The fundraising and tendering process has been a long one, but finally most of the new play equipment is in the playground. See right for some of Elly Ross' beautiful photos of the kids in the group enjoying it.
There have been a few hiccups - bamboo posts being torn out of the ground by someone who didn't fancy watching whatever was on telly that night (we suppose), and the much-longed-for children's bird hide not turning up yet. This has now been re-ordered, so let's hope it's there soon.
In 'Other News', I (Catherine) am on 'maternity leave' from the group till about mid-June, so a fabulous rota of other group members having been leading sessions since March. Every one I've been at has been great. New members always welcome at any time!
Who are the VYFWBP?
Monday, 18 April 2011
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Winter 'Wonderland' wearing a bit thin...
What a winter!!! Snow is indeed fun to play in, but after four weeks it is starting to lose its charm for our intrepid band of woodland explorers. As the chorus of freezing-toed toddlers reached a peak, we have had to beg the church hall for our last few Thursdays. We finished off 2010 with a Christmas party, making Advent wands and singing lots of carols.
Before the freeze hit in late November, the autumn was a busy and lovely time, with an always large group of children and parents meeting every week. We watched the birds; we had treasure hunts and Gruffalo walks; we made garlands and autumn decorations; we created imaginative (and lardy) bird and animal feeders; we constructed pulley systems and filled our little wicker baskets with all kinds of treasures; we set up woodland shops; we did our 'laundry' and hung it out to dry.....
Meanwhile, we have also been very busy with our plans for improving the playground. Our fundraising efforts came to a creditable £7200, including a ward committee grant, a generous grant from the Rowntree Foundation, and four other local charitable trusts. This is not a huge amount in playground terms, but enough for a nice little area of timber climbing/balancing equipment in the wooded part of the playground - known as a 'Trim Trail'. We wrote a brief for the job and sent it to five local companies, all of whom met us on site and four of whom bid for the work. We have chosen our favourite and passed the details on to the council - we hope to see progress over the winter.
We will keep you posted!
Before the freeze hit in late November, the autumn was a busy and lovely time, with an always large group of children and parents meeting every week. We watched the birds; we had treasure hunts and Gruffalo walks; we made garlands and autumn decorations; we created imaginative (and lardy) bird and animal feeders; we constructed pulley systems and filled our little wicker baskets with all kinds of treasures; we set up woodland shops; we did our 'laundry' and hung it out to dry.....
Meanwhile, we have also been very busy with our plans for improving the playground. Our fundraising efforts came to a creditable £7200, including a ward committee grant, a generous grant from the Rowntree Foundation, and four other local charitable trusts. This is not a huge amount in playground terms, but enough for a nice little area of timber climbing/balancing equipment in the wooded part of the playground - known as a 'Trim Trail'. We wrote a brief for the job and sent it to five local companies, all of whom met us on site and four of whom bid for the work. We have chosen our favourite and passed the details on to the council - we hope to see progress over the winter.
We will keep you posted!
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Meet The Trolley
Yes, we have a new member - a wheely trolley to carry all our kit! In fact we never get to wheel it as our muscular three-year-olds covet this job. The Trolley (it has to have a capital T) lives in the park store and will enable us to start collecting useful resources for the children to have on hand every week - ropes, baskets, tarps, string, useful shells and stones, and so on. Please be in touch with any suggestions for what else we should buy to put in it.
This month the Trolley has provided tarps for us to sit and paint flags on (out of old terry nappies I fear); ropes to construct pulley systems to hoist things between trees, baskets to gather fairy-constructing materials. Thanks to all who made beautiful fairies out of sticks, clay, raffia, ivy, blossoms etc - they looked great as part of the 'Wonderland' display at Fiesta in Parliament St last weekend.
We have been asked to act as a case study for good practice in Early Years creative arts - very exciting - might mean we get a film made about us! It is not that we are mostly an arts group, but I think it is true to say we use arts (singing, stories, crafts, exploring natural objects) to help our children get to know nature and the park. So if you are approached to give an interview, please say yes!
This month the Trolley has provided tarps for us to sit and paint flags on (out of old terry nappies I fear); ropes to construct pulley systems to hoist things between trees, baskets to gather fairy-constructing materials. Thanks to all who made beautiful fairies out of sticks, clay, raffia, ivy, blossoms etc - they looked great as part of the 'Wonderland' display at Fiesta in Parliament St last weekend.
We have been asked to act as a case study for good practice in Early Years creative arts - very exciting - might mean we get a film made about us! It is not that we are mostly an arts group, but I think it is true to say we use arts (singing, stories, crafts, exploring natural objects) to help our children get to know nature and the park. So if you are approached to give an interview, please say yes!
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Babes in the Springtime
This spring has seen a great input of new members and a great atmosphere in the group, as well as lots of new ideas and activity. Many of the new families have very young children around the 1 year mark, which is just brilliant. This coincides with one of our members, Laura, having written an excellent booklet for parents and childminders called 'Babes in the Woods', full of ideas on how to make the most of babies and young toddlers' experiences in nature.
Also this spring, we have been trying to develop a more 'Forest Schools' type approach to our group, giving the children more freedom to play in the woods or the meadows with basic materials (baskets, water, ropes, etc) we bring with us. We've been building fairy houses, constructing complicated pulley systems between trees, mini-obstacle courses, doing our laundry. Singing a lot of songs too, of course!
With 'Forest Schools' in mind, we've also been plotting to improve the little children's playground at the park, to provide more opportunities for cooperative play. We've been awarded £3000 by the council and are fundraising to many local trusts, as well as the National Lottery, to try and get enough for several new pieces of equipment, and funds to publicise them locally.
New members have brought new talents - thanks to Katherine for all her work on the funding bids, and Elly for putting her professional photography skills to use.
Last week though, it was back to basics with a good bit of Maypole dancing around a very humble little tree near the Story Trees. Photos (beautiful ones taken by Elly) to follow as soon as we can work out why we can't upload them!
Also this spring, we have been trying to develop a more 'Forest Schools' type approach to our group, giving the children more freedom to play in the woods or the meadows with basic materials (baskets, water, ropes, etc) we bring with us. We've been building fairy houses, constructing complicated pulley systems between trees, mini-obstacle courses, doing our laundry. Singing a lot of songs too, of course!
With 'Forest Schools' in mind, we've also been plotting to improve the little children's playground at the park, to provide more opportunities for cooperative play. We've been awarded £3000 by the council and are fundraising to many local trusts, as well as the National Lottery, to try and get enough for several new pieces of equipment, and funds to publicise them locally.
New members have brought new talents - thanks to Katherine for all her work on the funding bids, and Elly for putting her professional photography skills to use.
Last week though, it was back to basics with a good bit of Maypole dancing around a very humble little tree near the Story Trees. Photos (beautiful ones taken by Elly) to follow as soon as we can work out why we can't upload them!
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Movers and shakers
Snow, ice and fog....but we battle on! There hasn't been a week with fewer than three families turning up to the group, which considering the weather we've been having is a true marvel. And more than that, we have been getting involved in the future of our dearly beloved park.
Today we met with Brian Williams, the council's 'Playgrounds Czar', to discuss the princely sum of £3000 of Ward Committee funding that we have received to improve the little children's playground. Many, many ideas were generated - treehouses, tunnels, dens/wendy houses, bird hides, obstacle courses, additional carriage for the 'bus', roundabout, 'bark pit' with pulley system....Brian was very helpful and will be supplying us with some costings and further ideas. And some group members are keen to investigate the possibility of matched funding, which would of course be fantastic! One very popular option was a sort of obstacle course made of logs and chains, meandering through the trees, possibly including a tunnel. Exciting stuff.
This winter has also seen rumblings in the council over budget cuts, and a threat to the Park Rangers team, including Stephen Whittaker who supports all volunteers and staff at West Bank Park. We had our very first 'Very Young Friends' demo - well, sort of - it was more of a friendly photo-opp with brightly coloured banners - and we couldn't even hold it in the park because of ice. But whether or not we had anything to do with it, the axe has been removed from the Rangers' heads and they are safe for another year at least. Everyone was extremely relieved to hear this - the Rangers keep the Parks developing, alive, hubs of their community - they organise events and educational work in the Park - they develop the parks' ecology, their playgrounds, they attract funding...
Personally, I was delighted that the children who got involved in this mini-political campaign, including my own, had the positive experience that their voices can be listened to.
On a quieter note, we have been doing the usual digging for worms, building fairy houses, and roaming through the woods. And lots and lots of singing!!! The children in the group at the minute are passionate singers.
Today we met with Brian Williams, the council's 'Playgrounds Czar', to discuss the princely sum of £3000 of Ward Committee funding that we have received to improve the little children's playground. Many, many ideas were generated - treehouses, tunnels, dens/wendy houses, bird hides, obstacle courses, additional carriage for the 'bus', roundabout, 'bark pit' with pulley system....Brian was very helpful and will be supplying us with some costings and further ideas. And some group members are keen to investigate the possibility of matched funding, which would of course be fantastic! One very popular option was a sort of obstacle course made of logs and chains, meandering through the trees, possibly including a tunnel. Exciting stuff.
This winter has also seen rumblings in the council over budget cuts, and a threat to the Park Rangers team, including Stephen Whittaker who supports all volunteers and staff at West Bank Park. We had our very first 'Very Young Friends' demo - well, sort of - it was more of a friendly photo-opp with brightly coloured banners - and we couldn't even hold it in the park because of ice. But whether or not we had anything to do with it, the axe has been removed from the Rangers' heads and they are safe for another year at least. Everyone was extremely relieved to hear this - the Rangers keep the Parks developing, alive, hubs of their community - they organise events and educational work in the Park - they develop the parks' ecology, their playgrounds, they attract funding...
Personally, I was delighted that the children who got involved in this mini-political campaign, including my own, had the positive experience that their voices can be listened to.
On a quieter note, we have been doing the usual digging for worms, building fairy houses, and roaming through the woods. And lots and lots of singing!!! The children in the group at the minute are passionate singers.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
A slightly soggy winter
After that lovely autumn we had, the weather has been a bit more challenging for the last month or so, but we have still had some nice Thursday mornings in West Bank Park, for example:
* Water-painting - an old favourite this. All you need is paintbrushes and pots of transparent 'magic paint' from your tap. You can paint tree trunks and they go a lovely dark colour. However, the cold drove us home early, and drove me to send out a reminder to everyone to wear twice as much clothing as they think necessary for our meetings over the winter!
* Moon and star mobiles: Take a long stick, some cardboard cut-out moons and stars, some used tin foil in silver and gold, and some bits of wool. Wrap the moons and stars in foil and hang them from the stick, along with pine cones etc if you like. It makes a lovely backdrop for a story, especially if hung in a tree.
* Advent wands: practically a tradition with us now in early December. We gathered long, stout sticks and lots of greenery (holly, bay, pine, etc) to twine around them. Tied it up with colourful pipe cleaners and ribbons. They do look lovely, and featured in a story about Santa Claus using his magic wand to cast a spell on poor old Granny's Christmas tree, with the help of some spiders, to make it sparkle with the very first tinsel.
* This week is our Christmas party. Another 'tradition' is to decorate a tree in the woods and sing carols to it. After doing that, we'll head over to Holgate Methodist Church and its nice warm hall, for some crafts and party food.
* Water-painting - an old favourite this. All you need is paintbrushes and pots of transparent 'magic paint' from your tap. You can paint tree trunks and they go a lovely dark colour. However, the cold drove us home early, and drove me to send out a reminder to everyone to wear twice as much clothing as they think necessary for our meetings over the winter!
* Moon and star mobiles: Take a long stick, some cardboard cut-out moons and stars, some used tin foil in silver and gold, and some bits of wool. Wrap the moons and stars in foil and hang them from the stick, along with pine cones etc if you like. It makes a lovely backdrop for a story, especially if hung in a tree.
* Advent wands: practically a tradition with us now in early December. We gathered long, stout sticks and lots of greenery (holly, bay, pine, etc) to twine around them. Tied it up with colourful pipe cleaners and ribbons. They do look lovely, and featured in a story about Santa Claus using his magic wand to cast a spell on poor old Granny's Christmas tree, with the help of some spiders, to make it sparkle with the very first tinsel.
* This week is our Christmas party. Another 'tradition' is to decorate a tree in the woods and sing carols to it. After doing that, we'll head over to Holgate Methodist Church and its nice warm hall, for some crafts and party food.
Monday, 9 November 2009
From mosaics to windmills
Another very lively few weeks for our group. We've had:
* a trip to Holgate Windmill with the wonderful Jen Hay. She gave us all a try at grinding corn with a pair of stones, then with a quern (that was a real technological innovation, let me tell you!), and then we looked at how the windmill works. She told us the story of 'The Mill That George Built', complete with some impressive props, and the children coloured in some pictures of the windmill in bright colours. We sponsored one panel of the new sails, and have a smart certificate to say so! (unfortunately we also caused a minor breakage - the perils of toddlers!)
* leaf printing - thanks Nikki Humberstone and Janey Stockdale for organising this. The children really enjoyed making lovely, overlapping artworks in different colours of paints, using different kinds of leaves. Activities like this can get them in quite a dreamy state, which is to be treasured.
* bird feeder making, using pine cones, sticky 'orrible lard and seeds. There were not many children this week, but sometimes that can make for an unexpectedly fun morning, as happened on this occasion. They led us a merry dance round the woods, jumping up and down slopes covered in fallen leaves.
* More Magical Mosaics! - the splendid Mary Passeri came back for a final fling with us, and we made secret hidden mosaics in the woods. The children's enthusiasm and attention span for this was really wonderful to see. It being half term, we had some robust 4, 5 and 6-year-olds to help out. They especially enjoyed hammering old tiles to smithereens through an old blanket - as pictured. We made one final one all together in a top-secret very-well-hidden place. Mary - we will miss you!
* Planting in the wildlife area. The council has given the Friends of West Bank Park a generous budget to plant some nice-smelling, insect-attracting herbs in this area. We took part in the selection of plants, and today we got planting, with a little help from our Parks Officer Stephen Whittaker, and Margaret Weeden from the Friends. Thanks to both, as we really did enjoy this and it means a lot to the children to have contributed to making the park an even better place. They will all come back and point out which sage plants they planted, and where their snowdrops are hiding in the soil, waiting to come out after Christmas!
* a trip to Holgate Windmill with the wonderful Jen Hay. She gave us all a try at grinding corn with a pair of stones, then with a quern (that was a real technological innovation, let me tell you!), and then we looked at how the windmill works. She told us the story of 'The Mill That George Built', complete with some impressive props, and the children coloured in some pictures of the windmill in bright colours. We sponsored one panel of the new sails, and have a smart certificate to say so! (unfortunately we also caused a minor breakage - the perils of toddlers!)
* leaf printing - thanks Nikki Humberstone and Janey Stockdale for organising this. The children really enjoyed making lovely, overlapping artworks in different colours of paints, using different kinds of leaves. Activities like this can get them in quite a dreamy state, which is to be treasured.
* bird feeder making, using pine cones, sticky 'orrible lard and seeds. There were not many children this week, but sometimes that can make for an unexpectedly fun morning, as happened on this occasion. They led us a merry dance round the woods, jumping up and down slopes covered in fallen leaves.
* More Magical Mosaics! - the splendid Mary Passeri came back for a final fling with us, and we made secret hidden mosaics in the woods. The children's enthusiasm and attention span for this was really wonderful to see. It being half term, we had some robust 4, 5 and 6-year-olds to help out. They especially enjoyed hammering old tiles to smithereens through an old blanket - as pictured. We made one final one all together in a top-secret very-well-hidden place. Mary - we will miss you!* Planting in the wildlife area. The council has given the Friends of West Bank Park a generous budget to plant some nice-smelling, insect-attracting herbs in this area. We took part in the selection of plants, and today we got planting, with a little help from our Parks Officer Stephen Whittaker, and Margaret Weeden from the Friends. Thanks to both, as we really did enjoy this and it means a lot to the children to have contributed to making the park an even better place. They will all come back and point out which sage plants they planted, and where their snowdrops are hiding in the soil, waiting to come out after Christmas!
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Our beloved Queen Victoria
We sometimes bow to her before we set off into the woods!
