SUMMER HOLIDAY CLASSES 2009

You may think that over the summer holidays, the Adult Community Centre would be closed, dark and quiet like the rest of Brixham College.

This was far from the truth thanks to Fund Raiser Rob Boyd funding was found through the Southwest Foundation to cover expenses. At 10am it came to life with the arrival of disabled adult members of ACE. Faced with the prospect of six weeks holiday looking at the same four walls and with only their own company, members asked if we could have some summer classes.

Tutors, volunteers and care workers generously gave up some of their holidays to offer support and help.

Classes were held one subject a day and covered willow weaving - making fish and flowers, making mirrors, growing salad crops and herbs in re-usable decorated boxes, painting the garden shed, pottery and making books and diaries!!

Coffee and biscuits gave a welcome mid-morning break with the anticipation of sitting down for lunch together at 1pm. This was the usual ACE family affair with lots of ‘leg pulling’ teasing and jokes etc. That is one thing we know how to do well. Lunch was organised with her usual efficiency by Maggie, who must have used extra strength and persuasion for the Manager of the Co-op to offer to supply the sandwiches free of charge everyday. The Co-ops generosity was much appreciated by everyone, as they tucked into their prawn, chicken or cheese sandwiches according to their choice - together with their bags of crisps, yogurts and other various deserts. (I never did get my Gooseberry Fool!)

Sally (who teaches ACE cookery) encouraged her class members to prepare and cook a very tasty BBQ. Members prepared the meat, marinades, attractive salads and alternatives for the Veggies.                     

After a bit more work finishing our projects we trundled home by car or Steve’s taxis satisfied that, was one less day to amuse ourselves and wondering what delights the class tomorrow would bring. Judging by the smiles on the members faces the whole project was a great success.

Click here to see photos of our Summer Activities

3 February 2009

 Mr David Hodgetts

Chairman of the Brixham Community Partnership

Brixham Police Station

Rae Barn Close

Brixham

TQ5 9EA

Dear Members of the Community Partnership In June 2008, you generously donated £500 to ACE (Access to Community Education) to fund our 2008 Holiday Activities. I am now writing to thank you once again and to update you on how your funding was spent.

ACE was formed in 1989 to provide learning and leisure activities for disabled people and their carers, which we do for 30 weeks of the year, during the school terms.  But for some members, the summer holidays are so long that they become lonely and miss their friends and ACE activities. 

 So to avoid this, the Summer Holidays Programme provided four different projects, on two days each week, from 10 am to 12.30pm during August. On average 6 to 8 disabled members attended each week, with a tutor, a care worker and 3 volunteers.

 In week 1: Tessa Amies provided ‘a journey with pots’ in which the students drew inspiration from the art work of the Incas. Each day started with a ‘stress buster’- bashing the air out of a lump of clay. They then built a pear shaped pot from rolled lengths of clay and decorated them with amazing faces or intricate patterns, before drying, painting and firing.

On the second day, after the clay bashing, the students designed and made their ‘Tree of Life’, showing their favourite things in life.

In week 2: Kay Lynch, our former textiles tutor, who has since returned to full time studies to become a school teacher, taught our students to make very attractive table decorations from paper mache, embellished with fibres and threads.

In week 3: Katie Babbs, our gardening tutor, showed our students how to create attractive plant pots. They first painted each pot white with masonry paint and then, using masking tape, applied various coloured paints and stick on shapes, to create a carnival of coloured pots fit for a patio, green house or conservatory. The pots were then part filled with compost and planted with daffodil and/or tulip bulbs and topped off with more compost and brightly coloured pansies or geraniums.

In the final week: Viv Turner taught basket weaving. Each student started with a drilled wooden base, inserted the uprights in a Whale Pattern and then used dyed canes to weave an attractive basket.

Each day Maggie Dodds and Chris Wardley bought fresh produce to provide a variety of sandwiches, salads, desserts and hot or cold drinks before the students caught their taxis home.

I have included five pages of photographs to illustrate how much we appreciated your funds and how it made a very memorable summer for ACE members, Tutors and Volunteers.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely 

Mr Robert Boyd