Citadel Arts Group

 Living Memories

LIVING MEMORIES

Reminiscence has always been at the heart of Citadel Arts Group’s work.  Many of the plays we’ve produced have been inspired by Living Memories.  Recently we have contributed to and devised our own projects in which we enabled older people to share their stories. Knowing these memories are valued, recorded, transcribed and  preserved in the form of a booklet or a dramatic script enormously enhances the confidence of frail elderly people, some in the early stages of dementia,  and gives them great pleasure. 

Midlothian Community Hospital

 In July 2011 Citadel finished a living memory project in a new venue for us – the Occupational Therapy Department of the brand new Midlothian Community Hospital.  Working in close co-operation with the OT staff, we ran a pilot project, stimulating and collecting the memories of a group of patients with memory loss and other disabilities.

 Their stories were compiled into an illustrated booklet which was launched in July with a performance of Laure Paterson’s Gold Rush, fresh from its successful run at Leith Festival.  The participants, their relatives and the staff told us how enjoyable and stimulating the whole experience had been:

‘interesting to hear people’s memories’

‘The book is excellent. . . enjoy it every time I read it’

‘I felt like I was part of the play’

Our funders were Midlothian Small Projects Regeneration, Dalkeith Rotary, and Voluntary Action Fund Community Chest.  With further funding, we hope to continue our association with Midlothian Hospital and deliver a longer project there. The OT staff are keen to welcome us back.

Penicuik Play Project

In 2010 Cecilia Rose and Liz Hare carried out the Penicuik Play project.  Memories were recorded, transcribed and corrected by the old people themselves; Cecilia then wrote short simple scripts which they were able to read aloud themselves – even providing the sound effects! These impromptu readings not only gave great amusement but also an opportunity for the participants to use their literacy skills and so avoid losing them.  This work was supported by our partners, WEA, and Midlothian Adult Literacy and Numeracy Initiative (MALANI).

In 2009, Cecilia and Liz have just completed two similar projects: one in Pentland House, Penicuik, with a new group of residents; another in Kirkliston Community Centre.  As one Pentland House resident said: ‘This makes everyone into an individual’. Both these Citadel Arts Group initiatives culminated in the production of a memory book, and included opportunities for the old people to have fun reading a script based on their own stories, as well as experiencing a short live theatre performance by Citadel actors.

At the launch of the Penicuik Memories book, the residents enjoyed seeing Cecilia Rose’s play, ‘Jimmy and the War’ and hearing Citadel’s co-founder, Millie Gray, share her own wartime memories. Pupils from nearby Cornbank Primary attended this event and chatted with the old people after the show.  We even re-united a wee boy with her great aunt, now a Pentland House resident!  In Kirkliston Community Centre, Caroline MacKellar, Mairi Jayne Weir and Ian Watt performed Laure Paterson’s Gold Rush musical comedy, ‘There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills’. Again local primary children shared the experience and chatted with the old people afterwards.

Our sponsors in Penicuik were NHS Lothian and Penicuik Common Good Fund.  In Kirkliston we were funded by Awards for All.