Check out our monthly newsletters
I will be posting a regular monthly Shepherd Centre newsletter, written and compiled by staff member Ollie Pryse, watch out for the new August edition.
Below is the back catalogue so far, please click on links to read…..
Waterways Experience Canal boat trip
Today (2/08/2017) we took a group on a Canal boat at the Waterways Experience in Hemel Hempstead. Even the weather (a typical English summers day) didn’t dampen our spirits if we were a little damp on the outside as we sailed ?? down the Grand Union canal, even stopping for a fish n chips lunch.
Waterways Experience are a registered charity and operate three large canal boats from a beautifully landscaped boatyard on the Grand Union Canal just to the south of Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire.
Their mission is to promote well-being by providing affordable canal boat trips particularly for the disadvantaged. As well as day trips all year round, we provide very special holidays for teenagers with learning difficulties or other disadvantages. Operating without any paid employees. As volunteers, what makes us tick is the satisfaction of being able to share our passion for the waterways and canal boating with people normally excluded from this pastime.
Day trip to Windsor
On the 25th May we had a day trip to Windsor with the guys from Outreach on a a gloriously sunny day. We started by strolling around the Castle and town, had lunch , 40 minute boat ride down the Thames, an ice cream for all and finally a sit down in the park in the shade to recover.
It was a fabulous day and everyone enjoyed it. 😎😎
Handmade Heritage Project 2017
Handmade Heritage
Heritage Day and Community Project
sharing stories and uncovering local heritage through creativity
Three Rivers District Council are delighted announce that the Leisure Team will be hosting another free, family heritage day with support received from Heritage Lottery Fund and other local partners!
After the successful Leavesden Heritage Day event of 2016, the Handmade Heritage Day will feature local history groups and their displays, art activities and another Living History walk through the park, guided by actors in costume.
The event will also be an opportunity to showcase some of the exciting work that primary schools and adult groups have been focussing on in our community project, all themed around the rich heritage of Leavesden Country Park and Abbots Langely. People are learning more about this heritage through visits from historians, archive services and local experts, before producing artwork and performance which will be displayed at the heritage day and as a part of the activities on offer.
We are working with Abbots Langley Primary School, Bedmond Village Primary School, Breakspeare School, Leavesden JMI School, Bedmond Women’s Institute, Margaret House Care Home and Watford and Three Rivers Community Learning and Disability groups. We are also working with a number of volunteers who are assisting with sharing their memories and stories of the area, as well as capturing conversation between others.
Shepherd Centre gets involved with Handmade Heritage Day.
The guys from outreach were asked to help out for the Handmade Heritage event designing leaves featuring pictures from Leavesden Studios (Harry Potter) and Leavesden Hospital to add to a communal display.
Spooky times at the Shepherd Centre
Some pictures from the annual Halloween disco at the Shepherd Centre and as you can see all made a fantastic effort, making for a very enjoyable afternoon.
Annual summer Fete 2016
Another year another Fete raising funds for the Shepherd Centre. Service users and staff have been working hard over the last few weeks to organise a very succesful afternoon.
Driver Brian having his knees painted with a topical theme
Kristian ordering lunch
Presenting ‘The Voice’ Shepherd Centre style
Over the last few weeks the guys at the shepherd Centre have been practising their routines to compete in our version of ‘The Voice’.
All their hard work paid off as they performed in front of an invited audience, singing songs including Summer Holiday, Mamma Mia, Peggy Sue, Lets Dance, Phantom of the Opera, Green Green Grass of home and Ave Maria.
The songs were all sung brilliantly and with some pretty cool dancing.
The Judges had a hard time picking a winner and concluded that they were all winners and should all share first place.
Under the Sea
For the past few years the Outreach group have visited some fantastic places in London. This year the guys voted to visit Sea life on the banks of the Thames, the trip was planned for the 19th May 2016 and luckily the weather was kind to us all.
Waiting for the train
We set off from Rickmansworth station at around 9.45am. Arriving in London we stopped for a quick photo-call on Westminster Bridge.
On Westminster Bridge with Sea Life in the background
Next we had a spot of lunch in McDonalds which was conveniently situated virtually next door to Sea Life. Suitably nourished it was on to the main event ‘Sea Life’
Kristian, Lyn and Robert pose in front of the shark tank
Touching Star fish
Crocodile keeping an eye on Stuart, Nishma and Omar
Jonathan, Nigel, Gary and Noel at the Shark tank
Guys at the open tank with stingrays
You can sing under my Umbrella ella – ella – hey – hey
Due to popular demand ‘Electric Umbrella’ and the amiable Tom Billington returned to the Shepherd Centre for another well attended concert in which everyone enjoyed a bit of singing and dancing and just having fun !
For those of you who don’t know Electric Umbrella is a music project for adults with learning disabilities and is based in Hertfordshire offering a variety of musical experiences aiming to raise the profile of learning disabilities.
See their website here Electric Umbrella
rickmansworthdayserviceblog.wordpress.com 