Blackfield Dads Club

On Saturday morning we had a great time making 'Little People' at the Dads and Kids Breakfast club at Blackfield Community Centre.
Daren and Debbie kept us going with Coffee and Toast, while we set about making a whole community of people with scrap!
If you look carefully you can see Ozzy Osbourne and Count Dracula! (Definately shades of Halloween coming on!)
It has been a pleasure to help the team bring new ideas and skills to the centre. So far we have done African Drumming, Scrap workshops and Carnival Training over the summer (a first for Blackfield), which culminated in a costume parade around the estate.

Eastleigh Paralympic Handover

Yesterday we had a fantastic day at Fleming Park Leisure centre, celebrating the Paralympic Handover with Sports Taster sessions. Among the highlights were 'Big Al' who taught us basketball and a certificate presentation with the Mayor of Eastleigh. The Community Builders group, DICE took part as well as many other teams from local groups, schools and colleges.
a number of organisations pulled together to make the event happen (at quite short notice), including Eastleigh and Romsey Mencap, BDS, Southampton Scrapstore and the Sports Development Officer, Janine Millard. (Not to mention also, the co-operation of Fleming Park)
Janine summed it all up by saying 'all the partners were needed'.
The whole day was an enormous success and put smiles on a lot of faces. People tried out new sports in a supportive and enthusiastic environment, often gaining confidence and surprising themselves with what they could achieve.

CB involved with Paralympic Handover Event

CB are pleased to be involved in the Paralympic Handover Event at Fleming Park Sports centre.
The idea came out of a discussion between Dice group members, CB, and Mencap. Michelle Bonnell from Mencap then approached the Eastleigh Sports Development Officer, Janine Millard, who then got Fleming Park Onboard. It's been a fantastic example of different agencies pulling together to make something happen!
We are all really looking forward to the day!

More photos of Mini Millbrook Project at Eastleigh Carnival

More photos of DICE group at Eastleigh Carnival

Double Wammy at Eastleigh Carnival - 2 First Prizes!

Community Builders Project was delighted to have not just one, but 2 of its groups win First Prize in their category at Eastleigh Carnival on Saturday 16th August.

The DICE group (Eastleigh Drop In Centre) took part carrying a 40ft long caterpillar and dressed as leaves. Even in a gusty wind they somehow managed not to take off, and the caterpillar was a colourful sight winding its way down Eastleigh High Street. Artist Katy from Forest Bus came along and helped add the finishing touches to the group’s costumes by painting everybody’s face (15 faces, so it was a lot of work!). Following up the caterpillar, Adam and fellow group members carried an impressive 8ft long banner which the group had painted by hand with artist Nina from the Art House in Southampton. The group were very proud and excited to win First Prize for the ‘Walking category’ and to get their picture in the paper. They’ve definitely caught the carnival bug and are now looking for the next one to take part in.


Meanwhile the Mini Millbrook Project stole another First Prize for the ‘Descriptive Tableau section’, with a 33 strong section made up of 9 families. The theme the group had come up with was ‘Knights, Princesses, Horses and Dragons’, and they’d spent a full week running a carnival costume workshop in Millbrook to get people involved. They were stunned when the Carnival organiser presented them with their cup, particularly as it was the was the first time the group had organised a carnival section completely by themselves. With the rain just about holding off, the coach turning up on time and the dad’s chipping in to help out, the whole thing went really smoothly.

So well done the Dice Project and the Mini Millbrook Project – along with the First Prize collected at Sway Carnival by the Gateway Group, New Forest we make that a grand total of 3 First Prizes!! Not bad for a summer season.

Mini Millbrook Project run 5 day Knight/Princess Carnival Workshop

In the run up to the Eastleigh Carnival this Saturday (August 16th) the Mini Millbrook Project have organised their own full week's carnival workshop. The theme is Dragons, Princesses, Knights, Horses, Castles and Fairy Godmothers.

It's another example of how this very able group are now doing things themselves. Using the training they had from TWICS back in April, they've organised everything;

• from booking the venue,
• producing a poster and distributing flyers,
• collecting up materials,
• sorting out the risk assessment, registers and the H&S forms they need,
• hiring a sewing machine from Southampton Scrapstore
• and booking coaches in advance for the carnival itself.

They've have some clever, cost effective ideas as well such as getting costume books from the library.And behind the scenes, I think the Dads have been roped in to provide large pieces of card from work and to design and make Princess' carriages, or so I've heard.

Big thanks goes to Newlands School, as they were able to use the Rema Community Hut when their former venue fell through at the last minute. It doesn't seem to have phased the group though, who quickly set about putting together a fresh poster to let everyone know the change of date and venue.


The CB Project popped in to see how the group were doing and everything seems to be ticking along nicely. There were new faces and lots of laughter 'Doesn't it make you feel good when you do something like this?' said one of the new mums who'd come along. And this afternoon, the group will also have the support of volunteers from Southampton Scrapstore who will be coming along to help.


So well done to the Mini Millbrook Project - you're doing a great job. Now for the carnival - watch out Eastleigh!