Dec 2020
Wiltshire students and residents collaborate for 12 days of Christmas film
Avonbourne Care Centre and Wiltshire College Performing and Production Arts students have recorded the ‘12 days of Christmas’.
Photo caption: Student Evie Allan and resident Colleen taking part in the 12 days of Christmas video.
Students on Wiltshire College and University Centre’s Salisbury Performing and Production Arts course, run by Wiltshire Creative and residents at Avonbourne care centre, run by OSJCT have recorded a short film of the famous ‘12 days of Christmas’ song.
In the film students announce the days of Christmas and residents reply in turn with subsequent lines of the song. The film, which is available on Avonbourne’s Facebook page, was made after Wiltshire Creative approached the care home to collaborate on a project to create a unique performance based on memories of winter. The forthcoming production, ‘Winters’ Tales’ will debut on 7 January 2021 at the Salisbury Playhouse. It will use residents’ memories of winter as content and inspiration for dance, light projections and monologue performances.
The two groups originally met in September through a zoom meeting to discuss the play. Drama students then interviewed residents, including some with dementia, to capture their memories of winter, some to be used verbatim.
Winters’ Tales will include personal accounts of war time, playing in the snow, travelling through Canada and seeing the northern lights.
OSJCT Activities Coordinator Jane Mealing said: “We were delighted when Creative Wiltshire and Wiltshire College approached us about the Winters’ Tales project and it has been wonderful to extend the collaboration and put together this video. During a year when visiting and entertainment has been limited, it was wonderful for the students and residents to find a way to work together. The residents have enjoyed sharing their memories and we are all looking forward to seeing the performance.
“Putting together the 12 days of Christmas film has been a rewarding endeavour. We’ve included both households, Avon Court and Bourne House, the former for residents living with dementia. Everyone agreed that it was great fun.”
Residents in the film, from the first line are: Colleen, Gerard, Judy, Michael, Jennis, Ivy, Gwen, Kathryn, Joyce, John, Vera, Marcus.
The film has been produced by the activities team at the care home, Jane, Carol and Alix.
The Winters’ Tales project is a partnership between Wiltshire College and University Centre’s Salisbury Performing and Production Arts course, run by Wiltshire Creative, and OSJCT Avonbourne care home.
To see the film go to www.facebook.com/AvonbourneCareCentre