Dreamscheme so far ..........
| Author: rachel cutler | Published: 16th June 2008 23:56 |
So far 25 children have signed up for Dreamscheme and 8 Adult volunteers.
This project is supported by Knightstone and Magna Housing Associations, Seaward Way Community Group and the Avon & Somerset Constabulary.
Many activities have been carried out by the children and volunteers.
The first and so far the biggest was a clean up day in October 2007 in response to resident complaints concerning litter and general untidiness. Agencies involved included Magna Housing, Knightstone Housing, West Somerset District Council, Somerset Waste Partnership, Veiolia, Somerset County Youth Service, Police and Plymouth Argyle Football Club.
Skips were hired and residents were encouraged to dispose of unwanted, non-recyclable items in them. These proved so popular that is was necessary, during the course of the day to hire an additional skip! Various items including old washing machines and a large number of bicycles found their way into the skips.
Young people, together with representatives of the agencies involved, were issued with special tongs and wearing hi-vis jackets supplied by the Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership, cleared the area of letter. Work was also carried out on the Multi Use Games Area which was cleared of leaves and debris in advance of the soccer coaching.
As a reward for all the children's hard work on the day they were given a training session with Plymouth Argyle football coach with a match at the end!
The second activity was an arts project which involved the help of Rick Ellam a professional artist and sculptor who spent 2 days with the children designing and making puppets for a puppet show.
Rick made the set, and the children designed puppets that could become shadow puppets. The children made up the story and it was performed to parents at the end. This was a great success and the children were very creative!
Due to the success and interest of this arts project. It was decided by the PCSO's in liaison with the Youth Service to keep the arts project as an ongoing venture.
This was set up on a Tuesday night at the Vennland Centre Youth Club. Children attend there by minibus from the estate provided by Youth Service and driven by the PCSO's and Beat Manager, Steve Cutler. The evening is staffed by the Youth Service and a number of children from the estate attend.
They are working on this project to design wooden boards to put around the Multi Use Games Area to encourage more children to use the facility on the estate and put their stamp on it. The MUGA is owned by Magna Housing and it's future has been uncertain. However following consultation by Magna, with local residents it was decided to keep this valuable play area for the children to use.
Again Rick is guiding the children with their designs but anything goes! So far designs range from pictures of people, plants to daleks!
Local businesses are in the process of donating money and materials for this project for which we are very grateful!
In January 2008 the children from Dreamscheme took part in a car washing event on the estate.
Buckets, sponges and car shampoo were provided by the Fire Service who also kindly opened a water hydrant for the children to use!
15 children took part, all earning points. 25 cars were washed and despite the cold weather, fun was had by all and everybody was wet!
On 19th January 2008 children from Dreamscheme did some gardening on the estate. A lorry load of mulch was delivered and with wheelbarrows, spades and forks the children made the gardens look nice.
On Saturday 2nd February most of the children from Dreamscheme went by coach to Plymouth to visit the Plymouth Argyle football ground to watch Plymouth Argyle Football play a match against Hull City. It was a fantastic day out and everybody enjoyed themselves. Disappointingly Plymouth lost 1-0.
On Wednesday 13th February, 7 of the youngest children from Dreamscheme went on a fun trip to McDonalds and then swimming at Quantock Lodge Pool. Lots of chicken nuggets, chips, coke and ice cream was consumed and great fun was had swimming. These children didn't fancy the football trip so chose to go swimming instead.
On Saturday 16th February 2008 14 children took part in another clean up chore to pick up leaves and litter from within the MUGA. This was in preparation for doing their arts project at the location in February half term. Children had spades, brushes and litter picks to clear the rubbish.
After 2 hours 20 bags of rubbish had been collected and lots of points earnt for the children!
Well done!
During February half term children attended a 2 day arts project in the MUGA. Artist Rik Ellam was on hand guiding the children with their work. Children firstly white washed the existing boards and then painted around stencils made out of wood from their own original drawings.
Superintendent Gary Davis, from the Avon and Somerset Constabulary visited the children to see all their hard work and speak to the volunteers of Dreamscheme. I think it is fair to say he was impressed with the level of enthusiasm and hard work put into the scheme by all involved!
We also have to thank ‘Sweet & Tasty' who donated some delicious yummy cakes for us to eat during the day!
On 16th March 2008, a group of children and volunteers took part in Sport Relief Mile. Each individual was sponsored for this event and raised money for comic relief.
The weather was wet and cold, but despite this wellies were worn and everyone completed at least 3 miles and ended up covered in mud, but with no blisters!!
On 10th April a martial arts afternoon was arranged for the youngsters. Nick Horne-Smith, and Sandy Sanford Senior Instructors from the Hankuk-Mu-Do club put them through their paces!
Again youngster's earnt points but the idea from Police Community Support Officers Rachel Cutler and Luisa Skinner was for the youngsters to gain confidence and learn basic self defence techniques and to have fun !.
Although the session was hard work and disciplined the youngsters had fun and quickly picked up the moves. Some of the children have gone on to join the Hankuk-Mu-Do club on a regular basis.
On 15th April 2008 the Adult Dreamscheme volunteers went on a training session, with the founder of Dreamscheme, Kate King. This was a worthwhile day with an insight into the beginnings of Dreamscheme.
Kate visited the estate and looked at the good work being done on the arts project in the MUGA.
On 18th April 2008 a fun day was held in the MUGA, to celebrate the newly decorated MUGA. Despite the blustery weather, residents and children made cakes and held a jumble and toy sale and a bottle stall. A competition to decorate an egg was held as well as an Easter egg hunt around the estate.
Hot dogs were cooked and went down very well!
£80 was raised for Dreamscheme.
As a reward for all the hard work by the children, Magna arranged for Paul DURKIN ex professional referee to come and join in with Tiverton Towns coaching team who held a two hour coaching session with the young people.
The games area is now bright and colourful, with characters and houses designed and painted by the young people, mounted on wooden boards around the outside. Professional artist and sculptor Rick Ellam and Youth workers from the youth service worked tirelessly with PCSO's Rachel Cutler, Luisa Skinner and Pc Steve Cutler over the last 3 months with the young people on this project. This wouldn't be possible without the help from our volunteers, Debbie Fitzpatrick, Barbara Seacombe, Vicki Brown, and Luke Norman.
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