TRADITIONAL Christmas decorations – including festive wreaths – were recreated with a contemporary twist, at a workshop at Haslemere Museum last week.

The event was led by the museum’s artist in residence Diana Burch, and education officer Kay Topping, and sponsored by Haslemere Decorative and Fine Arts Society, through its new ’Arts in the Community’ programme.

Residents from care homes and clients of The Hunter Centre for those with dementia, also joined in the fun.

“The event was really lovely, with a very relaxing atmosphere and great conversation,” Kay said. “One word that kept coming up was therapeutic.”

HDFAS committee member Isabelle Cole added: “The traditional Christmas decoration of Victorian times was the inspiration, using everyday recycled materials imaginatively re-invented and then given some special Christmas sparkle.

“The society is a charity, whose aim is to provide ’Art for All’, and the past 50 years it has sought to support everybody, young and old, to engage in the arts through encouragement and education.

“Understanding art as a source of well-being for everybody, and perhaps especially for those who are lonely and/or isolated, means residents from local homes for the elderly and The Hunter Centre were invited to participate, along with everybody else, to join in the fun and all the creativity and companionship.”