Family Information and FOPHS News Friday 7th June 2024

I will be resharing information for the benefit of new starters and sharing updates. Some of the following may be of use to your family.

Full information on support and webinars in the links below.

Please find some helpful links below:

The CEA Card is a national card scheme developed for UK cinemas by the UK Cinema Association (UKCA).

The card enables a disabled cinema guest to receive a complimentary ticket for someone to go with them when they visit a participating cinema.

The card is also one way for cinemas to make sure they look after their disabled guests. If you require an adjustment to visit a cinema because of your disability, cinema staff should make them for you whether you have a CEA Card or not.

The card is developed by UKCA’s Disability Working Group, whose members include film exhibitors and distributors, and national disability charities such as RNID, RNIB, Dimensions and Whizz Kidz.

So, what is Timbadash? From their website:”

We are a theatre company producing immersive sensory experiences for children with complex and additional needs.

Our work is fun, vibrant, and accessible but most importantly it’s collaborative placing each young person at the heart of everything we do. We combine sensory play with storytelling, music, and a touch of magic to create immersive theatrical worlds that create space for interactions with our audience.

Our belief is that arts and culture is a fundamental right and need for young people with disabilities. Art connects all of us to the world, each other and ourselves and is a powerful tool for self-expression, communication, learning and improved health and wellbeing.

Our mission is to ensure that every young person that we work with has an opportunity to engage in a high-quality arts experience which is free of expectation and allows them to express themselves creatively. We achieve this through workshops with our audiences to co-create every show we make.”

Here are the details of the monthly shows:

Where: Gosforth Civic Theatre

When: Every fourth Saturday of the month

Booking: we launch tickets at the beginning of every month – follow us on Event Brite so you don’t miss out!

Beach Access North East/ BANE promotes social inclusion, independence and choice for disabled & elderly people across the North East of England.

We provide FREE loan of specialised equipment at beaches across our region.

I saw a review in the last week describing them as a game changer. They have locations in Bamburgh, Beadnell, Blyth, Newbiggin, Newton-By-The-Sea, South Shields, Whitley Bay and Tynemouth. Below are some examples of equipment which may be available; you will find more detail on the website.

You do need to be a member but can complete when you visit. If the weather continues to be nice there is a lovely play area, gaming room, hydrotherapy pool, sensory room, and a café. What I loved about it when my son was younger was that it is as safe and secure as you could hope for. Bookings are required for access, free of charge. I am often told that accessing bookings for the hydrotherapy pool is difficult, and the best way is to keep phoning to get a slot.

Meeting

Our next meeting is on Thursday 20^th June from 9.30-11.00 where we will do the draw for the caravan break. It’s not too late to purchase a number at £3 each, nor is it too late to join the 100 club for the remaining 6 draws. Details on both are below.

We need and want parental engagement at FoPHS. Your voice is important to us, as are your ideas. So, if I promise to provide cake, not to give you extra work, will this encourage you to come along? The best meetings are when we have lots of people sharing ideas.

You could also join online; link will be sent next week.

School Photos.

By now, I trust that everyone who has requested and had photos taken have received proofs with payment details. We have a small number outstanding, students who were not in, some who refused on the day and Beth will try to take these in the next week or so. We are mindful that whilst photos are important to parents/carers and many students, all our students have additional needs. We will always seek their consent and would not wish this to affect their learning at school. However, sometimes they are in a better place on a different day, and we will try again if appropriate.

It has been hugely positive to be a part of this offer, to see all the photos and to hear the many positive reviews from families. We wanted to:

• Provide good quality photos.
• Make them affordable, bearing the cost of living in mind.
• Ensure that everyone who wanted them had the opportunity; doing them in school enabled us to do them on different days.

It has been time consuming, but worth it I feel. Funds raised will support the ongoing work of FoPHS and once all payments are received, I will update you. There is still time to send payments, via QR code or cash (latter addressed to me please).

If you have misplaced the form, here is the QR code:

There are still plenty of numbers left for the number generator raffle for a short stay at Cresswell Towers Caravan Park. This is open to anyone. It is a 3 bed (1 double, 2 twin room) respite caravan which has level access via decking. Please see the poster below. Each number costs £3; you can pay by cash, cheque (payable to Percy Hedley Foundation) or QR code. If you use the latter which is easy, remember to reset the “tip” to zero at the checkout. If you already have a justgiving account (either because you’ve donated before or done a fundraiser using this platform), your details will have been saved which makes it even easier. We will draw this on the 20^th of June at the FoPHS meeting. You will be able to book dates within school holidays. Unfortunately, it is not possible to take your 4-legged friends with you. You will find more photos on the link below.

Entertainment passes can be purchased separately, and no deposit will be required to book your stay at the caravan. All you will need to take with you is towels as the beds are made up.

This is a closed group for family and friends of Percy Hedley School, where you can share news and updates about school life. It is not for external professionals who may be working with families. To join, you need to answer the question stating your link with school.

Please note: this group is for sharing news and updates about school life and is not intended to discuss any issues around individual students, and as such all comments are moderated. If you have a particular issue or concern, please contact school directly on 0191 216 1811.