put your gong on

My last day in St Helens with the project 'text from grandma' was very productive and informative. The  morning was spent at Mayfield Care Home, with the group of regular attendees. As ever there was a constant flow of reminiscence, that was in turn selected from to create one-off badges. The shaky handwriting, the accidental splatters, they soon become miniature works of art.

I started the session with the theme of accessories, Vinny soon inspired a change in the conversation with his memory 'had my brothers wrist watch, hidden it away when he went in the army.' This flowed into a conversation about military medals, and war time memories. 

Norman's badge, ink pen and pencil. 

'The Military Medal the MM, for being a daft fellow, doing something daft. I got mine in the Middle East, 20 and daft enough, got carried away. You wouldn’t do what you would normally do. Was brought up in the Bluecoat School, so more or less ready for the army. Put your ‘gong’ on, that’s what we used to say.

I was totally blind, enough to frighten me, they flew me to Israel, famous hospital for taking blind people. Was looked after by Suzie Baxter (funny the things you remember) A bomb to close blinded me. Playing soldiers.

I was in Berlin at the end of the war. In my tank, an American tank, the ‘Stuart Tank’ was very good if you like that kind of thing. Alright till you were in battle then it was different. It was normally quite comfortable, but frightened you often. You had to get stuck in. Was brought up in the Bluecoat, semi military anyway, it made a difference what school you went to.' Ernie

Norman

'The most significant part of the war, landed early morning on D Day, landed on the beach, quite exciting. Came day light, 6.30 in the morning, that was it, D Day. They told us about it, to keep quiet about it. Was in the Royal Artillery, that was it. Got called up, conscripted, told to go. Posted to the Far East when I was in Germany, spent the last 6 months in the camp. A tropical place, always hungry, best years of my life' Norman

Ernie's badges, name, initials and MM/MC award. Ink pen on paper.

text from St Helens

I've recently had some very useful feedback from Parr Care Home, for our pilot project 'text from Grandma'.


Texts have been sent out to relatives by the care home, of short lines of poetic reminiscence, the relative is then encouraged to text back with their own memories. They have had a collection of texts returned, however have struggled to get many mobile phone numbers, particularly from Grandchildren- as they just don't see so many Grandchildren- its sons and daughters that visit more often.

The success has been with the blog I set up for them. The relatives are really enjoying seeing what their mother, father, aunt or uncle has been doing. Particularly those who live further away. Its easy to share the address with relatives, and they have even printed of pages of the blog and posted them on the notice board.

The workshops have also given the home some good ideas for other projects, 'we've had no end of new ideas, like the Jubilee cakes we've just made with everyone, a three tiered cake, which was inspired by your last session cake decorating' Joanne.

It feels like we have a lot of ideas and good practice to build on for future projects. Our last sessions of this pilot will be later this month.

37 cakes

Thursday afternoons 'text from grandma/granddad' at the Parr Care Home, St Helens, was cake filled:

Victoria Sponge cake

teacakes hot cross buns (spice I don't like) shortbread (got to be scottish) scones and coconut macaroons loose biscuits garibaldi (used to call them archiebaldi's) coffee cake carrot cake wet nellies (each slice was moist) almond slice (got to get the right one) cream horn (haven't seen one for years) Marks & Spencer superior cakes apple slices dundee cake (ohh lovely good quality fruit cake nuts on top) malt loaf fruit loaf carrot cake ginger (a cake full of cream got to do me no good or what's the point?) genoa cake (not as much fruit in it see the sponge) lemon cake carrot cake (used in war time) banana cake madeleines parkin's (all right) chocolate cake (in war instead of eggs used vinegar) queen cakes (cut the top to make butterflies) rock cakes chocolate eclairs (have we done queen cake?) victoria sponge (the easiest to make) devils food cake iced buns (once you had the right one you stick with them) queen cake hot eccles cake fairy cake maid of honours (worse for wear)

group list poem

Alice's Honey cake

After lively reminiscence which you can find more of at the Parr Care Home blogsite We decorated iced fingers with names of their favourite cakes, a lovely word play allusion.

Marion decorating her cake

Pea Wack for 300 children

I'm coming to the end of my time running workshops for the pilot project 'text from Grandma/Granddad' in St Helens Care Homes. Our experimental approach has brought with it some wonderful new work but equally has raised questions and occasionally practical problems to overcome. Until you actually start on a project, it is impossible to predict all of the concerns or faltering points.


Karen Banbury from Mayfield Care Home described some of the issues: "text for some of the children is a bit daunting unless they know it's coming, if they get it cold, they would panic... they might think what's wrong with my mum/dad?  I'm going to text them whilst they are visiting, so they can all see what's going on and I can see the reaction. 


It should work really well with the grandchildren. On a weekend the majority of families are here. I've explained about the text, for example I've checked with Normans grandchildren, who have said they would text back if they received one from their granddad.


Our theme for the morning was food, as ever with reminiscence it spilled into other subjects, in this case school. We followed the conversations with selecting words to be re-writen onto iced fingers. The following are a few of the notes from the morning:

Margaret's decorated cake "Smell"

"My mother very good cook, excellent. Very hard working. We had fish on a Friday, loved the smell of cooking bread. One of the big days of cooking was bread- grandmother she'd take charge, baked bread all her life, an Irish woman, baked soda bread. A little woman, a small woman. I used to wonder why my mother, why she didn't bake? grandmother always took over, making bread for 50 years." Norman 

"Teachers very strict think nothing of rattling you with a ruler. Your hand or your leg. Higher grade school, College Street, St Helen's." Margaret

Ernie's Bluecoat School uniform

"Pea wack, very thick. 300 children to be fed, 100 girls, 200 boys. Porridge twice a week with brown sugar.

The younger ones got bullied a bit till you learnt to look after yourself. Thought it was tough then, you were educated. Always smart, all tailcoats aged 8 and long trousers, later on blazers. Bluecoat, Wavertree. After boarding school the army was easy for you. Go to your beds at half past 7 till you were 14 then stayed up to 9. Always had good football sides." Ernie

"I went to Sherwood Lane School, Longmore Lane, Fazakerley. Considered modern school- toilets indoors and all that. For lunch took sandwiches or went home, I went home as only 5 minutes away. I wore a gym slip, school badge, didn't have a belt wore a sash, folded down. I was very proud of my gym slip, pressed 3 box pleats at the front, 3 box pleats at the back.Some children in the school from the Cottage Homes in Frazakerley, for children whose mothers couldn't look after them. 

Barbara writing reminiscence onto iced finger

We had porridge with sugar or honey. Grandmother looked after us. Roast beef, steamed puddings, scones, vegetable dishes, good variety, rice pudding all learnt. Secret to success, right temperature, perfectly mixed, not thrown together, no lumps. We were disappointed if there was no pudding when we came home for lunch.  Tea we had sandwich and maybe a scone." Barbara.

a gentle lady

As part of the pilot project 'Text from Grandma' I've been working with residents at Mayfield Care Home, St Helens. Sadly on my last visit all of the usual group were to ill to join me. However this gave me the opportunity to spend the morning with twins, Miss Dorothy Hart and Miss Vera Hart who wouldn't normally join in. They were a delight to speak to, often sounding as one as they fondly recalled memories of their mum.

Vera's hands

"She was a gentle lady very quiet, we've got our fathers terrible temper. Always at it. Mum wouldn't harm a soul. She always pleased us never herself, lovely we still miss her. With her till the day she died, the best mother in the world.

All we have is our memories, a lovely picture of our mother, gentle woman would do anything for us. Always walked down the street with her in the middle. We were the image of our dad spitting image. Always went out early with her in the middle 'they're they go'. The old fashioned type just us and our mum. Wouldn't be seen dead without her gentle she was.

Had fellas asking us out but always chased them away. She did anything for us always there always pleased us wasn't a bit like us. Old fashioned never wore make up never had her hair done, never wore scent. Couldn't pick a better one. We're no angels, wait till my mother went out then batter each other. 

Marvellous cook, and we can't cook a sausage we spend our money on going out. She'd cook anything anything at all. Only thing we'd do is egg on toast. A lovely woman. Very clever At cooking we were always bottom of the class rather use a tin opener.

Old fashioned ones, we like sentimental songs not jazzy if you know what I mean. Never been dancing, never mixed, dont like parties at all dont ask us. Can't stand having our photos taken, in town we hide our face if we hear someone saying 'oh twins' we hide our faces.

Twins Miss Vera Hart and Miss Dorothy Hart

Cats especially the big ones tigers and lions, love them all. Spent hours in the zoo wandering around. Fluffy lovely gentle don't like dogs. Got a thing about cats run off of the house if we see them and bring them back got piles of photos of cats. Entice them in love cats especially the wild ones. Burgled stole a great big picture of tiger of the wall.

All the cats used to come and go called them all the same thing. Favourite thing was the tiger. Loved Chester zoo, when it started going dark we would come home, stayed there all day."

Miss Dorothy hart
Miss Vera hart

Feedback

Its lovely to get good feedback on a project, so I was delighted to get the following message from Gary Conley, Cultural Co-ordinator for St Helens about our current pilot project 'text from grandma'.....


Lois. It looks brilliant.

So pleased with the work what you are doing and with what you have already achieved.

I love the stories, the videos, the postcards and the quotes, it brings it home the human aspect of the project.

I feel so proud in what you are doing and I got quite emotional seeing the words that they associated with their mother.   It was very powerful.

Please carry on with the great work.

Gary

get up and dance

Yesterday afternoon was spent at Parr Care Home, St Helens working on the project 'text from grandma' using the same themes and techniques from the morning. The atmosphere was different from the morning, we had a larger group and much younger care assistants. I found it interesting to observe the way the two generations responded to each other. 

Amy, (17) came with great energy and really got stuck in with the drawing and printmaking. Jamie had a really natural, instinctive and caring approach, genuinely wanting to help. Warren was called out of the group, as his services were required elsewhere in the home as 'the only care assistant who would get up and dance' It was great to see him back at the end of the session. As he left he commented: "I got upset hearing them all talk about their mums, knowing they've all lost theirs. I'm going home to give mine a hug!" 

Jane's 12 word poem describing her mum and printed postcard

Some of the group really didn't want to draw at the beginning, no matter how I sold it. Thankfully that changed once they saw their contemporaries having a go. They where often critical of their own beautiful drawings, but were all supportive of everyone else. Barbara seemed rather sleepy, but still produced a lovely profile portrait print, they remind me of Marc Chagall's paintings.

Barbara and her postcard

Alice's daughter sat in with us most of the session and was enthusiastic about the project and the idea of having reminiscence shared via the internet and text. She is the first recipient of one of the postcards.

Alice and her postcard

Mothers day postcards

Today's sessions were fantastic. I've been in St Helen's again, working on Text from Grandma.  This morning I was based at Mayfield Care Home, with the group from last week and the addition of Edwin.  We mixed formal assessment of the groups 'well being' with, reminiscing, drawing and printing.

Barbara's and Edwin's drawings and prints 

I haven't done any drawing with groups for a while, so it was a reassuring to find everyone willing 'to have a go'. It's nerve racking for many people being faced with a blank piece of paper and asked to draw, especially a portrait, so as ever I approached it like a game. The resulting beautiful drawings participants then adapted on the polystyrene sheet, which I used to print the postcards with. 

The postcards will be sent to participants relatives inviting them to view their work on-line, or to receive their memories via text. The postcard also asks the question 'what is your first memory of Grandma/Granddad? I eagerly wait to see if this will inspire a new conversation between generations. 

Edwin's postcard, and postcard back

With mothers day around the corner, I used the theme of mom, to inspire reminiscence. Group conversations were written down and used as source material for gathering 12 word descriptions. Such as the following from Barbara:

little

admiring 

interested 

helpful 

eager 

musical 

artistic

friendly 

smiley 

Norman's prints

Barbara said of the session: 'It was interesting and educational, learning things we've forgotten about. You don't stop to think about these things till you sit down and the question comes up.'

Edwin explained: 'I enjoyed someone talking with me, and to me, instead of ignoring me.'

Mum wasn’t violent but nearly clobbered a woman for liver

On Thursday afternoon my Text from Grandma workshop was hosted by Parr Care Home, in St Helens. Five participants, two staff from the home and I took our seats in their wonderful Summer House, and started the conversations about 'Make do and Mend. 

Unlike the morning this group was all women. A single sex group always subtly changes the dynamic of a session, they often seem freer and more willing to discuss more sensitive subjects. 

Sarah, Agnes, Barbara and Joanne

Conversations were lively, diverting from 'make do and mend' to nr fights over the rations. One lady enjoyed a little snooze woken magically by drinks and cake, after which she regained enough energy to join in conversations. I particularly enjoyed working with M who enjoyed listening to the group conversations but blossomed when given the opportunity to work one-to-one. She was aware and seemed rather embarrassed of her Alzheimer's, she would interrupt herself mid-flow with apologies: 'Gravy browning for the legs, got a bit of Alzheimer's, my mother got the gravy browning, if it was a tin practically gone she would give it to me'.  


From the reminiscence we devised 10 word edits of the pieces, which will be a starting point for a twitter poems. Lots of great material was gathered, these pieces stood out to me, they have a feeling of 'old sayings':


My sister, I was always little when she was big: Marion


Make it go a little further it might be mine tomorrow: Agnes.


Made plain gowns green with shadow leaves, little capped sleeves: Jane


I couldn’t make a pattern so went round the edge: Barbara


Mum wasn’t violent but nearly clobbered a woman for liver: Barbara

text from grandma

On Thursday I started a pilot of the project 'text from Grandma' (working title) In the morning I was based in Mayfield Care Home, Prescot, St Helens. 

Text from Grandma is an intergenerational heritage project working with older people and an younger relative. Conversations will take the form of short poetic text messages, tweets, skype or real handwritten and drawn/written postcards.

The aim is both generations to share skills, knowledge and experience. The younger participants will help older relatives to become familiar with new technologies. The older participants will in turn share their knowledge and experiences first hand with a younger generation. This way of working will enable and inspire conversations between the generations, invigorating relationships and helping the older person to avoid becoming isolated.

The material will be archived on-line and when we secure funding to take this project further, will form part of the project exhibited in a venue appropriate to the heritage theme. I will work with the two participating care homes to set up there own twitter sites which will share the material generated in our workshop sessions with the older persons relative. Material will also be archived on arthur+martha websites.


Yesterday morning started badly, I spent half an hour driving round the block trying to find the venue screaming at my sat nav as it repeatedly took me back to the same two blocked roads. When I eventually arrived at Mayfield Care Home I was immediately put at ease by the Matron Sheila, who I'm sure is used to much more serious situations than one artist going round in circles. A cup of tea and introductions to the participants was all that was needed to settle me back down.

We worked on the theme of 'make do and mend', the idea being that we can gather stories and tips about subjects that will relate to a younger (recession hit) generation. Using my new ipad, we looked at a great film on youtube http://www.youtube.com  from the collection at the Imperial War Museum and a slide show put together of 1940s images promoting the idea of make do and mend.

The visual resources prompted much conversation which in turn was edited down by participants into short poetic pieces. These I filmed (using the new ipad) which will be sent onto participants relatives or posted on websites.

Its was a joy to work there, the staff where really helpful and enthusiastic, the participants full of stories and memories. Lots of material was collected, the next stage is to develop a template for editing the material, and fine tuning ways to get the words and pictures to the relatives.

Barbara one of the participants commented "I very much enjoyed that. You never stop to think what path your life will take you.'