Festive Week 2013

Raffle prizes

Our festive week is Monday 16/12/13 to Friday 20/12/13.  We are holding various activities which are open to both clients and members of the local community.  Also, we are holding daily raffles for a variety of prizes, with the proceeds going towards each daily event.  We are serving hot turkey barms each day 1 - 2pm, with cranberry and stuffing.










Christmas Tree using teabag technique

Monday 16/12/13 - Our friend Susan provided a craft session making Christmas decorations, gift boxes and tree decorations using a technique used as teabag folding.  Susan also runs a craft group at Fleetwood Fire Station every Thursday 2 - 4pm. For further details please call Sally Richardson at Help Direct on 01253 352 140.

Tuesday 17/12/13 - Our volunteer Michael provided a music appreciation session.  Each person picked a piece of music they would like to listen to and were welcome to provide information to the others on their chosen piece.  Music ranged from pop to classical with all genres in between.

Wednesday 18/12/13 - Our cook Kathryn and volunteer Val provided a knit and natter session.  Clothes were knitted for Save the Children who will distribute via International Aid to countries in crisis.  This group will be continuing on a fortnightly basis if anyone would like to join in.

Thursday 19/12/13 - Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have a community project which allows their employees to volunteer for a day in the community. We were lucky that their employee Debbie chose us.  She provided party games and is seen here playing a catchphrase quiz with some of our customers.





Friday 20/12/13 - We put on a free buffet for our clients and the community with everyone being welcome.  Our cook, Kathryn provided a home-cooked hot-pot, pigs-in-blankets, curly fries, selection of nibbles, various soft beverages, Christmas cake etc.

Room Hire

Café

We have various parts of our premises for hire for your event, meeting or one-to-one.


Our café area seats 24, with additional seats available if required. 

Sessional Room

Our sessional room is a private area seating 14, with a flipchart easel, whiteboard, a centre table and television with HDMI or VGA connections.













Comfy Area

We have a comfy area seating 6 comfortably on 2 leather sofa's and 2 armchairs.  There's room for a couple of small ones if necessary.











Computer Area

We also have a computer area with 3 Windows 7 PC's and internet connection.











We are open Monday - Friday, 10:00 - 16:00 and our facilities are available to people aged 16+.

For prices and to book please call us on 01253 859 463 or email solutions.plus@creativesupport.org.uk



Mince Pie Marathon

This, our second group is a fortnightly community cookery session.  After learning how to make shortcrust pastry we decided to use our newly acquired talent to make mince pies.  The group agreed that they would like any proceeds of the sale of the mince pies to go to the local Trinity Hospice charity.  In our first session we made 90 mince pies all of which sold, raising £27 for the hospice.  In our next session we aim to make over 100 and deliver these to local groups such as the foodbank and shelters for the homeless who will appreciate a treat at this time of year.   Following our second session we distributed more mince pies to the foodbank at Fleetwood / William Lyons House (Great Places), Blackpool, Walter Robinson Court Community Centre, Layton and Trinity Hospice, Bispham.

Knit & Natter

This winter we have had some exciting new events at The Lighthouse with the focus on helping people who are less fortunate than others.  We have set up two new groups which bring together our service users and members of the local community.  They are the knit and natter group and the cookery sessions - see separate post.  The knit and natter group meets fortnightly, where knitters of mixed abilities share their skills.  Up to December 2013 we have made 74 squares to be sewn together to make blankets, 6 baby vests, 2 hats for premature babies and a pom-pom.  All the items are to be sent to Save the Children and to be distributed via International Aid to countries in crisis such as The Philippines.

Alison, one of our knitters has written the following poem that describes our endeavours:

 

Click clack clatter 

Ladies come to gather to knit and natter

Needles lying around, poised for action wool snakes abound

Balls of wool cascading across the floor

Rainbow colours and drifting hues show their grace

 

Click clack chatter 

Single stitches waiting to be cast on in line

Knit and purl work well together as a team

Fingers direct the action in out and around

Cast on they become the anchored support

 

Click clack clatter 

Time for a break and stretching your legs

The kettle is on - get yourself a brew for 50p

With helpful generous ladies knowledge and skill

Friendships and interesting subjects become rapport 

 

Click clack chatter 

Left to right forwards and backwards continue as before

Stitches dropped holes appear there is no right or wrong

Mistakes happen and it doesn’t matter

Follow the pattern learn the language 

 

Click clack clatter 

Squares appear in ship shape time

Linked together with a seam

Creative skills long forgotten start to come alive

Memories start to return from an early age 

 

Click clack chatter 

Alison

Creative Writing

Maria is a volunteer here at Creative Support in Thornton-Cleveleys.  She delivers a creative writing course here to encourage our clients to unlock their hidden talents.  The course aims to provide a fun environment, enhancing creative flow with poetry and short stories.  For those of you that are not clients here you may like to join her at Cleveleys library where she provides another course for members of the community.

We would like to share one of Maria's poems with you which has been published on a local Fylde Coast website:

A Pier Portal

There is a light that calls me in

To enter through your doors.

An entrance to another world

Above the land of grass and sand.

Suspended in a higher place

Half in air and sea.

 

Inviting me to step inside

To walk along your boards.

A portal drifting off the shore

Leading feet to stride with the unknown.

A myriad of happy souls have sauntered in the sun

Strolling in magnificence towards the platform’s end.

 

For now my eyes take in the light

And promenade your colours.

My spirit wants to take the leap

Through the opening of you secret space.

Take me through your wonderland

To tempt me with your treasures.

 

Maria

 

http://www.visitfyldecoast.info/stuff/writers-corner/a-pier-portal.php

Well-Being Course

We are currently holding a well-being course for our clients at Creative Support in Thornton-Cleveleys.  The course is held over 8 weeks and will be repeated throughout the year.

Our course is inspired by the Year of Health & Well-Being:  For more info on this initiative see:
http://yearofhealthandwellbeing.org.uk/index.php

 

The 5 ways to wellbeing are:

Connect: With this in mind trying something different and build social relationships.

Be Active: Physical activity lowers rates of depression and anxiety across all age groups and improves wellbeing.

Take notice: Strengthen and broaden your awareness of what is taking place in the present enhancing self-understanding and allows individuals to make positive choices and positive risk taking.

Learn: trying something new enhances self-esteem, builds new skills and encourages social interaction thus enjoy a more active life.

Give: Participation in social and community life encourages individuals to help others enforcing positive thoughts and emotions  further improving health and wellbeing.

Course Dates: 7th Jan to 5th March 2013 inclusive.  Next dates to be advised

Enquiries to: 01253 859 463

Lighthouse Community Group

We are a group of people that get together on a regular basis here within Creative Support community resource centre in Thornton-Cleveleys.  We organise events and functions for the benefit and enjoyment of all the people that access the facilities.  For example we have been involved in organising the Christmas party 2012, nights out - meals, pub quizzes, open days etc. We have recently organised the Valentines Day event 2012 which included music, quiz, prizes and a flower arranging demonstration, with themed food being served from the snack bar.  We meet here for a coffee morning on Wednesday mornings.