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.