Fratton Commuity Centre Live at Home charity

 Old folks get crafty at Fratton Community Centre

ELDERLY residents area showing off their creative talents at a weekly Arts  and Crafts Session at Fratton Community Centre.

The sessions are run by the Live at Home charity which was set up by Diane Brown, 56, of Fratton, w to help elderly people feel more comfortable living in their own homes into old age.

Participants are provided with a range of art materials and can share their creative skills and talents whilst getting the chance to meet and chat. Projects have included making Christmas cards, decoupage and tea-bag folding.

Ms Brown who previously worked for Age Concern, believes that the sessions are helping people feel better about living alone: “For those that live at home, we provide a chance to chat and to share which they might not get for the rest of the week,” she said.

One recently bereaved group member said:  “These sessions really are a godsend. You can come here and share something without having to always cry. It really has been a life saver.”

The charity which is funded jointly by Portsmouth City Council and the Methodist Housing Association, originally met in members’ sitting rooms but now runs sessions three times a week . Other activities include intergenerational games, theatre visits and lectures .

Volunteers at the centre have been amazed at how some group members have regained their self confidence after long periods spent living alone. Ms Brown commented: “more than anything else we have a great laugh. You can really see people coming out of themselves.”

However there are concerns that government cuts will mean the charity has to radically reduce its service in the near future. Ms Brown said:  ”We’ve bee asked to show the council how we could operate with 25, 15 and 100% less funding. The simple answer is that we just couldn’t continue to work in anything like the way we do now.”

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