Crafting Christmas Cheer to Support Arts Uplift’s Health and Wellbeing Programmes
Join us for our festive fundraiser in the beautiful setting of Binswood Hall.
Expect a fun evening of craft and socialising. We will be joined by Artist Lucy Bellew from Cotswolds Mosaics to create unique mosaic Christmas tree decorations, choose from trees/angels, stars or coasters. Ticket price includes the opportunity to make two decorations along with welcome drink and nibbles. The bar will also be open with drinks to purchase.
We reserve the right to cancel the workshop at short notice should the minimum required attendees not be reached or due to illness of artist. Tickets will be refunded minus the booking fee if we do not reach our minimum attendees or if we cancel due to illness we will rearrange the date and no refund will be made.
Full payment is required on the purchase of a ticket. You may cancel your place up to four weeks prior to the workshop date. A full refund will be offered minus the booking fee.
For further information contact Beth at info@artsuplift.co.uk or phone 01926 504212
How fundraising helps our work
Our fundraisers help to support our work in Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire enhancing the physical and mental wellbeing of people whose lives would benefit from an uplift. We do this by engaging community members with the healing powers of the arts and connection to local heritage.
If you would like to support our work please visit our donations page Donations
Singing for Well-Being is suitable for people looking to find coping strategies and improve mental well-being.
FREE singing workshops led by experienced choir leader Claire Fowler. These small group sessions will help to boost your mood as you sing to familiar songs together. This choir is suitable for beginners and you don’t need to be a brilliant singer just the willingness to have a go!
There is lots of evidence that singing together can help with low mood, anxiety and depression. There will be a chance to socialise afterwards and support each other over refreshments.
Singing for wellbeing is a partnership between the SYDNI Centre and Arts Uplift CIC
What you will learn
Gain a better understanding about how singing can benefit your well-being.
Feel more confident about singing in a group and learn breathing and singing techniques to help you.
To meet new people and have peer to peer support.
Aimed at: Adults across Warwickshire & Coventry looking to find creative coping strategies that can improve mental wellbeing.
We’re excited to announce we are in the customer vote for a Tesco Stronger Starts. It’s a scheme which gives community projects like us grants of up to £1,500. Tesco customers can vote from the start of October in the following Rugby, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Alcester Tesco stores:
Voting opens at the start of October and closes in the middle of January 2025
The Projects
Rugby
Funds will be used to provide Songwriting for Wellbeing workshops in Rugby
Free, uplifting, weekly song-writing courses for adults in Rugby looking to improve their mental wellbeing. The workshops help people connect with others and help people to discover the art of song writing to express feelings.
Alcester
Funds will be used for our Ageing Well Singing sessions
Free interactive weekly singing sessions for older people aged 65 years and above in Alcester in a safe and welcoming environment. Dementia-friendly. No experience necessary.
Voting
Tesco customers can vote by collecting a token when making a purchase from the checkout. Use it to vote for Arts Uplift on the way out of the store.
The project with the highest number of votes across the region will receive £1,500, the second placed project £1,000 and the third placed project £500.
Your votes really count so please support us next time you shop at Tesco!
Inside Stories 5 – creative courses to improve wellbeing are delivered in partnership with the Recovery and Wellbeing Academy.
SINGING FOR WELLBEING
Singing for Well-Being is suitable for people looking to find coping strategies and improve mental well-being.
The next course consists of 12 weeks of FREE singing workshops led by experienced choir leader Claire Fowler. These small group sessions will help to boost your mood as you sing to familiar songs together. This choir is suitable for beginners and you don’t need to be a brilliant singer just the willingness to have a go!
There is lots of evidence that singing together can help with low mood, anxiety and depression. There will be a chance to socialise afterwards and support each other over refreshments.
Singing for wellbeing is a partnership between the SYDNI Centre and Arts Uplift CIC
Learning Outcomes:
Gain a better understanding about how singing can benefit your well-being.
Feel more confident about singing in a group and learn breathing and singing techniques to help you.
To meet new people and have peer to peer support.
Aimed at: Adults across Warwickshire & Coventry looking to find creative coping strategies that can improve mental wellbeing.
Venue
Life Community Church, Charlotte Street, Leamington Spa, CV31 3EB
Join our FREE adult creative writing workshops led by Tristan Jackson-Pate. Discover your voice, craft compelling stories, and connect with others in a supportive community. Open to Coventry and Warwickshire residents who are looking to find coping strategies and improve mental well-being.
Course Now Fully Booked – please add yourself to the waiting list by emailing Jenny at jenny@artsuplift.co.uk
In person (Leamington Spa) 7-9pm – 25 November, 2 December, 9 December
This creative writing group, led by writer and theatre maker Tristan Jackson-Pate alongside an Arts Uplift volunteer will focus on the ways we craft stories, in a relaxed online group setting. Participants can access the exercises in a variety of ways and enjoy the support of the group as they develop their ideas. Though sessions will primarily look at dramatic writing for theatre or film, the exercises and discussions had will be relevant to all forms of storytelling, whether you want to write a novel, or a poetry collection. We will cover:
Where stories come from
Story structure
Character creation
Finding the meaning
Exploring form
Plotting
Redrafting
And of course, how not to become blocked in your creativity! The aim is to provide chances to learn, create, and collaborate, in an inclusive, no pressure environment.
There will be the opportunity to write and read out your work (if you want to) in a friendly and supportive environment. No prior skills needed. Just bring something to write with and something to write on. After 10 weeks your work will form part of a writing e-book if you want to be included.
Learning Outcomes:
Gain a better understanding about how creative writing can benefit your well-being.
Feel more confident about creative writing and learn different techniques that can be used to improve your well-being
To meet new people and have peer to peer support
To be added to the waiting list for this course or for further information contact:
Jenny at jenny@artsuplift.co.uk or phone 07946 585978
Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund
Previous creative writing from past courses are HERE
Course Tutor Martin Riley
SONG-WRITING FOR WELLBEING
Song Writing for Wellbeing is part of our Inside Stories programme.
COURSE DETAILS
Online sessions: Thursdays 7-8.30pm
29 August, 19 September, 17 October, 21 November
In person (Rugby) Thursday 5 & 6 December 7-9pm
Sharing Performance: Monday 9 December 7-9pm
Sessions are led by an experienced musician Martin Riley plus an Arts Uplift volunteer in a supportive group setting.
You will learn how to express your feelings and thoughts through music.
No experience is necessary.
Suitable for people with low mood and low to moderate mental health issues.
Learning Outcomes:
Understand and discuss song structure and writing practices.
Contribute to songwriting through lyrics or music
Discover how to craft compelling songs.
Explore how songwriting can enhance personal well-being.
Learn basic computer sequencing, track layering, and rhythm selection.
Beth info@artsuplift.co.uk or call Beth on 01926 504 212
Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and Rugby Group Benevolent fund.
Previous Inside Stories 4 songs:
Good Will to All:
Give Again Today:
Inside Stories – creative courses for wellbeing are delivered in partnership with the Recovery & Wellbeing Academy from March to December 2024.
These are weekly evening workshops and monthly online sessions for people looking to find ways of improving their mental wellbeing. They are suitable for people with low mood and low to moderate mental health issues.
Inside Stories sessions have been funded by the following organisations:
Song Writing – Community Fund and Rugby Benevolent Fund
Singing for Wellbeing – Community Fund and Royal Leamington Spa Town Council
We are thrilled to announce Navigating Margaret 2024 Rehearsed Readings, a summer initiative funded by Arts Council England and the Coventry, Solihull, and Warwickshire Fund. This exciting project will see the development of a brand-new dementia awareness play, Navigating Margaret, ahead of a full-scale tour in Autumn 2025.
A Story of Resilience and Awareness
Navigating Margaret is a powerful and moving theatrical production inspired by real-life experiences. Based on stories gathered from Arts Uplift’s successful Suitcase Stories project, the play delves into the journey of a Worcestershire woman living with Alzheimer’s dementia, exploring its impact on both her and her family.
The story unfolds uniquely, weaving together Margaret’s remarkable past as one of Worcestershire’s first female pilots with her present-day struggles. With a touch of fairy-tale magic, the play uses text, movement, and music to create a captivating blend of realism and abstraction. Four talented actors will bring the story to life, raising crucial awareness about dementia, a condition affecting 1 in 14 adults over 65.
Jenny Davis, Executive Director of Arts Uplift, says, “We are thrilled to be bringing this rehearsed reading of the play to Coventry and Warwickshire after such an overwhelmingly wonderful response to the play last time in Malvern, with an addition this time of some informative dementia awareness training. We are bringing some new actors into the company, which is exciting, and they have a challenge ahead of them playing multiple characters. We look forward to hearing people’s feedback and weaving this into the next stage.”
The four actors in Navigating Margaret
Be Part of the Development Process!
Join Arts Uplift for the Navigating Margaret 2024 Rehearsed Readings taking place at:
11am on 12th July at St Peter’s Apostle Church, Leamington Spa (a BSL performance)
15th July at St Paul’s Church, Foleshill, Coventry
18th July at Griff and Coton Sports & Miners Welfare, Nuneaton
These free rehearsed readings offer a unique opportunity to experience the play in its early stages. Four actors will perform a script-in-hand version with props, costumes, and music. Your feedback is invaluable! Following the reading, there will be a 30-minute session to share your thoughts and help shape the final production.
Deepen Your Understanding with Interactive Training
Following the morning session, Arts Uplift invites you to an optional dementia awareness training workshop from 2.30 to 4.30 pm. This free, two-hour interactive session is inspired by forum theatre practices, where audience participation actively influences the performance. Through excerpts from the show, discussions, and engaging activities, the workshop will provide practical tools and a deeper understanding of Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
The training is perfect for:
Carers and loved ones of people living with dementia
Care staff
Individuals interested in learning more about dementia
People with early-stage dementia seeking an interactive learning experience
The rehearsed reading is two hours long with an intermission and feedback session. All venues are fully accessible.
Space for the dementia awareness training is limited to 3 participants per session. To book your spot or inquire about larger group bookings, please contact info@artsuplift.co.uk.
Don’t miss this chance to be part of a vital conversation and witness the development of a powerful new play!
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