New Dementia and Art Therapy pilot started this week.

Last Tuesday's session with Liverpool African Elders Luncheon Club was a great start to our Dementia and carer support through visual arts and Art Therapy project. In partnership with the group, Granby Toxteth Development Trust. and other services this is the first workshop of many more arts engagement and Art Therapy strands of this project.

We began with making beads using clay. Next week we will begin making macrame plant pot holders where the beads will be attached.

The clay was great for getting hand movement and sensory experience, memory work around repetition and experimenting with the materials and mark making. It was obvious that working with the clay gave a sense of autonomy and confidence in making and being both independent and sharing through the experience. Also relaxation, emotional connection and stress relief for carers.
It is also lovely now that the group meet at Toxteth Town Hall as the workshops are now so much easier to get to- about 5 second walk from our room to the hall! Also nice that the elders, volunteers and carers can see SOLA's project base and have a better insight into who they have been working with for the past 6 years!