Patron newsletter, May 2015, issue 1

patron newsletter introduction I wanted to write and let you know more about the work that has been made possible through your support as a patron.

But first, one of the real challenges of the Maltings is how we best communicate all of the things that happen here. So forgive me for using this opportunity to share some of that with you. You might be surprised to know that in the past year we have helped over 140 young people through their bronze level Arts Award; expanded the youth theatre to three groups that are now thriving, and seen unravel, the festival of knitting, grow into a national event that attracts an international audience. Next year we are working with the British Army on a major celebration of the centenary of the first two minutes silence, which happened in Farnham, developing a festival of cycling and planning to take a group of contemporary theatre makers to China and North America with the British Image: Homemade horror movies workshop Council. We need to use these successes to build for the future. Our ambition is to play a key role in the civic life of the town and develop a reputation that attracts regional and national partners.

You will know that we are undertaking a major refurbishment of the Great Hall this summer, reconfiguring and upgrading the seating; installing a technical box; and improving the heating and lighting. This ÂŁ600,000 renovation has been made possible with support from Arts Council of England and Waverley Borough Council which feels like a huge endorsement of our ambition and the work of so many people over so many years. We will also be using the relative calm of the summer to refit the main toilets and install a new disabled toilet.

There are always ideas we want to test, or projects that need core commitment from us to attract additional resources. Which is where your support as a patron is most useful. To be able to so convincingly demonstrate that we have the investment of our community is a massive help when speaking to funders, but as important is the encouragement it gives us as a team. We have, in the first instance, concentrated on two areas: the work we do in supporting young people and the arts and elders programme. Both are flourishing. We have been able to appoint a part-time arts and elders co-ordinator who is identifying new partnerships and potential projects – for example, an idea to support elders who are increasingly isolated.

And the work with young people has simply taken off. Which delights me.

Over the coming year, as we build the Patrons group, we will look to other areas of our work that could not happen without your support. Projects small and large. But mostly, this newsletter is to thank you. We are enjoying trying to do the most we can for the most people (and I should tell you we have the best staff team I have ever worked with to make this happen).

Gavin Stride

young people Patrons’ donations recently funded a piece of work by Step by Step, a homeless support charity working with young people. A group from the charity collaborated with digital media company, Clicking Machines, to create a short documentary about their work which they then presented at our recent youth festival, Spark: an artistic celebration of Waverley’s young people.

This year, Spark attracted over 150 8-25 year olds from across the borough collaborating with professional artists to create new pieces of performing and visual art. The festival provided the opportunity for those involved to showcase their work, including Haslemere Home Education Group, a young parents’ group, groups from Farncombe and Cranleigh, young homeless, cub scouts and youth groups.

One Spark participant shared that they finally felt as if they had ‘achieved something’. ‘I never thought I would have the courage to stand up in front of 300 people. I am still smiling about it now’. - Young Spark participant ‘They were extremely nervous about that first performance at the Arts festival but were so thrilled and exhilarated after it went so well and was so well received that it inspired them to do bigger and better things each year.’ - Sean Quinn, Haslemere Home Education group, on Spark: an artistic celebration of Waverley’s young people We have been encouraged by this success to the point where we are now planning a 3 day event next year that will allow us to present more young people from across the borough and run a series of specialist workshops.

With £75 we can fund a two hour creative drama workshop for children at Guildford’s Hospital School; with £500 we can offer a two day ‘introduction to film’ course for aspiring young filmmakers; and with £1000 we can fund a six week creative arts project for young parents as part of Spark.

‘I don’t normally write but thanks, my daughter came home after every session wanting to talk about all the things she had been doing.’ - Youth Theatre parent

families One of our ambitions is to create events that encourage participation amongst generations and to work with people who we might not normally engage with. Over the past two years we have been running a programme called pop-up craft which locates professional artists in unlikely places, running sessions involving simple craft activities that can be developed at home. We have run these sessions at Farnham Carnival, Farnham Museum, Gostrey Meadow, the local library and across the borough.

Image: Participants perform at Spark: an artistic celebration of Waverley’s young people

We are always looking for new places and ways that we can connect all the parts of our community. Feel free to share ideas or contacts with us which might lead to new partnerships.

arts and elders Contributions have enabled us to appoint a part-time arts and elders co-ordinator to develop our existing provision, build partnerships, raise the profile of the work and deliver a high quality programme of artistic participatory activity for the over 65s, those with dementia and their carers. This work feels particularly important given the increasing life expectancy amongst our community and our desire to ensure people live long, happy and healthy lives.

Dementia, with its most common type, Alzheimer’s disease, has been in the news a lot recently, in part because of the passing of author Sir Terry Pratchett on 12 March 2015, aged 66 as well as Julianne Moore’s Oscar winning performance in the hauntingly inspiring film Still Alice, which we will screen here on Wednesday 13 May.

Image: Singing group participant

We are currently working with the Alzheimer’s Society and Right at Home, to run Singing for the Brain sessions - informal 90 minute classes working with a specially trained choral leader. An average of 30 local elders enjoy these fortnightly sessions so, encouraged by this, we are moving to weekly sessions from the autumn.

‘Singing is not only an enjoyable activity, it can also provide a way for people with dementia, along with their carers, to express themselves and socialise with others in a fun and supportive group. Hidden in the fun are activities which build on the well-known preserved memory for song and music in the brain. Even when many memories are hard to retrieve, music is especially easy to recall.’ - Alzheimer’s Society ‘I don’t know what I would do with myself if I wasn’t singing’ – Singing for the Brain participant We are also talking to Yorkshire Poet John Killick about running occasional poetry sessions for those with dementia, as research suggests poetry stays longer with those most severely affected, often with astonishing results.

In October, with the support of Waverly Borough Council, we will launch Meet Me at the Maltings; these are closed weekly ‘referral’ or ‘social prescribing’ sessions for elders identified by Social Services or their GP as those whose health would benefit from engaging with the arts. The sessions aim to redress loneliness among the elderly in our community. We are working with Paul Cann, co-founder of The Campaign to End Loneliness and Zoe Gilmour of Entelechy Arts, and talking with the Farnham U3A to explore the options of bridging to their networks.

We are keen to be able to run with the new ideas and opportunities that evolve. With your help we can continue this valuable contribution to our community and its elders.

With £60 we can fund a Singing for the Brain session leader; with £120 we can fund a professional workshop leader for Meet Me at the Maltings; or with £300 we can fund a visit from a special guest artist.

becoming a patron If someone you know is interested in becoming a Farnham Maltings patron, please drop into the venue and pick up a patron brochure.

Alternatively, it is also available online at farnhammaltings.com/join-us-and-support-us with more information about how you can support our work.

we would like to thank all of our patrons for their generosity patrons Angela Arathoon Elizabeth Bagnall Roger Bagnall Cynthia Barnett Gordon Barnett Dorothy Bateman Mr R Bateman Anne Baxter Bill Baxter Fiona Baxter Christine Bean Brenda Bedingham Dr John Beer Dena Benzie Shelagh Bone John Brain Susan Bussell Paul Callow Brian Cox Gerry Crawshaw Brian Daniels Margaret Daniels Jacqueline Danson Pearl Davis Olwyn Dawson Thomas Dawson Jill Denbigh Rob Douglas CBE DL Jennifer Draper Dr Hans DuMoulin Yvonne DuMoulin Ruth Duncan-Davis Ariana Gill Peter Gill OBE Suzanna Godden Helen Greenyer Peter Greenyer Sue Hall Ellen Hamid van Veen Amanda Hartley Diane Hillman Rt. Hon Jeremy Hunt Patricia Jago Janet Jude Dr Roger Jude Sue Kelly Lois Kerry

Malcolm Kerry Rose Marie Knowles Gil Krish Jonathan Krish Denise le Gal Susan Leach Alec Leggatt Pam Leggatt Susan Levett Patricia Lillywhite Linda Maher Michael Maher Geraldine Marvell Andrew McWhirter Robin Norton-Hale David Protheroe Jacqueline Protheroe Lis Randall Dr Mike Randall Jane Risdon Sylvia Singleton Gavin Stride Bev Sylvester-Evans Graham Sylvester-Evans Alan Taylor Mrs J Taylor Linda Turner-Katz Manel Vidal Janet Wall Jenifer Warner Joanne Watson Susan Willson Sarah Wilson Meryl Wingfield

resident company patrons The Dance Movement

corporate patrons Hennessy Macmillan Ltd Huntington House Nursing Home We would also like to thank all those patrons who have asked to remain anonymous.

If you would like to find out more about how your regular donations can support our community further, please contact Alison O’Neill at alison.oneill@farnhammaltings.com or on 01252 745408.

Farnham Maltings is a registered charity no.305034