Keys to My Memory Photography Exhibition
All Day, Storyhouse Lobby
An inter-generational photography exhibition, capturing intimate dialogues between strangers of different generations. Produced by four second-year Photography students from the University of Chester (Lorna Elwin, Abi Miller, Beth Grimes-Thomas and Tim Newman), the exhibition features images of older people alongside everyday objects with particular significance to their lives.

Birds in the City: Meeting Point at 10.30am
FREE EVENT: Booking required
10.30am – 12.00pm, Meet in the Storyhouse Lobby
Book your ticket by calling Brightlife on 01606 884444.Enjoy a 90-minute walk around the city, including the city walls and Grosvenor Park, whilst local ecologist Dr Anne Brenchley helps you identify different species of birds along the way.

Brightlife’s ‘Happy to Chat’ café!
All day, The Kitchen
Why not have a cuppa with one of our friendly ‘Community Connectors’ who can be found in and around The Kitchen area throughout the day. They’re always happy to chat and can talk to you about what you might like to do locally to help you get out more, whether that’s trying a new activity or taking up a hobby.

Step Towards a Brighter Life
2.30pm, Garret Theatre
Free event booking not required
Premiere of Brightlife’s new 90-second animation.

Exploring Loneliness
2.35pm – 3.10pm, Garret Theatre
Free event booking not required
A witty and insightful talk by Producer, Director, Screenwriter and Brightlife Volunteer John Oakden, best known for his work as a scriptwriter on some of the UK’s most popular TV series’ (Emmerdale, Eastenders and Brookside).

British Sign Language (BSL) Taster Workshop (30 mins)
FREE EVENT: Booking required – call 01606884444 to book.
3.30pm | 4.30pm, Garret TheatreNetwork Tutor, Judith Kidd.
In Britain, the most common form of Sign Language is called British Sign Language (BSL) and is the preferred language of around 145,000 people within the UK. These 30-minute taster sessions will give you an introduction to BSL including:
• How to communicate with D/deaf people (do’s and dont’s)
• Basic everyday signs
• Basic numbers/fingerspellingDeafness Support Network (DSN) delivers practical services, advice and support to D/deaf people, and their families and carers, across Chester, Northwich and surrounding areas.

VX Centurion Knitters
10.00am – 12.30pm, Book Pod
Free event, booking not required
Our lovely friends from the Centurion Pub in Vicars Cross will be located in the Book Pod. Join them for a natter and have a go at knitting a blanket square or a hat for the Premature Baby Unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital (good exercise for hands and mouths!).

Memories of Chester
4.30pm – 5.30pm, Book Pod
Free event, booking not required
Come and reminisce with us. Tell us about the good old days and your memories of this wonderful city, and help us to create a modern map with images from the past.

 

Knit and Natter with Age UK Cheshire
1.00pm – 4.00pm, Book Pod
Free event, booking not required
Knit and Natter with Age UK Cheshire. Meet some of the friendly team from Age UK Cheshire, and learn how to make the miniature hats for Innocent Smoothie bottles to raise funds for the ‘Big Knit’ initiative, helping older people stay warm and well.

Storytelling: Interfaith Tales
11.45am – 12.30pm, Garret Bar
Free event, booking not required.
A series of short stories (10-15 minutes) from different faith groups, followed by question and discussion time.

The Museum of Us
11.30am – 1.30pm, Garret Bar
Free event, booking not required.
Yvonne Boyle from Community Compass invites you to help create ‘The Museum of Us’. Situated in the Garret Bar, this is a fun, creative session inviting people to share their thoughts and memories through a collective display. Community Compass is a Brightlife-funded project that runs social ‘Compass Clubs’ across the borough. Call 01606 827131 for more details.

Taster Relaxation Treatments
12.30pm – 1.30pm | 2.00 – 3.00pm, Garret Bar
Free event, booking not required
If you’re exhausted from all the chatting and craft making, why not relax with Lynsey McCabe from Beehive Health Care, who will be happy to provide a relaxing drop-in treatment. Choose from Indian Head massage, Reflexology or Thai foot and leg or hand and arm massage.

Sue’s Great Brightlife Beetle Drive
2.00pm – 3.00pm, Garret Bar
Free event booking not required
Tried and tested at the Brightlife Drop-Ins (in Vicars Cross, Handbridge and Lache), Sue will be bringing her highly-lauded Beetle Drive to Storyhouse for one day only. Don’t miss out – come and have some fun helping build a Beetle (bug not car). No skill needed. With the support of Brighter Days.

Sensory Squares for Dementia
10.00am – 12.00pm, Den
Free event, booking not required
Community Volunteer Fiona Garrett invites you to join her in making sensory ‘squares’ for people living with dementia, using a range of fabrics and items to provide interest, stimulation and comfort.

CrossHatch Gallery Wonderland
12.30pm – 2.15pm, Den
Free event, booking not required
Community artist Anne Johnson and her team of creative volunteers from the CrossHatch Gallery in Winsford invite you to join them in some Wonderland fun, making giant paper flowers and woven dragonflies. Find out more on Facebook @crosshatchgallerywinsford or call 07581 664244.

Handmade Bookmaking
2.30pm – 5.00pm, Den
Free event, booking not required
Handmade Bookmaking with Community Volunteer Linda Sharps. Come and learn some intricate bookmaking skills from Linda and leave with a little book of your own to take away! Demonstrations will be held at 2.30pm, 3.15pm and 4pm.

Digital Buddies
12.00pm – 2.00pm, Meeting Room
Free event, booking not required
Drop In: Booking not required
Come along to this drop-in session to ask about anything digital! Whether you want to learn how to send and receive emails, discover how to search the internet, or to dip your toe into the world of social media – the friendly team of trained Digital Buddies will be on hand to help and advise you. If you’re unable to come along on the day, call Heather on 07958 611618 to find out about some of the other free courses at Storyhouse.

Song in Seconds
2.30pm – 4.00pm, Meeting Room
Free event, booking not required.
Song in Seconds with Claire Mooney (workshop provided courtesy of Silver Rainbows).
Brightlife is delighted to welcome gifted songwriter and performer Claire Mooney and her popular ‘Song In Seconds’ workshop. Claire has over 20 years’ experience working with all kinds of groups in a wide range of community settings, running poetry, song writing, recording, audio/radio and training workshops.

Fabulous 50+ Photography
4.30pm – 5.00pm, Meeting Room
FREE EVENT: Booking required. Call 01606 884444 to book.
Fabulous 50+ Photography with talented WEA tutor, Anthony Firmin. Anthony will be providing friendly, jargon-free tuition (including one-to-one advice) on how to create fabulous portraits quickly. This Fabulous 50+ Photography taster is just one of the activities on offer through WEA’s Fabulous 50+ Arts programme funded by Brightlife to help reduce social isolation in older people by providing free taster courses in the arts. To find out more, call WEA on 0151 243 5340.

Download the Great Get Together brochure here