This summer Sheila has been invited by Heart of Glass to work with the residents of two Helena Partnership sheltered housing schemes, encouraging them to reach out and get to know each other.
Each week Sheila will work with residents to make out-of-the-ordinary gestures, creating a stir that reaches out to their community and invites others to step over the thresholds within the scheme.
The opening workshops saw participants create individual floral invitations, which were hand delivered to each of the properties within the scheme.
The mysterious hand printed invitations dropped through letterboxes with a note offering everyone in the scheme the chance to ‘Join Us’ – on a specific date, but with no location offered. This created a talking point, whereby participants and staff were able to share more detail about the forthcoming event.
Newcomers to the project then came out to join early participants and see a cellist and violinist perform – including the song ‘Getting to Know You’.
The growing group of residents from Parr Mount Court and Heald Farm Court will continue to work with Sheila to create new ways of getting to know their neighbours and explore the thresholds and boundaries that exist in their communities.
The project will continue throughout August and into early September. If you would like any more information please contact Suzanne@heartofglass.org.uk
Photo of invitations made by residents of Heald Farm Court