Wellbeing Projects

UpShoot partners with the Restoration Trust: http://restorationtrust.org.uk/ working on culture therapy projects promoting improved wellbeing, focused on heritage, archives, green spaces and the natural environment, Dr Hills Casebook is one such project. Other projects UpShoot has supported and connected with include Burgh Castle Almanac, here is the link to a film on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODVpf0bwVQI

UpShoot Theatre Company is dedicated to producing high quality, accessible theatre that can be enjoyed by all. 

We are committed to the promotion of community wellbeing through involvement in performance art, culture and heritage activities.

We work with the creativity and enthusiasm of local people and communities to create theatre in different spaces and places,
involving the communities that connect with these spaces and places. 

We produce a range of work, including original and locally based stories, community theatre, commissioned professional work

and projects for people with shared experiences such as mental health, homelessness and addiction.  

Laila Choat and Darren France lead on most of UpShoot’s theatre making activity, recruiting and commissioning other arts practitioners when
required. Both Laila and Darren have previously worked in health and social care, predominantly in the secondary mental health arena. Laila worked in both
the voluntary sector and for the NHS Trust in direct support roles in Supported Housing, Peer Support and Crisis Prevention Services; Darren worked for a
national charity developing and delivering health and social care services in the mental health sector, his positions included Mental Health Support Worker,
Community Team Manager, Service User Involvement Lead and Development Manager working across Norfolk and Suffolk.   

UpShoot have collaborated with arts, heritage and health organisations to deliver performance arts projects that specifically focus on improved health
& wellbeing. We have also developed and delivered drama activities for young people in care, in special residential schools, women’s refuges and
homeless communities.

Developing work in collaboration with communities, peer groups and people with shared experiences we have explored a number of social and health
issues, some of our objectives have been:

• ·       To offer people with lived experience of mental ill health opportunities to be involved in creative and cultural
  activities that educate communities, shape opinion and ‘change minds’

• ·       To educate audiences and communities

• ·       Facilitate access to theatre making for people recovering from mental ill health, creating performance that allow them to share
  their stories and experiences with communities

• ·       Demonstrating what people with mental health difficulties can contribute to heritage

• ·       Make historic archives accessible to communities and show how they can benefit all people  

• 
  We are committed to the continuing development of our work that involves people who would often not be able to access involvement in theatre arts activities.

  We seek funding where possible to facilitate projects and a good deal of voluntary and community support and involvement.

Burgh Castle Almanac is an archaeology, creativity and wellbeing programme, based at the Roman Fort in Burgh Castle and Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth.

This is a really inspiring documentary about The Restoration Trust's brilliant Burgh Castle Almanac project. Please watch - it has done what you hope all arts projects in the community do - really been transformative and there for its participants - not just for a week, five weeks, but for 3 years. It's fabulous and feels like family.

UpShoot Theatre are very proud to have contributed to this project.