Children at Cherry Orchard Primary School, Worcester have been working with Museums Worcestershire and Arts Uplift CIC on an arts project for dementia patients.

The Suitcase Stories programme is a local reminiscence and arts project which enables dementia patients in care homes to share and relive memories. As part of the project primary pupils have been invited to create drama performances inspired by the patient’s memories. The performances will be filmed and watched by the patients.

Over the past few weeks Year 5 pupils at Cherry Orchard Primary School have been listening to the memories of dementia patients and taking part in drama workshops and games to explore the themes of the memorise and to develop performance skills prior to creating their own dramatisation.

Pupils have also been learning songs that patients have talked about and will perform these to the care home residents.

Suitcase stories has influenced other areas of the curriculum with children making blankets for the dementia patients during design and technology lessons.

As part of the programme pupils have also undertaken dementia awareness training from the Alzheimer’s Society to better understand how a patient with dementia ‘sees the world’.

The project is a great way for the children to learn about the past and to create links with the wider community. We look forward to seeing the final performance.