Two day's late!
Please accept our apologies that August's newsletter is ever so slightly late off the press. A culmination of technical problems with the site and ensuring that we are including as many of the brilliant things we've done as possible has led to the delay.
As usual the summer holidays have been busier than any other point throughout the year and the young people have all had a fantastic time.
Our Mobile Phones
We would like to offer our most sincere apologies about any further difficulties parents or carers have had in getting through to us at Crocus Fields. You may have received e-mails apologising that one of the shift phones was no longer working.
Somehow, all of the settings on it had changed into German. Once we translated all of the text we were informed that the phone was broken and no longer able to be used. A new device has been purchased and both shift phones are now working and available for you to contact us on. The unit numbers are as follows:
Unit 1 Mobile 07908130002 Unit 1 Office: 0115 8761989 Assistant Managers Office: 0115862288
Unit 2 Mobile 07908130066 Unit 2 Office 0115 8761986 Unit Managers Office: 0115 8762285
We recognise that not being able to get through to us has been an issue historically and we recognise how frustrating this can be for parents. We do not want to return to a situation where you can not get in touch with us. So please feel free to use the phones in addition to the office numbers. If they are not answered, try sending a text and staff will get back to you in due course.
Moving forward, we are looking into having a "whatsap" service set up on both unit mobiles. This may enable us to send some photos home to parents who would like this service. The photos will only ever be taken on the shift phones and sent back to parents of the young people in the pictures. We will keep you updated on this.
National Citizen Service
Huge thanks must go out to the National Citizen Service who have done some amazing work to the garden of unit 2. After contacting us earlier in the month, they were very keen to complete a project for us in collaboration with some of the young people.
They agreed to work together on the garden in Unit 2. The space was looking rather tired and in need of a little bit of TLC. They raised money for the materials via a bake sale at the train station and any additional funds raised they have donated towards our sensory pod fundraising!
Over a week period they have transformed the space in the garden and made it look much more child friendly. The team that completed the work were positive, good humoured and hard working. Crocus Fields are extremely grateful for the efforts they have put into the garden and in raising money for our sensory pod. They donated £137.80 yesterday and have said that there is approximately another £150 to come.
The National Citizen Service is open to all 16 and 17 year olds and aims to help young people build skills for work and life. More information on what they do is available here
Holiday's Galore!
The 6 week summer holidays has seen us go on no fewer than four residential trips with the young people. The weather has been kind to us throughout and all the trips were a huge success.
Dukes Barn
Boc, Andy and Charlotte took a group of young people to Dukes Barn in Derbyshire. We visit the centre once to twice a year.
It is perfectly kitted out for the needs of all of our young people and is one of the busiest and most exciting holidays that we do. From abseiling and canoeing to climbing walls and archery. A big thank you must go to Boc who puts together this fantastic trip every year for the young people.
Rarely a year goes by without people falling in the boating lake or enjoying the river. The young people embraced this opportunity slightly more than Charlotte did!
The facilities at Dukes Barn are outstanding and we would highly recommend them to any other groups or schools looking to take away a group of young people.
Canal Boat Holiday
Neil, Carol and Yeolander took a group of six young people on a four day canal boat holiday around the scenic Loughborough Circle. This is our longest running residential trip which has been going for approximately 20 consecutive years. The trip was a great success and the young people really enjoyed their time on the river.
Pontins
Following on from the great success of Dukes Barn, Boc organised a second residential trip to Pontins in Southport! Alongside Boc, Ashley and Carly the group went on fairground rides, beach trips, go karting and amusement arcades and the group embraced the British summer sun!
The four night trip was a great success and thanks must go to Boc, Ashley and Carly for making it happen.
The group even managed to bump into one of our old staff members whilst we were there who was visiting with his family! Small world ey?
PGL Caythorpe
Finally, for the third year running a group was taken to the PGL site in Caythorpe. Waz, Emma F, Emma W, Tim and Pete took 6 young people for a three night stay at the outdoor adventure centre. From campfires and marshmallows, to raft building (and falling in!), to abseiling, climbing, archery and rifle shooting. Every young person gave every activity a go and the group had a fantastic time away.
A big thank you is owed to the staff at PGL who were exceptional in the service they delivered for us during our time there. They regularly went above and beyond and we would highly recommend taking the young people there. The activities are so carried and fun there was something for everyone.
Photo's From the Holidays...
We have a lot of photos from the holidays. If you or your child would like copies of them please don't hesitate to get in t ouch with us and we will look at them having some to take home with them and keep.
Fundraising Group
A huge thank you to everyone who has sponsored the various events that have been taking place to raise money for our multi-sensory pod. We have raised a good proportion of the funds needed and we are awaiting to hear back about various grants that we have applied to.
Moving forward, we would be interested to hear from parents as to whether there is appetite to set up a group to help raise money for special trips and activities. Historically a group of parents set up a registered charity called "Friends of Crocus Fields". They met every two months and discussed way's of raising money for the service to spend of residential trips away or for big purchases like the sensory pod. They were in charge of how it could be spent and the service would request the funds. This group ceases to exist now but we are curious whether or not parents would be interested in setting this up again. Guidance would be given as to how to do it and set it up. Anyone interested is asked to get in touch with Peter Corkhill on 0115 8762288.
Research into Communication
Thank you again to everyone who got back to us and completed our online survery. The results of which will be published in Septembers newsletter along with any actions that we have taken from it.
Back to School...
We hope that the return to school goes smoothly for everyone and we all acclimatise to the shorter (and colder) days and longer nights.
If anyone has any questions about this months newsletter, do not hesitate to get in touch.