Engaging children and their families during half term

27 Dec 2021
Christine Hancock

Engaging children and their families during half term

October half term is always a challenge for families with uncertain weather but needing to occupy children with fun and physical activity.  In Boscombe, United Kingdom, C3’s CHESS Plan Coordinator, Zoe, provided lots of fun, social activities and opportunities for adults and children to learn new skills all at the same time.

On Tuesday, a local charity, The Friendly Food Club put on a pumpkin carving event followed by a feast of healthy, homemade pumpkin curry and soup which attracted 20 adults & 30 children.  All the families who attended went home with a cook bag full of lovely fresh ingredients and easy to follow recipes.  BCP (the Council) has now committed to funding The Friendly Food Club to deliver cookery classes in Churchill Gardens on a regular basis as part of the Aspire Project.

On Wednesday Zoe hosted a ‘Rewilding & Rosehips Community Event’ in Shelley Gardens attended by in the region of 50 local residents.  Dorset Rewilding provided lots of nature-based activities including conker spider webs, tree sprites, and elder bead snakes and Grounded Community demonstrated how to make immune system boosting ‘Rosehip Nectar’ using the plentiful harvest of ripe rosehips.  The evening of fun and foraging was rounded off with a campfire, toasted marshmallows, and hot chocolate.

Thursday was Zoe’s greatest excitement/achievement when she met with the Council’s Youth Services who have not had a presence in Churchill Gardens for many years.  As a direct consequence of this meeting the Youth Service has now agreed to bring their mobile unit in to Churchill Gardens two evenings a week to engage with the many vulnerable young people living in and around the local area at risk of county lines trafficking and sexual exploitation.  This new youth provision will also provide volunteering and training opportunities for local residents with an interest in community/youth work.

Boscombe is one of 7 areas of southern England and northern France participating in the Interreg-funded ASPIRE project which is aiming to improve the relationship local people have with their food, with access to local health produce and to provide them with the skills and support needed to successfully gain employment.

 

Learn more about our community engagement in local neighbourhoods using CHESS™.