Down to a fine art – local pageant queen joins Hailsham care home for the world’s largest drawing fe

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Nov 07, 2019

Residents at a care home in Hailsham picked up their pencils and welcomed reigning Miss Junior Teen East Sussex Ella George for The Big Draw Festival 2019. Care UK’s Bowes House, on Battle Road, joined in the celebrations by creating works of art around this year’s theme, ‘drawn to life’.

On the day, Ella and the residents took part in a fun paint pouring workshop and created an array of works of art in this unusual style. 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.

Helena Barrow, home manager at Bowes House, said: “Here at Bowes House, we firmly believe that activity-based care is essential in supporting residents to lead fulfilling lives, so The Big Draw is a fantastic initiative for us to get involved with. “Drawing is an accessible activity that people of all ages can enjoy together, so we were delighted to welcome Ella before the Miss Teen Great Britain finals at the end of the month. Art, combined with intergenerational relationships, has proven benefits for older people, by offering the chance to tap into happy memories and an alternative way to communicate emotions and thoughts.

“Everyone had a wonderful day, and we can’t wait to display our masterpieces in the home!” Bowes House is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care.  Designed to enable residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the care home has it very own cinema and hairdressers, and there is plenty of space, both indoors and out, for relaxation and recreation. The home has a comprehensive activity programme, offering a mix of themed events, group activities and days out.

For further information on Bowes House, please call customer relations manager, Karen Milligan, on 01323 888 611 or email karen.milligan@careuk.com

For general information please visit careuk.com/bowes-house