Keep It Going! Become a Hubbub Agent of Kindness

Aim

Support Hubbub Theatre's at-home Summer Festival programme enabling access to the arts for Learning Disabled people across the East Midlands

Hi there! I'm Jen Sumner, the Artistic Director of Hubbub Theatre.

We are a company of learning disabled and non-disabled performers who create engaging and accessible physical theatre, using movement and original music to tell human stories. We offer workshops in Learning Disabled organisations and SEND schools, as well as in mainstreams schools, arts venues & businesses. We promote positivity as #AgentsOfKindness - undercover spies who seek to make the world better together.

From the start of lockdown, we launched ‘Hubbub At Home’ with regular workshops, rehearsals and performance-sharing which have been a lifeline for participants and their carers. 

It has kept our more vulnerable participants safe, and allowed us to share our work online! Our Actor Trainees have kept their performance skills sharp. We have combated the anxieties social isolation creates with regular online movement for wellbeing & creative classes, phone conversations, at-home activities and by championing ways into wellbeing. Our participants & their carers have considered us ‘a little miracle.’ 

However, we're aware that as restrictions ease, many more vulnerable people are at major risk of being left without connection to express their feelings and maintain relationships as they need to continue to shield.

Recent reports by The Office for National Statistics highlighted that one in 10 adults with a disability reported often or always felt lonely in the past week – compared with one in 20 non-disabled adults.

We are therefore expanding the ‘Hubbub at Home’ concept with an online Summer Festival of events for people with learning disabilities, their families and carers to enjoy. This will include drop in sessions for dance, drama, music, puppetry and an online Summer Dance Party hosted by Hubbub actors. We need to raise £1000 to make our summer activity possible!

Our aim is to offer an accessible and safe way to bring together people who are wanting to connect ,with a range of virtual activities that will help them feel happier and healthier – combating feelings of loneliness, isolation, anxiety and depression in these turbulent times. 

Hubbub Theatre creates a sense of community amongst its Actors and participants – overcoming the loss of togetherness that has been distressing for many.

Every pound you donate will go towards paying to run our workshops, supporting our talented freelance facilitators and team who reach up to 2,000 individuals a year in the East Midlands with our work. It will pay for our at home craft materials, spreading acts of kindness and hope amongst our community. It will support our talented Learning Disabled actors to co-lead workshop sessions & improve their confidence.

We will reward your kindness by making you an honorary #AgentofKindness too, with personalised thank you cards, videos, songs & certificates.

Thank you!

This project successfully funded on 18th September 2020