Lodz Ghetto
In marking Holocaust Memorial Day Age Exchange reflects on one of its most unique intergenerational projects and theatre productions.
For many years the wonderful Helen Aronson volunteered at Age Exchange. In the early 2000s David Savill was directing the then Age Exchange Youth Theatre which specialised in working with older people in the community to perform their reminiscences. In 2002 Helen told David about her astonishing experience of the Holocaust. For 50 years Helen had kept her experience to herself. Helen agreed to share her story with the Youth Theatre, having refused to give permission for professional actors to perform her family story. Helen felt it was important that her story should only be performed by young people who were the age she was when she went into the ghetto. And so an extraordinary journey began. One which would have a lasting impact on all who took part including Helen herself.
Helen invited the entire youth theatre to her home in Greenwich for afternoon tea. She wanted to eat together before taking out a small box of precious family mementos from her childhood experience of the Holocaust to help her share her story. Our youth theatre members took Helen to their hearts and determined to tell her story to the very best of their ability. For two months Helen and David devised and wrote “Lodz Ghetto” with the entire you theatre taking part every week in the devising process, where memories were dramatised – with Helen helping shape each scene before the play was ready for its first performance. The play and its impact on all who saw it and the young people who performed is one of the most memorable experiences David says he has had in his 25 years at the charity.
The play then became a documentary drama. And Helen began her journey in becoming a hugely important figure in Holocaust Education for which she was awarded the British Empire Medal just recently.
Liberation day. Helen is siting to the left of her boyfriend playing the accordion.
Helen was one of eight Holocaust survivors in the UK to have her portrait commissioned by The King two years ago. That portrait was unveiled in Buckingham Palace. David and Helen have remained very close friends for over 20 years. David’s daughter was in that first production and herself went on to specialise in the Holocaust for her masters at University citing Helen as her inspiration.
David and Helen met just last week to discuss the forthcoming screening of “Lodz Ghetto (2002)” for the Association of Jewish Refugees in London on February 4th. Helen is now 97 and one of the very few survivors of the Lodz Ghetto – of the 750 of the 200,000 who perished. David says of Helen “When I know how her family suffered, how she suffered, when I know how her father sacrificed his life to die beside the children of their town…. I am in awe of Helen because she is a person full of kindness, of love, of forgiveness. She is also a person who shows huge generosity to all and who is always ready with a joke and an infectious sense of humour. Age Exchange has been blessed to know Helen and it is proud of the small role it played in helping to share her story of immense courage."
Lodz Ghetto (short clip - Helen talks about how the Ghetto was liquidated)
In My Father's Footsteps - full film
Good Company
Highlight on our imaginative & creative approach to Dementia Care.
“Good Company” is a groundbreaking model of dementia care, a reimagining of day care. Now in its 14th month and 5th programme Age Exchange has worked with Orchestras Live, Sinfonia Viva, Green Candle Dance, Brentwood Borough Council, The Alzheimer’s Society and Brentwood Theatre to establish, pilot and develop an completely new creative caring model. Couples referred to the programme (where one lives with dementia and one is their family carer) join our creative company, sharing reminiscence through the exploration of themed artefacts and sensory memory triggers and then working to express and create music and dance inspired by their reminiscence.
After 14 months at Brentwood Theatre we have begun a new programme in Rayleigh Essex at the Mill Arts Theatre. The programme has been so successful it has attracted funding from the NHS and Government as well as local authority. Evaluation carried out by Orchestras Live and by the University of Essex has established the measurable benefit to the well-being, quality of life and resilience of those taking part.
We are grateful to our funders for making Good Company possible, including the NHS and The Department for Levelling Up.
Here is a short film promo for you to enjoy a taster of Good Company
More background on the programme/learning and evaluation can be downloaded below.
Charabancs and Cadillacs
For the last year Age Exchange has been supporting the delivery of a major new heritage project on the history and heritage of the people of Newham. Created by Waltham Forest Community Transport (which also delivers community transport in Newham), “Charabancs and Cadillacs” has included a major reminiscence programme in care and community settings, training for volunteers in reminiscence group work and interview technique and many other exciting arts activities.
Age Exchange’s Malcolm Jones has delivered the training.
Age Exchange’s Tony McTurk created 3 unique heritage trails across the borough, for residents to travel with to former industrial buildings and places of unique historical importance to hear history of each. Each trail was created by Tony after many hours of painstaking research. The first trail which focussed on “Industry on the Lower Lea Valley” took place on January 21st. It was really well attended and the feedback from all who took part was fantastic.
Waltham Forest Community Transport is a wonderful partner to work with, with a passion for supporting the people of the East End and celebrating their heritage. Many of the sessions they have run in homes and day centres have focused on memories of migration, childhood, travel and transport, and working life. Age Exchange has just been commissioned to work on the final element of the project, the touring exhibition, led by David Savill and Simon Purins. We will share more on the exhibition when it is completed in March.
Art Exhibition
Age Exchange café
Artists from the art group in the Studio on Wednesdays have opened their new exhibition in the café. This group has been meeting at the Age Exchange once a week for ten years. Despite the differences in their artistic practices, mediums, and subjects, all are dedicated to constructively supporting each other, sharing learning and critiques in the best collegial tradition. They are a diverse group using a variety of different mediums from watercolour to oils.
Please do take a look when you are in the café.
A percentage of sales will be donated to Age Exchange.
Creative Dementia
Age Exchange is an arts charity providing creative group activities in the week and support for those living with dementia and their carers. This year Age Exchange celebrates 40 years working in reminiscence and dementia support using the arts. Our unique approach to dementia intervention has an incredible impact of quality of life, helping people to rediscover their voice, their ability to dance or simply to have fun again.
Our Creative Dementia programme offers a wide range of activities including reminiscence, arts and crafts, music and movement. Our groundbreaking dementia intervention practice RADIQL™ uses Reminiscence Arts to deliver dementia services in a wide variety of settings. Our expertise includes outreach to community arts projects, care home person-centred care and arts based groups for the carers of those with dementia. We have projects in Blackheath, across Lambeth and national projects with our partner Community Integrated Care.
Future events for your diary
Lunchtime Concert
Students from Trinity Laban perform in the Bakehouse on the last Friday of the month during term time. The next concert takes place on Friday 31 January.
Vintage Bazaar
Our vintage sale offers a fine array of handpicked items from our historic archives from homewares to vintage fashion.
Book Sale
Our popular book sale will return on Saturday 1 February. We have lots stock including folio books, books on film, cooking, craft, classical CDs, piano sheet music and much more.
Theatre Group
We arrange theatre visits across London and have seen dozens of performances featuring a wide range of modern and classic playwrights in recent years. About once a month throughout the year, a small group - usually between 14-20 of us - meets up to see a play. It might be in the West End or at one of the many wonderful local theatres we are blessed with in London.
Tickets are now on sale for Richard II on Thursday 20 March.
All these fundraising events directly support the work of our charity.
Community Hub and Cafe
With a footfall of over 180,000 each year there is always someone to talk to or something new to learn. Age Exchange has hosted hundreds of hours of activity classes from seated Pilates and belly dancing for our older customers through to rhyme time for the little ones. Classes develop through the ideas of volunteers and local people, enabling the hub to be driven by the community. See what is happening this week.
Enjoy a selection of sandwiches, toasties and light lunches and summer treats. We have a seasonal menu, daily specials, discounts and a kid’s menu. With gluten and dairy free, vegan, vegetarian options. We offer hand baked treats and savoury items as well. Our community café is as much a home to mums and toddlers enjoying cakes and games as it is for families touched by dementia.
We invite you sit outside in our "hidden" garden. Whether you’re catching up with friends or simply soaking up the sunshine with a good book, our garden is ready for you.
Please show your Friends card to receive a 10% discount.
Space Hire
Our historic Bakehouse Theatre and the Studio next to our library can be booked online. These spaces are suitable for meetings, training, live performances, rehearsals, talks and our varied community classes. We also have a small meeting room inside the Bakehouse (used for our monthly book sales). We have AV equipment including theatre lights in the theatre and access to our kitchen for catering. Find out more about the individual spaces or visit us to discuss your needs.
Library
Our small community library is part of the Lewisham libraries. We have a varied catalogue of adult, young adult and children’s fiction, non-fiction and more. Our volunteers will be glad to welcome you and your family.
