Age Concern recently hosted a beading session under instruction from Canbead volunteers at the Linden Community Hub with 24 people attending including Stephen Opie and Kirsten Blyde from Age Concern. The Community Hub meeting is a monthly gathering following the regular Steady as You Go sessions.
CanBead was inspired by Sarah Clifford who was given a set of beading equipment to occupy her during radiation treatment. Beading provided not only distraction and recreation but also a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Her creations were auctioned, and the proceeds used by the Cancer Society to establish CanBead. For more information go to:
https://www.canbead.org.nz/our-story.html
Their aim is to give others affected by illness, trauma or loss the same help that Sarah was given. They hold free workshops showing others how to create jewellery. Each workshop member is given a bead kit.
Both Stephen and Kirsten and the others attending thoroughly enjoyed the session where there was an introduction to beading and instructions on the basics. All made a decorative heart shape from their individual sets of beads. As Kirsty Jackson from CanBead commented, “We all enjoyed it and we know the joy that the participants derived has a flow-on effect – they will show their creations to others, tell them how much fun it was, and give pieces away, and so on.”
Thank you Kirsty for a lovely afternoon!
Pictured above: participant Judith enjoying making a heart out of beads