Africa comes to Salford care home

AFRICA was brought to a care home in Salford when a community group showcased their traditions, festivals, and culture for elderly residents and staff.

Members of the Moonraker Foundation, which is based in Leigh, performed at Alderwood Care Home, on Simpson Road, Worsley, when they showcased African music, dance, costumes, and food.

Wearing traditional ceremonial dress, five performers played instruments and danced for the assembled audience.

Two residents joined in part-way through, when Denise Latham, 71, started dancing and Doris Jennings, 93, played a drum.

The residents also enjoyed an African arts and crafts session earlier in the week, where they coloured and decorated pictures and masks, ahead of the Foundation’s visit.

Ann Connor, 81, a resident at the care home, said: “Wow. What a show. The dancing was brilliant. They were so fast. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them.”

Angela De Mascia, home manager at Alderwood Care Home, said: “It was a fabulous afternoon. Something really different for the residents and staff. Everyone loved it.

“All week the residents had been doing African arts and crafts and it was displayed, ready for the show, for The Moonraker Foundation members to see.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to all five members for visiting Alderwood Care Home and giving everyone an amazing insight into such a vibrant and fascinating culture.”

The African heritage project from The Moonraker Foundation aims to raise awareness of African festivals and how they have changed from the 1980s-2000s, capturing and demonstrating memories and knowledge of these historical traditions.

A spokesperson for the Foundation said: “The type of workshops, music, and performances that we do help to raise awareness of the African culture and break down racial barriers.

“The activities also encourage harmony, tolerance, and a positive knowledge of different cultures. We do this by getting people involved in a way that is fun, active, and enduring.”