'Practical perfect' show gets people of all ages up and dancing

Lucy Wareing is working with nursing homes across Merseyside

'Practical perfect' show that gets people of all ages up and dancing

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A woman is helping care home residents one song at a time.

Lucy Wareing said the idea was initially a “one-off” event, as her boyfriend’s mum, a care-home worker, asked her to come in and do a “theatrical performance”. She said she wasn’t expecting anything from it but two weeks later people “caught wind of” her show and began messaging her to ask if she could do it again.

From there, the Lydiate resident began to blow up on Facebook and set herself up as an independent trader, creating Cherry Tree Entertainment.

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The 20-year-old said the name for her business came from her very first performance adding: “I wanted to have a little nod to my first lead role in a school production which was Mary Poppins who lives on Cherry Tree Lane. I got a lot of my confidence from being in that show and it’s helped shape who I am today so when picking the name, I wanted something close to my heart.”

Lucy offers three performance packages - the practically perfect package where she performs and engages with residents in character, the 50s/60s/70s Mix, which features songs from throughout the decades, and the “1940s/wartime package, described as a slightly more relaxed set featuring songs from the era.

She said: “I think what’s different about my company is that we provide a very unique kind of service. Our packages are very unique and engaging, getting people to join in and sing and dance.”

She also highlighted the importance of what she does, recounting one visit in particular. She said: “I was at a home last year and there was a lady who hadn’t spoken in three years. I came in and did the ‘practically perfect’ act and she spoke to me. She was singing along and dancing and all the carers were in tears. That’s the reason I do the job.”

Lucy added: “When I started doing this, I wasn’t sure if they would engage, but it doesn’t matter how old they are – they will get up and dance. Our main goal is to make people happy. All of these illnesses can destroy people’s joy and I just want to bring that back to them.”

In character with the practically perfect package, Lucy gives each resident a letter to spell “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” and when she is performing the wartime set, she ensures songs aren’t "slow and emotional” for residents' happiness.

She said: “These people have lived incredible lives and I think it’s really important to acknowledge that and treat our elders like they’re humans and not like they’re children. They know so much more about the world than we will ever know. It’s important not to be patronising. They’re not made of glass.”

The outfits she wears are all sustainable too, sourced from Vinted or anywhere that sells second-hand clothes, although she makes the headpieces herself for a more personal touch.

Lucy applied to become a limited company in March, an idea she said came about over a cup of tea with her nan. She is now able to employ two more singers for areas she is unable to reach.

She said: “I was getting a lot of requests from Lancashire, Yorkshire, even some from America. A few weeks ago, I put a call out for self -employed actors in areas I can’t reach. I get the most requests from Blackburn and Burnley. But I get a lot from the Wirral and Chester area too, so I decided to potentially look further afield.”

Lucy has now employed Kate Hargrave to cover Blackburn, Burnley and the surrounding areas, and Holly Mimi Bernice to cover the Wirral, Chester, and surrounding areas.

Lucy added: “I never thought it would be as big as it has. I’m really grateful to have fallen on my feet.”

She is also an aspiring actor, and said she is “glad” to be able to offer “flexibility” to the two new employees. She said: “It can be hard to find work that’s flexible too. I’m my own boss now, so I can offer that too. I said to the girls, ‘if Netflix calls, you pick up the phone!’”

More information, and booking details, can be found on Facebook or the Cherry Tree Entertainment website.

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