Down to a fine art – Green Mere Primary School students join Mercia Grange care home for the world’s

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Oct 23, 2019

Residents at a care home in Sutton Coldfield picked up their pencils and welcomed Green Mere Primary School for The Big Draw Festival 2019.

Care UK’s Mercia Grange, on Lichfield Road, joined in the celebrations by creating works of art around this year’s theme, ‘drawn to life’. The residents and

pupils let their imaginations run wild drawing all things scary in a special Halloween-themed drawing session. The children are a regular fixture, having previously enjoyed World Poetry Day and Games in the Garden at the care home.

Launched in 2000 as part of the ‘Campaign for Drawing’, The Big Draw promotes drawing as a tool for learning, expression and invention, and has encouraged over four million people to get arty since its inception. This year’s theme celebrates the benefits of creative activities, especially drawing, on health and wellbeing. 2019 also marks the bicentenary of John Ruskin’s birth, founder of the Guild of St George, the charitable education trust behind the initiative.

Shirley Gibbs, home manager at Mercia Grange, said: “Here at Mercia Grange we firmly believe that activity-based care is essential in supporting residents to lead fulfilling lives, so The Big Draw is a fantastic initiative for us to get involved with.

“Drawing is an accessible activity that people of all ages can enjoy together, so we were delighted to welcome pupils from Green Mere Primary School to join us for the occasion. Art, combined with intergenerational relationships, has proven benefits for older people, by offering the chance to tap into happy memories and an alternative way to communicate emotions and thoughts.

“Everyone had a wonderful afternoon, and we can’t wait to display our masterpieces in the home!”

Mercia Grange is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing, dementia, and short-term respite care. The three-storey care home, which features 67 en-suite bedrooms, has been designed to enable its residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hairdressing salon and café.

Recognising the importance of artistic activities, Care UK was happy to become one of the lead sponsors for The Big Draw this year alongside organisations such as The Courtauld Institute of Art and the City of Toronto Museum. You can read more about Care UK’s national involvement here: https://thebigdraw.org/drawn-to-life-care-uk

For more information email customer relations manager, Rachel MacKay on Rachel.Mackay@careuk.com or call 0121 314 3196.

For more general information, please visit: careuk.com/mercia-grange

To find out more about the Big Draw festival, please go to thebigdraw.org