As the weeks of isolation and lock down continue, many people are finding ways to keep themselves occupied and entertained.  With the help of local entertainers, experts and groups, local charity, Age UK Lancashire have launched an Art of Isolation section on their website.  The pages feature four main sections; Get Active, Get Crafty, Mindfulness and Entertainment.

David Ward, Promotions Manager at Age UK Lancashire said: “We wanted to do something really positive for people whilst we are all stuck at home finding way to entertain ourselves and our families, so decided to use our network of contacts to bring this to life”.

The Get Active page has great exercise videos, tailored to older people or those with restricted movements, as well as cooking recipes and baking videos from students and tutors of Blackpool and the Fylde College. 

Get Crafty has a host of arts and craft ideas from knitting to pebble painting and also encourage people to share their creations on the charity’s social media pages.

David Ward added: “The pages are already getting a lot of visitors so hopefully people are enjoying what we are doing.  The Entertainment page is also a great way to relax and enjoy local musicians, magicians and singing groups.  We are getting new content sent in all the time so it’s definitely worth checking out”.

Another new venture for the charity is the collaboration on a new Be Calm and Carry On podcast, specifically themed around helping people through lockdown and isolation.

David said: “We teamed up with two organisations, Its Mental and Creative Individuals, to put together a useful podcast, featuring special guests and experts.  It’s a really easy listen covering topics such as staying active, being connected and sharing techniques to help people cope.  Hopefully, people will feel well informed and motivated after listening”.

The podcasts will be available on the Mindfulness section of the website as well as on Spotify.

Age UK Lancashire has been delivering support to vulnerable older people during the Coronavirus pandemic through their Support at Home and Good Day Calls services.  The charity are able to support more people so are encouraging anyone who feels like they need extra support to get in contact on 0300 303 1234 or visiting their website www.ageuklancs.org.uk

The Art of Isolation information can be found on the Activities and Events section of the charity’s website: 

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/lancashire/activities-and-events/art-of-isolation/