Royal Hospital patients enjoy a Shakespearean visit thanks to the Big Lottery Fund

Howard Lake | 30 May 2006 | Newswire

As well as the therapists, nurses, friends and family normally on the wards of the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, patients have also been enjoying visits from a more unusual group.
Over the last three weeks, actors and actresses from professional theatre company, Ladder to the Moon, have been performing their own interactive version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to patients, staff and relatives.
As part of a nine-month project funded by the Big Lottery Fund, six hospitals across South West London have benefited from the company’s interactive performances, designed to engage patients by bringing them a stimulus outside of the every day.
Anne Fenech, is the International Fellow in Recreational and Leisure Activities at the hospital, and has attended each of the theatre sessions. The patients have really enjoyed having Ladder to the Moon in the hospital.” Says Fenech.
The performances engaged patients entirely. To begin with most just watched what was happening, but by halfway through the placement, they were playing musical instruments or acting as characters in the play!”
According to Ladder to the Moon Artistic Director, Chris Gage, this reaction is not unusual, and is the purpose of the programme. Over the past three years we have run seven residential projects in healthcare settings, but this is the first working with people with Neuro-disabilities.” Says Gage.
The interactive nature of our performances means that characters spend a lot of time communicating with patients and involving them in story lines. The positive reaction we have seen at the Royal Hospital is representative of the whole programme, which is why we feel that this is such an important aspect of our work and a project to continue bringing to those in hospital.”
Ladder to the moon is a registered charity and is currently looking for new partners and support funding. For more information on how you can help, please contact Artistic Director Chris Gage on 020 7228 9700 or email ch***@la*************.uk
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For more information contact Royal Hospital Press and PR Officer Sarah Wilson on 0208 785 7844 or sw*****@rh*.uk

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.