ECL day centres participate in the City’s first sculpture art trail
ECL Highfields and Charles Dickens day services for older people and people with learning disabilities and/autism are taking part in Chelmsford’s first ever sculpture art trail which takes place this summer.
ECL is participating in Buzz in the City - an art trail, organised by Farleigh Hospice, Chelmsford For You (the city’s Business Improvement District), and Chelmsford City Council.
The trail will feature a swarm of colourful bee sculptures sponsored by local organisations to raise vital funds for Farleigh Hospice.
The swarm consists of 30 large, six-foot-high bee sculptures and 25 smaller ‘mini’ bees located in places of interest throughout the centre of Chelmsford from 5 July to 9 September.
The large bees have been decorated with a unique design by local artists and the mini bees have been decorated by local schools and community groups.
ECL has sponsored a large bee sculpture and three mini bees - its mini bees have been decorated by individuals that attend its Highfields and Charles Dickens day centres for older people and people with learning disabilities and/autism.
Over the last six weeks both centres have been a hive of activity as customers designed and painted their bees with the creative support of local artist Jennifer Flint.
Affectionately named Betty, Bubbles and BB by the centres, the mini bees will be located in Chelmsford Library, The Meadows and High Chelmer shopping centres from 5 July for 10 weeks.
We are thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful community project, and we hope that it is something those we support, their families and our employees can enjoy. Everyone at our Chelmsford day centres had a great time decorating their bees and we can’t wait to see them in situ.
Community engagement is at the heart of what we do, the people we support in our services get so much fulfilment and enjoyment from both creative and community-based activities, so this is the ideal project for us to be involved with.
A sentiment shared by Buzz in the City Art trail Lead, Caroline Smith who knew this project was perfect for ECL to be involved with from her own experience of its Highfields Day Centre.
Caroline’s late father Victor (Vic) Baker enjoyed attending the centre in his later years. Vic, who had advanced Parkinson’s disease, attended Highfields twice a week and enjoyed the independence and social interaction it gave him.
A former Saville Row tailor, Vic was able to get back in touch with his creative flair through participating in the arts and crafts on offer.
Going to Highfields was brilliant for dad because it gave him a different group of people to talk to and different activities to get involved in, which he fully embraced.
He liked having something for himself and liked the independence going to the day centre gave him. He enjoyed all the activities but particularly the arts and crafts - he would never have done crafts like that at home, but at the centre he loved doing it. It was good for him both physically and mentally.
When I began working on Buzz in the City, I knew that it would be the perfect activity for Highfields to get involved with because it would be an ongoing project for everyone that attends the centre to enjoy. From the arrival of the blank white bee sculptures, brainstorming their design ideas, planning out the final concepts, painting them and then seeing their finished bees star in the art trail. I know it’s something my dad would have loved to be a part of if he was still with us and attending the centre.
All money raised from Buzz in the City will help Farleigh Hospice to continue to provide specialist hospice care, free of charge, to people affected by life-limiting illnesses and bereavement in Chelmsford and across mid-Essex.
To find out more about ECL’s Day Services for older people visit ecl.org/older-people
For more information about Buzz in the City visit www.buzzinthecity.co.uk
To learn more about Farleigh Hospice visit www.farleighhospice.org