Prop making at Forest Arts

Yesterday afternoon we made props for nexts mondays drama project performance at the Forest Arts Centre. The theme of the drama sessions has been 'exploring your favourite character' and each member of the group made themselves some props (using Scrapstore materials), that summarised their characters
Among the characters are Kylie, Norman Wisdom, Robin Hood, Buzz Lightyear, Dr Spock and Daleks!
Pictured here, we have Kylie's Microphone and also some Dalek Hats! A great time was had by all with lots of rummaging through the boxes of scrap and several 'eureka' moments when people found something that fitted the bill.

Learning Disabilty Drama at the Forest Arts Centre!

As an extension of our work with the New Milton Gateway Club, we have set up a series of drama workshops in collaboration with Kathyrn Hay of Curious Arts. We have relocated the sessions to the Forest Arts Centre, so that the members can experience working in a real theatre. Currently there have been 8 group members and 2 support workers attending on a monday afternoon and they have been working on a showcase based around taking on the persona of your favourite character or hero/heroine.
Among these will be featuring, Robin Hood, Buzz Lightyear, Spock, Norman Wisdom, Kylie and a Dalek! the group have been having a thoroughly good time, whilst also increasing their confidence and communication skills.
"I Enjoy my drama class, Kathryn the teacher is a very nice lady. I will come every week for my class. I’m looking forward to actual play." Richard."I have enjoyed being part of the show and being my hero"Amberlea. "I would like to start doing drama more often as I really enjoy myself" Megan

South Wonston Parents and Kids

Another saturday morning in rural Winchester and another successful scrapstore arts session for parents and kids at South Wonston Village Hall. This week, Scrapstore artists Stuart and Vicki led the group through the glass painting and fabric collage.
The Sessions so far have proved so popular with local families, that we have been asked if we could put more workshops on over the summer. So after talking to the group, we are now in a position to announce the "Summer Holiday Art Workshops" in South Wonston Village Hall on Monday, 10th August - (T-shirt design) and Monday, 17th August - (Mosaic Clocks) from 10.00 - 12 noon. If your'e interested in attending you can find out more from Vicki Hodgson email: innerimagewshop@aol.com

Cultural Olympiad - Student Sana takes on the Bargate

Remember last year? Scrapstore dressed the Bargate in scrap to celebrate the Launch of the Cultural Olympiad. Well this year, in keeping with the aims of London 2012 which prioritise young people, Scrapstore is handing everything over to student Sana Rashid.

Over here from Pakistan and in her first year studying Maths at Southampton University, Sana is taking the plunge. Here she is measuring up the Bargate for her designs.

She'll then be working with artist Rose Perry to come up with a schedule to produce the design through open workshops, ready for display over the Cultural Olympiad weekend 24th -26th July.

Because the project is completely inspired by the 2012 Olympics, Sana has just put in an application for the Inspire Mark. This is a national mark of quality that recognises innovative projects (big and small) that demonstrate individuals and organisations aspiring to better themselves.

Project managing an arts project is a first for Sana, and handing over a project to a student is a first for Scrapstore. So good luck Sana with the application, fingers crossed!

Cheeky Monkeys go Solo

It's official - Cheeky Monkeys are now a fully independant group.
Today we said goodbye to Roz Bradbury from Hampshire Families who has worked so hard on behalf of the young parents. Tears were shed as the girls said thanks to Roz for her tireless help and support. Having started with just 2 young mums, Niki and Emma, Roz helped to set up the original Fordingbridge Young Parents group, bringing in support from other agencies such as the Youth Service, The Childrens Centre, and since the beginning of 2008, the Community Builders Project. As both the Youth Service and Hampshire Families have since had to pull out, the intervention of the CB project has been crucial to the group. It has allowed them to undergo training in running the group themselves as well as support during the transition period to independance. From next week the group will be meeting for the first time without any agency support.

Pilands Volunteer week is a great success

Saturday afternoon saw us down at Pilands Wood community centre revisiting one of the first groups involved in the CB project, the Pilands Volunteers. a whole weeks worth of intensive volunteer recruitment events ended with a community BBQ outside the centre with group members Teresa and Peter organising the tickets and Jane, Amanda, and Greta dealing with the hungry masses! the BBQ itself was made from recycled materials - a partially sectioned steel drum, metal garage shelving, and wire trays all welded together with the engineering genius that is Shane. It was very gratifying to catch up with the gang and see them so enthusiastic and thriving. They are definately now as much the community centre as the building is. Another pleasing footnote, is that we are also able to help offer some training for the new recruits via TWICS (Training for work in communities - Southampton), again to strengthen the sustainabilty of the group.

New project for 2009 - Aviary Community Garden

This friday, following discussions with Susie James of the Aviary Childrens Centre, and local residents in South Eastleigh, we all met together to collaborate on the combined vision of creating a new community garden for the area. Having had our meeting at the centre, we then went outside to measure the area, and decided to start the project with 5 raised allotment plots (to aid access to people with disabilities). We hope to build both the group and the garden one phase at a time!
If you are interested in finding out more about this exciting new project and want to get involved, there is a facebook page for the group at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=41692988053 or simply email stuart at stuartjebbitt@hotmail for more details

Cheeky Monkeys

Cheeky Monkeys, (formerly the Fordingbridge Young Parents Group), continues to move forward with a couple of exciting new projects on the horizon. They are now organising their own committee meetings and have just recently elected an 'action group' of four members to oversee their transition to independence.
The group have gained permission from the vicar of the church where they meet, to create an allotment in the hall grounds, which they have started to prepare. They are also planning to run an activity stall at the Fordingbridge Festival this summer in order to add funds to the bank account that they have set up.

Eastleigh Carnival Preparations Continue

Preparations are still afoot for the Eastleigh Carnival this summer, with the last session of three costume making workshops, put on by the CB project at Wells Place. The theme of 'Under the Sea' has proved popular and we are now really looking forward to the event itself. Also, at the workshop was Jackie White, from Whitchurch Carnival, who came down to visit us, in order to get ideas and share information. She also went away with her own 'SpongeBob Squarepants' creation, made at the session. Also helping at the session was Mandy Bishop from the Mini Millbrook group, who will be taking the group through their final preparations as we draw nearer to the big day.

Mini Millbrook Project visited by The Nuffield Theatre

Thanks to the PUSH4Culture Puppet programme and the Mini Mini Millbrook Project's visit to see a puppet show back in February, The Nuffield Theatre has been able to start its own relationship with the group.

Tracey Woolmer, the new Audience Development Officer at The Nuffield came along this Monday to the group's monthly meeting to talk to the ladies and see how they could be more involved in the Theatre.

As well as telling them about upcoming shows and city events, Tracey invited the group to see the Nuffield's programme before it goes to print. The ladies will then have the chance to give feedback on what the Nuffield is planning to put on, and ideas for how it can be improved.

So thank you to Tracey for coming despite the very hot weather!

Volunteer Week at Pilands

The Volunteers at Pilands Community Centre, (One of the first groups the CB project worked with back in 2007), have been canvassing for new recruits this week - Setting up their stool outside the local chippy! - a very shrewd move. The centre has been forging ahead with many new activities and events, despite the loss of a paid co-ordinator last year.
New Volunteers have been taken on and we are hoping to help with this via some community development training, to strengthen the team.

Mini Millbrook PUSH4Culture 2 day Puppet workshop - moving puppets

To give group members the chance to learn how to make different types of puppets, the PUSH4Culture puppet programme finished off with a 2 day puppet workshop with Puppeteer Izy from 'Twisted Myth Productions' and Filmmaker Alys Hawkins. This was on Tuesday 14th and Wed 15th April over Easter.

Using templates, Izy showed people how to make a range of puppets that moved . These included hand puppets and rod puppets.

The workshop was also intended to broaden the type of skills the group were learning, and to introduce them to new media. As part of day 1, the children were shown how to use the internet to get ideas. Then on day 2, Alys the Filmmaker came along to show group members how to film with a camera. She also took the opportunity to film the group doing their handiwork and to interview them for a DVD.

In the final afternoon, the group did their own puppet shows to each other filmed using the camera equipment.

The Mini Millbrook Project now eagerly awaits the results as Alys is editing the film of the day. Each of them will be getting a DVD as a celebration of all of the group's hard work.

I reckon it will throw up a lot of laughs and who knows, it might even go down well at their upcoming AGM!

Mini Millbrook PUSH4Culture 1 day Puppet Workshop - papier mache

Having seen 2 puppet shows and the large scale carnival puppets in London, members of the Mini Millbrook Project were itching to have a go at making puppets themselves.

So on Monday 6th April, Giulia from 'The Puppet Workshop' ran a one-day workshop in Millbrook. It was a busy day making paper mache puppets out of scrap materials and everyone had a go. Someone did a puppet of their husband, but we won't mention any names.

And after the workshop, Mandy and Karen, who both were unable to make the workshop had a go themselves at home and brought along the results to the next Easter workshop a week later.

Mini Millbrook trip to london - workshop with Notting Hill Carnival Artists

After visiting the Tricycle Theatre, the Mini Millbrook's next stop was Harlesden to visit the Mahogany Mas Camp. These are some of Notting Hill's top carnival artists who produced costumes for the opening of the Beijing Olympic Handover in 2008. It was amazing to see the size of some of their puppets and everyone loved trying on their costumes.

After lots cheesy smiles and running up and down with wings on, it was upstairs for a workshop on making carnival hats. These were made using templates and everyone got stuck in.

Then it was home on yet more trains (including Waterloo station in the rush hour) and everyone arrived home at 8.30pm exhausted.

Mini Millbrook PUSH4Culture Trip to London

After going to visit a puppet show locally at the Nuffield Theatre in February, the Mini Millbrook Project went to see a puppet show in London on March 28th. This was at the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn and was called 'Petrushka & the Mysterious Magician'.The puppet show had 2 actors in it this time and was less traditional than the Nuffield performance. It also included sign language as part of the entertainment.

The whole trip was made using public transport and included 3 different types of train; main line, overland and tube. The aim was to use transport that the group could use themselves another time as for some of the parents and children, it was the first time they'd ever been to London. The Tricycle Theatre staff were very welcoming and arranged for the Mini Millbrook Project to get the VIP treatment once again by having their very own 'meet the actors' session at the end of the show.

The trip was funded by PUSH4Culture & organised by Southampton Scrapstore.