How Fegg Hayes is Redefining Community Through Creativity
In Fegg Hayes, (Stoke-on-Trent) a new approach to creative ageing is transforming how older people connect, create, and feel seen in their community. The Creative Ageing Living Lab was developed through a partnership between The Keele Institute for Social Inclusion (KISI), New Vic Theatre Education Department, the Ages and Stages Company of Elders, and the Fegg Hayes Futures Hub, with vital support from Creative Ageing Development Agency (CADA).
The project began by listening. Using a storytelling methodology developed by the Old Fire Station – and strongly supported by CADA as a model for placing lived experience at the centre – five residents aged 50+ shared their personal reflections on community, inclusion, and the concept of a ‘Warm Welcome’. These stories revealed both the strengths of local connection and the barriers many still face, especially in accessing cultural spaces.
Working with the New Vic and the Ages and Stages Company of Elders, the stories were developed into a script-in-hand theatre performance. Drawing directly from anonymised quotes, the resulting 30-minute play explored what a ‘Warm Welcome’ really means. The cast added their own experiences, creating a shared, powerful narrative performed at the Fegg Hayes Futures Hub to an audience of residents and local partners.
Post-show discussions revealed key themes: the emotional impact of inclusion, the lasting damage of poor access or insensitive treatment, and the need for cultural spaces to go beyond surface-level gestures of welcome. The performance encouraged deep reflection from both performers and audience members on how to build more genuinely inclusive environments.
As one cast member shared, “This project made me realise how important a warm welcome really is and how small things can make a big difference.” Another participant reflected, “From a place and people that often feel forgotten… this project amplified our voice and reminded us that what we do here matters.”
Five learning themes emerged: the power of human connection; the importance of access (physical and social); the strength of collective community effort; the persistence of stigma; and the danger of social silos. Participants spoke of feeling overlooked – yet also of hope, pride, and a desire to change.
The project sparked recommendations for future work: using the play as a training tool, expanding the storytelling approach, and embedding creativity into the area’s new Cultural Quarter. With CADA’s support, the work will also contribute to national frameworks such as the Age Friendly Standards, and builds new qualitative insights into the barriers older people face when accessing culture.
At its heart, the Creative Ageing Living Lab – with guidance from CADA and funding from KISI/UKRI has shown that listening, storytelling, and co-creation can turn everyday experiences into meaningful change, one warm welcome at a time.
Creative Ageing: Development & Agency 