AUTUMN COORIE CONNECTS KIDS AND CARE HOME RESIDENTS

Residents enjoyed a fun creative afternoon celebrating the seasons with local school children.

A heartwarming event held in Plean last week brought local kids and care home residents together to celebrate the changing seasons.

Organised in partnership with Stirling’s Covid recovery project Remembering Together, the ‘Autumn Coorie’ event saw East Plean Primary pupils spend a fun filled afternoon at William Simpsons Care Home on Wednesday 1 November.

Foraged materials were at the heart of the afternoon’s creative activities.

The event, facilitated by local artists Saffy Setohy, Lorna Swinney, Orla Stevens and Parsifal James Hurst, brought kids and residents together to take part in a diverse range of creative crafts and engaging music and movement experiences.

Creating a Memorable Experience

"In our discussions with communities, it quickly became clear that people were not interested in traditional memorials; instead, they were looking for experiences and ways to be together now, post-pandemic," said Saffy Setohy, who leads the Remembering Together project.

“This special intergenerational event in Plean marked the first in a series of four community gatherings set to take place across Stirlingshire over the coming year, celebrating the seasons of life, the beauty and healing powers of nature and the simple joy of being together.”

The Autumn Coorie began with a seated movement exercise, led by Saffy (pictured above) and James, using sensory activities and props like autumn leaves and nuts.

"It was a beautiful and memorable experience for everyone," added Saffy.

Creative Workshops

After working up an appetite, the group shared a seasonal lunch before taking part in a variety of creative workshops together, including clay charm making, collage creation, herbal bath salt making and facepainting fun.

The care home’s Activities Manager, Rachel Smith emphasised, "The kids absolutely loved every moment, and their enthusiasm was contagious.

“We're excited to see how the project evolves and continues to bring the community together across the generations."

Autumnal Procession and Wishing Coin Ceremony

The afternoon’s festivities culminated in an Autumnal procession through the care home’s walled garden.

Rachel explained: “Our residents relaxed in the garden while the musicians played live, and the kids proudly paraded through the garden with the banner they had crafted with Lorna.

"The procession was led by Saffy with the help of Parsifal, creating a heartwarming atmosphere."

 Following the garden parade, a wishing coin ceremony allowed everyone to hang their clay charm on two beech trees generously donated to the project by Dom Mearns at Heartwood Trees.

The kids then embarked on another procession through the village, making their way back to school in time for pick-up, accompanied by live violin music by Cameron Newell along the way. Saffy said, "It was a perfect way to wrap up a wonderful afternoon."

Future plans

Remembering Together will feature in a documentary by local filmmaker Sean Hall, which will be showcased next summer marking the end of the year long programme.

The project’s next community phase will be in Callander, with a collaborative event due to be held on Wednesday 13 December at St Andrew’s Episcopal Church.

For more information about upcoming events and activities, please contact hello@scenestirling.com or visit www.scenestirling.com/rememberingtogether.

Remembering Together is part of a Scotland-wide initiative managed by Greenspace Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government. It is designed to commemorate the impact of Covid-19 while also celebrating the resilience and unity of our communities.

For more information, visit www.scenestirling.com/rememberingtogether

Photos by Anne Sproul.