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Here's the Easter holiday activities funded through Manchester City Council for families who live in the city. All activities need to be booked in advance and are designed for COVID-safety within current restrictions. See last week's newsletter for more details on activities.
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Simply Cycling Sessions - NEW!
Simply Cycling are returning to Boggart Hole Clough! During the Easter Holidays, SEND families who live in the Manchester City Council area can cycle for free on Tuesday 6th, Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th April, at the earlier time of 10am till 2pm. Sessions start on the hour and are for 45 minutes. Booking essential – see the website.
Sessions at Wythenshawe Park over the Easter holidays are also free to SEND families in the city! They're Tuesday 6th April 9am-3pm, Wednesday 7th April 9am-12 noon, Friday 9th April 9am-3pm, Tuesday 13th April 9am-3pm, Wednesday 14th April 9am-12 noon and Friday 16th April 9am-3pm. Advance booking essential - more information on the website.
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Virtual Music Club - NEW!
The Billy & Andy Music School is running a free virtual music club over Easter for young adults with additional needs aged 13-25. It's a chance to explore song-writing and learn how to use free and easy music-making apps to make music independently. Sessions are via Zoom and from 11am-1.30pm (with a short break in the middle) on Tuesday 6th to Friday 9th April and Monday 12th to Friday 16th April. It'd be great if young people can attend multiple sessions, but they can join as many or as few as they like, as long as Billy and Andy have the space. They don't need to have the apps but if they can use technology independently, they're encouraged to download them. Spaces are limited and can be booked via Billy and Andy’s Eventbrite page. Any questions to info@billyandandy.co.uk or 07429 826053. Check out the School on Instagram and Facebook.
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Fun With GMYN - UPDATED!
GMYN workshops for young people in Manchester with SEND and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. (In the rush to pull together the Stuff To Do special last week, this info wasn't quite right.)
Zoom Quiz - Tuesday 6th April, 5-7pm (17-25 yrs)
Outdoor Cooking - Thursday 8th April, 1-3.30pm (13-17 yrs)
Hulme (venue to be confirmed)
Screen Printing - Tuesday 13th April, 12.30-3pm (13-17 yrs),
Thursday 15th April, 12.30-3pm (17-25 yrs)
GMYN, 46 – 50 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LE
To book places, ring Joseph on 07592 845246 or email joseph.cain@gmyn.co.uk
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Cabin Fun
Anson Cabin in Longsight is running inclusive play sessions for 5-13 year olds who live in the Manchester City Council area. Places are limited and need to be booked in advance: WEEK ONE Tuesday 6th – Friday 9th April, 10am-12 noon & 1-3pm, WEEK TWO Monday 12th – Friday 16th April, 10am-12 noon.
There are a number of home packs for children who are isolating or shielding. These can be delivered within a 1 mile radius of the site, otherwise collection can be arranged. Children need to be registered before the holidays. For more information and to book, email info@ansoncabin.co.uk or call 07756 591948.
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Free Sensory Rooms
The Sensory Rooms at Redbank House, Cheetham Hill! are free to SEND families in the Manchester City Council area until Friday 9th April. Sessions are COVID-safe, starting on the hour for 50 minutes, Monday to Friday, at time slots during the day. Booking is essential – call 0161 214 5959 or email info@redbankhouse.com.
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Get Digitally Creative
SENDCode are holding a creative programme for 14-25 year olds to learn more about using digital devices. Young people need to have a smartphone or a tablet with a camera on it and attend all sessions if they can:
- Using digital devices effectively - Zoom sessions 4-5pm on Wednesdays 30th March, 6th and 13th April
- Hack Day, Wednesday 14th in Manchester city centre
- What makes a good story? – 4 Zoom sessions (April dates to be confirmed, likely to be 4-5pm)
Contact Seamus on seamus@sendcode.org or 07800853999 for more information and to book places.
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Football With Man U
Manchester United Foundation are offering free inclusive holiday camps during Easter in Trafford, Stockport and Wythenshawe. They’re an opportunity for young people to engage in football sessions and enrichment activities, with food provided each day. See this link for dates and to book. Places are limited, so first come first served. Applications from young people in the Manchester Council area only, please.
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Easter With Z-Arts
Experience your own special family Zoom session with an artist! See the Z-Arts programme here and book by 5pm on Wednesday 7th April to allow time for a pack to be sent to your home (max. two sessions per family). Available from Monday 12th to Friday 16th April. For further information, email lucca@z-arts.org.
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Autistic Support Walks
Thrive Manchester, a local wellbeing organisation, are holding autism-friendly walks at Fletcher Moss, Alexandra Park and Wythenshawe Park over the Easter holidays. They include free drinks and gifts! To book, contact Dave on 07921 291093 or email walks@thrivemanchester.org.uk.
Cooking & Dancing With The Deaf Centre
Manchester Deaf Centre’s Keeping Connected project is offering Zoom activities over the holidays for Deaf and Hard of Hearing young people, as well as children of Deaf adults (CODAs). Check out the activities here. To book a place or find out more, please contact: Young people (14+) zoetaylor@manchesterdeafcentre.com, 07557121667, Children (under 14): rachelofficer@manchesterdeafcentre.com
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Virtual Easter Egg Hunt
The Easter Bunny has hopped his way around the Manchester Parent Carer Forum (MPCF) website! You have until midnight on 4th April to count how many times you see him and to come up with a name. You might win a prize! This free Easter trail is for families where a parent/carer is registered with the Forum (you can join as part of taking part in the hunt).
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Free Outdoor Water Activities
There are free outdoor water activities at Debdale Park this Easter on Wednesdays 7th and 14th April, 10am-3pm. They’re for 8-25 year olds with disabilities – more information here. (NB.The eligibility criteria says that it is for children on free school meals. Whilst these sessions are targeted at children on free school meals, other children can go too!)
Activities At The Arena
There are free Easter sports activities at the National Squash Centre & Regional Arena for those with a disability aged 8-25, Friday 16th April, 12 noon-1.30 and 1.30-3pm. For more information and to book see here.
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Unpaid Carers & Vaccination
There has been some confusion over the vaccination and unpaid carers. Carers Manchester have produced a Coronavirus Vaccine Special newsletter and temporarily extended their Contact Point opening hours from 10am-6pm Monday to Friday. They can answer your questions about eligibility, the vaccination booking process, and wider information about being an unpaid carer in Manchester.
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In this blog, Dame Christine Lenehan, Director of Council for Disabled Children, discusses the recent roundtable she chaired with Minister for Children, Vicky Ford - A Covid Recovery Plan and the SEND Review.
Parents and carers who need to take time off work to care for a child or young person who is self-isolating, can apply for a Test and Trace Support Payment or discretionary payment of £500. Find out more here.
To help with children’s emotions and mental wellbeing at this time, a not-for-profit collaboration has created ‘Boom! The Book’, a free illustrated story of a family whose emotions get them all tied up in knots – and how they manage to work through it together.
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Our next Virtual Drop In for parent carers is on Wednesday 21st April, 10am-12 noon. As usual, we’ll be sending out a list of who’s taking part a few days before. Look out for it in your inbox!
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Local elections and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Mayoral Election will take place in Manchester on 6th May. If you would prefer not to go to the polling station at this election, you can apply to vote by post before the deadline of 20th April, or by proxy (this means someone else can vote on your behalf) before 27th April. If you're not already registered to vote, make sure you register by 19th April at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. Here is an easy read guide to voting and registering to vote.
The Different Show is a new monthly podcast from the Square Circle Theatre celebrating the positive and creative aspects of neurodiversity. It starts on 1st May – find out more on Facebook and Twitter.
Claiming Universal Credit for a disabled 16-20 year old can be a complicated process, and this is particularly true if they are still in education. To help, Contact’s specialist family finances team have produced new resources. These include a set of templates that parents can use to challenge the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) delays in processing claims and in organising medical assessments.
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As part of World Down’s Syndrome Day on 21st March, two films have been made available. ‘My Feral Heart’ is about Luke, an independent young man with Down’s Syndrome. A sudden bereavement throws him into a daunting new environment where he finds unexpected support. You can watch it for free on iPlayer. In ‘Amber and Me’, Amber has Down's syndrome and is about to start school together with her twin sister, Olivia. The documentary follows the challenges for both girls through 4 years of school, charting the changes in their relationship. See the website for how to see the film through virtual screenings or to stream direct.
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Festival Volunteering Opportunity |
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Manchester International Festival (1st-18th July) is going ahead this year and needs hundreds of volunteers!
We’ve had a chat with the volunteering team and they would love to hear from young people over 18 with additional needs. They’re trying to build as much flexibility into volunteering as possible this year. Safety and comfort are a priority and they want to make sure that young people are supported in making a decision about whether volunteering is right for them at this time. You can find out more here and register using the online form. If a Word version is preferred, please email volunteering@mif.co.uk or call 0161 817 4500. Get priority by using the code ‘SEND’ - this tells the team the application has come via this newsletter! Closing date: Thursday 29th April. If you have any questions, contact Ali on the Local Offer team – ali.davenport@manchester.gov.uk, 07971 587963.
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The National Children’s Bureau is looking to hold a set of focus groups with parents in April and May around views of the Healthy Child Programme. They are particularly looking for input from: parents from ethnic minority communities; parents of disabled children; young parents; parents of children aged 0-2. Each focus group session lasts an hour and each participant will receive a £20 voucher for their time. Email: research@ncb.org.uk.
Are you an autistic young person or are you a parent of an autistic young person? You’re invited to take part in an exciting new autism research project about the wellbeing and mental wellbeing of autistic young people between the ages of 14-25 years. After completing an online survey, you’ll be given £5 as a thank you. Young person survey here, parent survey here.
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A new study aims to understand the experience of autistic individuals who have had an MRI scan in the UK to help improve the environment and processes. Find out more here.
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