Older people from North West Durham are being invited to dance, socialise and enjoy traditional entertainment at a new monthly tea-dance programme at Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens.
The sessions, held in Ushaw’s refectory, are designed for people aged 65 and over. Around 40 local people have been taking part, with experienced dance professional Dianne Proudfoot teaching a range of dance moves for participants to perform together.
A free shuttle bus has also been introduced for older residents living in local villages. The service takes dancers to and from Ushaw, helping remove a transport barrier to attending the events at the cultural venue.
Tea dances planned through November
The August tea dance was reported as a complete sell-out. Further events are scheduled for the first Wednesday afternoon of September, October and November.
Places are free for people living in all DH postcodes and in DL13-17, but spaces are limited and must be booked in advance. Information and bookings are available through Ushaw’s tea-dance page.
The programme is being supported by a £2,000 grant from the Banks Group’s Banks Community Fund. The funding is helping cover the project costs, while the community fund is independently managed by Point North, formerly the County Durham Community Foundation.
Part of Ushaw’s wider wellbeing programme
Ushaw says the tea dances form part of its creative-activities programme for people aged 65 and over. The programme aims to support wellbeing, build confidence and help participants connect with other people.
The project follows Ushaw’s Forget Me Notes dementia-friendly choir, which meets every Thursday morning and welcomes people of all singing abilities. Ushaw is working with organisations including Age UK County Durham to extend the reach of the tea dances.
Charlotte Hutton, learning and engagement officer at Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens, said social contact could be particularly important for older people facing isolation, retirement or bereavement.
“Older people can face a range of different challenges such as social isolation, adjusting to being retired or being recently bereaved, with the social contact that’s provided through our events really making a difference to their overall well-being.”
She said taking part could support physical and mental health, give people a stronger sense of purpose, create friendships and build confidence to try other activities.
“Taking part in events like this brings a whole range of different benefits, from improved physical and mental health and a stronger sense of purpose through to making new friendships and building the confidence to try other new activities that they might not previously have thought about.”
Hutton also explained why transport had been included in the project.
“We also know that transport can be an issue for many older people, especially to a venue like ours that’s a little bit out of the way, so have introduced the shuttle bus service to make sure no-one misses out.”
She described the August event as a sell-out and said the support from Banks had been important to making the dances possible. Ushaw is now considering how the programme could be extended into the new year.
Kate Culverhouse, community relations manager at the Banks Group, said the project was bringing together people from local communities while helping them learn skills and make new friends.
“This is a lovely project that brings people together from across local communities in a beautiful location and gives them the chance to learn new skills, spend some quality time together and make new friends.”