Pink Rooster

Join us for this one off special fundraising event celebrating the work of Northamptonshire poet John Clare. We present readings of some of Clare's most famous poems read by Dr Mike Scanlan and Isobel Scanlan with a special musical set dedicated to John Clare performed by our very special guest, award-winning folk musician Jon Boden (Bellowhead / Spiers & Boden / Remnant Kings). Jon is the lead singer, multi instrumentalist and one of the principal arrangers of the multi award- winning Bellowhead one of the most exciting live acts of recent years. Over twelve years Bellowhead achieved a level of critical and commercial success unmatched by any other band working in English traditional music in the last three decades. Jon has become the stand out performer of his generation. Our event is a fundraiser for local charity Pink Rooster to support our creative arts and therapy work with people living with life limiting mental and physical health challenges.

Join Lisa Shefchick (Wellbeing & Self-Nurture Guide) for this Self-Nurture Session where the invitation is to explore the theme of 'Movement as Medicine.' The session guides you through a nurturing blend of rest, nourishing movement and connection following the framework of a gentle somatic/embodied movement practise called Qoya. Experience meditation, oracle cards, gentle/free movement, yoga, moving from your head and into the wisdom of your body and of course space for deep relaxation. Qoya is based on the idea that through movement we remember the part of us that is just like nature - wise, wild and free. During this class you are invited to explore the theme of the class and whether moving in a way that feels good in your body can help you to reconnect to a deeper wisdom within? No previous experience required. Come as you are, leave as more of who are.

Free – from slower, rhythmic movement, connecting into moving the body in the way it wants to be moved, enjoying the feeling of moving the body. Every Qoya class has a theme this month we will be exploring ‘Free’ What does it feel like to be free? What are the internal and external factors that prevent us from feeling free? During this class you are invited to explore your unique relationship to the theme and notice how it feels to tune into the body and move in a free and nourishing way, listening to what you need and following that feeling. This class is all about remembering the gift of movement that feels good, honouring the body that wants to move, and feeling the freedom to move in unique ways and notice that through this remembering you can apply this sense of following what feels good to other areas of your life.

Wild – from the creative expression of dance. This is not dancing to perform or about what it looks like. In Qoya we move the body to express feeling, you know how children move and dance their bodies in a wild, expressive, and carefree way. How often do we feel that we can truly and fully express ourselves? Where are we holding back through fear or conforming to expectations and routines? This class invites you to explore through movement the part of you that is just like nature…wild. Think of a rose as it is about to reach full bloom…it doesn’t stop because it feels too much, nature fully expresses its unique gift and beauty. The invitation is to explore your unique relationship with the theme ‘Wild’. How does it feel in your body? How does your body want to express this part of you? There are no levels in Qoya and absolutely no way you can do it wrong. The focus is less on how the movement looks and more on how it feels.

Our new Social Circus Project is an eight-week course for participants of all ages. Social Circus shows the power of the arts as a tool for human development and social change linking the process of learning to physical activity where the learner has to feel or move in order to learn more effectively. This course is designed to engage and help participants learn valuable new skills and crafts whilst taking part in new activities in a fun and supportive environment. At the end of the series of activities, participants will help organise a community event/performance to present their newly acquired skills.

Qoya is, movement, with meaning and it is based on the idea that through movement we remember the parts of us that are just like Nature – wise, wild, and free. Every Qoya class has a theme and the theme we will be exploring this month is 'WISE'. This Qoya class invites you to explore whether through movement you can remember the part of you that is ‘Wise’ an opportunity to move beyond the surface of your thoughts and tap into the deeper wisdom of the body. Modern life can create a sense of rushing through life, caught in the patterns and habits, spending so much time up in our heads. However, there is a deeper wisdom available to all of us if we are willing to take a breath to slow down and notice how the body feels.

Northampton mental health charity 'Pink Rooster' invites you to the wonderful theatre at Northampton High School for an evening celebrating Northampton poet John Clare with Jon Boden (Bellowhead & Spiers and Boden), Robin Hillman and Nick Penny Headlining our show is highly acclaimed folk musician Jon Boden who will be performing a John Clare inspired set to round the evening off. Actor Robin Hillman will be portraying John Clare in his one-man play 'I Am John Clare'. The scene is set as we join John Clare (seen as one of the great English writers of pastoral poetry and that of rural life) on the night of March 8th, 1860, in his chambers in Northampton Asylum. The evening will feature live nature recordings and the beautiful sounds of Paraguayan harpist Nick Penny and a special guest appearance of Graham Breeze who is a direct descendent of John Clare. An evening to inspire, educate, entertain and remember