Canoe River trip, Friday 27th July
Come and have a relaxing paddle down the River Severn and stop in Bewdley for some Fish and Chips!
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Be safe online course, part 1 Wednesday 1st August, part 2 Thursday 29th August
Come along to our relaxed sessions to learn how to use the internet and social media safely. Learn how to spot someone ‘real’ online. Learn which sites are safe to use.
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Climbing and bowling, Friday 3rd August
Come along for a fun morning of adventure climbing followed by bowling in the afternoon.
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Graffiti day, Saturday 11th August
Join Charlie and learn about graffiti methods and design. Take home your own personal canvas. Be part of designing and making a graffiti mural at The Enterprise Hub.
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Kayaking 2 day Course, Thursday 16th August and Friday 17th August
Come and improve your kayaking skills over this 2 day course and work towards your Paddle Power Awards (Nationally Recognised Qualification). This trip may include a trip along the canal.
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Alton Towers, Friday 31st August
Come along and spend a day on the rides at our Alton Towers day trip. Cost includes park entry and transport from The Enterprise Hub or Clifton Road.
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Midland Mencap is celebrating after being awarded £343,465 of National Lottery funding from Sport England to help low income families of children with Special Educational Need and/or Disabilities (SEND) in Birmingham get active with their children.
Four out of five primary school children do not get the recommended amount of daily exercise of 60 minutes a day, and are missing out on the benefits it brings. Children from low income families are most likely to do very little physical activity.
Midland Mencap’s ‘parkride’ family cycling project is one of the first projects to receive investment from a £40 million National Lottery funding pot that Sport England has dedicated to helping families get active together.
The fund is a key part of Sport England’s focus on helping young people have an enjoyable experience of sport and physical activity so they develop a positive attitude towards being active at an early age and continue being active in later life.
Sport England are funding organisations that help families get active together, because parents and close family members can have a big impact on children’s experiences. As well as giving children direct access to sporting opportunities, Sport England research shows that they are also significant role models in helping their children get active – because how a parent behaves impacts what a child sees as important.
Parents who are active themselves, and enjoy it, can encourage positive feelings about exercise and its value in their children. Yet many parents lack the skills or confidence to take part in sport with their children as they fear they cannot keep up. For example, if adults don’t know how to swim or lack confidence on a bike, this has a knock-on impact on the activities they feel they can do as a family and how much they encourage children to take part.
Each of the funded projects will work to address this by building adults’ confidence around getting active with their children, and by providing experiences for families that are enjoyable, convenient and low cost.
Midland Mencap understand that people can lead very busy lives so finding time to take part in activities together as a family can be a real challenge. For families of children with Special Educational Need and/or Disabilities (SEND) it can be even more difficult to find activities, events and things to do as a family.
1. The Chief Medical Officer recommends that children and young people do at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Currently, just 23% of boys and 20% of girls meet the national recommended level of activity. 47% of children from the households with the lowest incomes do low levels of activity. Health Survey for England 2016: Children’s health information Sport England commissioned-research conducted by The Behavioural Architects 2017
‘parkride’ is a fun, free and flexible inclusive family cycling project that provides the whole family, regardless of need with the opportunity to enjoy cycling.
The project will be based at Midland Mencap’s Outdoor Learning Centre in Sutton Park, and will provide families access to a range of adapted and mainstreams bikes and specially designed routes.
Sport England’s Director of Children and Young People Jayne Molyneux said:
“It’s not right that four in five children don’t get enough exercise and are missing out on the health benefits it brings. Just by seeing their parents being active, children can be inspired to do the same, and if they have an enjoyable experience they’re far more likely to continue as an adult.
“Parents have many demands on their time, and often lack the confidence to get active with their children. That’s why Sport England is working hard to make getting active with your children an easy choice. With this new National Lottery funding, Midland Mencap will be able to provide families with access to a range of adapted and mainstream bikes to enjoy together for free.
Midland Mencap’s Head of Children, Young People and Community Services Edd Terrey said:
“We are thrilled to have received this National Lottery Funding to develop the ‘parkride’ cycling project. This funding will allow us to start breaking down some of the main barriers that can prohibit families of children with SEND from taking part in physical activities together”
For more information:
Email: parkride@midlandmencap.org.uk
Twitter: @ParkRideMM
Facebook: ParkrideUK
Website: www.parkride.co.uk
About Sport England
Sport England is a public body and invests up to £300 million National Lottery and government money each year in projects and programmes that help people get active and play sport.
It wants everyone in England, regardless of age, background, or level of ability, to feel able to engage in sport and physical activity. That’s why a lot of its work is specifically focused on helping people who do no, or very little, physical activity and groups who are typically less active – like women, disabled people and people on lower incomes.
About Midland Mencap
Midland Mencap is a charity which works and campaigns for accessible and inclusive services and a better quality of life for everyone with experience of learning disabilities and additional needs.
Our vision is a world where everybody is valued and included as active and equal citizens in their community regardless of need.
Tuesday 22nd May
Only 1 week to go until Midland Mencap’s first children and young person’s residential! 24 young people along with staff and volunteers will be heading off to the Frank Chapman Centre in Bewdley to take part in a fun and exciting week of activities from Tuesday 29th May to Friday 1st June.
The Frank Chapman Centre is set in some lovely woodland near the Wyre Forest and has everything we need on site. All of our meals will be provided and we are very much looking forward to the homemade cakes and biscuits!
Our activities during the day will include archery, climbing, orienteering, bushcraft and high ropes. In the evenings we will be doing a night walk, dancing at a disco and having a campfire.
We will be sending out a daily blog from the residential so you can stay up to date with all of our fun antics. This will be posted on the Midland Mencap website so keep your eyes open for more!
Frequent visitors to the Enterprise Hub will certainly have met fresh-faced Oliver Clayton. Seated attentively at reception, you can be sure Ollie will give you a cheerful greeting upon arrival. Get him going on his favourite subjects (hockey and football) and he’ll keep you amused for ages.
Earlier in the year Ollie became the first person to ride one of Midland Mencap’s hand cycles in Sutton Park. “It was quite cold to start off with, in the snow,” he tells me, before going on to say he peddled in the park for ninety minutes. Was he tired and freezing by the finish? Hardly. He cycles every week, thus building strength and stamina.
Ollie is a seriously active man. An avid swimmer and hockey player, he was a key component of the Midland Mencap Flyerz Hockey Team that won Gold in Amsterdam last year at the 2017 Euro ParaHockey Championship. He hopes to match this achievement in Barcelona, in a few weeks.
In 2015 the Big Flyerz became the first team of adults with learning disabilities to represent England in a recognised tournament. All of the signs indicate they will take Barcelona by storm. With Ollie on board how can they fail?
-Tim Wright, Volunteer Reporter-
Over the weekend Sophie Thornhill and Helen Scott won gold and broke a world record at the Rio UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships! Read more about their success on the British Cycling website.
Read below how winning a Helen Scott signed shirt has inspired a young person at Midland Mencap “to ride her bike straight away”!
“As a volunteer for Midland Mencap I get to be involved in lots of great events and spend time with lovely people on a regular basis. It’s the most rewarding thing I do and just before Christmas I saw how it could also have an amazing effect on my ten-year-old daughter.
She came along with me to help out at the ‘Weoley Winterland’ event at the community hub. As well as assisting me with selling jewellery and bows to the many attendees she also enjoyed taking part in the activities and bought herself a raffle ticket.
This turned out to be one of the winning tickets and, being too shy herself, my daughter sent me to collect a prize for her. The one I chose was a cycling shirt signed by Gold Winning Paralympian Tandem Pilot, Helen Scott.
My daughter seemed confused about my choice (I think she had her eye on a box of chocolates!) but when explained what it was she became curious. As soon as we got home we looked up Helen Scott online and found out all about her achievements in tandem cycling in the Paralympics and the Commonwealth Games. My daughter became incredibly excited. She put the shirt on and announced she was going to ride her bike straight away.
Since then, she has told everyone how she won something very special in the raffle at Midland Mencap and she always wears her ‘Helen Scott Cycling Shirt’ for any sporting activity. She’s very proud of it and it’s clear that the story behind it has inspired her.
It goes to show that getting involved at Midland Mencap and the contribution of great role models, like Helen Scott, can make a real difference.”
Tough to decide who had the most energy at the Enterprise Hub during February’s half-term play scheme session: The youngsters dashing about – laughing and whooshing through their sensory-saturated environment – or the staff members trying to keep up with them. The little adventurers making sand castles in the sand pit, diving deep into the ball pit, and running through the main hall with masks and dinosaurs, transformed the Hub into a wild fun-time hubbub.
Overseeing everything, with eyes in the back (and quite possibly the sides and top) of her head, is Narinder Sehmbi: Facilitator, activities organiser, Superwoman. Responsible for keeping the children safe and happy, with all of their individual needs met, she has her work cut-out but clearly delights in the challenge. Narinder loves to see happy smiling faces, and understands the value of days such as these, not least in terms of respite for busy Brummie parents.
Ciaran started at the Hub as a volunteer and has worked here for three years. His efforts are rewarded with a super-abundance of job satisfaction. Ciaran is a chilled dude who loves seeing the kids whizz about in a blur of excitement. Natalie works through an agency and, surprisingly, this is only her second day at the Hub. She thinks it’s fantastic. Natalie enjoys getting to know the children. Already she’s been praised for her skill and intuition.
Sully works part-time and loves the spirit and enthusiasm. He thinks it’s great that the kids can land here and willingly express themselves. Sully senses the Hub may have a number of resources the kids will not find at home. A burly good-spirited guy, he learns something new about his diminutive playmates every day.
Young Archie likes playing on the computers and initiating dodgeball games. His friend Zachary loves the ball pit and ‘role play.’ Together they dive into the soft play area and initiate a wild game of ‘dodgeball tennis,’ a high-energy activity that may have its roots right here at the Hub. Archie and Zachary, eager for victory in a sport of their own making, take it in turns hurling balls at each other and then batting them away, directly into the heart of the brave mob of spectators.
Half-term play schemes at the Enterprise Hub easily match the speed and endurance of Iron Man and Wonder Woman at peak performance – and you would have to search long and hard to find a hub containing more joy and youthful exuberance in the whole of the Second City.
-Tim Wright, Volunteer Reporter-
At the heart of Midland Mencap is the desire to help people, and to really show how much our services, staff and volunteers help those in need and those who care for them, I interviewed two parents (Debbie and Saeed) whose children access the Midland Mencap Short Breaks service.
Here is what they had to say:
1. What made you choose Midland Mencap and how did you hear about it?
Saeed: Around six or seven years ago I received a leaflet through the school my son attended. It was appealing because he could get involved with new activities and meet new people.
Debbie: My children are secure with them and they are happy to be here – once they come in, they just let go of my hand and they are free. Because they are autistic they don’t like places they are not comfortable with – they will not go back to that place, but they are always looking forward to coming to Midland Mencap. Even when they are home they say ‘Mencap, Mencap’. One of my children needs to know every day what is happening – on days where he has to go to school he says ‘Mencap!’ and I have to say no, today is Tuesday it is school and Saturday is Mencap. The staff are really friendly and yes, I choose Midland Mencap for my children’s safety. I heard about Midland Mencap from social services.
2. How has it changed your child’s, and your own, life?
Saeed: Even though it’s only 5 and a half hours every few weeks, he loves coming here and he gives a different response to other groups. He associates Midland Mencap with positive things and as we are content that he is in a happy and safe environment, we are comfortable having a lazy day or shopping while he is here.
Debbie: The change it has made to my life is that it gives me a break and gives me time to spend with other family. With my children, they get to spend time with other people so it makes a big change to their life too.
3. What’s the best thing about Midland Mencap?
Saeed: The volunteers and the staff. We are always met with smiley faces and they really care about each individual. My son’s uncle came to Midland Mencap before he sadly passed away and the staff and volunteers had a memorial service for him while my son was here – they really care for each person and acknowledge them as individuals.
Debbie: When you come back to collect your children they let you know how your child’s day went, whether it’s good or bad. If there’s any concern they will call to let you know – if they eat or they don’t eat etc. The staff and volunteers are always smiling and it’s a good environment – it is clean and safe. I always look forward to bringing them. I encourage other parents to choose Midland Mencap!
The views of the parents really highlight the positive impact of Midland Mencap’s work with children and young people, and they also show why volunteering and working here is so rewarding. As a volunteer myself, I fully recommend volunteering here to others!
– Kat, Reporter Volunteer –
This week is #StudentVolunteeringWeek and here at Midland Mencap we’re celebrating the outstanding contribution of our 40-strong team of skilled and committed student volunteers.
As a Midlands-based charity, we are incredibly lucky to have some excellent higher education organisations right on our doorstep, including the University of Birmingham, Aston University, Newman University and Birmingham City University. Through their willingness to share and promote our voluntary opportunities, we have had the privilege of involving undergraduate and postgraduate students across a range of academic disciplines in a wide variety of voluntary roles.
Now, let me introduce you to some of these amazing student volunteers!
First meet Bethany:
A student at Newman University who is training to become a counsellor. Through her voluntary contribution as a Community Connections Volunteer, Bethany has given a Midland Mencap citizen the much-needed opportunity to get out and about in her community, have fun and do the things that make her happy. Whether it’s going bowling together, catching a bus into town or just hitting the shops, they always have a great time and Bethany has made a significant positive difference to that individual’s quality of life while also developing her own skills for her future career in counselling.
Next meet Simon:
A psychology student at Aston University and a qualified swimming teacher. With his excellent swimming skills, his calm and inclusive teaching style and his admirably responsible approach to volunteering, Simon is an absolutely fantastic Love to Swim Volunteer at our weekly swimming sessions for adults with learning disabilities. These sessions make such a positive difference to the participants’ health and wellbeing, and we are incredibly grateful to Simon for all his help and support.
And last – but definitely not least – meet Noureen:
A postgraduate student at the University of Birmingham who is currently studying for a Masters in Psychology. Noureen’s ambition is to work as an educational psychologist with children who have additional needs, and we feel very lucky that she has chosen to develop her skills and experience in this area by volunteering with the Midland Mencap Children and Young Persons’ team. By helping out as an Inclusive Play Volunteer at our weekly Tuesday Club, Noureen is making a brilliant contribution to the emotional and social development of the young people who attend by supporting them to socialise, have fun and try out new activities.
Thank you Bethany, Simon, Noureen and all of our other fabulous student volunteers – you guys rock!
If this blog has inspired you to volunteer with Midland Mencap (whether you’re a student or not!), you can find all of our current opportunities on the Do It website here.
-Hayley Stokes, Volunteer Coordinator-
Over the last three months I’ve been volunteering at Midland Mencap football sessions in Moseley. Over this time I’ve been able to witness the players grow as individuals and as a team.
One person who stood out to me was Bryn, who’s been training with Midland Mencap for over two years now. As a result it came as no surprise to hear that Bryn is an integral part of the teams’ starting line up. So when I asked what position he played he simply responded, “Wherever I’m needed”, in keeping with him and the teams’ positive attitude.
Bryn also mentioned, to my delight, that he felt the volunteers at the weekly football sessions provided meaningful support allowing him to talk confidently and compassionately to them should he have a problem.
Bryn continued, highlighting the importance the sessions have been in his development, stressing the significance the sessions have had on him socially and physically.
It’s evident that football has become an integral part of Bryn’s weekly routine, allowing him to meet people he may not have met otherwise. This is also what Bryn discussed being the best thing about football, with the social aspect allowing him to make key and meaningful relationships.
Daniel Twist, Volunteer Reporter
We are running some Team teach training days and have some spaces available, if you would like any of your staff to attend please get in touch with the children’s team on 0121 256 1500.
Team teach full 2 day course
10th and 11th April
£89.00 per person
9.00am – 4.30pm
Team teach refresher course
9th April
£47.00 per person
9.00am – 4.30pm
Courses are to be held at Baskerville School in Harborne.