Livin’ it up Spring 2014
Welcome to the YCP Spring 2014 Newsletter! Spring is well under way and we are really enjoying the sunshine! We’ve got lots of news, games and updates for you so have a look inside! We hope you like the new format for our newsletter, feedback is appreciated as always!
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Inside this issue:
Teen Zone
News and Updates
Zany Zone
Dates for your Diary
Recent Activities
Contact Us!
Parents’ Page
Kingston Carers’ Network, Noble Centre, 109a Blagdon Road, New Malden, KT3 4BD, 020 3031 2757 Registered Charity No. 1151456 Company No. 8376060
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
What We’ve Been up to! Create– Creative Writing Workshop We held a two day creative writing workshop. During the two days we learnt how to compose a poem; we all worked together to write this Cinquain: London (2 syllables- The subject) Rainy Rowdy (4 syllables- What it looks like) Place to make dreams happen (6 syllables-Action purpose) Full of stress, love and happiness (8 syllables- Feeling emotion) Big Smoke (2 syllables- Echo)
Chessington Zoo We hope you all enjoyed our visit to Chessington Zoo. Although the rides weren’t open, we still had a great time. The sea life centre was really fun and some of us got to interact with the creatures. Although the monkeys were sleeping, we were able to see the lion and tiger. We had a lovely pizza lunch altogether and visited Hocus Pocus Hall.
020 3031 2757
Spring 2014
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The Harmony Project Thanks to an organisation called Shared Heritage, we have been learning all about design and textiles as part of the Harmony Project. We are hoping that our finished designs will be displayed in a gallery.
Cook and Eat Programme In February we held another of our popular six week cooking courses for young carers and their families. The course centred on learning about healthy meal options and examples of how to cut down on sugar, fat and salt in our diets. We made some delicious meals and even some healthier options puddings!
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
BARNFIELD DROP-IN (12+ years)
We’d like to say a MASSIVE thank you to Steve at Radio Jackie for giving us a behind the scenes tour and letting us cheer live for the Young Carers’ Project on the radio! Bowling afterwards was brilliant too… well done to the boys’ group for the win!
WHEN? EVERY WEDNESDAY (TERM TIME)
WHERE?BARNFIELD YOUTH CENTRE
WHO? YOUNG CARERS AGED
12+
YEARS
The Safer Neighbourhoods Team visited us at Barnfield recently to talk about staying safe and about the Police Cadets. For more info about the Cadets or to get involved, get in touch with the Kingston Youth Involvement Team: Call 020 7161 8457 OR email Kingstoncadets@met.police.uk
A TASTER OF THE ACTIVITIES COMING UP AT BARNFIELD NEXT TERM! Bowling, Behind the Scenes McDonald’s Store Tour, Gym Night, Music Production and Cooking!
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Spring 2014
NOBLE DROP IN (UNDER 12s)
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Visit from the Safer Neighbourhoods Team
WHEN? EVERY 2ND THURS OF THE MONTH
(TERM Clay creations Dalek cupcakes… EXTERMINATE!
TIME)
WHERE?NOBLE CENTRE WHO? YOUNG CARERS AGED
5-12 YEARS
Coming up at the Noble drop-in in the next few months:
Trips to the park!
Planting in the garden!
Fruit smoothie making!
Birdseed biscuits!
Visit from the ambulance service
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
TEENS PAGE
FILM REVIEW Need for Speed (12A) Fresh from prison, a street racer who was framed by a wealthy business associate joins a cross country race with revenge in mind. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins. HAVE YOU SEEN IT? LET US KNOW WHAT YOU RATE IT!
Be s
afe
on t
he s
tre et
Plan ahead - before you go out think about how you are going to get home. Can you travel with a friend? What time does the last train or bus leave? Don’t get stranded! Avoid danger spots like quiet or badly lit alleyways, underpasses or isolated car parks, use routes you know best.
Stay alert; keep your mind on your surroundings - remember if you are chatting on your phone or listening to music you will not hear trouble approaching. Try not to keep all your valuables in one place. If you think you are being followed trust your instincts and take action - cross the road, keep moving, make for a busy area and tell people what is happening. If necessary call the police. NEVER accept a lift from a stranger even if you are wet, tired or late If you are socializing with a group of friends look after each other - make sure everyone stays safe.
!
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Spring 2014
NS YOUR QUESTIO ANSWERED!!!
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Dear YCP, I haven’t been eating too much recently. I’m worried about gaining weight and it doesn’t help that all my friends are SO skinny!
This is something we hear often; there is a lot of pressure on teenagers to look a certain way but eating healthily and exercising regularly is the key! Your body needs food to function so not eating will affect your mood, your sleeping patterns, your growth and your health! For more info on how to stay healthy and maintain your weight have a look at the NHS website at www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/GoodFood.
WHICH BAND MEMBER IS THE BEST? If you can tell us good reasons why your favourite is the best you might be in with a chance of winning a chocolatey prize! Email or Facebook us with your answers!
Recommended Reading for Spring 2014 ‘Trouble’ by Non Pratt Fifteen-year-old Hannah is in trouble. She's pregnant, and can't bring herself to tell her family or friends the truth. Meanwhile, Aaron is new at school and desperate to keep a low profile. So why on earth does he volunteer to pretend to be the father of Hannah's baby?
‘The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender’ by Leslye Walton This is the story of Ava Lavender, a girl born with the wings of a bird and of her family: her grandmother Emmeline's journey from rural France, via 1920s Manhattan, to life as a baker in Seattle; her mother Viviane's tragic love story; and her younger brother Henry.
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
zany zOne
JOKE BOX! What dog can jump higher than a building? Any dog, buildings can't jump! Why did the elephant paint himself different colours? So he could hide in the crayon box!
How many bumblebees can you find in this newsletter? (The answer is on page 11, DON’T PEEK!)
ART COMPETITION If you can draw us a picture of what you think being a young carer is all about and send it to us, you may be in with a chance of winning a prize! COLOUR ME IN!
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PARENTS’ PAGE Families Connect is a new project offering support to parents with mental health issues. For support, advice or information please contact Sue at familiesconnect@welcarekingston.org.uk.
Then we have the answer! Where? Kingston Carers’ Network, Noble Centre, 109A Blagdon Road, New Malden, KT3 4BD When? Course starts – Wednesday 30th April 2014, 10am to 12noon for 10 weeks finishing Wednesday 9th July 2014
Dates for your Diary 25th May 2014—The Alpha Road Estate Annual Fun Day: go along for lots of stalls and information about local services in Kingston. 10th June 2014—Young Carers’ Summer Party. Please join us for an after school party, bring all the family (more details to follow). 20th July 2014—Dragon Boat Race (if you would like more info or would like to take part please tell Liz).
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
NEWS AND UPDATES FROM THE YCP Do you live with someone who has a mental health issue? Andora is running a project which aims to provide one -to-one support and age-appropriate information to children and young people about mental ill health. If you would like some support around this, or know someone who would benefit, please get in touch by phone or email: 020 3031 2756 youngcarers4@kingstoncarers.org.uk
Hi, I’m Emma and I joined KCN at the start of March as a Support Worker for Young Adult Carers. The Young Adult Carers’ Project will provide support for carers aged 16-25 to achieve their future goals and my first job is meeting and getting to know young adult carers so that I can find out what those goals are. The carers will receive personalised support from the Project and it could be anything from socialising opportunities to helping them apply for university. For anyone who is part of the Young Carers Project aged 16-18 and who is interested in the YAC Project too please get in touch – you can be a part of both! yac@kingstoncarers.org.uk 07704 795 923
We would like to say a huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to Kingston’s Volunteer Police Cadets for the
£500
they have donated
to our Project. Not only did the Police Cadets manage to raise this impressive sum doing the Dragonboat Race in the summertime, they also managed to beat us in the race in the process!
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We are sad to be saying goodbye to Matt at the beginning of April. We will miss him lots! Thank you for all your hard work at the project Matt! Good luck in your next venture!
As always, we’d like to say a huge and heartfelt thank you to all our volunteers, we really couldn’t do without all your help and support. For anyone interested in becoming a volunteer with the Young Carers’ Project please don’t hesitate to call the office on 020 3031 2757.
Our Welcome Group is a perfect way for children and young people who are new to the YCP to get to know the staff and some other children in a small group setting whilst doing something fun!
A JOKE FOR YOU Why is 10 afraid of 7? Because 7 ate 9! (Lily, aged 7) Thanks for the contribution Lily! If anyone else would like to contribute to our next newsletter please get in touch with jokes, pictures, stories or anything else!
Answer: There are 15 bumblebees in this newsletter, did you find them all?
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
CONTACT US! Please feel free to contact us at any time for advice and support, information about our activities or projects or just for a chat! Diane 079818 878 931 youngcarers1@kingstoncarers.org.uk
Liz 07551 647 448 youngcarers3@kingstoncarers.org.uk
Andora 07824 781 705 youngcarers4@kingstoncarers.org.uk
www.facebook.com/Kingston.YCP @YCPKingston