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PODS Easter Holiday Scheme, MenSpace Group & Lots More...

Following on from the success of the pilot holiday scheme at Christmas, PODS are delighted to be running another SEN holiday scheme over the Easter period. This time we have made a few alterations based on feedback, we will be offering sessions of varying lengths and differing themes, so please carefully read the details and costs for each session before making your selection. 

As before all children/young people aged 0-25 with an additional need and/or a disability are welcome, including their siblings. All children/young adults will be provided with lunch and refreshments to either eat during the sessions or takeaway. There will be plenty of staff on hand to support, but please note parents/carers must remain onsite at all times. Each family will only initially be allocated one date, to allow as many families as possible to access the scheme.

Please request your session by following the link below, booking closes midday Monday 13th March, you will be notified of your allocation by 20th March, payments for the sessions will be due no later than 27th March, failure to pay will result in the session being reallocated, if you have any payment difficulties please contact us in the strictest of confidence. For any queries or questions please email elaine@podstelford.org

3rd April 10.30-1.30, Wrekin Forest Schools, families need to make own way there, children's lunch provided, £4 per child.

5th April 10-3, Carding Mill Valley, PODS will be providing transport, children's lunch provided, £4 per person.

6th April 10-12, Easter Egg hunt, and crafts, Childrens takeaway lunch provided, £3 per child.

12th April 10-1, Science and activity session, Childrens lunch provided, £3 per child.

13th April 12-4, Project farm, PODS will be providing transport, Childrens lunch provided, £4 per person.

Here is the booking link and QR Code: PODS Happy Healthy and Active Holidays Easter Scheme 2023

PODS MenSpace Group

Tuesday 21st March 2023 from 12pm-2pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

A chance to put the world to rights over cake and coffee! Join us at the MenSpace group. A group dedicated to male carers.

These groups are guided by you, you can talk about whatever you want, and give us all chance to help each other out. You will also be able to influence how these groups run in the future by feeding back what you want from the group and how we can achieve this. 

Please let Matt know if you have any problems booking on. Contact: Matt Downes-Ward - matt@podstelford.org 

To book, please click here: PODS MenSpace Group

PODS Blists Hill Family Group

Friday 24th March 2023 from 10am-12pm at Blists Hill Victorian Town, Telford, TF7 5UD

Come and join us  at PODS Family Group in Blists Hill Victorian Town for a chat, relax  and meet with friendly faces. Ask us for some advice or just enjoy a walk around the village.

Please note a facemask is required in some parts of the village. Tickets are available at a subsidised cost of £3.00 per person. PODS will provide 1 tea/coffee/soft drink to each person booked, however you will have to purchase your own other refreshments if required. Places are limited and booking is essential, open to all PODS members living in Telford and Wrekin.

Please note that the tickets are non-refundable. Children, of any age, are welcome however if they are under 2 years old, no ticket is required. We will be meeting at the entrance at 10am, please let us know if you will be late or can no longer make it so as the group can enter on time.

To book, please click here: PODS Blists Hill Family Group

PODS Easter Egg Donation Trolley at Donnington ASDA

We have our Easter Egg donation trolley down at Donnington ASDA again this year.

Please donate a chocolate Easter Egg if you can when you're out shopping. Donations are also welcomed at our Hub.

Short Breaks Newsletter - March 2023

Sharing from Telford & Wrekin Council…

"This is the second edition of our Short Breaks Newsletter! We received some great feedback in February—we hope you and your family enjoyed reading about, and getting involved in some of the activities from the calendar! There are LOTS of activities being held in the community within Telford and Wrekin for children and young people with disabilities to get involved in that you may not yet be aware of. Hopefully, this newsletter will change that!"

To read the newsletter in full, please click here: Short Breaks Newsletter - March 2023

Charity Fundraiser for 'Centre Algarve' - Holidays for Telford & Wrekin (& Shropshire) Families

Friday 9th June 2023 from 6pm-11.30pm at Best Western Valley Hotel Buildwas Road Ironbridge TF8 7DW

Sharing from Centre Algarve Holiday Centre for Children with Special Needs...

"A enjoyable evening with delicious food, beautiful surroundings, raffle prizes, a silent auction and live music.

Our aim is to raise awareness and funds for families in Shropshire to utilise the Centre Algarve Holiday Centre. Many families we come into contact with that have children with food intolerances, like to wander off on their own, are wheelchair-bound, the list goes on, wouldn't dream of going on holiday abroad because the hotels on Mainland Europe just haven't got the means or facilities to accommodate these families.

The Centre Algarve Holiday Centre has been specifically set up for these families. You may know families in this situation that are struggling and could really do with a break! You may know of Special Needs Schools that are not able to take their students abroad because the risks are too high. This hotel can accommodate a whole class along with carers!

This Centre changes lives and gives those that are usually excluded from these types of experiences an opportunity to make lasting memories with their families. The families also benefit, knowing their family is safe, they know everything is available to ensure easy access. Come and join us for a night to remember!"

To book, please click here: Charity Fundraiser for 'Centre Algarve' - Holidays for Telford & Wrekin (& Shropshire) Families

PODS March Activity Sessions

Come and join PODS for a variety of activity sessions during March!

Booking is essential and should be made via Ticketsource. Places are limited and are sold on a first come first served basis. Please email jeannie@podstelford.org for more information. Parent/carer attendance is required.

To book on to the activities, please click on the links below:

Games                                                                 

Cake Decorating 

Enginuity                                                           

Crafts 

Blists Hill                                                           

Telford Town Park & Football 

PODS Warm Hub Activities

Enjoy free activities run by PODS!

Come and meet new people, all ages are welcome and you don't need to be a member of PODS to attend. Free refreshments are available.

PODS After School Clubs

Please see the poster below for details of PODS After School Clubs held at PODS Hub during Term Time. Cost is £3 per child.

To book your place, please click on the links below:

PODS Code Club

PODS Minecraft Club

PODS Lego Club - SOLD OUT

Update from Jayne, Strategic Co-ordinator

Hello

This last week has seen us meeting with the Exec Director of Children Services and Directors for Family Services and Education & SKills. It's really important for us to have these opportunities and for them to hear first hand from our team of Parent Reps - sharing the wider parent carer experiences from the community, but also considering own direct experiences. We covered a whole range of matters including transition, college, staffing, support for families, gaps in services (Children with Disabilities Team and Strengthening Families), education and EHCPs. These conversations do not stop at a meeting - they will form part of an 'action plan' and be picked up at the Strategic Children and Young People's Board and SEND Partnership Board.

You will know the news about the Working Together Charter and this has been a key piece of work to ensure that families feel supported in conversations, that co-production is embedded in all decisions made. We've picked this up particularly around the SEND & Alternative Provision Strategy (you will have seen the link for this already?). The strategy is very detailed and there's such a lot to it, but very important we get this right. We've listened to you, and you are telling me that you want to attend a workshop about the strategy - so on Tuesday, that's my aim to get it sorted for you.

Talking of workshops, you've also said that you'd like one about the OFSTED visit that's upcoming - so yes, that's something else we will be able to get sorted.  

We are very lucky to have the PODS Hub to host these, but we're going to try to be a bit more clever and see if we can sort out hybrid or recording so we can ensure that we reach as many of you as possible - so watch this space.

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend the National Network of Parent Carer Forums (did you know there's a forum in every local authority area in England!?) So a room with over 200+ passionate Forum leads and reps and volunteers doing wonderful work. I'm pretty sure our new Trustee who accompanied me was impressed too!  We heard from OFSTED HMI Inspector, NHS England and Departmnent for Education.

Rest of the week, we've updated about Autism in Schools, Barnardos KeyWorker Project (for our families most in crisis), conversations with BeeU teams and chasing up for families. We've bid for some more money for those 1:1 'Challenges at Home' sessions that we are delivering with Educational Psychologist Team, and these we hope will form part of the 'waiting well' for families undertaking Autism assessments. The general sessions are continuing, daytime and evening and we'll be setting more dates from Easter onwards.  

A final ask from me - if you can please take the time to look at the SEND & Alternative Provision Strategy that would be brilliant - or just look out for our workshop/event about it.  

Here's the link: SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy

Best Regards and Thanks

Jayne

Action for Happiness Calendar -  Mindfulness March 2023

Please note the above material is subject to copyright, please contact PODS before sharing any of the information in this PODS Ebulletin.

Thank you for reading our latest Ebulletin, please stay safe & well. 

Kerrie Seagrave, Member Support Co-ordinator

on behalf of PODS Parent Carer Forum.

We hope you enjoyed reading our latest e-bulletin - we hope you continue to find it useful. If you have any suggestions to make it better feel free to let me know.