Children summer workshops

Our family learning activities are funded by the Big Lottery – young people, their mothers and grand mothers engaged in a number of projects exploring and enjoying informal learning together and addressing barriers to participation.

Young People’s Project Summer 2011

This year our young people decided they would like to do a follow on from 2010’s project - Toast and Marmite - at the Sage in their own backyard!!!

Artists from the Sage came to First Step and worked with our young people to create a whole new look in back yard décor that is amazing!!!

Previous summer workshop activities have included:

First Step Summer Workshop 2006

Krazy Kids Krew

First Step Summer Workshop 2007

Make Poverty History

First Step Summer Workshop 2008

Famine Film

Story telling

We have had a series of sessions where women shared their experience of traditional stories told to them by family members. We used drama and mime to interpret fairy tale themes and make up our own stories.

The Sabji Garden

Gardening

We have learnt a lot about how to plan planting in an allotment, the different crops that work well and different culturally diverse ways of growing and using vegetables. Did you know you can make a potato leaved curry?

Did you know mustard leaves are nice as a salad?

Did you know there is a special herbs that is used in Belgium for broad beans?

Planting onions and broad beans, March 2009

Clearing and burning rubbish before the spring

Planting a new apple tree, February 2009

Potatoes, harvest 2008

Art in the garden

As our garden is organically changing and growing, we chose a living willow fence that is both practical and very beautiful as boundaries for our plot. Ruth has helped us plant and weave the willow so that it grows in the spring. We also used willow to make wigwams and bean poles. During May half term, children with Pat’s help have made designs for the shed and the gates, as well as mobiles to scare the birds away from the crops. We are busy making our garden even prettier!

Willow fence building, February 2009

Wigwams and bean poles building, March 2009

Educational visits

We have visited the Centre for Alternative Technologies (CAT) in Wales in June 2007 and Logan Botanic Garden in October 2008. These were really good and interesting visits where we learnt about the environment and how to protect it, as well as plants coming from South America. We spent a lot of time outdoors, despite the not so often clement weather… This year we are going to experience life in the outdoors of a different kind. We are going to sleep in wigwams somewhere in Northumberland!

On our way to Logan, Scotland

Watch a film about the visit

In the gardens

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