The Unique Arts Award is a national art competition open to children and young people with a range of SEN which has now taken place for several years. At last year’s awards two of our students won in different categories and were invited to the awards ceremony, as well as having their work exhibited at an art gallery in London.
This year, despite the lockdown, several of our students have been supported by their parents and teachers (Jacqui Thompson, Caroline Lupton and Zoe Hall) to complete an entry for the competition. We are very proud to share some of the entries with you:
‘The Future City’ is a new, online, art and creative writing project, produced in partnership with Joe Coughlin of Baby People.
Using the wonders of modern technology, Joe interacts with our young people via a videoconferencing app, and collaborates on the ‘Future City’ project using a shared online workspace.
The project puts our young people in the role of architects and inventors tasked with designing a city of the future and filling it with new inventions. As well as this artistic element, the young people also take part in fun, creative writing activities to create stories about their adventures in the city. The architectural designs and stories that the students create will culminate in an interactive digital painting of the future city.
The students are loving being part of this wonderful project and Joe is working conscientiously to make sure our young people continue to have the opportunities to express themselves, through art, during this unprecedented time.
Home Manager Isobel sends a massive thank you to the staff team at Park House for their hard work to make St Patrick’s day celebrations extra special and for making an area of the home into a fabulous cafe/karaoke bar for residents to enjoy a change of scenery during the lock down.
Students at Bladon House School are busy getting into the summer term of learning which takes place in their classrooms and out in the schools fabulous grounds,including the Forest School.
For those staying over at the weekend there’s the fabulous Sunday BBQ to look forward to. Yummy Yum!
Resident’s of Ecclesbourne Lodge in Derbyshire have been enjoying the warmth of the spring sunshine and celebrating Easter in style with cream teas served in the homes lovely garden. They’ve also been super busy making Easter themed arts and crafts.
Supporting people through these difficult times, when their routines have had to change is all in days’ work for our fantastic Community Support teams.
Our Coventry team support a gentleman who loves his garden. Like a lot of us he has found the lock-down and the fantastic weather a perfect time to get out and do some gardening.
Because many of the nurseries/stores are closed it has been difficult to buy plants, but on his daily walks he has seen plants being sold from the wheel barrow outside a local house, so he’s bought his plants from there. Not only has he been able to do the gardening he wanted to do, but also over the last 3 weeks on his walks he has got to know many of the locals who chat to him (from a safe distance) as he is walking along.
Pegasus School would just like to say THANK YOU to the Manager and staff at Morrisons in Burton for donating enough Easter eggs for all the young people and staff at the school.
Kelly Watson, Head of Care at the school said ” This act of kindness and generosity is amazing. Just like the staff at Morrisons, all of the staff working here are ‘key workers’ and are doing a fantastic job keeping our young people happy, content and safe during these extremely difficult times. These eggs will certainly cheer everyone up. It means a lot to us.”
Pictured:
Dave from the Maintenance team, who took delivery of the eggs
Top picture, Left to right – Tim, Residential Support Worker, Sandra, Assistant Head of Care and Bradley, Residential Support Worker
Many people don’t like Mondays, as it’s the day they return to work or school after the weekend. For me though, it is one of the best days of the week for activities and socialising. At the moment I can’t do this because we have to stay safe at home, but I’m so looking forward to getting my Mondays back just how I like them. This is why I LOVE MONDAYS… I often start the day with my favourite breakfast, scrambled eggs on toast. I help clear the table, then go grocery shopping at the supermarket. Monday is my ‘flower day’ and each week I choose a fresh bunch of flowers, red or yellow ones if possible.
After lunch I help to put my flowers in a vase in my bedroom. I may decide to look at a magazine, listen to music in my room or take a short nap if I’m tired. Later, after dinner, I visit a local social club where we play board games or complete jigsaw puzzles, while enjoying a cup of tea (not too hot!) or an apple juice. I sometimes have a bag of crisps if I’m feeling peckish. All too soon it is time to go home and I get ready for bed having enjoyed another busy and rewarding day. I Love Mondays!
