Winter Wonderland: Bringing joy to Merseyside care homes this Christmas

Winter Wonderland, created by and for people living in care homes, is set to spread festive cheer across Merseyside this Christmas.

Winter Wonderland, produced by That Theatre Group, will tour care homes in Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, and Wirral from 25 November to 20 December, working with residents living with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Dementia.

Building on the legacy of Eurovision 2023, Winter Wonderland follows in the footsteps of Songs for Europe, a project commissioned by Culture Liverpool and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the host city’s EuroStreet programme.

Inspired by the success of Songs for Europe, producer Peter Ward applied for funding from Arts Council England and was awarded £45,565 to establish a 10-week theatre company-in-residence in a local care home.

Producer Peter Ward, whose work is inspired by his partner who moved into a care home during the pandemic, said: “The company-in-residence programme will take workshops into 10 care homes in Merseyside. Through storytelling, the residents will be encouraged to share their memories of Christmases gone by as well as their hopes for the new year. Their memories will inform the content of the show and their voices will be used as the narrative.

“From their favourite carols they used to sing in church to treasured toys they received as gifts from Father Christmas, we hope to rekindle a bit of Christmas magic. The result will be Winter Wonderland, an uplifting and moving show which will spread joy and goodwill to care homes in the region.”

Emma Hayes, Manager at Green Heys Care Home which will be hosting the residency, added:

“We welcomed Songs for Europe as part of Culture Liverpool’s Eurovision 2023 EuroStreet programme, which was a massive hit with our residents. So when Peter approached us to ask if we could host a theatre company-in-residence to help create the next production, we jumped at the chance.

“Reminiscing – whether that’s about past Eurovision Song Contest acts or Christmases gone by – has such a positive effect on our residents, improving their mood and making them feel confident and capable again.”

The project is being welcomed by Parkinson’s UK whose Corporate Partnerships Officer Clare Walsh said:

“Taking part in creative activities such as theatre can help people with Parkinson’s improve their quality of life by helping them relax and focus their minds. We know that singing can have major wellbeing benefits and helps to improve speech difficulties, encouraging people to express to their emotions in a positive way and boosting their confidence too.”

As well as supporting older people, the project is helping younger people gain experience in the creative industry by offering with two work placements to Royal Birmingham Conservatoire students, as well as providing a post for an emerging community theatre artist, a recent graduate from the conservatoire. The company-in-residence model will also be the subject of a research project by two Faculty of Health & Applied Care PhD students from Liverpool John Moores University.

Jen Cleary, Director North, Arts Council England, said:

“We know that taking part in cultural activities can make a huge difference to how people feel and have a positive effect on their lives, so I’m delighted that we are supporting Winter Wonderland to 30 care homes across Merseyside over the Christmas period. I’m sure that the artists and students taking part in the tour will benefit as much as the residents from the show and it’s great to see this activity following on from the Songs for Europe and building on the legacy of Eurovision 2023.”

Producer Peter Ward explained how his work is inspired by the deteriorating health of his long-term partner, Graeme Phillips, renowned for his role as Artistic Director of Unity Theatre in Liverpool for 33 years.

Peter Ward said:

“Following an acceleration of Parkinson’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia symptoms, Graeme moved into a care home in 2020 during the height of the pandemic.

“He was convinced he was living in a theatre school and all the carers were actors so I wanted to use theatre as a meaningful therapeutic engagement device for him and hundreds of other people living with dementia.

“Earlier this year, I supported him to return to Unity Theatre in a directorial capacity to revive Krapp’s Last Tape. The play has held a special place in his heart since he first came across it as a young boy and it was the last production he put on at Unity 10 years ago, before he retired.

“It was such an emotional experience. When he was rehearsing, he was completely focused. The disease seemed to evaporate. Not once did he hallucinate, he was completely focused. It was staggering for the carers to see him like that.”

He added: “The reason behind the name of the theatre company is wherever we go, the care home residents can’t remember who we are, they just say “that theatre group” so the name stuck.”

Winter Wonderland will tour care homes in Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral from 25 November to 20 December.