Cinderstella Maris

Stella Maris kicked off the Christmas cheer at the start of December by putting up the Christmas trees with both staff and service users taking part which turned out to be a great laugh.  To help the Christmas cheer around the hostel staff held Christmas activities all through out the month of December. The activities ranged from making Christmas decorations and cards, to Christmas baking and movie nights. All residents took part and really enjoyed themselves. We even had the heart chest and stroke team in pampering our service users for Christmas getting painted nails, haircuts and massages to prepare them for Christmas festivities so they didn't feel stressed.

After a fun and somewhat disorganised few days of rehearsals Cinderstella was ready to go. We had a few minor last minute hiccups on the day, but it all came good in the end!!

The performance of Cinderstella was based flexibly around the principles of Forum Theatre which encourages the audience or 'spectactors' to participate in the show by helping the protagonist with his / her dilemma. In Stella's case, they had to help Cinderstella get to the ball. The Ugly Sisters were stopping her because she had broken some conditions of the project and the audience had to help her negotiate so she could go to the ball!

Cinderstella did go to the ball, Elvis supplied the music and everyone enjoyed the show.

The service users at Stella love nothing more than a good disco so following the performance of Cinderstella, what better activity to have on to entertain our CEO Kerry Anthony during her annual Christmas visit.  Residents pulled some dance moves on the floor with Kerry and presented her with a beautiful Mosaic which residents had worked hard on all of December.

Stella service users also had their annual Christmas activities which they couldn't do with out as they enjoy them so much. The coffee morning was a great success again and as always service users loved the sing song evening with sister Nuala.  Service users state this is the best part every year as sister Nuala makes the communal room so cosy and homely and sing carol songs in candle light.

Service users also choose a charity every Christmas and this year service users raised money and bought toys for a local charity who gave them to families who were in need.

On Christmas morning all the residents at Stella appeared to be really happy and in good cheer. They were very grateful for the presents they had received; some were really excited opening them. They expressed they would like to hear Christmas music which we then played and we all sang along. The service users also enjoyed the visits from the chief executive Kerry Anthony, sister Nuala, hostel manager Debbie and the deputy manager of Drive Ahead project Stephen, they enjoyed talking with them.

The Christmas dinner also went very well with the help of some lovely volunteers, the food and the atmosphere was enjoyable.

A few quotes from service users & staff about Cinderstella and the Christmas festivities:

• It was really good fun. - Muriel
• I enjoyed taking part as Cinderstella and I'm glad everyone enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to the next big performance. - Paul
• It was enjoyable and hysterical and it was well planned and set out considering it was our first time and we hadn't much time to prepare for it. Everybody who came to see it seemed to enjoy it. I thought I played the part of Diabolical Debbie well and I'm up for doing a bigger and better show next time- Alan
• A different class. - Derek
• Brilliant! I enjoyed it. Good craic. - Davey
• Good participation, enthusiastic and entertaining. Pamela, project worker

*Thanks to all who helped make Christmas so special in Stella this year. 

**Thanks also to the Katherine & the team in Stella for sharing their Christmas stories!