henry bear at cornelia heights cropped

Independent Arts ‘Teddy Bear’s picnic brings young and old together

Hannah shares this latest news from Independent Arts. Ed


On Monday 18th July “we all went down to the woods…” to Cornelia Heights care home in Ryde to find the children of year three, Dover Park Primary School, together with residents and staff from the home enjoying a teddy bear’s picnic with our very own Henry Bear!

Creative project
For some weeks the children and residents have been working on a series of stories with community writer, Ann Emery, telling of Henry’s adventures, swishing above Island roof tops in a hot air balloon. Getting into bother with a ticket collector on the Isle of Wight steam train.

Falling through a space portal, trying out some old time dancing, and of course eating a great deal of cake on the way!

At the end of the project the children were invited to the home to perform the stories and to enjoy a bear’s picnic in the garden with the residents.

henry bear drawings

It was a wonderful visit, the sun shone, and Henry of course thoroughly enjoyed being the star of the event!

Many of the children brought along their own much loved bears and several of the Cornelia Heights staff had bears in tow as well!

Workshops coordinator Kerry Tindall-Guignard said,

“We are so grateful to the staff at both Dover Park School and Cornelia Heights care home for all the work and effort they put into both the project itself, and to making the morning so special.

“Independent Arts really believes in the enduring power of the imagination, and the value of creative expression for both young and old. The stories, poems and paintings that have sprung from this project are a wonderful testament to the connections that have been made between two very different worlds.”