Healthy Arts were delighted to receive a GM Mental Wellbeing grant from GMVCO, working in partnership with 10GM, funded by the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership. It was awarded to create ‘Building Memories’, a project to engage our longstanding local history / reminiscence group, MemorabLEIGH. Members of the group range in age from 64 to 94 and meet weekly to talk about local history and their lives. For some it is a way to combat loneliness, being single or widowed and having outlived many of their friends. For most of them, the lockdowns were a major blow as they had to shield – so Healthy Arts created a voluntary newsletter through which they could communicate and stay in touch with each other.
This reached over 60 issues and not only helped them to cope but inspired the ‘Building Memories’ project as they continued to share their memories. It gave them a positive project to focus on and engage with, and something to look forward to. On 03.08.21 we launched three audio trails based around selected buildings and locations in and around Leigh town centre. These capture, preserve and make public interesting historical facts and social memories of local people, illustrated by old and new photographs. They are now available to any past or present residents and visitors to use to explore the area digitally or in person. We are also sharing them with local organisations which work with older people and carers, local social media sites and Archives: Wigan & Leigh.
Feedback
It's been brilliant and interesting throughout. It's been a good support through some lonely moments.
I very much appreciate how it has kept us in close contact and look forward to it every week.
It’s lifted my spirits.
Helped me to cope with the loneliness.