Winter HAF 2021

Christmas Half Term Activities are 'educational and fun'

Real Arts Workshops (RAW) were pleased to be awarded a grant from City of Wolverhampton Council to deliver arts, crafts and BSL activities over Christmas Half Term. The funding is from Department for Education for young people who are eligible for the HAF (Holidays Activities and Food) programme.

Alex Vann, a director of RAW said: “This funding required RAW to incorporate some education about healthy food choices for young people and we did this in various creative ways such as still life drawing, poster design and decorating pots containing fruit and water. We worked with a fantastic group of young people aged 10-16, some with very complex needs so we needed to ensure our activities were engaging and fun as well as educational.”

Here's what the young people told us:

20.12.21
“I enjoyed doing the [plant] pots and designing them. I had a lot of fun. Thank you so much.”
“I enjoyed the crafts and sports at lunch.”
“Doing art and the plant pots and baubles. And making Christmas cards.”
“I have felt happy and joyful because I have had such fun making and creating stuff. It has been fun and I have enjoyed having fun, especially with Sarah”
“I enjoyed everything, good activities, good staff. The time for each activity was great. The food was great.”
“I enjoyed very much working with other people. I liked doing the [cards and] envelopes very much – it was my favourite part of the day.”
“I liked doing the pots the most.”
“I enjoyed making the easel card a lot.  I got a little frustrated making baubles.”
 
21.12.21
“My favourite activity was painting on the [ceramic] tiles.”
“I have liked that I have learned Sign Language and doing the tiles.”
“I enjoyed the BSL.”
“I loved learning new signs from sign language instead of just a few things. The tiles were calming, thank you.”
“Today was the best day, I really enjoyed it really much. My favourite part was when we were doing the BSL.”
“I had a lot of fun doing the tile paintings but enjoyed learning BSL more.”
‘Today was good like yesterday. Great activities. Sign Language was easy to understand. The tiles were good as well.
 
23.12.21
“I enjoyed doing the [miniature] Christmas tree.”
“I liked doing the Christmas pine cone trees.”
[enjoyed the most]“Posters, pine cones and coasters. Wayne is the best, and Alex.”
“Making the tree, making the coaster. I would also like to do sports.”
“I enjoyed everything, mainly the coasters, making trees and the food plate [poster].”
“Today was good. Awesome staff – had the resources ready.”
“Creating the Christmas tree ; using a slate and making it Christmassy ; doing the ‘Eatwell Guide [poster] ; the Jack Skellington drawing – even so it was soooo bad!”
‘I liked doing the Christmas tree the most.”
 
24.12.21 (from JotForm online surveys.)
“I thought it was a nice blend of educational and fun”
“I really enjoyed the activities”
“Just to say thank you!”
“I really liked it here”
“I really liked the BSL part it made me understand the deaf teacher a lot.”