Good Company
Highlight on our imaginative & creative approach to Dementia Care.
Good Company seeks to reimagine day care for people living with dementia and their carers as a full on creative experience where participants join arts professionals to compose music, create dance and share their reminiscence on stage. The programme is a major collaboration between Age Exchange, Orchestras Live, Sinfonia Viva and Green Candle Dance. The arts delivery partners are joined by Brentwood Borough Council, Brentwood Theatre, The Alzheimer’s Society, each having been instrumental in making the programme possible.
At the heart of the process is the exploration of personal heritage expressed through narrative, embodied and sense memory. Good Company is has now completed 4 programmes over the last year. Independent evaluation of the programme has pointed to improvements in the well-being and quality of life of all who have taken part so far.
We are grateful to our funders for making Good Company possible, including the NHS and The Department for Levelling Up.
Here is a short film promo for you to enjoy a taster of Good Company
More background on the programme/learning and evaluation can be downloaded below.
Find out more about Good Company
Blackheath Christmas Fair
10.30am-4.45pm
Blackheath Halls
Our popular Fair returns for its 11th year on Sunday 17 November at Blackheath Halls with over 40 local artisans selling handmade and bespoke gifts. This event is organised by the Friends of Age Exchange raising money to help people live well with dementia.
Shop for a good cause at our Christmas Fair. Thanks to our sponsors Grant Saw, Devika James Audiology, Winkworth and Cinnamon Care.
Tickets are £3 or free for Friends of Age Exchange.
Friends Christmas Raffle
Tickets are available to buy in our cafe or online for our annual Christmas Raffle. Our three main prizes are £250 cash donated by Grant Saw Solicitors, a turkey from the Village Butchers and four tickets for the Cutty Sark from Royal Museums Greenwich.
Our raffle will be drawn on Friday 13 December.
Art Exhibition
Now until the end of the month
Age Exchange café
Artists from the art group in the Studio on Wednesdays have opened their new exhibition in the café. This group has been meeting at the Age Exchange once a week for ten years. Despite the differences in their artistic practices, mediums, and subjects, all are dedicated to constructively supporting each other, sharing learning and critiques in the best collegial tradition. They are a diverse group using a variety of different mediums from watercolour to oils.
Please do take a look when you are in the café.
A percentage of sales will be donated to Age Exchange.
Oral Health Talks
10.30am in the cafe
Skydiving fundraiser for Age Exchange
The dive was switched from Headcorn, Kent to Old Sarum near Salisbury (to avoid the flight path from Gatwick). The first attempt on 10 August was cancelled because of adverse weather after four hours waiting on the ground. However the dive went ahead on 16 August with glorious weather and Alanna described it as “awesome.”
Creative Dementia
Age Exchange is an arts charity providing creative group activities in the week and support for those living with dementia and their carers. This year Age Exchange celebrates 40 years working in reminiscence and dementia support using the arts. Our unique approach to dementia intervention has an incredible impact of quality of life, helping people to rediscover their voice, their ability to dance or simply to have fun again.
Our Creative Dementia programme offers a wide range of activities including reminiscence, arts and crafts, music and movement. Our groundbreaking dementia intervention practice RADIQL™ uses Reminiscence Arts to deliver dementia services in a wide variety of settings. Our expertise includes outreach to community arts projects, care home person-centred care and arts based groups for the carers of those with dementia. We have projects in Blackheath, across Lambeth and national projects with our partner Community Integrated Care.
Future events for your diary
Lunchtime Concert
Students from Trinity Laban perform in the Bakehouse on the last Friday of the month during term time.
Vintage Bazaar
Our vintage sale returns on Saturday 26 October. Choose from a fine array of handpicked items from our historic archives from homewares to vintage fashion.
Book Sale
Our popular book sale will return on Saturday 2 November. We have lots stock including folio books, books on film, cooking, craft, classical CDs, piano sheet music and much more.
Theatre Group
We arrange theatre visits across London and have seen dozens of performances featuring a wide range of modern and classic playwrights in recent years. About once a month throughout the year, a small group - usually between 14-20 of us - meets up to see a play. It might be in the West End or at one of the many wonderful local theatres we are blessed with in London.
Tickets for November and December are on sale. We have planned trips to see Giant on Thursday 14 November and Napoleon: un petit pantomime on Tuesday 17 December.
All these fundraising events directly support the work of our charity.
Community Hub and Cafe
With a footfall of over 180,000 each year there is always someone to talk to or something new to learn. Age Exchange has hosted hundreds of hours of activity classes from seated Pilates and belly dancing for our older customers through to rhyme time for the little ones. Classes develop through the ideas of volunteers and local people, enabling the hub to be driven by the community. See what is happening this week.
Enjoy a selection of sandwiches, toasties and light lunches and summer treats. We have a new summer menu, daily specials, discounts and a kid’s menu. With gluten and dairy free, vegan, vegetarian options. We offer hand baked treats and savoury items as well. Our community café is as much a home to mums and toddlers enjoying cakes and games as it is for families touched by dementia.
We invite you sit outside in our "hidden" garden. Whether you’re catching up with friends or simply soaking up the sunshine with a good book, our garden is ready for you.
Please show your Friends card to receive a 10% discount.
Space Hire
Our historic Bakehouse Theatre and the Studio next to our library can be booked online. These spaces are suitable for meetings, training, live performances, rehearsals, talks and our varied community classes. We also have a small meeting room inside the Bakehouse (used for our monthly book sales). We have AV equipment including theatre lights in the theatre and access to our kitchen for catering. Find out more about the individual spaces or visit us to discuss your needs.
Library
Our small community library is part of the Lewisham libraries. We have a varied catalogue of adult, young adult and children’s fiction, non-fiction and more. Our volunteers will be glad to welcome you and your family.
