Welcome to Moving Memory wrapped! 2025 has been a landmark year for Moving Memory Dance Theatre Company, with a new tour, a packed calendar of workshops and meaningful collaborations. This has brought our important work with older people to new audiences across Kent and beyond.

Key moments of 2025

February: First workshops of the year launch

A group of people are performing in a museum setting. They are in various poses, some kneeling, some standing, in front of a glass display case and on a patterned floor.

We started the year with Moving Well and Damn It! Dance It! workshops in Canterbury, Lordswood and Maidstone, supporting older adults to participate in inclusive movement sessions.

March: Golden Slumbers premieres

A group of performers in white costumes surround a golden bed with white linens. The red circular logo "POW Thanet" logo overlays the image.

Our production Golden Slumbers premiered with three performances at POW Festival Margate, held at ARK and Turner Contemporary. The show examines the Welsh concept of Cwtch – a loving hold – and the labour experienced by women throughout their lives, with everyone’s right to a little rest and recuperation. The show was Moving Memory’s first to incorporate live music.

May: New website launch

The Moving Memory website received a wonderful makeover thanks to The Lonely Pixel, Izzy Madgwick Arts Marketing and the Moving Memory team, providing improved accessibility, enhanced user experience and a lovely fresh design.

This was all made possible thanks to Colyer Fergusson Charitable Trust – thank you.

June–July: Crowdfunder success

A group of people on a stage performing or rehearsing under overhead lights, with some posing with raised arms. Clothing racks with garments are visible on both sides of the stage. A yellow 'spacehive' logo is overlaid above the group.

We raised over £12,500 from 120 supporters, enabling us to deliver free Moving Well workshops in Dover for older adults. This was our largest fundraiser in our decade-long history!

23–24 August: Golden Slumbers at bOing! Festival

A group of Moving Memory performers during Golden Slumbers at bOing Festival. A group of people dressed in white with gold umbrella hats perform in a line. A four-poster gold bed sits in the middle.

The Golden Slumbers tour concluded with 6 performances at Gulbenkian Arts Centre, featuring 18 Glories (participants from our workshops) joining the core company on stage. A huge thanks to POW Thanet, Ideas Test, BEEE Creative and Gulbenkian Arts Centre for commissioning Golden Slumbers.

17–18 November: WOW North East Festival, Durham

A Moving Memory performer wearing a black t-shirt with the Moving Memory logo and a vibrant yellow-and-black costume with marigold accents, smiling while leading a movement workshop.

We performed Stomps of Stature, delivered participatory workshops, and collaborated with local schools to engage young people in movement and storytelling.

5-6 December: AGM and Dover Winter Lantern Festival

Moving Memory group perform outdoors in Dover, all wearing festive golden umbrella hats with fairy lights. A performer in red stands centre stage, smiling with her hands out to the side.

On Friday 5 December, we proudly held our annual AGM in Faversham at The Alex. We were joined by many wonderful people. Thank you to our trustees, company members, partners, volunteers and supporters for your continued dedication – you are what drives our mission forward. We published our annual report following this.

The following day on Saturday 6 December, we had a blast at the Dover Winter Lantern Festival! Our Dover and Folkestone Moving Well groups joined our core company to perform an original piece, crafted from their own movements and stories.

Collaborations and support

This year we collaborated with artists, musicians, filmmakers, and schools, including:

Visual arts: Sue Bridge, drawing our company during Golden Slumbers rehearsals and performances. View one of Sue’s videos here.
Film and media: Megan Sidney Films, producing and editing the Golden Slumbers trailers.
Music: The Slumbers in Golden Slumbers – Nina Clark (Musical Director, guitar, voice), Alice Phelps (harp, violin, voice), Bob Karper (accordion, trombone, voice), Ben Somers (bass, voice), Stephen Bridgland (bass, dep).
Community engagement: Moving With Markie offered fantastic support to our Moving Well Folkestone workshops. Marketa has had a huge impact ensuring our comms are accessible, as well as connecting us with lots of different communities in Kent, which has been invaluable.
Research: We kicked off an exciting research project in partnership with the University of Kent’s Sports Science team. The idea is simple: to find out just how much good Moving Well can do for your body and brain.

Special thanks to our Board of Trustees for their guidance and oversight, and to our Creative Director, Sian Stevenson, for her leadership and artistic direction.

THANK YOU

This year has been defined by bold new work and participatory opportunities for older people. Our achievements would not be possible without the commitment of our audiences, participants, supporters, collaborators, trustees and team.

We’d like to thank our intern Monica Callaghan for her exceptional contribution to Golden Slumbers, Matt Wilson Photography for capturing our work so beautifully and sensitively, and our new Advisory Committee members, who will continue shaping the charity to meet the needs of the people we work with.

Thanks to all our funders who supported performances and workshops throughout 2025. Without you, none of this would be possible.

Arts Council England
Ideas Test
Maidstone Borough Council
Maidstone Leisure Trust
Dover Town Council
West Kent Mind
Beckenham Theatre Trust
The Lawson Trust
Cantiacorum Foundation
Dover District Council
Roger de Haan Charitable Trust
Sport England
Active Kent & Medway
The WOW Foundation
People United
Applause
Crowdfund Kent – Kent County Council, Kent & Medway NHS Trust + donors

And thank you to the funders supporting our core costs, ensuring our small but mighty team can sustain its work:

The Considered Ask
Garfield Weston Foundation
The Philip & Connie Phillips Foundation
People’s Postcode Lottery

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss out on any upcoming Moving Memory news here.

You can view our upcoming workshops here. There’s lots of workshops starting in areas around Kent.