The idea
Our High Spirits initiative provides specialised access and support enabling people living with sight loss to work alongside professional artists in the development of skills and ideas in creative writing, audio, music and drama.
We are raising funds to support our next term of weekly drama workshops for visually impaired adults, which will take place between Sept-Dec 2024.
Our workshops take place at the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich on Thursday afternoons. They are led by an experienced theatre director supported by an assistant director and 5 trained volunteers.
What we'll deliver
- 10 weekly workshops led by a professional theatre director
- Specialist support by trained volunteers and artists
- A public sharing of our performance material at the end of term
Why it's a great idea
Previous participants of our High Spirits drama workshops have told us that they have been excluded from other mainstream drama and theatre groups who cannot cater for their needs.
However, they tell us that attending our drama workshops provides:
-A sense of camaraderie, reduced isolation and improved mood
-Increased confidence, self esteem and feelings of accomplishment
-Opportunities to develop skills, be creative, feel part of something
-A supportive peer-led environment for people experiencing different stages and levels of sight loss
One participant reported that: "These projects fill the void in my life that was created by losing my sight."
Steps to get it done
- 5 workshops completed
- 10 workshops completed
A RNIB-commissioned research report (My Voice 2015: The views and experiences of blind and partially sighted people in the UK) revealed that;
-more than 40% of blind and partially sighted people feel moderately or completely cut off from the people and things around them
-half consider themselves limited in the activities that they would like to take part in
-only 17% of people experiencing sight loss are offered emotional support in relation to their deteriorating vision, despite the fact that 4 out of 10 people attending low vision clinics are recorded as suffering from symptoms of clinical depression
