The Story of You Me Us
“Once again, Ideas Test is here for the communities of Medway and Swale and is addressing the problems of loneliness and isolation, matters which are detrimentally affecting all age groups…
In providing a programme devoted not only to the highlighting of these matters there is so much in it to help to assist and alleviate them and to demonstrate that they are very much matters affecting You, Me, Us.”
John Greenhill,
Member of our community who devised the name ‘You Me Us’
(2021)
We wanted to help people during the second Covid-19 lockdown and created You Me Us to help people living in Medway and Swale feel more connected.
Between April and May 2020, The Office for National Statistics says 2.6 million adults in Great Britain felt lonely – a statistic that we wanted to do something about in our community.
We worked with organisations across Swale and Medway such as wHoo Cares, Swale CVS and MVA to let people know about the project, from talking to their volunteers to flyers in essential food parcels.
A Community Panel commissioned four artists to make art, illustrations, poetry and music with people across Medway and Swale. Over Facebook, Zoom, and on their phones, people used their creativity to make connections, find new talents, rediscover old ones, feel confident and connected and most importantly, had fun.
You Me Us was first funded by Arts Council England and the Department of Culture Media and Sport with additional funding from Kent County Council.
Here’s what happened between April and June 2021
Lifelines to Link Us
Poetry and creative writing facilitated by Dan Simpson
Download the collected poems, Now I Am Zooming pdf (6MB)
Drawing on Wisdom
Storytelling, drawing and illustration with Hannah Whittaker
Get one of limited copies of Now I Am Zooming & Drawing On Wisdom
You can get one of our limited free printed copies of Now I Am Zooming and/or Drawing On Wisdom. Priority will be given to those who took part, local community groups and schools.
Email contact@ideastest.co.uk or leave a message on 01634 477371 if you’d like one.
You can also read physical copies of these books at local libraries in Medway and Swale.
an outside space
Photography, drawing, and sketching things from outside the home with Sophie Stone
Watch Sophie’s film, an outside space below. Captions available.
Telephone Choir
Singing over Zoom and the telephone with Anil Sebastian
Listen to You Me Us by Anil and the You Me Us Telephone Choir on Soundcloud (clicking link will take you to Soundcloud website)
Where else can you see You Me Us?
See what people taking part made on social media – just search using the hashtag #YouMeUsMedwaySwale.
You can also join our You Me Us Facebook community.