Friday is Do Something Different Day and we have plenty of free events for you to enjoy across the Bay!
Research has shown that participation in art and culture helps people live longer healthier lives.
Highlights of today include, dancing in the street, back on your bike in the velo park, walking in the woods, portrait painting, street art for grandparents, singing and songwriting, craft (and more craft!), making and handling objects old and new, philosophy, swimming and even trees that connect you to other people!
Today “Go somewhere different, try something different and surprise yourself…”
Are you holding an event? Advertise it! Download our free event poster here:
Event listings Friday 2nd October
Listening Trees – Locations Brunel Woods, Tessier Gardens, Torquay, Palace Avenue Gardens in Paignton and Battery Gardens in Brixham.
8.30am-6pm
Event leaders Kaleider & Mercurial Wrestler
Listening Trees connect strangers as they ponder the world going by. A gentle interruption to the everyday, they are a gift of connection with another.
Attached to a wooden seat underneath a magnificent tree is a beautiful horn, like that of a gramophone. As soon as someone sits down their seat becomes connected to another seat, where another person is sitting. They can talk to one another through the horn for as long or as briefly as they wish. As soon as they leave their seat they break the connection. Sitting down again will not connect them to the same person – but to another, randomly selected seat, where someone else is sitting.
Free event
Get on your Bike – All day event, Torbay Velopark, Paignton
Event led by Torbay Council
Free access to bikes for older people and a session with the ‘Get on your Bike’ instructor.
Bead Factory
Johanna Korndorfer and Mandy Biscoe
Venue will be Brixham Scala Market, 2-4pm
Crafts workshop with ceramic beads – take away a bracelet of beads and make new beads for others to enjoy. Also features artwork by Teign School students.
Free event
Graffiti Grandparents
David Andrews
Venue Fore Street, Brixham 10.30am-4pm
Graffiti workshop – drop in to create a street art mural. Inspired by nature
David Andrews is a graphic designer and artist who paints under the name of And At What Cost, he specialises in large and small scale street art. His background and experience in mixed media, graphic design and Scherenschnitte (paper-cutting) influences his street artwork; using multi-layered stencils and acrylic spray-paint in a range of vibrant colours. Many of David’s current pieces are linked to science and nature, a theme which continues to inspire him.
Free event
Get Moving or shall we dance?
Clare Parker / Dance in Devon
Locations across the Bay,10am-5pm
Dance artist and muscian tour 4 public locations with mobile ‘have a go’ dance workshop, a must for all to try!
Look out for the mobile dance workshop which will pop up all over Torbay to get everyone dancing! We want to surprise and delight you in public spaces invite you to get dancing and have a bit of a social!
A spangled dance artist and brilliant musician will set up the dance floor at a range of indoor and outdoor locations throughout Torbay. It’s a chance to learn the jive, tango, waltz; do a bit of ‘dad’ dancing or simply to strut your stuff!
Join us for a cup of tea and a dance. No previous experience is necessary and the event is open to all ages. Come on your own, bring a friend, your family or your whole neighbourhood!
To find out more and get details of times and venues, please contact Dance in Devon.
Tel: 01803 868116
Email: torbaychampion@danceindevon.org.uk
Website: www.danceindevon.org.uk
Free event

Guided Stroll, Tessier Gardens
Tessier Gardens 10am-12pm
Tessier Gardens is an a green oasis given to the people of Babbacombe & St. Marychurch over eighty years ago, for the quiet enjoyment of adults. We have received a number of awards including the prestigious Green Flag. We are also privileged to have been given the first Torbay Dementia Action Alliance, Purple Angel Award for a dementia friendly park.
Come and enjoy a guided stroll through our tranquil Gardens and refreshments in neighbouring Furrough Cross Church on Friday 2nd October between 10am & noon. We’d be pleased to meet you and show you this hidden gem! Please come to the main entrance on Lindridge Road or to Furrough Cross Church.
Contact the TGFG Secretary Anne Brooks on 07952 044305 or email annebrooks2@virginmedia.com if you would like further details or to join the Friends Group.
Grow the Good Life
Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust
Venue Occombe Farm, time 10.00-12.00
Get fit and garden in our Occombe Organic Vegetable Garden, join our gardener in tasks in our garden, learn new skills, meet new people and enjoy the outdoors.
Free event
Access to Community Education Taster Day
Robert Boyd
Adult Learning College Brixham, 10am – 12pm
Taster of different classes
Gardening
Call 08000 380123 to reserve a space
Free event
Introduction to Abstract Painting – 9am – 4pm, Artizan Gallery
With artist Andy Cairns
Two sessions 9.00 am to 12.00noon or 1.00pm to 4.00pm
at the Artizan Gallery, 7 Lucius St, Torquay TQ2 5UW
A half day introduction to abstract painting, exploring colour, composition and texture.
No previous experienced needed – jus an open mind and sense of fun!
All materials provided (but bring an apron or old shirt – it WILL get messy!).
Free event
Wheelchair/light aerobics session 10am-11am Torbay Leisure Centre
Event led by Mark Pearsell/Torbay Council
Wheelchair light aerobics session
Free event for over 50s
Walking Football – 11am-12pm Torbay Leisure Centre
Event led by Torbay Council
Try the sport that is taking the world by storm, walking football!
Free event for over 50s
Postcard Portraits – 10am-4pm (up to 10 people per hour), The Harbour Works, Torquay
Event led by Eileen Jackman
Participatory impressionist portrait workshop, drawing session to make a portrait postcard from a black & white photograph of participants in the group.
Original portrait drawings to be kept for future exhibitions, but takeaway copies will be available.
Book in advance through phone or email directly with The Harbour Works
Community Rail Festival
Torquay Station, 10am-1pm
Torquay Station Community Rail Festival
Rail passengers on the morning of 2nd October will be entertained by the Robert Owen Communities Samba Band, and have the chance to buy mini potted palms, books and cakes. If you live in Torquay please pop in and join in the fun!
Free event
The Friday Sewcial – 10am – 4pm, St Andrews Church, Paignton
Event led by Aly Lazell, The Craft Works
Range of have a go projects to develop sewing skills, all set in a 1940s style sewing bee with a ‘make do and mend’ ethos.
Free event
Hymn Cafe – 10.30am – 12pm Paignton Baptist Church
Event led by Rev David Hughes
Coffee morning with a joyful, singing difference. Paignton Baptist Church are holding a Hymn Café on Oct 2nd – come along for coffee, chat & a good old sing-song. All welcome!
Free event
Fit as a Fiddle – 10.30am -12pm, Swim Torquay
Get fit as a fiddle by swimming the morning away, Plainmoor, Torquay
Free for over 50s
Join the Choral Engineers
Paignton Library & Information Centre 10.30-12.30
Hugh Nankivell, Steve Sowden, Meg Searle
Come along and try something new.
Sing for a morning with THE CHORAL ENGINEERS
A new creative community choir based at the library in Paignton.
We meet every Friday from 10.30-12.30 and are open to all, whatever age and experience you have.
We sing for our health and for laughter and for the company and friends that we make.
We warm up, have a chat, sing some songs, have a cup of tea, sing some more and then depart.
This term we are singing and making up new songs about the new road The South Devon Highway.
Come along and try something new on October 2nd.
Free event
Free Swimming – 10.30am -1pm, Admiral Swimming Centre, Brixham
Free swimming for over 50s
Free event
Skillshare Pop Up
Victoria Street, Paignton 11am-3pm
Meet Community Builder, Katherine Fallon and find out more about the work of Community Builders’ in Paignton, as well as Timebanking, what it is, how you can join and the ways we can all benefit.
Free event
Gentle Yoga – 12pm, Brixham Does Care, Brixham
Event led by Victoria Campbell
All welcome to join in this gentle, relaxing yoga class.
Free event
49ers Fitness Group 12-1pm Torbay Leisure Centre
Join the 49ers for their regular fitness group
Free event for over 50s
Aerobics – 1-2pm, The Acorn Centre Torquay (£3.50 or free to watch)
Event led by Monica Waite
Get fit with this fabulous aerobics session at the Acorn Centre Torquay.
Film Screening & Movement Workshop – 2pm Palace Avenue Methodist Church Hall in Paignton
Event led by Jennifer Essex
Movement workshop inspired by residency researching dementia and interdependency, plus screening of film.
Age Friendly Museum’s Day & Encounters Museum of Now Workshop
Handling museum objects and making your own object for the Museum of Now
Event leaders Age of Creativity
Date: Fri 2 Oct 2015 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Venue: Torquay Museum
FREE / Drop in anytime
Suitable for all
Encounters Arts and British Museum are working in partnership to bring a very special event to the Ageing Well festival. From 1.30pm to 4.30pm you can drop in at Torquay Museum and experience handling valuable objects from the British Museum collection. You can also work with artists to create an object to take home or input into the larger community makes that will be going on display in Torquay Museum as part of the Museum of Now show later in the year.
Museum of Now is a partnership project between Encounters and Torquay Museum engaging people in Torquay in using traditional crafts skills to make objects that tell a story about the local natural world and living in Torquay today.
The objects created form part of an exhibition at Torquay Museum from Oct to Dec 2015.
To find out more, please contact Encounters Arts:
07948 9922434 / admin@encounters-arts.org.uk
Free event
Please note event cancelled Thinking Through Philosophy, Developing Wisdom, Wonder and Well-being
Belinda Seaward
Torquay Library, 2:30-4:30pm
An introduction to social philosophy with teacher, author and entrepreneur Belinda Seaward. This two-hour workshop introduces some of the key themes from ancient and contemporary philosophers on developing wisdom, wonder and well-being.
Free event
Sing for your Life
Whitley Court, Multi-Function Lounge 11am
Event led by Heather Manketlow
Therapeutic singing session, where participants explore the benefits of singing!
Free event
Also happening:
Throughout the 4 days of the festival there will be two commissions popping up in various locations across the Bay.
Across the Tracks
Kate Rudman / Sound Communities
Intergenerational music and story sharing / live radio show over different locations – young and old sharing their music in a ‘spin off’
Sound Communities will roam the festival with young and old radio makers, recording, audio blogging and broadcasting conversations, memories and stories. Parkfield Xtreme Radio’s young producers will support older trainees to produce and present a daily live broadcast from all around Torbay. We encourage anyone interested in learning about radio to bring vinyl, old photographs of yourselves and your local area and interesting objects to describe and talk about to make a wonderful local soundscape for future generations to treasure. These broadcasts will be available to listen to immediately again online.
A series of interconnected films exploring Ageing Well
Nick Fogg
Nick will be creating a series of films challenging perceptions about ageing – some of which will be shown during the festival and some will be filmed during the festival.
Promotional offer!
241 tickets available from the Babbacombe Theatre for Starlight, performances 6 & 7th Oct
The Babbacombe Theatre has a great offer for everyone participating in the Ageing Well Festival this October. Enjoy the 5 star show, Starlight on either the Tuesday 6th or Wednesday 7th of October with the added benefit of buying two tickets for the price of one.
Having been in receipt of the TripAdvisor Award for Excellence for four consecutive years you can be confident of an evening of extraordinary entertainment!
T&C’s Based on the full ticket price of £19. Up to 4 transactions per booking. When booking use the offer code WELL0607. Only available on the specified dates. Curtain up at 8.15pm. Box office: 01803 328385 www.babbacombe-theatre.com
Put on your Friday night best and step out into the bay for a free evening of entertainment. You can dance with a twist or step up to the open mic in Torquay, spend the evening knitting and dining, or even have a singalong in Paignton.
Bring your friends, family, neighbours. All ages are welcome to the Ageing Well Festival Big Night out …
See you there!
List of events – Evening of Friday 2nd October
Dance Night with a Twist
Clare Parker / Dance in Devon
Venue Victoria Hotel time 7-10pm
Club style dance event with free dance workshops, a bar and a space for a nice sit down too!
Put on your dancing shoes for an evening of fun, good company and music!
Dance in Devon invites you to a dance night with a twist. Join the rebel Line Dance, create a Bollywood extravaganza, and share the elegance of the Ballroom Blitz!
Throughout the evening our guest dance artists will teach different dance styles and then open up the floor for everyone to have a go. It’s a chance to try something new, share a love of dance and music with friends old and new.
No previous experience is necessary and the event is open to all ages. Come on your own, bring a friend, your family or your whole neighbourhood!
To find out more or reserve your place, please contact Dance in Devon.
Tel: 01803 868116
Email: torbaychampion@danceindevon.org.uk
Website: www.danceindevon.org.uk
Free event

Try Table Tennis
Venue Foyer, Torquay time 7-10pm
Cllr Robert Excell/Torbay Council
Everyone is welcome to attend and either try table tennis for the first time, or have a game.
Free for over 50s!
Please note event no longer running – The Free Range Craft Network
Aly Lazell / The Craft Works
St Andrew’s Church, Paignton 7pm
A space for makers old and new to come together – featuring a celebrity knitter – sharing stories, skills over supper. Exploring heritage and crafts in a welcoming environment
The Comforters
Tessa Cruickshank
St Andrews Church 4-6pm
THE COMFORTERS – an informal reading of some of the great and lesser-known poets and writers on the themes of loss, reflection & renewal. Perhaps you have a favourite piece to bring and share too?
Free event
Sing Around the Sixties
Jane Anderson-Brown
St Paul’s Church Hall, Preston, Torquay, 7.30pm
Sing around the sixties
Come and join in singing through some of your favourite songs from the nineteen sixties (and possibly a few from the fifties); led by Jane Anderson-Brown. Song sheets will be provided and refreshments available. Come on your own or bring a friend.
Free event
Carnaby Set
Venue Scala, Brixham Time 7pm
Come and enjoy the sounds of Torbay’s very own Carnaby Set, (average age 77)
Free event
Acoustic Sessions at the Noble Tree
Noble Tree Cafe, Union Street, Torquay 7-10.30pm
Free event, all welcome!
Also happening:
Throughout the 4 days of the festival there will be two commissions popping up in various locations across the Bay.
Across the Tracks
Kate Rudman / Sound Communities
Intergenerational music and story sharing / live radio show over different locations – young and old sharing their music in a ‘spin off’
Sound Communities will roam the festival with young and old radio makers, recording, audio blogging and broadcasting conversations, memories and stories. Parkfield Xtreme Radio’s young producers will support older trainees to produce and present a daily live broadcast from all around Torbay. We encourage anyone interested in learning about radio to bring vinyl, old photographs of yourselves and your local area and interesting objects to describe and talk about to make a wonderful local soundscape for future generations to treasure. These broadcasts will be available to listen to immediately again online.
A series of interconnected films exploring Ageing Well
Nick Fogg
Nick will be creating a series of films challenging perceptions about ageing – some of which will be shown during the festival and some will be filmed during the festival.
Promotional offer!
241 tickets available from the Babbacombe Theatre for Starlight, performances 6 & 7th Oct
The Babbacombe Theatre has a great offer for everyone participating in the Ageing Well Festival this October. Enjoy the 5 star show, Starlight on either the Tuesday 6th or Wednesday 7th of October with the added benefit of buying two tickets for the price of one.
Having been in receipt of the TripAdvisor Award for Excellence for four consecutive years you can be confident of an evening of extraordinary entertainment!
T&C’s Based on the full ticket price of £19. Up to 4 transactions per booking. When booking use the offer code WELL0607. Only available on the specified dates. Curtain up at 8.15pm. Box office: 01803 328385 www.babbacombe-theatre.com
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