Hospice patients engaged in curiosity and laughter with ‘mystery objects’

Patients, living with an advanced serious illness or other life-limiting condition who visit the Living Well Service at the Hospice, once a week for ten weeks, are always treated to a variety of activities.

Guest speakers are invited to talk about a wide range of subjects, whilst they relax with a hot drink and biscuit before they spend time in the gym, enjoy a hand massage or complementary therapy session, get creative with arts and crafts or enjoy a chat and catch up with the other patients.

When Volunteer, Tim Turner arrived with his ‘mystery objects’ it got everyone thinking and reminiscing. Tim is an auctioneer and collector of historic and interesting things and likes to share these with others.

To make the session interactive he handed around or displayed a selection of ‘mystery objects’ before revealing their true identity. These ranged from a plasterer’s scourer to a cork presser (such as the ones which were found on a Chemist’s shop counter for making pills while the customer waited) to a Thatcher’s Rake.

 The mystery objects instigated a buzz of conversations as patients remembered (or remembered hearing about) brass irons which were heated by the fire to press shirt cuffs and collars and Napkin Presses for perfectly displayed table linen.

 Tim commented:

“I like to share these mystery objects to create curiosity and laughter. Some things, which were used in the past can be very similar to those used today but some are very rare and unusual. It would be easy to lose the knowledge around historic items and I enjoy keeping it alive.”

There was one object which is still a mystery – even to Tim! Do you know what it could be?

If so let us know by emailing communications@arhc.org.uk