The Arts Society Corinium - The Churn Project

The Arts Society Corinium

The Arts Society Corinium has awarded two separate grants to the Churn Project in 2025.

The first of the charitable grants relates to a Creative Group that The Churn Project set up specifically for young adults (18-25). Young adults who might benefit from the Creative Group were identified by The Churn Project in collaboration with Cirencester Housing Young People (CHYP). The Creative Group aims to support mental health and well-being through the medium of art in its myriad forms, including journaling, printing, and tie-dying.

A representative of The Arts Society Corinium attended one of the Creative Group sessions on 23rd January this year. Those attending the group expressed sincere appreciation of the opportunities the Creative Group offers and their art journals were full of wonderful artwork from previous creative sessions. During the particular session TASC attended all participants made ‘worry stones’ using only baking soda, corn starch and water.

The second of the charitable grants awarded to The Churn Project relates to a regular community group set up by The Churn Project called the Memory Café. This community group meets twice a month for people living with dementia and their loved ones. There is a growing understanding of the importance of engagement with art and creativity in supporting mental health and wellbeing. Moreover, particularly for those with a diagnosis of dementia, access to the creative arts in the ‘here and now’ such as watercolours, clay modelling and sketching not only offers a sensory experience but is believed to improve manual dexterity and offer a sense of purpose and opportunity. A representative of The Arts Society Corinium will be attending the Memory Club on 7 th July.

In both cases the grants awarded by The Arts Society Corinium has enabled The Churn Project to purchase art materials such as paints, canvases, brushes, pens art paper, inks dyes etc. to be used by the groups.

www.churnproject.org.uk

FOLLOW UP REPORTS

THE MEMORY CAFE

The Churn Project was awarded a grant this year to enable them to acquire art materials for The Memory Cafe which is a meet-up and activities session run by Kim Kimbell for those with a diagnosis of dementia and their carers. The Memory Café is held at Ashcroft Church twice a month.

Engagement in art activities for people with a diagnosis of dementia can be very rewarding. In addition to enhancing manual dexterity, art activities can help people be present in the ‘here and now’ which can be challenging sometimes for those with dementia-like conditions.

The art materials funded by The Arts Society Corinium includes watercolour paints and accompanying this report are some photos of paintings created using those watercolours. There is also a photo of a mosaic coaster made in a separate session of The Memory Cafe.

Feedback from both carers and those with a diagnosis of dementia is very positive. The Memory Cafe sessions are greatly appreciated. The sessions are able to give carers a brief respite from the 24/7 care they provide. Most noticeable, however, is the animation and engagement those with a diagnosis of dementia exhibit during their time at the Memory Cafe. One carer described how the person they care for is gradually losing confidence and is increasingly reluctant to go anywhere … except the Memory Cafe.

The mosaic coaster in the accompanying photograph required very careful ‘nudging’ of individual tiles into place and equally careful selection of colours for each and every tile. There is no doubt that the coaster, created during a session of the Memory Cafe, best illustrates a moment in which each individual was very much mentally present and engaged.

In conclusion, The Memory Cafe is a wonderful example of how the creative arts can help personal and mental connection and engagement.

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