Online Tea Tasting

A series of online workshops devised specifically for elderly residents in independent living facilities, which took place during lockdown. Activities Assistant Chloe Moreton, developed a heritage based well-being workshop around tea. Residents were given a pack with tea bags, a score card, some instructions and met online over zoom. 

Tutoring time and safeguarding visits were conducted to get residents onto zoom for the very first time in most cases. 

The workshop centred around the story of Tordoff’s Tea, a local tea merchant based in Bradford who traded tea in Bradford and London and which was sold in many stores in Thornton. 

The tea’s provided had different qualities and health benefits. Residents were able to break off into discussion about the tea and catch up with each other. The sessions  provided some prompt for conversation, during a time when most residents had been indoors isolating since the new year.

The sessions continued for 3 weeks so that the group could continue meeting socially on zoom, whilst the lockdown continued, and improve their confidence using video conferencing to meet. 

All residents had never before used video conferencing prior to the workshop and some found new confidence in using technology. Two residents, who were sisters, had not seen each other in person in over 12 months.