Never too old

I joined Spare Tyre eight years ago, not knowing quite what to expect. What I found was a programme of weekly workshops with people aged from their mid-sixties to early eighties. Every so often we would link up with a group of adults with learning disabilities. Our facilitators worked with us once a week for five hours for the equivalent of a school term and, without exception, they were experienced and able to develop our skills and bring out the best in us. More often than not, we would come away from the training having achieved something that amazed us. And these experiences seemed ephemeral, seen only by us then gone forever. But not quite. Usually at the end of the ‘term’ we would perform for family and friends and showcase what we had learned. And then there were the big productions done for the public. We performed ‘Trojan Women’ four times at different open-air venues and best of all the week-long production of ‘Still Life Dreaming’ at the Edinburgh Fringe.

More often than not, we would come away from the training having achieved something that amazed us

When I joined Spare Tyre I was already an experienced writer but I had never worked on drama. Now I had the chance, working on little pieces for the group and then writing a film script which was performed, filmed and edited by the group. With the confidence I gained, I was able to write two hour-long plays for a group of talented school students and senior members of the community. Then Spare Tyre challenged me to write a play for them. I was given a writing mentor who showed me the basics and met me three times to go over what I had written. I was given a director and three actors for a day and was able to see what the play would be like. I knew then that it was going to work. And that’s what a writer needs – realistic encouragement. Finally, we were given a professional director and actors who rehearsed and put on the play in three community theatre venues. Once Spare Tyre decided to get involved in a production, you could be confident that it would demand the highest standards and would find the money from its very limited budget.

I am now working on a fourth play. After all this, I didn’t have any choice when I was invited to become a Spare Tyre trustee. I had the skills needed (gained from a lifetime of serving on and chairing committees) and I also have the inside knowledge from being a member of its company of artists. I could put that point of view to the trustees but was detached enough to be objective when difficult decisions had to be made.

At the moment I feel optimistic that Spare Tyre will continue to contribute to the wellbeing of older people by providing them with the opportunity to develop their creative skills. Older people benefit enormously from involvement in the arts. I don’t care whether it is singing, dancing, painting or drama. Older people are often living alone, with health difficulties, and hard-up. They need the intellectual and emotional wellbeing that participation in the arts brings. We in Spare Tyre will persevere with our mission to give a voice to marginalised people in our society.

Jim Mulligan is a writer and trustee of Spare Tyre.
sparetyre.org