Dance charity, Dance in Devon have continued to deliver dance opportunities over the past year to ensure people keep moving and stay active, particularly those who are isolated or more vulnerable. Stella Maris Court, Glebe Court and Glebefields customers in Bideford have benefitted from the donation of ‘Physical Postcards’ which have been designed in collaboration with Dance Centred, to deliver dance instructions and ideas to get people moving in their homes when getting out and about has proved tricky in recent months.
A customer from Glebefields sheltered housing scheme said: “I thought the postcards were a brilliant idea. My husband struggles to do exercise, these cards were perfect for him as he could do bits and bobs from his chair and feel like he is joining in. I have bad circulation and osteoporosis in my spine and it’s important for me to keep moving, the movement postcards get harder or easier depending on what you can do and I have a good go at it all. If you’re feeling a bit down you have to keep your mind and body active. It’s nice to know there are things to do to keep active and that groups are looking out for us as it has been hard for some of my neighbours.
Lyn the scheme manager here has done so much for us all like going shopping for people in lockdown I couldn’t fault her. I try and keep a positive outlook on life otherwise this could all get you down. I am looking forward to being able to see my daughter and socialise more when this is all over as it’s such a lovely community.”
Dance in Devon, a charity for happier and healthier communities, has been providing its ‘Arts on Call’ project since October and has been delivering dance instructions on postcards and outside dance performances to care homes and residential areas throughout Devon. They plan to work with local Dartington radio station ‘Sound Art Radio’ to deliver dance sessions through the airwaves allowing people to tune in and take part in short bursts of dance through their radios at home.
Martha Scholefield Project Manager from Dance in Devon said: “At this time of physical isolation, it is important that we still retain a connection to our local communities and to our dancing communities, and not forget those who cannot access dance digitally. Throughout the pandemic there has been a surge of activity to get alternative approaches to dance in place to support those who need it most and to keep people feeling positive and safely moving and dancing in their homes.
The Physical Postcards were designed to bring some health and happiness to people in lockdown by providing easy to use movement cards. It has been great to hear the positive effects the Arts on Call project is having on people, especially during the winter months, its clear that the connection and knowing others are thinking of them has been really important. We are hoping as restrictions are lifted, to branch out to more public spaces and expand the boundaries of this project to align with what is safe and possible, as well as developing new projects for the summer and rest of the year to continue to reach our communities across Devon. Another strand of the Arts on Call project has involved performing uplifting dance and music visits to residents from outside of their care homes.”
Lyn Harden Scheme Manager at Glebe Court and Glebefields in Northam said: “It has been a very socially isolating time, to see them join in in something fun like this has been fantastic and we hope it’s a long-standing partnership with Dance in Devon where we are able to re-connect our customers with their neighbours through dance.”
Guy Braga, our Community Connector said: “We wanted to give our sheltered housing customers a boost during lockdown and one of the best ways to motivate and inspire people is through exercise. I spoke to Martha at Dance in Devon about their postcards and she was really positive and helpful and donated enough of their ‘Physical Postcards’ for all our Sheltered Housing customers in these schemes. I also asked if she could do this for all of our customers in Belle Meadow Court, Barnstaple some of whom I have been in contact with during lockdown through doing Welfare Calls and I know have found lockdown hard. She kindly agreed and sent them to Simon Harvey, the Estate Supervisor, who ensured everyone got one.”
We are set to allocate over half a million pounds in grants funding to its customers and communities by the end of 2021. As part of the grants drive during the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020 LiveWest have invested over £300k in crisis and hardship grants for its customers and over £112k in community grants for community spaces and digital inclusion throughout the south west.
Click here for more information on our grants progamme.
For more information on Dance in Devon visit danceindevon.org.uk/projects/arts-on-call