by Arts Uplift
By Jenny Davis & Eve Grennan
We live in a society where it is often easier to throw things away than repair or reuse them. Clothes go out of fashion, packaging builds up, and materials with plenty of life left in them end up in landfill. Upcycling offers a practical alternative.
What is upcycling?
Upcycling is the process of transforming unwanted or discarded materials into something new and useful without breaking them down into their raw components. Unlike recycling, which requires energy to reprocess materials, upcycling works with what is already there to extend the life of existing products. An old denim jacket might become a unique piece of clothing. Fabric scraps can be turned into bags, artwork or homeware. Instead of becoming waste, these materials are given a new purpose.
Upcycling also supports the principles of the circular economy, where products and materials are kept in use for as long as possible, reducing waste, and the demand for new resources.
What makes a good upcycling project?
The most effective projects begin with materials that would genuinely have been thrown away — not offcuts bought new, but real waste given a second chance. They require creativity and skill to produce something with real value at the end. Beyond the finished product, they also encourage people to rethink the way they view waste and consumption.
One example of this in action was the exhibition that our Ageing Well Southam group developed. Another one is Let’s Create and Reuse, a programme our Chair of Advisory Group has been proud to be involved with. Let’s Create and Reuse is a six-week textile programme focused on sustainability for secondary school students. It aims to raise awareness of the environmental impact of textile waste while encouraging participants to upcycle denim and cotton clothing donated by Myton Hospice into new creations. Alongside developing practical textile skills, students gain a better understanding of why sustainable fashion matters. Guest speakers – including a Sewing Bee finalist and a retail fashion expert – share their experience and help introduce young people to wider conversations about the future of fashion. It’s a programme across Coventry and Warwickshire, including both primary and secondary schools and Community libraries for intergenerational workshops
Does it make a measurable difference?
Absolutely. Between 2022 and 2024, the programme diverted an estimated 413kg of clothing from landfill by giving unwanted textiles a second life. The programme has also worked with nine schools and established partnerships with Coventry University, Myton Hospices, Art in the Park and EcoFest, helping to extend its reach and promote sustainability within the local community.
Its impact extends beyond waste reduction. More than 15 students chose to continue their studies in textiles and visual arts after taking part, showing how the programme inspired their creativity as well as raising awareness of sustainability.
Upcycling encourages us to look at everyday materials differently, recognising their potential rather than seeing them as waste. By repairing, reusing, and transforming existing materials, we can reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, develop new skills, express creativity, and make more sustainable choices in everyday life. Projects such as Let’s Create and Reuse and our Southam exhibition shows how these actions can benefit both individuals and the wider community.
If you want to find out more about Arts Uplift contact info@artsuplift.co.uk or have a look at our website www.artsuplift.co.uk
by Arts Uplift
By Louisa Sando-Patel, Advisory Board Member
There’s something powerful about a piece of theatre that makes you think, feel, and leave with a better understanding of the world around you. Navigating Margaret, the dementia awareness performance, produced by Arts Uplift, does precisely that. Last year, this incredibly moving show toured across the Midlands again, leaving its mark on audiences and participants alike. It’s also the reason I joined Arts Uplift as an Advisory Board Member.
Latest Dementia Statistics
Why is dementia awareness so important? 1 in 14 adults over 65 years have dementia and 1 in 3 people born today will develop the disease. Current statistics also show that around 1 million people are living with dementia in the UK and this is set to rise to 1.4 million by 2040 (Alzheimer’s Society).
With an increasing number of families being affected by the impact of dementia, it’s crucial that we understand how to provide support within our communities. Instead of delivering a leaflet or a lecture, Arts Uplift decided to address this issue through the power of theatre.
Navigating Margaret offers the audience a unique lens to view this condition from the perspective of someone living with dementia. I know only too well the huge impact dementia has on families as my late Mum had Alzheimer’s Disease. Apart from medical information, we didn’t understand exactly how this condition was affecting my Mum or how she might be viewing the world through her eyes.
Margaret’s Story
The production is rooted in real-life stories gathered through Arts Uplift’s Suitcase Stories project, developed in partnership with Museums Worcestershire. It follows a Worcestershire woman’s journey living with dementia and the effect it has on her family.
Margaret was one of the first women to fly an aeroplane in the county. Her life unfolds from the 1960s to the present day, looking back at her childhood and a ground-breaking, intercultural relationship. Weaving dialogue and movement with a fairy-tale quality, the play blends the real with the abstract, and four diverse professional actors bring the story to life.
Each performance is followed by a question-and-answer session featuring dementia experts, cast members, and the producer. Audiences have the chance to explore both the subject matter and the creative process behind the performance. The show is suitable for older people, professional care staff, NHS workers, health students, volunteers, carers and family members to those with early and mid-stage dementia.
The response from those who have seen Navigating Margaret speaks for itself. Audience members have described it as “wonderful, magical, informative”, noting it “helps dispel the fear and concern around dementia.” Others found it “charming and poignant,” and “a real emotional lift.”
Dementia Workshops
Alongside the performances and using excerpts from the show, a series of dementia workshops were also held. Offering a practical, interactive introduction to dementia, dementia care, and prevention, participants unanimously reported learning something new. 100% of participants said they would recommend the training.
The leading force behind Navigating Margaret is Jenny Davis, founder and director of Arts Uplift. With decades of experience in community arts, Jenny trained in drama and theatre and spent many years running youth theatres and directing productions.
When Jenny served as Arts Development Officer for Wychavon District Council from 2007, her work increasingly focused on arts, health, and older people. This included regular music workshops for people with dementia in care homes across the district.
It’s Jenny’s depth of experience, along with practical and community-focused delivery that gives Navigating Margaret its integrity. This performance will make you laugh and cry and is “a positive way of looking at how to make a difference” to build understanding and reduce stigma. It offers support and guidance to anyone touched by dementia, helping them to navigate the most challenging of human experiences.
Navigating Margaret Returns in Autumn 2026!
The good news is that the story is not over – Navigating Margaret is coming back this autumn with performances in Nuneaton, Leicester and Birmingham! The Arts Uplift team are excited to bring this to new audiences. Whether you are a carer, health professional, or simply someone who wants to understand dementia a little better, join us for this magical experience.
To find out when and how you can book a place, contact Jenny Davis: jenny@artsuplift.co.uk
by Arts Uplift
🌸 Easter Sunday Cake & Tea Fundraiser at Wren Hall
Join us this Easter Sunday at Wren Hall, Wroxhall, for a wonderful afternoon of cake and tea. 🍰☕
Celebrate this special day with your friends and family while supporting a meaningful cause in your community.
📅 Event Details
Date: Sunday, 5 April
Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
📍 Location
Wren Hall
School Lane, Wroxhall
Warwickshire, CV35 7NF
No booking needed – just turn up and enjoy!
💛 Supporting Arts Uplift’s 10-Year Fundraiser
All proceeds will go towards Arts Uplift’s 10-Year fundraising campaign, helping to fund life-changing creative activities for adults across Coventry and Warwickshire.
🚗 Parking
Parking is available at the venue.
🙋♀️ Volunteers & 🎂 Cake Donations Needed
We are looking for volunteers to help on the day and people who would like to bake and donate cakes.
If you can help, please contact Beth at:
📧 admin@artsuplift.co.uk
🎁 Donations
You can donate here the Arts Uplift 10 Years fundraising page.
by Arts Uplift
The Play
Based on real-life stories from people affected by dementia that we gathered from Arts Uplift’s successful Suitcase Stories project in partnership with Museums Worcestershire, Navigating Margaret, is an exciting theatre production about a Worcestershire woman’s journey living with dementia and how it affects her family. Margaret was one of the first women to fly an aeroplane in Worcestershire and we also look back at her life from the 60s to the present day (her childhood, growing up and meeting the love of her life Raviprasad a ground breaking inter-cultural relationship) as her story unfolds.
The play weaves text and movement with a fairy-tale feel to it mixing the real and abstract. Four diverse professional actors will help to tell the incredible stories and raise much needed awareness and education about dementia (1 in 14 adults over 65 years have dementia and 1 in 3 people born today will develop the disease).
Audience members thoughts
“Wonderful. Magical. Informative. Helps dispel the fear & concern around dementia.”
“I thought the play was incredibly well written, the emotional aspects were very hard hitting, but very eye opening.”
“It was charming and poignant and so beautifully detailed, real emotional lift.”
A Question and Answer session follows each show with a panel including dementia experts, members of the cast and the Producer. This will enable the audience to explore the subject matter and the creative journey. Local dementia support information will be available to take away.
Who should see the play
The play is suitable for older people, professional care staff, NHS workers, health students, volunteers, carers and family members, people with early to mid stage dementia, theatre goers and anyone generally interested in dementia.
The show is not suitable for people with late-stage dementia. Age recommendation 12+ due to occasional mild swearing.
Individual scenes from the play for dementia conferences, team away days and learning tools
Scenes from the play can be performed by the actors individually for dementia conferences, team away days and learning tools and much more.
- Diagnosis of Alzheimers dementia
- The stress on family members
- Deciding to put your loved one in a care home
Get in touch for costs for this package info@artsuplift.co.uk
Watch Navigating Margaret the trailer
Dementia Awareness Workshops
Using excerpts from the show (videos) the workshops are a practical introduction to dementia, dementia care and prevention. Low pressure interactive play opportunities, discussion and practical explorations build an actionable and experiential understanding of dementia.
What to Expect:
- Interactive Learning: Immerse yourself in a dynamic learning experience that combines informative discussions with hands-on activities.
- Expert Guidance: Benefit from the expertise of our 2-person team (the actors) and local dementia specialist.
- Actionable Insights: Gain practical knowledge and skills to enhance dementia, care and promote preventive behaviours.
Hear what our participants have to say:
“Absolutely brilliant”
“Very informative and great that it got people physically involved”
In previous workshops all participants stated they learnt something new, including the complexity of the disease and the impact it has on family & friends. 100% said they would recommend the training, stating that “It was a positive way of looking at how to make a difference” and “Interactive learning is so much better than being talked at!”
Who should participate in the workshops
The workshops is suitable for older people, professional care staff, NHS workers, health students, volunteers, carers and family members, people with early to mid stage dementia, theatre goers and anyone generally interested in dementia.
The workshop is not suitable for people with late-stage dementia.
Get in touch for costs for this package info@artsuplift.co.uk
Watch the dementia awareness workshop trailer
Testimonial
Kevin Moffatt, dementia researcher (retired from Warwick University)
“Professionally, I would consider that everyone should immerse themselves in Navigating Margaret. As a dementia-research neuroscientist, and the Outreach Director for Life Sciences, I am always looking for ways to use the power of the creative arts to bring this subject to the forefront. Having participated in two of the rehearsed readings and their associated workshops, I was hugely impressed. Arts Uplift’s research and dedication to the science, social implications and the personal interactions of families, makes for an intelligent, pertinent and factual insight into this critical area of disease and care.”
Arts Uplift are committed to being as environmentally responsible as possible. Please consider travelling to the show and workshops by public transport, on foot or car share.
CREATIVE TEAM
- Writer/Director Helen Tennison
- Designer Zahra Mansouri
- Music Matt Eaton
- Producer Jenny Davis
Meet the cast and workshop facilitators
Eliza Ann Thompson
Playing Young Margaret and Dani
Eliza Ann is a 23 year old, actor/creator/movement artist, based in London and the West Midlands. Since graduating in 2022, with a First Degree in Acting, Theatre and Performance, she has continued to develop her skills in visual imagery and physical theatre. Eliza performed as Young Margaret in the 2023 and 2024 rendition of Navigating Margaret with ArtsUplift. She is now returning as Young Margaret and Dani, in this version of Navigating Margaret – The Tour (2025). Eliza is also an associate artist for the critically acclaimed Strange Futures Theatre Company, with whom she has written, devised and performed in multiple community-involved projects, including The Last Restaurant (2022), Slow Cooked Stories (2023) and On The Bare Hill (2024). The Tree Rings.
(2023) was shortlisted by both Underbelly and The Pleasance Charlie Hartill Fund. She has led workshops in puppetry and visual arts, of which involved drama students at The University of Worcester. Eliza has also supported multiple award nominated short films.
Lucinda Lloyd
Playing Magpie, Ma, Louise, Sarah
Lucinda graduated from the Academy Of Live & Recorded Arts completing the 3year Diploma in Acting. She continued her training with Anne Bogart (Viewpoints) and Seb Harcombe (Stanislavski). She won the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ award in the 168 LA Film Festival for her role in the film Home, dir: Debs Paterson. Theatre credits include Shall We Shog? (The Globe) dir: Ken Campbell; Decor Without Production 1 & 2, (The Royal Court) dir: Ken Campbell; Cathy,Wuthering Heights, (The Rosemary Branch and UK tour) dir: Helen Tennison; Hecuba in Hecuba, (The White Bear) dir: Justin Murray; Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, (Dirty Market Theatre) dir: Georgina Sowerby. Lucinda combines her skills as an actor, artist and writer. She was selected for The New Writers programme at The Royal Court & The Arcola as well as receiving a poetry writing award from The Arvon Foundation. She also received The Royal Female School of Art Award. In addition to her works being shown at The Arcola & The BAC, Lucinda is currently developing an original piece of theatre with St Joseph’s Hospice in Hackney, London. This is the second time Lucinda has been a part of the company for Navigating Margaret.
Illona Linthwaite
Playing Margaret
After training at Rose Bruford’s Drama School Illona worked in repertory theatre for several years. She later formed her own company, writing and commissioning plays. In London she has acted at The Arcola, Lyric Hammersmith, Playhouse Theatre, Southwark Playhouse, Young Vic, National and RSC Theatre Companies. She recently worked with the Dot Collective, Bedouin Shakespeare, Punch Drunk, SLG Co. and Swamp Motel playing many glorious parts. Television work includes series Within These Walls, Shadow of the Noose, The Flockton Flyer, The Bill and several plays for Today. With her one woman plays she has toured many parts of the world. This is the third time Illona has played Margaret for Arts Uplift.
Madhav Vasantha
Playing Graham, Charlie and Aunty Edie
Madhav grew up in Bangalore, India and has lived and worked in the States and the UK since then. His recent credits include The Vanishing Elephant which premiered at the New Victory Theatre getting the NY Times Critics Choice followed by a tour of the UK and USA. Among his other theatre credits are Rajesh & Naresh, Lost souls, Pericles and The Tempest. He was also one of the Sketch Ensemble cast with the award winning (RTS 2020/21 Best Entertainment Programme) TV show Crackerjack (CBBC & BBC one) which can be viewed on BBC iPlayer.
