Ready, set, draw – worldwide art festival brings back memories for Cheadle residents

Home news

Dec 21, 2020

Residents at a care home in Cheadle picked up their pencils and went back to the drawing board for The Big Draw Festival 2020.

Care UK’s Abney Court, in Abney Hall Park, celebrated all things nature by creating works of art around this year’s theme, ‘a Climate of Change’.  

The event brought back plenty of memories for residents Annette and Joan as they teamed up with other residents and team members to create nature-inspired works of art and collages. Annette an avid painter, discussed the art techniques she learnt during her career, while sharing one of her own paintings to be used as inspiration as part of the home’s activities.

Meanwhile, potter and retired art teacher Joan was able to reminisce about her own art. Joan, who’s sculptures were recently part of an online exhibition at the Weavers Factory, revisited her pieces through drawing. Throughout the month, team members noticed clear improvements in Joan’s health and wellbeing, as memories of her younger years as an artist came flooding back.

Launched in 2000 as part of the ‘Campaign for Drawing’, the month-long Big Draw Festival promotes drawing as a tool for learning, expression and invention, and has encouraged over four million people to get arty since its inception.

Sally, Joan’s daughter, said: “Mum really enjoyed drawing the ceramic pieces she made a few years ago.  It’s helped her revisit a period of her life that she hasn’t mentioned for a long time and it was lovely to see her being creative again and talking about her work.  Thank you to the Abney Court team for helping her to put pencil to paper again for the first time in about 6 years.”

Andrew McIntyre, Home Manager at Abney Court, said: “We loved taking part in The Big Draw Festival for a second year – and although things were a bit different this year, everyone loved celebrating all things nature.

“Creative activities play a big part of life here at Abney Court, and we actively encourage residents to continue lifelong arty hobbies and try new expressive pastimes. This activity was particularly popular with Annette and Joan, two residents and former artists. It was wonderful to see them open up and share memories of their younger years, all while reconnecting with their art in different ways and encouraging other residents to get involved.

“The drawing sessions were fantastic, and everyone left with a smile on their face – we’re all looking forward to getting our pencils out again very soon!”

After a successful participation in the Big Draw Festival last year, Care UK renewed its partnership in 2020, becoming the main health and social care partner and leading the way in changing perceptions of life in a care home by promoting activity-based care and encouraging other care homes to follow suit. Across the country, more than 70 homes have been getting arty and working with their local communities virtually to create works of art around the theme ‘A Climate of Change’.

Abney Court has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hair salon and café.

To find out more about Abney Court care home email Pamela Wilson, Customer Relations Manager at pamela.wilson@careuk.com or call 0161 660 5713.

To find out more about Care UK’s partnership with the Big Draw, and for more top tips on how you and your loved ones can get involved at home, visit careuk.com/care-homes/bigdraw

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