NEWS: Bolton Octagon launch a new project to help locals combat loneliness

Octagon Theatre launches new project to work with older people in Bolton to combat loneliness

The Octagon are thrilled to announce a new two-year project, REACT, to work with older people in Bolton with thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund. Building upon the Octagon’s strong grounding of older people’s engagement work and large network of over 50’s audiences and volunteers, for the first time the theatre will support older people to become leaders in developing engagement work for their own age range through a co-design process.  The over 50’s that currently engage in our regular activity are hugely passionate about the Octagon and on the impact that theatre has on their physical, social and mental wellbeing. We believe that it is these people that are best placed to generate ideas for engaging others, act as ambassadors to reach people experiencing loneliness in the community, and to ultimately lead the future of the theatre’s engagement work with older people. This £93,000 project will help the theatre to achieve a year-round programme of Dementia Friendly Performances, launch a new volunteering programme and extend the reach of our regular over 50s theatre group to new areas in Bolton. As part of the delivery for this exciting project the Octagon are currently recruiting for an exciting new role of a ReAct Producer/Project Manager who will grow the engagement opportunities for older people in Bolton and develop new activities and ways of working ahead of the Octagon’s multimillion pound redevelopment being completed in spring 2020. Vicki Brown Head of Creative Engagement at the Octagon Theatre, said: “This funding from the National Lottery Community Fund is an exciting opportunity for us to reach out into the older communities in Bolton. Hundreds of elderly people are vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation which can have a serious effect on health. We are extremely pleased that the Octagon can grow its older engagement work and begin to build relationships, collaborate with other service providers and reduce loneliness among older people in Bolton." Deadline for ReAct Producer/Project Manager applications is Monday 12 August.