THE Royal Exchange Elders Company has been running for six years.
It is a 65 member resident company which meets every Friday for creative workshop sessions with professional theatre makers aiming to put on a production for the Exchange and their ages range from 62 to 81.
The elders’ leaders are graduates of the Company who work closely with Andy Barry, the Royal Exchange Elders Programme manager who manages sessions and supports new members.
The Royal Exchange also runs Elders Mondays, a twice monthly open-day welcoming over 50s to take part in workshops, drama games, writing groups and much more.
The company decided after being closed by the Coronavirus, they would hold their regular workshops in a virtual world.
They recently had their first Zoom session
Out of twenty interested members eighteen logged-in.
Andy said: “ We had to find a way to continue our programme, so adapted our plans for workshops to take place digitally.
“Overcoming isolation and loneliness has always been our goal.”
Elders Company member Anne Cole, 81, said: “I had never used Zoom before, but with the help of staff, all my fears were overcome.”
The Exchange will continue to run the Elders sessions online, making a space in which the community can get together and share t
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