Down to a fine art – Local children join Whitstable care home for the world’s largest drawing festiv

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Nov 15, 2019

Residents at a care home in Whitstable picked up their pencils and welcomed Joy Lane School pupils for The Big Draw Festival 2019.

Care UK’s Harrier Lodge, on Thanet Way, joined in the celebrations by creating works of art based around this year’s theme, ‘drawn to life’.

The residents and pupils created drawings centred around an autumn theme, taking inspiration from outside and the changing season. Everyone put pen to paper and created pieces of art work which are now proudly displayed around the care home.

Launched in 2000 as part of the ‘Campaign for Drawing’, The Big Draw promotes drawing as a tool for learning, expression and invention, and has encouraged over four million people to get arty since its inception. This year’s theme celebrates the benefits of creative activities, especially drawing, on health and wellbeing. 2019 also marks the bicentenary of John Ruskin’s birth, founder of the Guild of St George, the charitable education trust behind the initiative.

Diane Collins, home manager at Harrier Lodge, said: “Many residents at Harrier Lodge have a keen interest in creative activities, so The Big Draw Festival provided a fantastic opportunity to showcase these skills.

“Drawing has many benefits for residents, especially those living with dementia, as it offers an alternative way to communicate and a chance to relive happy memories.

“It was great to see residents and pupils from Joy Lane School work together to create some beautiful pieces of art. We certainly have some budding artists in the making!”

Harrier Lodge is a purpose-built care home which has been designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and specialist dementia care for up to 65 older people in Whitstable, and incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities, including its own cinema, hairdressing salon and café.

Recognising the importance of artistic activities, Care UK was happy to become one of the lead sponsors for The Big Draw this year alongside organisations such as The Courtauld Institute of Art and the City of Toronto Museum. You can read more about Care UK’s national involvement here: thebigdraw.org/drawn-to-life-care-uk

For more information or to book your free place at this event, please call customer relations manager, Theresa Mead, on 0203 918 2873, or email theresa.mead@careuk.com  

For more general information on Harrier Lodge, please visit careuk.com/harrier-lodge

To find out more about the Big Draw festival, please go to thebigdraw.org