March has been a productive and busy month for us.  Check out what we have been doing.

Easton Acorns 

FCDC also work with external organisations, including Sensory Support Services based at Elmfield House.  There was a need identified within ethnically diverse communities, who may have feelings of isolation because of their culture to remain in the home or because English being their second language and therefore they weren’t meeting others in similar situations. We set up a pop-up  Acorns morning at Bannerman Road Children’s Centre, in an inner city area of Bristol where there are families being signposted from Sensory Support Services.   Our first session was held on the morning of Tuesday 22^nd March.  We took some simple crafts for the children to do, along with cakes, fruit and water. We were anticipating on approximately 5 families arriving but had some late cancellations due to illness.

Two families arrived and it was lovely and a positive start.  The children played while the adults chatted in an informal, relaxed space.  The families were keen to attend another session so we have a date in place to hold our second session and are excited to see this project develop.

Boing! Preschool session

We run a lot of events for older children and often find it difficult to find sessions suitable for our younger pre-schoolers and babies.  Boing! In Lockleaze loaned their facility to us for an hour and a half.  Boing! Is a non-profit community organisation with a fabulous soft play area and café within so parents and carers can keep an eye on their children while enjoying a drink and a chat, and maybe a slice of their amazing cakes!  We had 8 adults and 9 children attend.  3 families cancelled through illness and one family never arrived.  It was a lovely morning, with one parent commenting how nice it was to meet new people.  Some headed out to the adjacent park after to continue their socialising.  We have a date in place at Boing! Inns Court in South Bristol for Thursday 5^th May.

Family Cycle Centre

After last year’s successful visit to the Bristol Family Cycling Centre, we booked another session for Saturday 26^th March.  It was a lovely sunny session, not too hot.  25 children and 22 adults booked on.  The centre has a large selection of different style bikes to cater for everyone, from bikes that allow a wheelchair to be attached, arm bikes, balance bikes, side by side tandems, you name it, they have it.  The staff were knowledgeable and friendly, making sure the correct size bike was selected for each participant.  It was lovely to see so many happy, smiley people on the enclosed track.  Afterwards we had light refreshments and time to chat, and the children selected a Mother’s Day gift for the following day before heading home.