Help shape a new wellbeing programme at Delapré Abbey

Posted on 25th June 2021 by Delapré Abbey

Warts and All Theatre is running a series of informal workshops next week to hear your thoughts on what sort of health and wellbeing-boosting activities you’d like to see take place at the historic Abbey and Delapré Park.

Your thoughts and ideas will feed into the development of the town’s first ‘Green Happy Café’ – a wellbeing hub being developed by Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust, Action for Happiness Northamptonshire, Warts and All Theatre, The General Practice Alliance Federation, Northampton Leisure Trust, and the University of Northampton.

The project is one of 37 from across the country to receive funding from the Thriving Communities Fund which is delivered in partnership by National Academy for Social Prescribing, Arts Council England, Historic England and Natural England, NHS England and Improvement, Sport England, the Money & Pensions Service and NHS Charities Together. The fund has been set up to support communities to address the issues that they face as a result of Covid-19.

The programme will empower people across the town to have control over their health and wellbeing and will focus on arts and culture experiences, community decision making, volunteer training, social groups to form relationships, a variety of exercise classes, mindfulness, skills building, and resilience through talking therapies.

Christopher Elmer-Gorry, Artistic Director and CEO of Warts and All Theatre, said:
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to create a programme of activity that is co-designed and embeds individuals in active decision making. By shaping wellbeing activities that truly reflects what the community want and need, we will ensure that communities have an active voice in the creation of the programme. This approach will in turn enable the community to thrive, celebrate its success and own the impact.”

Richard Clinton, Chief Executive of Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust, said:
“We’re excited to welcome the community to the Abbey to share their thoughts and ideas on shaping this new programme of wellbeing activities. The Abbey is a community asset and a space for everyone to relax and enjoy whilst connecting with heritage and nature, which is vital after the year that we’ve all had”.

What would you like to see? Arts and crafts sessions? Nature walks? Drama activities? Come and share your ideas – the sessions are taking place:

3 sessions at Delapré Abbey on Monday 28th June, 11am – 12:30pm, 1:30pm – 3 pm, 7pm – 8:30pm
1 online session on Tuesday 6th July, 7pm – 8:30pm

Book your free ticket here.

june, 2023

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thu25mayAll Daythu13julThis Grief ThingGrief gatherings are small, free group conversations about grief and they're open to all.(All Day)

Event Details

Thu 25th May – Sat 29th July, various times and locations
Free, booking required
Sessions will last a maximum of 2 hours

This Grief Thing is a project that invites people to think, talk and learn about grief. We’re living at a time when many people find death and grief – our own grief or other people’s – almost impossible to talk about. We don’t know what to say, what to do, or how to act. So we stay silent, we pretend that grief doesn’t exist, or we hide it. This Grief Thing pushes against this, by opening up conversations about grief and making it visible.

As part of our wellbeing programme we are pleased to be working with Fevered Sleep who have created Grief Gatherings. They’re small, free group conversations about grief and they’re open to all. They’re for people who have experienced grief, and for people who haven’t. This will be an inclusive space. Any age, gender, race, faith welcome.
We’ll share thoughts, feelings, ideas and experiences. If you don’t wish to talk that’s fine, people are welcome to just be present.

This project is a partnership between Delapré Abbey and Fevered Sleep and is funded by Northamptonshire Community Foundation.

Dates and Locations

Thu 25th May, 2-4pm, Umbrella Fair
This Grief Thing host: Laura Graham

Mon 5th June, 6:30-8:30pm, Saints Coffee
This Grief Thing host: David Bowden

Thu 15th June, 2-4pm, Umbrella Fair
This Grief Thing host: Laura Graham

Sat 24th June, 2-4pm, Delapré Abbey
This Grief Thing host: Lisa Lovett

Mon 10th July, 6:30pm-8:30pm, Saints Coffee
This Grief Thing host: David Bowden

Thu 13th July, 2-4pm, Umbrella Fair
This Grief Thing host: Laura Graham

Sat 29th July, 2-4pm, Delapré Abbey
This Grief Thing host: Lisa Lovett

How to get to each location

Saints Coffee: 62 St Giles’ St, Northampton NN1 1JW (map)

Umbrella Fair: Racecourse Pavilion, Kettering Rd, Northampton NN1 4LG (map)

Delapré Abbey (this session will be held in our Library): London Road, Northampton, NN4 8AW (map)

Meet the hosts

Laura Graham
Laura Graham is a freelance writer and content creator based in Northampton. In 2009 she lost her mum to breast cancer, a loss that changed her life and taught her about the complexities of grief. She went on to work for a local charity on a project to support people coming towards the end of life. She believes that grief is the last taboo and hopes that grief gatherings will enable participants to feel connected and seen by their community.

David Bowden
Dave Bowden – A.K.A Word Guerrilla – is a poet and performer. Utilising beatboxing, live looping and multi-instrumentalism, he delivers Word Guerrilla’s unique brand of spoken word poetry performances and workshops to a variety of different educational settings, workplaces and events across the country. As an educator and creative facilitator, he seeks to generate creativity in people through writing, empowering them with language and words.
He believes that grief is ever- present, and like bits of glitter: long after you think it has gone, it continues to turn up everywhere, often unexpectedly. It can be challenging to make sense of grief and adapt to it. Dave wants to facilitate grief gatherings to help others understand the experience, giving them a space to articulate how they think and feel about the process of grieving and help others adapt to the experience of grief.

Time

May 25 (Thursday) - July 13 (Thursday)

Buy here

Book Tickets

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sun28may(may 28)11:00 amsun29oct(oct 29)4:00 amExhibition: "The Walled Garden Was Magical"An exhibition of your memories of the gardens.(may 28) 11:00 am - (october 29) 4:00 am

Event Details

Sunday 28th May – Sunday 29th October
11am-4pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
Entry included in the price of general admission (£8 adults, under 18s free)

“The walled garden was magical… the absolute treasure.” Councillor David Smith

This exhibition explores the vast history of Delapré Abbey’s gardens and tells the stories of those who have worked here over the centuries to make beautiful outdoor spaces for the house owners and, subsequently, for the general public to enjoy.

There have been gardens here since the opening of the nunnery in 1145. On Saturday 19^th July 1952, Delapré Abbey’s gardens opened to the public and have continued to be a place open for all to enjoy. As Alderman J.V. Collier said upon their opening 71 years ago: “The gardens offer a haven of rest away from the milling crowds. Within almost a stone’s throw of the centre of the town, we have something unique.”

Timed to coincide with the centenary year of Delapré Abbey’s water garden, the exhibition captures and celebrates the local communities’ memories of Delapré through photos, text, ephemera and oral history.

Whether you enjoyed the walled garden as a child, have attended a wedding here, or discovered the grounds during one of the Covid-19 lockdowns, we want this exhibition to encourage visitors to tell their friends and loved ones about any existing memories they have made here while making new ones together.

Photo: John Pettitt