Wednesday Wanderers & the Sensory Trust

A collaboration between the Leach pottery and the Sensory Trust, with people living with dementia in the St Ives area, in an innovative arts and well-being project.

The Wednesday Wanderers are a walking and nature activity group for people living with memory loss, dementia, their families and carers in the Hayle and St Ives area. The group is part of the Creative Spaces project, run by the Sensory Trust. A partnership with Leach Pottery has been running for several years and is well established with the Wednesday Wanderers group.

The Wednesday Wanderers group, supported by Leach Pottery explore the connection between landscape, nature and memories and use natural materials to make tools to make with clay and contribute to the creative programme with Leach Pottery once a month. Across the workshops participants have the opportunity to collaborate with potters, encounter skills such as throwing on a wheel, hand building, slip decoration and use of press moulds. There are opportunities to exhibit and celebrate what is made and fire pottery to take home.

Sensory Trust is a leading authority on inclusive and sensory design. They create meaningful and lasting connections between people of all ages and abilities and the natural world.

 The Group, together with the support of highly valued volunteers, explore the connection between landscape, nature and memories and use natural materials to make tools and to imprint into clay. Projects have included throwing on the wheel, making ceramic wind chimes, making Japanese teabowls and having a tea party (see film) and the RHS award winning ‘Wall of Plants’ in Hayle.

If you would like to take part in or volunteer on this project contact ellen.love@leachpottery.com or Ellie Robinson-Carter at the Sensory Trust.

The Sensory Trust

The Sensory Trust makes places more accessible, attractive and useful for everyone, regardless of age, disability and social circumstances. Their work brings social and health benefits to people whose lives are affected by social exclusion, including older people, people with physical, sensory, and intellectual impairments and families and carers. They encourage richer connections between people and place so that people can value and get involved with their environment. They aim to remove barriers and make places and processes more accessible so that more people can join in; working with communities so that people can contribute to the decisions that affect them and the places where they live.