older people

We’re starting a dementia-friendly community cinema in Coseley!

Helena Norman Big Local, community activities, older people, Sharing our passions, skills and spaces, Supporting our local groups March 1, 2018June 11, 2018Big Local Plan, cinema, community, dementia friendly, loneliness and isolation, older people 0 Comment

We would like to warmly invite you to East Coseley Big Local’s first dementia-friendly cinema screening on the 17^th April at Darkhouse Baptist Church, Coseley. Do you know, care for, or support someone living with dementia in the Coseley area? Would you like to book places at the cinema? Please contact Neil at neil@eastcoseleybiglocal.net  or call 07472627497.

Join us 2pm – 4pm on the 17th April for a screening, snacks and refreshments. The cinema is open to the community but the screenings will be enhanced to suit the needs of people living with dementia.

East Coseley Big Local is passionate to support people living with dementia, their families and carers, to continue to participate in entertainment. The dementia-friendly cinema will enable people who often feel a little isolated in the community to enjoy an everyday experience in an accessible, friendly, supportive and fun environment where participation is encouraged!

Please contact Neil at neil@eastcoseleybiglocal.net  or call 07472627497 to book places by Friday 13th April.

Our first film screening will be the classic 1948 film Easter Parade.

Broadway star Don Hewes’ (Fred Astaire) dancing partner (Ann Miller) goes solo, and Don declares that he can make a hit performer out of the next dancer he sees. This turns out to be the inexperienced Hannah (Judy Garland), who bristles as Don tries to make her into his old partner. But as he realizes that he is falling in love with Hannah, Don knows that he must let her grow into her own kind of dancer if he wants her to reach her full potential.

What is East Coseley Big Local?

East Coseley Big Local is an exciting opportunity for residents to make a massive and lasting positive difference to their community. It brings together all the local talent, ambitions, skills and energy from individuals, groups and organisations who want to make the area an even better place to live.

Big Local is funded by the Big Lottery Fund and managed by Local Trust. There are 150 Big Local areas in England which have been allocated £1million each. East Coseley was selected as a Big Local area by the Big Lottery Fund in 2011. Find out more at www.eastcoseleybiglocal.net.

The Coseley Tea Dance – Supporting residents to make things happen in Coseley

Helena Norman Big Local Plan, community activities, local groups and clubs, older people, Supporting our local groups December 20, 2017December 21, 2017Community activities, loneliness and isolation, older people 0 Comment

We joined some amazing local people from the community at the Mary Dermott Hall in Coseley for the last tea dance of 2017. People from the community, who come together every week to enjoy lunch, entertainment, exercise, dancing (including line-dancing!), and, most importantly, to meet friends, enjoy a little social interaction and have a great time!

This month residents made their way through the heavy snow, dressed in their very best festive outfits, ready to get into the Christmas spirit and enjoy an afternoon out. We’ve made a short film featuring these lovely local people who are making this happen in Coseley with the support of East Coseley Big Local. We hope you enjoy it!

The Coseley tea dance was always well attended by local older people in the community. It had been running for about 5 years, before, last year it was in danger of having to stop when the people who ran it moved out of the local area and the venue at the time was no longer able to accommodate it.

East Coseley Big Local, Changemaker Support Officer, worked with three enthusiastic regular attendees to apply to the East Coseley Big Local Community Spirit Fund, not only to help restart the tea dance but change the format of the event slightly in order for it to become self-sustainable.

The Community Spirit Fund awarded a small amount of money to help the residents kick-start the tea dance, covering the hire of the venue and an entertainer.

People were happy to bring their own lunch and pay £3 each week in order to help the tea dance continue. Now, the weekly tea dance pays for itself. Everyone contributes to making the event happen. The tea dance has a regular attendance of 30-40 people.

This event makes a huge difference to the lives of the people who attend. Many of the attendees live alone and do not have regular outings, and they look forward to the tea dance. It is also a way of helping people to keep active through dancing. It runs in the daytime within a safe environment, and occasionally agencies also come along to offer advice on issues ranging from health and wellbeing to safety and security.

A tea dance participant said: “It’s the only time I get together with my friends”.

It’s hard not to feel welcome or join in on the fun when around the people at the tea dance… we even found our film-maker getting involved, singing an excellent version of ‘White Christmas’ to the residents whilst they were enjoying lunch!

East Coseley Big Local are passionate about supporting residents to make things happen in Coseley. If you would like to find out more about joining the tea dance contact Neil Langford neil@eastcoseleybiglocal.net.

Find out more about Community Spirit Funding

Are you a local group or club looking for a little more support in Coseley? Let us know how East Coseley Big Local can support you: http://www.tinyurl.com/ycmrk5f2 or contact neil@eastcoseleybiglocal.net for more info. We will be meeting local groups and clubs on Wed 17 Jan.

Let’s start a dementia cinema in Coseley!

Helena Norman Big Local, Big Local Plan, community activities, older people November 15, 2017March 1, 2018Big Local Plan, cinema, community, dementia friendly, loneliness and isolation, older people 0 Comment

East Coseley Big Local and Black Country Touring are looking for enthusiastic people to drop by and join them to chat, plan and share ideas to potentially start a dementia friendly community cinema within the Coseley area.

On the day, Lee Allen, Dementia Friends volunteer champion from the Alzheimer’s Society, will be delivering a Dementia Information Session for anyone interested to learn more about dementia and how it can affect people’s lives.

We will be talking with Olivia James of Black Country Touring about starting and planning for a dementia friendly community cinema in Coseley.

If you would like to get involved and come along please let us know, and also whether you would like to bring anyone along with you, by contacting neil@eastcoseleybiglocal.net

Date: Monday 22nd January
Time: 10am – 1pm
Venue: The Apple Tree Inn, 5 Central Drive, Bilston, WV14 9EW
All welcome!

Here’s a bit of background information for the day:

What is a dementia friendly cinema?
A dementia friendly community cinema provides a safe, welcoming and fun environment for people, families and carers living with dementia. The cinema is open to the whole community but the screenings are enhanced to suit the needs of people living with dementia who may feel a little isolated in the community.

What is a Dementia Friends Information Session?
A Dementia Friends Information Session is a fun, interactive way to learn a little about dementia and how it can affect people’s lives. Led by a volunteer Dementia Friends Champion, the Session lasts 45-60 minutes and covers five key messages that everyone should know about dementia, through activities and discussion.

What is East Coseley Big Local?
East Coseley Big Local is an exciting opportunity for residents to make a massive and lasting positive difference to their community. It brings together all the local talent, ambitions, skills and energy from individuals, groups and organisations who want to make the area an even better place to live.

You’re invited to our Big Local Community Forum

Lorna Prescott community activities, Community Forum, older people, young people October 24, 2016Aace Dance Co, Beatfreeks, Castle & Crystal, Community Forum, Crafternoon, credit union, isolation, loneliness, older people, Phase Trust, Trade School, young people 0 Comment

Nothing beats getting together to share ideas, encourage each other and find out what’s going on. For the last four years we’ve been connecting people and great ideas in Coseley through Big Local Community Forum meetings.

Our next Community Forum will take place on Monday 14 November at Willowfields on Whitehouse Street. It is open to all – if you live, work or volunteer in Coseley, or would like to know more about Big Local please come along. There is no need to book, just turn up. It’s an informal gathering, with lots of time to chat to people. You can expect a warm, friendly welcome, a few short talks about projects and activities East Coseley Big Local is supporting and a chance to talk about what you’d like more of in Coseley.

At this Community Forum we will hear from Phase Trust, a local charity who have been running a Youth Club in Coseley. We’ll also hear feedback from conversations between young people in Coseley and creative youth engagement agency Beatfreeks, and ideas about how we might unlock the potential of young people in Coseley. You can find out about community activities and projects East Coseley Big Local has been supporting, from Crafternoon to Trade School Coseley, a new dance company to community growing. Castle & Crystal credit union will be with us all evening, you can have a chat to them about what they offer, and how they helped Coseley residents save £28,000 in loan interest in a year! We’re also starting to think about ways that Big Local could help to tackle isolation and loneliness in Coseley. We’d love to hear your ideas and experiences.

In December we’ll be updating our Big Local Plan and preparing our budget for Big Local activity for the next 3 years (we have £1 million Big Local funding over 10 years). What we hear and discuss at Big Local Community Forums play a significant part in shaping our Big Local Plan. Join us on 14 November to find out more and tell us what is important to you and the people you care about.