Cultures Club

In October 20011 we were approached by Cultures Club to do some work together. They had secured funding to provide opportunities for children and young people with special needs to experience a range of art based activities.

Cultures Club is a youth-led arts organisation, providing high quality art opportunities for children and young people. They have a peer led approach designed to inspire young people and enhance their art skills, social skill and career opportunities.

To ensure the success of the workshops Cultures Club visited Woody’s after school club and trialled 6 taster sessions to help inform us what activities the children/ young people enjoyed the most.

Working together, members of extratime staff, Cultures Club youth volunteer and directors have provided 4 workshops for children/ young people. The workshops have included flamenco dancing, drumming, a range of art based activities, puppetry and singing. The funding also allowed us to invite siblings which gave parents a well deserved break and opportunities to do Christmas shopping.

We were also able to pay for the children and young people to go to the pantomime at the Theatre Royal in Brighton. Children who attended had an excellent day out!

We are planning more workshops in the February half term and look forward to working with Cultures Club in the future.

Sussex Wildlife Trust

Sussex Wildlife Trust has provided us with opportunities for children and young people who attend our play and youth schemes to visit their base at Stammer Park. The activities provided have been fire making and toasting marshmallows, berry picking, pond dipping and exploring. Children and young people from all our schemes have a great time.

Sussex Wildlife Trust has also supported the Woody’s garden development project. They provided us with a variety of plants and offered support, advice and garden tools to ensure the success of the development.

We would like to say a big thank you to the Sussex Wildlife Trust for their time, hard work and effort!

Woody’s Garden Development

The Woody’s team set themselves the goal of developing their garden this year. They wanted to create a friendly, welcoming and stimulating environment for the children. The team felt it was appropriate to use funding from the Rosie Grafen Memorial Fund to help them achieve their aims. Through the support of parents, volunteers including current and ex staff and a team from American Express the Garden has been transformed.

The walls and hand rails have been painted, the overgrown shrubbery has been removed and new attractive plants, shrubs; fruits have been planted and potted. An edible garden has been created with herbs that can be used during the schemes.

The children and young people, with the help of staff, have created a sensory zone using recycled goods including old CD’s, bottles and piping.

A small vegetable patch with built in seating has been prepared. This will provide organic vegetable for club and teach children and young people all about growing and where food comes from.

A bench of remembrance to Rosie has been positioned in a really nice spot with flower pots around it.

We are hoping to get a fire pit next year!

We would like to say a big thank to all those involved in the garden developments.

American Express

In October 2011 a team from American Express visited Ash Cottage for the day and decorated areas of the building both inside and out. They also contributed to the Garden Development Project. The day was very vibrant and fun with lots of people working hard to update our rather tried looking building.

We are delighted to report that the rooms that have been decorated now look clean and inviting. The children and staff are really happy with the new improved environment.

We would like to say a big thank you to American Express for giving their time to us!

Hillside

Building on the success of a previous piece of drama produced in partnership with Brighton Shed (an offshoot of Chickenshed inclusive theatre group), we are pleased to announce that our Hillside club will be involved with a new project called Battleships starting in the Spring Term 2012.. more to follow….!