Author: Rachel Barton

Thank you to All Souls Masonic Lodge for the donation enabling us to get a new picnic bench for everyone to use when we take a break and eat Al fresco!

In the spring, service users from the Tricuro Directions group took part in swimming sessions funded by Dorset Community Foundation.

Staff were pleased to report that the Service Users have thoroughly enjoyed the sessions.  This group were able to use the pool privately, which had an impact on their confidence in the water.   Cath, a service user commented, “ When we swim and there are people in there I feel nervous. It was good because I didn’t feel nervous, I could swim’.

Jo, the Day Service Officer who supported the group spoke of Cath, a service user.  “ Cath wears her glasses in the pool but she still has poor vision and she has to take her hearing aids out, so this obviously impacts on her greatly. Also, she needs to use a woggle, as she cannot swim like her peers. I think they all loved the fact that they had the pool to themselves and could swim freely without bumping into people”

Jo said that she had enjoyed it too  “ The pressure of having to constantly watch the ladies was lessened as I knew they were safe.  The lifeguard had a good view of them too, just in case they got into difficulty.

This group will are now undertaking an ASDAN Water Skills course at Osprey Leisure Centre

In May 2017 the Charity commissioned an art workshop provider to deliver a wreath-making workshop at the Ridgeway Centre in Weymouth. 

One of the men in the Ridgeway group had been struggling to engage in activities and had become very isolated.

The staff had used egg trays and paint as a kind of art therapy. Whilst he concentrated on painting, they were able to break down some of the barriers resulting in a happy, talkative gentleman and a massive pile of colourful egg trays that they didn’t know what to do with!  He had been painting them for the last 7 months.

Along with the Ridgeway staff, she delivered the workshop to a group of 9 service users with a vast range of abilities. One lady used her eyebrows to convey which colour paint she wanted her support worker to use. 

We spent the morning painting and constructing a wreath, engaging in conversation and having a thoroughly enjoyable time.

Each and every group member engaged to the best of their ability. It was especially nice for the gentleman who had been meticulously painting the trays, to see his efforts transformed into a beautiful work of art

I contacted the Ridgeway Centre the following week for feedback and was informed that they had gone on to make a further two wreaths and that they were in the process of making more.

Learning in Action

 

Last year we were lucky enough to receive funding from the Southwell Street Fayre committee in Portland to buy an Ipad.  

The tablet has proved to be very popular as we have been able to link it to our network and use with groups as well as it providing independent learning opportunities.  

 

 

 

JUNE 2017

The Charity has funded a DCC initiative to set up a Dorset wide Safe Places Scheme.

Safe Places are where people with learning disabilities can go if they have a problem when they are out.

People will be supported to complete and carry an ICE card and to identify Safe Places in their community.

There will be an app.

Local businesses that have joined the scheme will display the Safe Places sticker in their window, contact the named person on the ICE card and provide a place of safety until support arrives.

Thanks to a grant from Portland Harbour Authority (Portland Port Ltd) we were able to host another successful Sports day in aid of Comic Relief.  We invited a range of day care services along. A great deal of fun was had by all and they were rewarded with refreshments including a Red Nose Day muffin!