Creative Age Cheltenham
Creative Age is for people with dementia and their supporters/carers who live independently in Cheltenham. From Sept 2025, sessions will take place at Cheltenham Quaker Meeting House. Creative sessions are followed by tea and cake with the chance to socialise and get to know each other better.
We work in a group, exploring creatively through seated movement, dance, words, collective story-making, music, singing, visual arts and poetry – all inspired by the participants’ interests.
Supporters/carers can choose to join in with creative sessions, or enjoy the hospitality and friendship offered by Bethesda volunteers, or simply take the time and space to do what they wish.
Assistance with travel can be offered if required.
Where: Quaker Meeting House, Warwick Place, Cheltenham, GL52 2NP. More info here.
Time: Second and fourth Wednesday of every month from 1.30 – 4pm. Booking is essential!
Cost: Suggested donation of £5 per person, which includes refreshments
We will be taking a break in August 2025, and starting back on 24th September.
For more information, please contact Louise at Open Arms by email: openarmsartists@gmail.com or phone: 07579 094776
How to join
Click here to download an application form or complete our on-line form.
Creative Age Tewkesbury
We’re really excited to be partnering with The Roses Theatre to pilot a new Creative Age programme in Tewkesbury, starting in September 2025.
We will be meeting once a month on a Tuesday afternoon, and on the second and fourth Tuesday from January - March 2026.
Tue 16 September, Tue 21 October, Tue 18 November and Tue 16 December 2025
1:30 - 4.00pm at Tewkesbury Baptist Church, Station Rd, Tewkesbury GL20 5DR
Sessions are free to attend.
How to join:
Please complete the sign-up form to register your interest. This ensures we have the right information to support everyone involved. After that, we’ll be in touch to chat about your application and get to know you a little better.
““Creative Age is the best community space filled with kindness!””
Listen to our participants tell you why they come along to Creative Age sessions
Read about our Creative Age project in MHA Brockworth House
Read about the day we put on a performance!
Find out more about Creative Age
Creative Age is an arts-based, social community project for people living with early to mid-stage dementia and their carers who live independently.
The Creative Age team
Open Arms, Bethesda Methodist Church and Managing Memory Together (part of Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust) have run the project in partnership since May 2018.
Creative Age is an open and inclusive group. We receive referrals via Managing Memory Together, Alzheimer’s Society Memory Cafés, Age UK and word of mouth but anyone is free to contact us and self-refer. We want to reach out to people who are living with dementia and their carers in Cheltenham.
Creative Age was set up to enrich peoples’ lives, reduce isolation, enable participants to engage imaginatively and socially, build their confidence and improve their wellbeing.
Lindsay Williams, Senior Dementia Assessor writes:
“Dementia destroys people’s confidence and self-worth. Creative Age makes people realise that they have a significant part in the community, enabling them to go away and function better due to their increased confidence and well-being.”
“Creative Age is a unique initiative that enables people with dementia to engage in activities that provide both cognitive stimulation and the opportunity to socialise with others. This helps reduce social isolation and can help improve day-to-day functioning. Being involved in therapeutic activities also improves people’s confidence and self-worth which is often reduced for people with dementia.”
“The pandemic has brought into sharp focus the importance of groups such as Creative Age which offer such support, comfort and pleasure.”
You can find out what we get up to on a sessional basis through the Open Arms Facebook page here.
Click here to read more about The Story of Creative Age During the Pandemic
Creative Age is currently funded on a project basis by Gloucestershire County Council’s Thriving Communities, and Cheltenham Borough Council health and wellbeing grant in partnership with Cheltenham Quakers and NHS Managing Memory Together.
We also appreciate the generous donations from individuals and supporters, who continue to champion what we do. We couldn’t do it without you. Thank you.
We also value our community partnerships including Cheltenham Dementia Action Alliance, The Wilson museum on wheels project, The Roses Theatre and our intergenerational work with St John’s Primary and Chosen Hill School.