Over the past year, we have been developing a range of new projects in partnership with our local communities, helping us to welcome a wider and more diverse audience to the Old Rectory. Many of these initiatives are supported by external funding, allowing us to reach more people and explore new ways of working.
We are keen to continue building partnerships, hearing fresh ideas, and securing funding from a variety of sources to support this work.
If you’re interested in working with us at the Old Rectory, or have an idea for how we might collaborate, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Lois Albans, our Outreach, Learning and Engagement Manager, at olem@epwortholdrectory.org.uk
Our Reminiscence Café
Using funding awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund we have developed a monthly Reminiscence Café for people living with dementia and their families and friends.
At our friendly sessions hosted in the Granary at the Old Rectory from 1pm to 3pm on the last Thursday in the month (apart from December), we welcome people with a cup of tea and a slice of cake to chat, explore interesting themes from the past using our ‘Discovery Boxes’, help create garden planting by sowing seeds and talking about flowers and plants that hold fond memories, plus crafting, stories and more.
Our Memory Gardens
Our Memory Garden Project has been a particular joy in 2025, where Reminiscence Café participants used poetry to inspire their recollections, plant seeds and sow flowers and herbs in accessible raised beds. This project was funded by Epworth Town Council and was supported by our enthusiastic team of Garden Volunteers.
Our next project for 2026 is being funded by Methodist Women in Britain Social and Community Grant / Heritage Fund, The National Archives Community Fund and The Royal Society Places of Science Fund and is entitled Creative Communities. Amongst a range of work, we will be creating a new sensory garden with our Reminiscence Café participants, who will also be taking part in a foraging session with Trudy Norris, FNIMH, MBACP, P.G.C.E – Counsellor, Medical Herbalist, Horticultural Therapist, to enjoy an afternoon of scent, texture and visual engagement.
2026 dates for our café are:
Thursday 23rd April
Thursday 28th May
Thursday 25th June
Thursday 23rd July
Thursday 27th August
Thursday 24th September
Thursday 29th October
Thursday 26th November
Wednesday 16th December
Our Migrant Communities
In 2025, we welcomed 3 groups of women from North Lincolnshire Sanctuary in Scunthorpe, who had come to the UK from Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey. Our sessions in November, again funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, saw us hosting have-a-go traditional crafting, such as soap ball making, drop-spinning and needlecraft, as well as a day creating willow angels.
Using additional funding from Methodist Women in Britain, and the National Archives Community Fund we are once again hosting these women in 2026, to take part in garden projects in our new John Wesley Physick Garden, more willow weaving and also foraging sessions with Trudy Norris.
