Enjoying activities Making happy memories Living well with dementia
SEPTEMBER 2023
We are preparing HAPPY HOURS autumn and Christmas themed arts activities for elders living with dementia and their carers.
APRIL 2023
We are running GARDEN JOY one to one outdoor sessions at our studio in Bourton
OCTOBER 2022
We are running HAPPY HOURS online autumn and Christmas themed arts activities via Zoom for elders and their carers.
MARCH 2022
We are moving from our premises near Charlbury in West Oxfordshire to a new garden studio in the village of Bourton in the Vale of White Horse, between Faringdon and Swindon.
SUMMER 2021
We are running one-to-one outdoor garden activities as well as GARDEN JOY online sessions via Zoom for elders and their carers.
MARCH 2021
We are hopeful that we will be able to do face to face work again in a few weeks if the lifting of Covid restrictions allows. We are working in the lovely studio garden at Overlay Studio installing raised beds ready to run safe outdoor garden based arts activities for elders from the end of May.
DECEMBER 2020
BLOSSOM ARTS is pleased to be working with the SOUTHBANK CENTRE London to devise and illustrate activities for an activity pack to be sent to 3000 care homes for a Virtual Tea Dance event.
OCTOBER 2020
BLOSSOM ARTS is now running HAPPY HOURS arts activities online using Zoom. Please contact Clare if you or a family member would like to take part in one of the sessions that include seated exercise, poetry, song, arts & crafts.
MAY 2020
BLOSSOM ARTS has been commissioned to devise and illustrate art activities for a pack to go to elders in Oxfordshire Hospitals for the Oxfordshire Hospitals Charity and Oxford Health NHS Trust.
MARCH 2020
BLOSSOM ARTS is running a training arts workshop for arts practitioners at the CDAN annual conference at St Hugh's Oxford.
Covid 19 restrictions mean that all our activities have ceased until further notice.
AUGUST 2019
BLOSSOM ARTS has now finished running arts workshops at the MHA care home Charnwood House in Coventry for the MHA/CDAN MAKE & MOVE : CREATIVE COMMUNITIES arts programme. It has been fantastic to work with the staff and lovely residents there and we will miss them.
MAY 2019
BLOSSOM ARTS is running outdoor arts activities in the studio garden. Ideal for one to one or small groups they include time spent gardening, nature walks, arts & crafts activities inspired by nature, tea and cake. Contact Clare if you or a family member would enjoy taking part in these gentle and enjoyable sessions that increase wellbeing and combat loneliness.
OCTOBER 2018
Clare is delighted to be appointed as one of the lead arts practitioners for the MHA & CDAN MAKE AND MOVE: CREATIVE COMMUNITIES ARTS PROGRAMME. She will be running arts & crafts sessions at the MHA care home Charnwood House in Coventry and looks forward to working with their staff, getting to know their residents and sharing some fantastic arts activities !
SEPTEMBER 2018
The pilot phase of the Age UK Charlbury SMILE group completed after four successful sessions. Rhonda is gathering feedback prior to evaluation. We hope to run more sessions.
JUNE 2018
After a lot of planning we are setting up a new care and wellbeing group for people with memory problems, and their carers, in Charlbury in West Oxon.
We will be running the group with Rhonda Riachi, a researcher from Oxford Brookes. The group is supported by Age UK.
Each two hour session includes welcome time, seated exercise to music followed by enjoyable activities such as music, poetry, dance, arts & crafts and of course refreshments. There is dedicated sharing time, support and information for carers. whilst their family member enjoys the activities.
There are people in the town and surrounding area who are isolated, living with anxiety or memory problems or who have a diagnosis of dementia, and this group can be very enjoyable for them, as well as helpful for their carers.
The group is assisted by volunteers.. If you might like to volunteer do get in touch with us. You do not need to have art skills but be active and kind and wiling to help with welcome, setting up and clearing away, supporting activities and serving tea and coffee.
If you know of anyone who might benefit from this group, they, or their carer, need to ring Rhonda on 07533 248659 or Clare on 07769 723328to have a chat and to book onto the sessions.
MARCH 2018
BLOSSOM ARTS attended the Healthwatch Oxfordshire voluntary sector forum on social prescribing at the Mill Arts Centre, Banbury on March 27th. It was good to learn more about social prescribing and how it will work. We are looking forward to working with colleagues to support people in the community who are living with dementia and who come to us via social prescription from their GP surgery.
MARCH 2018
BLOSSOM ARTS had a stand at the Alzheimer's Research UK Open Day at the John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford on Saturday 17th March. The well attended event heard informative and fascinating talks on dementia by leading academics and researchers. Charities who work in this sector were represented and Clare was pleased to meet colleagues and attendees and tell them of the creative work that she does to help improve the quality of life of people living with dementia in Oxfordshire.
MARCH 2018
Blossom Arts director Clare Carswell has started working as part time Activities Co-ordinator at Spencer Court, the Order of St John Care Trust care home in Woodstock Oxfordshire. She is looking forward to bringing her arts and dementia experience to the role as she gets to know their residents and plans activities that they are going to enjoy and find stimulating.
JUNE 2017
BLOSSOM ARTS is running a training arts workshop for arts practitioners at the CDAN annual conference at Sheffield Hallam University.