30 Stories of Family Arts:
Oxford Playhouse

Through weekly 45-minute phone chats over a period of 6 weeks Tea Talks encouraged reminiscence/storytelling, companionship, non-digital participation and informal cross-generational conversations. Calls were structured around the theme of travel & adventure after recognising recurring stories in conversations.

For those that were able, the Playhouse facilitated both group and 1-to-1 sessions on Zoom to develop a radio play. Of the twenty eight original participants, sixteen continued and contributed creatively to the radio play.

For those that weren’t computer-literate, contributions were recorded over the phone. From Oxford Around the World and Back Again, a radio piece, was recorded remotely and featured stories told by the participants. The piece was released in December 2021.

This project reached a range of older people with an inclusive approach to social wellbeing. It also offered the chance for participants to be listened to and develop skills in storytelling they might not otherwise have enjoyed.

Oxford Playhouse has been shortlisted for Best Age-Friendly Outreach in the 2022 Fantastic for Families Awards. Winners will be announced on 16 November 2022 in the free online awards ceremony.

You can discover all 30 Stories of Family Arts here. If you’d like to discover more fantastic organisations that meet our Family Arts Standards or Age-Friendly Standards explore the Fantastic for Families Directory.