Our Weekly Diary

Week 1

Day 1 with our new family groups

Getting to know each others name with the animal name game

Gathering ideas for how the shed can be converted

Tom does a tour of the allotment

Us

Week 2

 

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Week 3 

This week we worked with the Williams family and set in motion some of our ideas. Sam has been set the artistic brief to illustrate some kindness stories in lego and photograph. Sophia and Rachel are "Goodness Spies" for the week.Tom hs given them pads to note their findings and remind them that they are spies. The Cusioned idea is left in the shed for others to pick up and an art first aid box is there for art emergencies. the family re-potted some plants and learnt why this is necessary. We mused on  what works best all being together or working with a few famalies at a time. The group enjoy all being together but its a bit hectic. Put in place to rectify this: each peson will be put in a team and given a volunteer and set tasks. They need to stay with this volunteer  when on the allotment. This will give us a bit of structure and allow us to have everyone on together and keep us all safe. 

Week 4

I was on my holidays but work carried on. People updating the sketch book with ideas, two types of sewing sewing and sowing. 
 
 
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Week 5 

Returned from holidays to find lots more ideas in the groups sketch books and spent a while collecting my thoughts. A walk around the wider allotment with Tom and Tommy B gave birth to the project "Rhubarb, Rhubarb Rhubarb". Full blog on the idea to follow but for now a few pics.

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Week 6

 

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Giving Ideas from Kersal

Giving Idea 1
A lovely group of 16 people have come together to help on the allotment and get involved with our art activities. 

Stuart and I wanted to give them a gift which would make them go "Ahh..thats nice" but not be too expensive. Something which would show that we had given it thought 'cause after all "It's the thought that counts"

We talked about how nice it is when one of the young people makes an origami object and gives it to us. Its an expression of their talent and worth more than something they could buy.

What we are going to do

Make these origami bombs at Monday Night Youth club using the pattern here 
http://www.origami-instructions.com/origami-water-balloon.html
Fill them with wild flower seeds and then hide them around the allotment when the group are next there. If anybody finds one they can keep it and throw it into a piece of neglected land. Wild flowers take about 1-2 years to pop up but they love derelict neglected spaces. Guerilla gardeners have been using seed bombs since the 1970s to cultivate land which they can't get to because its unsafe or out of bounds. A bit about it here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8548005.stm

Giving Idea 2-Little stories of giving
The William's family decided that they would bring a gift to the group session which we could all share and enjoy. Sam made a tray of flapjack which the family brought along to the session. At the break time everybody enjoyed a piece. Zack and Angel said that it made them happy and went to thanks Sam.

 

  

Giving Idea From Beyond Kersal 1

In Northwich there are a group of young people who give to each other but don't often get the chance to give to others. They like to draw but aren't so good with paint.

Up the road from them there are a group of elderly people who live in a residential home. Sometimes they are a bit lonely and want something to do. They like to paint but find it hard to see to draw.

There is a youth club and an artist.

What they did

The young people created drawn canvas' and packaged them up with paint and brushes. Then they took them along to the home. Whilst they were there a lovely resident called Val showed them to watercolours they create at their Monday Art club. The group chatted to an elderly chap who said "We are important today"

Why go to all that bother?   

Feel free to join the debate and leave a comment below.