trial attracted so much interest from other community groups and services that the inaugural ‘2016 Meander Valley Festival of Creative Ageing’ boasts 22 events over 9 venues running from 10th to 14th October.
“I’m very proud of what the community has put together to support older adults to have meaningful creative lives,” comments Alex, Director of the festival.
Two Social Work students on work placement with Deloraine District Hospital, Deloraine House and Deloraine High School have been helping to organise various events.
Ebony De Jesus and Isabella Bracey have especially enjoyed finding and interviewing the subjects for ‘Life Portraits’, an exhibition of works by photographer Valentina Ricchi to be shown at the Great Western Tiers Community Club.
“It was wonderful to hear the life stories of the people who were photographed for the exhibition,” says Ebony, “they have had such interesting lives.”
“The photographs express the life journey of the subjects in such a powerful way,” explains Isabella.
The festival will incorporate the creative talents of people from within Meander Valley but has also invited musicians, artists and dancers from all over Tasmania to be involved.
Mature Artist Dance Experience (MADE) will be travelling from Hobart to Deloraine Day Centre to provide a workshop.
The workshop will demonstrate the benefits of creative movement for the not so young.
Social Tonic Ukulele For Fun (STUFF) draws its 50 members from Northern Tasmania including a few from Meander Valley. STUFF will delight audiences at Grenoch.
Art Therapist Dr Pat Baines from Alzheimer’s Australia will host an art therapy workshop at Westbury Day Centre.
Meander Valley Council has sponsored a free screening of ‘Alive Inside’ - a film illustrating music’s capacity to reawaken our souls.
A luncheon catered by students from Deloraine Trade Training Centre will take place at the Western Tiers Community Club.
An exhibition called Meander Sketches, Paintings and Poetry at Deloraine District Hospital will showcase the artistic talents of people living in aged care.
Exhibits will be on sale with proceeds supporting arts for health projects.
To read more about the many other events on offer, grab yourself a program from Aged Care Deloraine, Deloraine House, Meander Valley Council or download from www. meandervalleycommunitydirectory. com.au
Article sponsored by Primary Health Networks through Deloraine District Community Health.
[udesign_icon_font name="fa fa-camera" color="#000000"] Mike Moores
