Our members often ask us to provide activities where they live and we would love to do this more. It therefore created much delight within Team Allsorts when the Short Break team at Gloucestershire County Council approached us for ideas on how we can support more families of children with additional need in rural areas.
In November and December, we worked in the rural areas of Stinchcombe and Chalford, taking a van load of toys and our new magic carpet out to village halls. We provided children, ages 0-8, with lots of opportunities to play, take part in sports, use our toy library, play in our sensory area and generally have fun. We were able to give parents information and support and gained lots of new Allsorts members.
After the first couple of weeks, we were able to offer a short break for the children over age 6 and some families took advantage of this chance for a break from their caring role.
So far, we have had 105 attendances and are loving witnessing the fun and friendship that the project is generating. The council hope to commission a soft play bus to join us in our next adventures so keep an eye out as we plan our next travels into rural areas.