L4A

We work with older people receiving care across Leicester and Leicestershire

Baking

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“Amazing training session. We loved it!”

Our very first Baking a Difference training day brought care home managers, activity staff, residents and volunteers together – all sharing the common aim of wanting to make a positive difference to the lives of older people in Leicestershire through the baking of bread. For 6 hours in Evington they talked and mixed, laughed and kneaded and learned exactly how they could make that difference, under the excellent guidance of community baker Michelle Stratford from Planet Leicester Bakers.  Michelle herself recently reflected that not all skilled professionals are good trainers – well, Michelle is one of the best, as these comments from participants testify:

“Amazing training session – we loved it!”

“Michelle is a great trainer. Thoroughly enjoyed her class”

“Super workshop. Had lots of fun and learnt a new skill”

The next challenge for those involved is for them to put their new-found skills into practice, through our Baking a Difference sessions in local care homes and sheltered housing.

So that many more older people can experience the joys of bread, conversation and community.

 

 

 

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B is for ‘Baking’ – our A to Z of social prescribing continues

Paul Bagworth loves to bake and his legendary Rocky Road recently sold out like… erm, hot cakes!

Paul baked and donated the sweet treats to sell on Learning for the Fourth Age’s craft stand at the Evington in Bloom May Day sale. He raised £23 pounds for his chosen charity, The MS Therapy Centre in Leicester as a result.

MS Therapy Centre Manager, Jo Hill commented, “This is wonderful news and typical of Paul’s very giving nature. As a self–funded charity every penny counts, enabling us to provide much needed therapies and support to people from across the city and county. We really appreciate Paul’s donation and thank L4A’s Social Prescribing project for supporting his talents.”

Paul is indeed a man of many talents and for those who know him, also has a wonderful sense of humour. In partnership with L4A he’s planning a special publication for Downing Drive GP surgery, entitled ‘Paul’s Pick Me Ups’ aiming to raise a smile with patients in the surgery waiting room.

This work is part of L4A’s Social Prescribing project. The idea of social prescribing is that the cure for many modern ailments may be more than just medication and so the project uses learning or volunteering as the medium to engage isolated older people in their communities.

Our A to Z of social prescribing aims to capture the full, varied and vibrant lives of older people with whom we are working over the course of the two year project. This project is part of and funded by Leicester Ageing Together. More information about this programme of work can be found here.

To find out more or to get involved, Anita Barrand can be contacted via email anita.barrand@l4a.org.uk or on 07964 091 693. More information be found about our Social Prescribing project here.

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Baking a Difference… update so far!

Baking a Difference is an exciting, innovative new trial project from Learning for the Fourth Age, in collaboration with local community business Planet Leicester Bakers. It uses the many activities and skills involved in hand making fresh bread. The project is being developed in two care homes and a sheltered housing setting where L4A already works.

So far we have been delighted with how well the activities have been received and the many smiles it has brought to residents’ faces! Each programme is four sessions long and is being adjusted to be as interesting, challenging and achievable as possible for all who would like to take part. We’ve done scientific experiments with gluten and yeast, shaped different breads, and had a lot of fun with sprinkles and decorating techniques! At the end of the programme we gather all the photos together and the residents create displays of their work to show visitors and relatives what they have achieved.

The sessions also give people the chance to talk about memories of bread in their lives and the 1970s bread strikes are definitely a strong memory. Where residents have limited physical abilities we’ve noticed that they enjoy watching and reminiscing or taking part with support from volunteers. However much they get their hands sticky, residents’ attention has been held for the full length of the sessions: a hugely positive result.

There is lots of choice given to residents as to what they want to do and work with and even those not sure about the activities at first have eventually become involved and enjoyed the simple joys of working bread dough and creating something unique and special to them. Indeed, the physical action of working bread dough has, as is so often the case, proved to have therapeutic qualities. Residents have enjoyed eating freshly baked bread, brought in by Planet Leicester Bakers and sometimes shaped and baked during the session, resulting in the lovely aroma of fresh, real bread in their homes.

As always the work is dependent on the support of staff at the homes and we have been delighted with how positive people have been about the project. It certainly has shown that fresh bread has the power to bring calm and smiles to people and their communities.

For more information about Planet Leicester Bakers, please contact Michelle Stratford, the Founder of Planet Leicester Bakers or visit their website: www.planetleicesterbakers.co.uk