Autumn was the season of inclusive fun for people supported in Swanton services across the UK, thanks to the Northeast events team.
Jan Collins and her colleagues were determined to create experiences everyone could enjoy by planning four weeks of activities.
Their fantastic fun packs were jammed full of different things, such as scavenger hunts, sensory events, puzzles, arts and crafts, and much, much more.
As well as the weekly packs, the group held a virtual Halloween party so that as many people as possible could enjoy the spooky social.
Jan said: “The autumn events extravaganza was an amazing experience to be involved in.
“We had initially planned the virtual Halloween party for people supported in the Northeast but decided we wanted to reach out further and be as inclusive as possible.
“My team developed a four-week plan around autumn so everyone could get involved, as not all the people we support would be able to cope with the virtual party.
“The feedback we’ve had has been incredible.”
The Halloween party involved a healthy dose of competition as the attendees competed for various ghoulish awards.
First, they were invited to show off their spooky buffets, and then it was onto the best pumpkin carving before a fancy dress contest kicked off.
After the awards excitement, it was time to party with a virtual disco and karaoke, and Jan said that she was told many Swanton services continued to boogie long after logging off.
Jan said: “It was so terrific to have so many people involved throughout the day and then at the party, and we used various formats to bring people together.
“With everything we did this autumn, we were mindful of different needs and ensured everybody was catered for.
“The weekly packs went down so well because the teams in each service had something accessible to use with the people they support.”
The packs were so good that Alanna Key, the Team Leader at Nathan Street and Pennant Road wrote to Jan and the team to thank them.
Alanna wrote: “I want to thank you for giving the idea of the harvest basket.
“It was because of your email that we asked Janet if she would like to take part and she really enjoyed the experience.
“I appreciate the time and effort you put into the activity emails for us. Thank you so much!”
The feedback like Alanna’s meant the world to Jan and her team.
Jan said: “It was an overwhelmingly positive experience for all of us, and I’ve been told that plenty of the people we support are already looking forward to next year’s autumn events!”
