Wolverhampton care home residents celebrate African culture with drumming workshop

 

A care home in Wolverhampton celebrated African culture with an interactive music workshop as part of its activity to educate residents about Black History Month.

Residents at Care UK’s Foxland Grange, on Wergs Road, helped bring the spirit of Africa to Wolverhampton with an immersive day of cultural discovery at the special event held at the home. 

To celebrate African traditions and bring new cultural experiences to the residents, the Foxland Grange team organised a visit from local performer, Calvert Lawson, who organised an educational, fun-filled day for the residents. 

Residents enjoyed an insightful talk from Calvert, where he shared insights into his family traditions, before discussing the wider importance of Black History Month and why it’s important to reflect and celebrate. 

Following the enlightening discussion, Calvert introduced the residents to the history of the African drum, explaining its cultural significance. Keen to put their own hands to the test, residents were given the opportunity to play various rhythms on the drums, before watching a special performance from Calvert. 

Residents also enjoyed a lunch donated by Bellfoot Caribbean takeaway which included jerk chicken, curry goat and rice and peas. 

Speaking about the day, one resident at Foxland Grange Maragret Holt said: “It was so uplifting playing the African drums and learning about the history of where it originated from. Myself and my daughter thoroughly enjoyed the evening.”

Katy Anderson, General Manager at Foxland Grange, said: “Here at Foxland Grange, we believe in celebrating the richness of different cultures and providing residents with new and meaningful experiences. Our African-themed workshop was really wonderful, and it taught us all so much about African culture and the importance of Black History Month.

“We are thankful to Calvert for providing such an enjoyable and immersive experience, and look forward to planning more activities which explore different cultures with the residents soon!”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Foxland Grange, incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The building has been configured into a series of neighbourhoods to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.