News from The Firs North @ St. Barnabas

From: Gill Stokes 01275 882905 07743 329 411 [email protected]

Hello! Here is the latest news from clubs and activities in the Portishead, Clevedon, Nailsea, Yatton & Long Ashton area. This newsletter has been written mainly by the young people and parents who use the clubs. Family Information at St. Barnabas The ‘Firs’ room is in the process of being renamed, in memory of Vicki Shaw, a wonderful mum who did so much to support all of our families, and particularly this resource centre. The Parent Participation Forum are arranging this and I’ll let you know as soon as I have any news.

I continue to display a range of information and flyers that families, professionals and organisations let me have. Recent additions are: Direct Payment and Buddy information, Family Fun days & Holiday activities run by the Disabled Children’s team and Vulnerable Learners service. Supportive Parents evening meeting dates and agendas New Young Carers group in Portishead New Parent support group in Clevedon Vulnerable Learners information Babysitting ...... ………..along with all up to date newsletters from a variety of groups (NAS, Mencap, Cerebra, NAS, schools, Springboard, Mencap, Toy Library, Crossroads etc) We now have 2 parent groups meeting monthly, and a birthday party booked for May!!

Saturday Family Drop-in 2nd Saturday of each month, from 10am – 12noon-ish. Here at St. Barnabas. All ages, young volunteers, bacon rolls! The Saturday family drop-in is invaluable. Not only is it great for the children but also great for parents! My two girls have especially enjoyed ‘hanging out’ with Mollie and Abbie who volunteer. Together they like to play ‘hide and seek’ in the garden and chat about the latest game apps! For me, as a parent who has recently moved into the area, Gill, who runs the drop-in, has been a fantastic facilitator. She ensured that I felt welcome, introduced me to other parents and answered my questions, often providing me with additional useful information. The opportunity to talk to other parents is always re-assuring; it can be as simple as just knowing that you are not the only family who has challenges to face. The venue is great as there seems to be enough to do for young children and slightly older ones, whether it be playing with cars or making badges. With tea, coffee and bacon butties available to purchase from the hall, what more could a weary parent ask for! We look forward to coming every month, thank you to Gill and the team. Lara and Amy (aged 10) and Julia What I like about Saturday drop in is acquiring new young volunteers as they support other youngsters nicely. I like speaking to them about my interests (omnibuses). I also enjoy having my cups of tea and I support youngsters, in recent sessions I supported and played with a 4 year old lad who likes railways, once I even wrote a children’s’ story for him. In the nice weather I like playing with children on the tricycles and they do have a big interest in that, I may even chalk a track for the routes. All of the children come in happily each session and play with the toys and they will even learn how to use the computers effectively. Quite a few of the children find some activities self-stimulating. A few get over excited about the wheels turning on the tricycles outside. Arch (aged 15)

Friday Fun for young people in school year 7, up to age 25. 1st & 3rd Fridays, 6.30-9pm Portishead Youth Centre, Harbour Road, Portishead BS20 6NX Varied youth club activities, including cooking, sport, disco, art and ‘chillin out with mates’. We like going to Friday Fun because we get to play pool and go outside to play football. We get time to be with other people and our friends. There is also air hockey and table tennis and you can choose what you want to do. Stephen and Michael (aged 13) Nailsea After School club The Club provides an excellent environment for relaxation after a challenging day at school. The young helpers are brilliant - enthusiastic, committed, caring and sensible. They provide a range of play and learning activities. 'Club' is one of the highlights of the week. Joel (aged 15) Judith and Barry.

Clevedon After School club I love Tuesday Fun club because we do cooking, we make things, and the buddies there are really nice. We go there straight after school and I don't like it when Dad comes to pick me up because I would like to stay there longer. Whenever it is someone's birthday we have cake! Alys (aged 15)

National Autistic Society Tuesday group at Nailsea Youth House 2 groups for children aged 8-18. Contact Rebecca on 0117 974 8400 for more details. I really enjoy going and seeing my friends there. The helpers are really friendly and kind. We do a variety of different activities such as building Lego, baking and cake decorating, making slime and lava lamps. We have been on trips like going bowling, going to the cinema and going to a restaurant. When the weather is good we sometimes go up the park on our scooters and play sports. Peter (aged 12)

Sportivate sessions Run in partnership with the Vulnerable Learners team; funded with Sport England funding. I thought I’d write and say ‘thank you’ as James really enjoyed the training sessions at Scotch Horn sports centre, Nailsea so much. It’s really made a big difference to his confidence. He now goes to Combat Gym in Weston every Tuesday for Muay Thai training, with his dad…..they BOTH love it. This would not have happened if he hadn’t been given the opportunity from your wonderful team. I hope you continue the great work you do for disabled children; it is so important and so needed. James (aged 16) and Kate Hi Gill, I really like boxing; I go every Friday. Kevin is a great teacher and I'm learning loads. I liked the going to the 6 weeks of sessions at the youth centre in Portishead on Wednesdays. Rebecca (aged 10) and Lisa

Gemini Gym club [email protected] My daughter Zoe has been taking part in a special session for children with additional needs at Gemini Gym Club in Nailsea for about 18 months now and has hugely benefitted from access to this kind of facility. The small group sessions are run by the clubs coaches Jill and Mandy who have both helped Zoe to gain confidence in her physical abilities. She has learnt to balance on a beam, jump off a trampete and generally improve her coordination. We are very grateful to Gemini Gym for giving Zoe this opportunity and she really enjoys her weekly sessions at the club. Zoe (aged 7) and Rachel It's got a great tumble track where you can bounce and tumble. I like doing forward rolls and jumping off the trampet. I wear a special blue leotard and my shorts say "Alys" on my bottom! I have completed three gym badges already! Alys (aged 15)

1st Nailsea Girls’ Brigade Contact: Mary Thomas: 01275 855152 Corinne Day: 01275 858371 My daughter attends Ravenswood School-Nailsea and I wanted to find an inclusive after school group for my daughter where she could make friends locally, have fun and learn new life skills while in a fun and safe setting. I was introduced to 1st Brigade Nailsea Girls Brigade Company and it more than covers all of the above!! As a Christian Movement they are also fully supportive of those without a belief but who value kindness, caring and family values. The motto of the Girls' Brigade is to seek, serve and follow Christ. Since joining over a year ago my daughter has enjoyed great friendship and support, plus she has enjoyed a number of great group activities including: kayaking, celebrating the Queens jubilee, holding one of the Olympic torches as one of the Lieutenants was nominated to be a part of the national relay team, cooking and craft nights and much, much more... This is a fully inclusive group where all the Lieutenants are highly trained and CRB checked. My daughter's special needs have not been a barrier to her being part of the group and I highly recommend any parent or carer of girls to think about encouraging their daughters to join! Sophia (aged 14) and Jacquie

TLF Dance and Drama Club Saturdays in Nailsea. Contact Vicky on 07902 465 002 Rebecca has been attending this dance and drama club for several years now, since she was about 9 years old. It is attended by young people with additional needs as well as receiving support from local youngsters who come to enjoy the morning alongside our children. Some of them have experience as buddies, others don’t. The motto of the TLF dance and drama club is “Fun, Fitness and Friendship,” and it does exactly “what it says on the tin” in this respect! Rebecca really looks forward to her Saturday mornings, and feels totally secure as a member of the group. Participants can attend either or both the sessions. The dance is mainly line dancing, with lots of repetition of movements, so it is surprisingly easy to pick up, and lots of fun! Rebecca has learnt so much from the drama sessions, growing in confidence and self esteem. This term the group has been looking at ways of non-verbal communication through games, team activities, and mime. The TLF dance and drama club is run by two sisters, Vicky and Sue, who are two of the most enthusiastic, welcoming people we have had the pleasure to meet. They really do love what they do. They welcome everyone to come and join in, including the parents if you arrive early for pick-up, so be warned!! The group runs on a Saturday morning from the scout hall in Nailsea, Dance 10am - 11am, Drama 11am - 12 noon. Come and give it a try, you won’t be disappointed! This really is inclusion at its best. Rebecca (aged 14) and Sarah

Daniel has been enjoying TFL Dance and Drama group in Nailsea for over 2 years now. He has always had "rhythm" and is quite a performer and exhibitionist in the confines of his bedroom so we were very pleased Dan as the opportunity to enjoy himself and let his hair down with his peers outside school. He is met every Saturday and enticed into the building with music by Jack, Becky or Matty,his buddy. The first hour is line dancing and I am always surprised how well Daniel has been able to learn the routine and the enjoyment on his face that he is joining in and sharing the experience with the group. No one is worried if left/ right, backwards/forwards is mixed up. Anyone who's ever tried line dancing will know it’s not easy!! After a break the drama session begins. (Some children come along just for this). Dan enjoys the role play; being given a scene or subject and asked as a group to perform. For example, he has been a 'shark' at the seaside, a 'rocket' in space and 'the audience' at a football match! All children are given encouragement, suggestions and any help they need to express themselves. It is wonderful to see the ideas they are able to communicate in this relaxed environment. We always arrive a little before the end so we can see Daniel in action and having fun. For no extra cost the parents/ Carers can join in too! There always looks to be as many children as helpers/ buddies so I am very confident in the group's ability to care for Daniel and meet his needs for the 2 hours he is there. Vicky and Sue, who run the group, are great with a mixture of fun, good humour and calm. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity they have given Dan as he clearly loves his Saturday mornings there. Daniel (aged 12) and Helen

Hi Gill I’m sending you the link to the sports session Helen attends on Saturdays .http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/disability-sport. We attend St Pauls 1pm to 2.30pm. The session is supposed to have a top age limit of 15 but older children who would fit in are accepted and a couple of adults like Helen still attend as there is no comparable adult session for them to transfer into. Most children are year 6 and over. It’s a great session run for several years by a coach called Lincoln who is very good with the kids and their teenage moods! It started as Downs Syndrome only but now is all special needs though there are still more children with Downs than other disabilities. Numbers vary as its pay per session but we are always looking for new people to make sure the session keeps it’s funding. Unfortunately the revamped St. Paul’s website no longer shows this activity but it is still current for the foreseeable future. There is also an autistic spectrum only session just before this at St Pauls’ but I don’t know the details as we are not eligible. Helen loves it. She started going after her riding lesson and now that has finished she goes to Line dance and drama in Nailsea 10-12 noon then on to sports 1-2.30pm. I can recommend the combination for any child with lots of energy to use up. Patricia

Please can you help?

We’d really like to know about any clubs or activities that YOU enjoy and benefit from. If you (children, young people and parents, carers and those who run or support clubs) could email me a few lines, and send them in by the beginning of September, then our next newsletter could be even more informative for our families.

We would also like to know the views of children & young people about the following:

 What do you enjoy doing when you are not at school?

 What makes this good?

 What would you like to do?

 What stops you from doing this?

 How could we help you?

It’s really important that you tell us these things. We are a development team, and need to constantly review what we can do to improve, continue or change. ALL comments, compliments AND complaints or criticisms are important. We have helped to develop and support some brilliant clubs and activities over the years, but there’s always room for more!

Thank you very much for all the support you give us,

Gill, Charlotte, Julie, Jan and all the buddies and volunteers in the Daycare Development team.

Hope to see or hear from you sometime soon, Gill