Arora launches new website for people affected by dementia in the Western Isles and beyond: sharing poetry, podcasts and community voices
An Lanntair has launched a new website for its dementia friendly community project, Arora.
Arora works with people living with dementia and carers in the Western Isles community by focusing on individuals and capturing the sparks of creativity that they share.
Arora is founded on the core values of community care, creative spirit and shared culture. The project engages with people who are living with dementia and those in their circle of care, as well as reaching out to the wider Western Isles community, with the intention of co-designing a dementia friendly community that reflects the place and its people.
The project relaunched in April 2015 and works with those impacted by dementia through workshops and events for cèilidh culture, hand memory and other creative approaches.
Arora’s brand was created by branding and design agency Good. Arora was chosen as one of two winners of the 2015 Good for Nothing appeal – an initiative which sees Good create branding for a charity or business which looks to make positive change in the world – but which could not ordinarily afford to invest in branding or design in this way.
The Arora team has been working closely with Good to develop a new brand identity and website which sheds light on our creative engagement within a bilingual community. The 2016/17 Good for Nothing appeal is open for entries now, with successful entrants to be chosen in early 2017 (https://www.wearegood.com/good-for-nothing).
The newly launched website (wearearora.org) showcases the engagement and research that the project team have been involved in so far and provides a platform for the project to share all of the work that they are doing and the creative outcomes that are emerging from these opportunities. You can visit the new website at: wearearora.org
The Arora team are delighted to have won the ‘best dementia friendly community initiative’ at this year’s Scottish Dementia Awards in Glasgow on 22nd September 2016. – http://www.alzscot.org/news_and_community/news/3702_scotland_s_leading_dementia_projects_celebrated
Quote from project coordinator Heather Baillie:
“The new Arora website gives us an opportunity to share the sparks of creativity that have been captured through the day-to-day life of Arora and to share our project with a wider audience. It enables us to provide carers and people affected by dementia with creative inspiration for engagement as well as useful resources.
“We are proud to have developed a brand that reflects the core values of our work: community care, creative spirit and shared culture and are grateful to Good for this opportunity and their commitment to reflecting what’s at the heart of our project.
“The team is delighted to have been nominated for the Scottish Dementia Awards; this highlights the positive impact that Arora is having in the Western Isles communities and the real sense of ownership from the people who are at the the heart of Arora.”
Quote from Life Changes Trust:
“As a funder we are thrilled to see the progress being made by Arora at An Lanntair, making their work inclusive and reflective of people living with dementia and those who care for them. Their new website reflects this progress and showcases some of their amazing achievements to date. Their work is driven by passion, sustained by commitment, and is creating better lives for many people in the Western Isles. Arora is a great example of community in action.”
About The Project:
Arora is an An Lanntair initiated project, founded on the core values of community care, creative spirit and shared culture. It is born of a community, shaped and defined by its history, language and unique culture. We proactively promote the Gaelic language and explore the role bilingualism has in relation to dementia. Through Arora, people living with dementia have been involved in exhibitions, creative workshops, art sessions, cultural hand memory (including net mending and spinning workshops), short film screenings, music, personal story recordings, traditional cèilidhs, and creative reminiscence. Together, Arora is lighting the way and becoming a beacon for real change.
Notes to Editor:
• For more information on the project please visit: wearearora.org – or contact Project Coordinator, Paula Brown – paula@lanntair.com
• For more information on An Lanntair please contact Head of Marketing Kathryn Lamont Smith at kathryn@lanntair.com or visit www.lanntair.com
• For more information on Life Changes Trust, please contact Deborah Cowan: Deborah.Cowan@lifechangestrust.org.uk or visit www.lifechangestrust.org.uk
• For more information on Good and the Good for Nothing competition, please visit https://www.wearegood.com/good-for-nothing