Westgate Foundation Digital TV – ‘Staying Connected’ Project Westgate Foundation has now rolled out a new project called Staying Connected and it is centered around connecting with our clients, members ,residents and service users through delivering live streamed and recorded programmes from Westgate that people can access at home. Just before Christmas 2021 we received funding through Comic Relief to partner with Cork Community Media Hub to train some of our staff team in Westgate to produce and film in-house programmes and we also received funding to purchase some IT devices (laptops, tablets and phones) that we can loan out to our clients and members at home. We are also partnering with Age Action Ireland who can provide over the phone training to people at home in getting connected and learning to use their IT devices. We invited a pilot group of residents, members and clients to participate in the project over 6 weeks which commenced on the week beginning April 13th . [Read More] Over the course of that 6 weeks they were offered the opportunity to connect with Age Action’s training programme and also to connect into two live or recorded broadcasts per week from Westgate Foundation. They included craft demonstrations, talks on items of interest, music performances , social chat get togethers and a range of other programmes that you think would be of interest. They had also the opportunity to join in our choir, art, drama and movement/exercise classes through zoom. Throughout the six weeks we they were invited to give us feedback on their experience of the programme, including any difficulties they were experiencing with the IT side of things, the content of the programmes themselves and any suggestions that they had on how we can make the programmes more interesting and also their feedback on the quality of the programmes in terms of sound, lighting etc.,. We had excellent feedback and we used the feedback to improve the programme and then launched the programme in June and to offered it to the wider group of our clients, members, residents and service users. We know how lonely it is for so many people being confined to home all day and we are hoping that this project is a way of easing that loneliness by creating an opportunity to see familiar faces and to participate in enjoyable activities. We would be delighted if you would be interested in participating in the rental scheme and this programme. If you are interested please ring 021-4873648 and we will follow up with a phone call to you over the coming week to explain the details of the project further. Westgate Foundation ‘Staying Connected’ Project Team’
MIC – Music in the Community live at Westgate. Bringing the uplifting powers of Music to Cork Community and Healthcare organisations. The groups origin is based on the diverse musical backgrounds of its founders, grounded in the wish to use music to bring communities closer together-
Westgate Digital TV Channel – Staying connected videoed the Lord Mayor Cllr Joe Kavanagh and his wife Stephanie Kavanagh the Lady Mayoress as they visited Westgate as part of the Lady Mayoress coffee trial. Thank you for the lovely speeches. We all enjoyed a lovely afternoon outside and it was so good to welcome representatives of our DayCare clients, Residents, Meals on wheels recipients and Social and active retirement group back to a socially distanced afternoon of tea, chat, delicious cakes and the honour and pleasure of the company of the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress.
Music in the community visiting Westgate service users during the lockdown in 2021/2022.
Home Video – Potting plants with CNM1 Tricia Noonan
Westgate Foundation are delighted to be part of this year’s Cork Lifelong Learning Festival. The Drama Group performed three Mini-Dramas written by two of its members much to the delight of the audience. A very enjoyable afternoon was had by all, demonstrating the talent, hard work and dedication to learning by Westgate Drama members. @Cork LifelongLearningFestival @corkETB – 8th April 2022
Our Clients and staff were so happy to see Kevin back at Westgate. what an afternoon of music and entertainment. Thank you Kevin
What a exciting week we had here at Westgate, a visit by the Easter bunny handing out easter eggs, music from Kevin MacSweeney and Easter Arts and crafts created by our clients with Erika. Happy Easter everyone. Have a lovely relaxing day
A selection of Keyboard melodies from staff member Tony. We shot these clips during the lockdown in 2021. Hope you enjoy the lovely music.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from all of us at Westgate. St. Patrick’s Day 2021
The Ricotti Orchestra from Amsterdam visited our centre last Weds, 14th of August.
It was a brilliant memorable afternoon for everyone and especially for our Daycare Clients, residents and membersThank you all so much to our Westgate staff, who got the centre ready and who gave a very warm welcome to 50 musicians and their organisers. Such great team work and goodwill.
The musicians told us they felt so welcomed here, that the audience participation
was fantastic for them and that they loved coming here.
Such a peaceful, tranquil morning of Harp music in our DayCare centre. Cruit Éireann, Harp Ireland, is a collective of harp players working together to promote our national instrument, gain recognition for its unique status and secure its sustainability. Enabling inclusive contemporary expression of our 1000-year-old harp tradition is at the heart of what they do.
Home video – Baking at Home – Nell Honohan
How to create an email address within Gmail – Angela Murphy
We had so much fun this week filming our staff and members for our St. Patrick’s Day video. Our staff turned into leprechauns for the day. We filmed a lovely speech from our CEO Julie Murphy and our Social Activities members Michael Kiely and Dympna Canny reciting the poem “Anois Teacht an Earraigh” ( “Spring is now coming”). The beautiful song “Mo Ghile Mear” (translated “My Gallant Darling”) is sung by Helen O Donaghue and Pauline Carroll. A very happy St. Patrick’s day from Brendan Collins and all the social groups. A huge thank you to all our staff for participating in the making of this video.
Face Mask Tutorial – Mary Donnelly
Wellbeing demonstration – Tricia Noonan and Mary Donnelly
Hand washing and Sanitizing Demonstration – Tricia Noonan
How to make an Easter Bonnet – Orlagh Greene
Recorded Live at Westgate – Tommy Holmes (during lockdown)
Westgate Foundation reopening Video July 2021
Live at Westgate Foundation – Charlie Ward (during lockdown)
We were so blessed to get a visit from Cruit Eireann to our DayCare center. Such a peaceful, tranquil morning of Harp music. Cruit Éireann, Harp Ireland, is a collective of harp players working together to promote our national instrument, gain recognition for its unique status and secure its sustainability. Enabling inclusive contemporary expression of our 1000-year-old harp tradition is at the heart of what they do.