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DIGNITREE

Posted on: 28th November 2018

Celebrating dignity and art for the brain

Our fantastic team in the North East are collaborating with Fine Studios CIC and Allendale Estates on a 'DIGNITREE' project for people with brain injuries, their families, friends, carers and professionals.

DIGNITREE

The DIGNITREE project aims to promote the Dignity in Care campaign, led by the National Dignity Council. The campaign's core values are about having dignity in our hearts minds and actions, changing the culture of care services and placing a greater emphasis on improving the quality of care and the experience of citizens using services including NHS hospitals, community services, care homes and home support services.

At JSP, we support individuals and their families who have suffered brain injury and other life changing injuries. We support clients through the rehabilitation and litigation processes, maximising independence and quality of life.

As registered Dignity Champions we want to raise the profile of Dignity and remind society that dignity is everybody’s business. This project will also celebrate all that we have accomplished in delivering dignified care.

Heather’s DIGNITREE

We want to celebrate with the people at the centre of our care. This project will not only promote Dignity in Care but also celebrate and commemorate the life of Heather, who sadly died in February 2018 after receiving care from our North East team for many years.

In order to promote the 10 Dignity DOs, we are inviting our clients, their families and friends, staff, support workers, professionals, and anyone else who is interested or involved, to make a ‘leaf’ for Heather’s DIGNITREE, and to write on it what dignity means to them.

Artists Karen Rann and Jane Dawson at Fine Studios have developed this project, supported by a group of young artists and volunteers. Through a series of collaborative workshops and one-to-one sessions, in partnership with our landlords, Allendale Estates, an installation (made of multiple ‘leaves’, all made by clients and the people around them) will be created in the Grade II listed Bywell Hall, Bywell, Northumberland, in April 2019.

After the celebration at Bywell Hall the installation will move to our office at Bearl Farm in Bywell, where a living tree will also be planted amongst a ‘Heather’ garden. This celebratory project is made possible through the generous funding from Arts Council England.

DIGNITREE need lots of art ‘leaf-lets’

Participants will be given a pack to make their leaf, which contains a folded piece of paper (made from potato starch and olive oil) and a small sprig of heather. We would like you to make a beautiful leaf out of this paper, to seal the sprig of heather inside it, and to decorate your leaf in celebration of Dignity in Care.

Please return your leaf by either putting it in one of the collection boxes at JS Parker offices at Bearl Farm, Bywell, at your local Headway meeting or by giving it to any JSP case managers, or any of the artists and volunteers. 

All the returned ‘leaf-lets' will create a huge, spectacular and extraordinary work of art to be installed at Bywell Hall Bywell and finally as part of Heather’s memorial garden at Bearl Farm, Bywell. When your leaf falls to the ground it will contain the seeds of a beautiful heather plant.

There will be two celebrations. The first in February 2019 to celebrate National Dignity Day, and the second in April 2019 to celebrate our amazing DIGNITREE. Every person who has been involved will be invited to these two celebratory get togethers.

Creative Sessions 

Please join us at any of our creative sessions held throughout the North East. At these sessions you will make art ‘leaf-lets’ for the DIGNITREE.

The sessions will be led by experienced artists and volunteers. No experience is necessary and all the equipment and materials will be provided.

Creative sessions will be held at the following venues until March 2019: 

• Headway meetings throughout the North East
• Fine Studios, Kiln Pit Hill, Consett
• JS Parker Ltd offices, Bearl Farm, Bywell
• or even in your home or rehab centre

For more information and to find out where your nearest creative session is being held, please email sarahharrison@jspne.co.uk