Jun 2022
Paternoster House featured on BBC Points West evening news
Residents were interviewed about a DVD singalong care pack produced by the Mary Lou Revue
Everyone at Paternoster House, near Cirencester, was full of excitement on a Thursday morning (9 June) as BBC Points West interviewer Steve Knibbs visited to meet residents and see entertainers from the Mary Lou Revue in action.
Mary Lou (Maz) and Steve watched as residents followed a DVD care pack created by the couple during the pandemic, when they could not perform in healthcare settings. The care pack, funded through an Arts Council Grant, has professional recordings of 12 classic songs, with on-screen lyrics and images, and accompanying lyrics, movement prompts, prop ideas, images, and an entertainment quiz.
The couple then stepped up to sing and dance popular songs including The Jungle Book song and Bake a Cake, which had residents singing and dancing along,
The TV crew came to show the entertainment pack being used, as well as Maz and Steve interacting with residents. Steve has a personal connection with Paternoster House as his mum lived there before she passed away. Steve and Maz, who perform as The Mary Lou Revue (www.themarylourevue.com) are now returning to live shows at community hospitals, friendships groups and care settings.
Steve said: “Our care packs, and our shows, always focus on audience participation, inviting residents or patients to sing along and to move in a way that suits each person. We all appreciate those magic moments when music opens up our emotions and stirs forgotten memories! Now that some restrictions have eased, we are thrilled to be able to resume our tour once more.”
Paternoster House Home Manager, Hannah Forsyth, said: “Our residents and staff love these singalongs, it brings joy and life to our residents. We are so grateful to Maz and Steve for developing these easy-to-use entertainment packs which kept residents singing and dancing over the last two years. Their visit today brought a smile to everyone’s face. And we were all excited to see Paternoster House featured on TV.”
The filmed item was broadcast on the BBC Points West evening news on Thursday 9 June.
The Vintage Singalong Resource Pack is available on YouTube. To request or download a care pack visit www.marylourevue.com.