On Friday our members cooked up a delicious cottage pie ππ₯ and prepared fresh leeks, broccoli, and cauliflower π₯¦π₯¬πΏ. Everyone worked together brilliantly and the kitchen smelled amazing!
Yesterday our members enjoyed another brilliant Christmas craft session with Louise and the team from Multiply! π π§Ά They made the cutest Christmas gonks out of wool, and everyone did an amazing job. β€οΈ
We all enjoyed a lovely cuppa β and some tasty pastries π₯ while chatting and socialising together. It was a warm, festive morning filled with fun and creativity! βπ¬ Donβt forget β our last craft session is next Tuesday! πβ¨
Todayβs Reconnect Through Music session was an absolute hit! The room was packed with energy, smiles, and incredible talent. ππ The atmosphere was buzzing from start to finish, with everyone joining in, singing along, and enjoying the chance to reconnect through the power of music. πΆπ
A total of 27 songs were performed today! π Here are some of the great performances we enjoyed:
Matilda delivered a stunning version of Never Enough from The Greatest Showman πͺβ¨ Ffion & Amy brought the fun with Girls Just Wanna Have Fun ππ Anthony gave a heartfelt performance of Perfect by Ed Sheeran β€οΈπΈ Natalie lit up the room with Murder on the Dancefloor ππ Ben, our new member, wowed everyone with Cold Heart by Dua Lipa π§π Theresa got everyone singing along to Wonderwall πΈπΆ Adrian rocked the classic Return to Sender π¬π€ Susan charmed the room with Take Me Home, Country Roads ππ£οΈ Sean brought festive cheer with Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin’ Stevens ππ π΅
The group enjoyed delicious pizza prepared by Christy and Cheryl β thank you both! πβ€οΈ It added to the warm and friendly atmosphere that everyone felt.
Feedback was glowing! β¨
Helen said it was a happy atmosphere and that everyone interacted so well. ππ€ Moira shared that she really enjoyed everything. π Vicky especially loved the dancing and socialising. ππΊπ
Itβs clear that todayβs session brought people together in the best possible way. A huge thank you to everyone who came along and made today so special. Your energy, positivity, and talent created a wonderful day for all. ππ Also a big thanks to the Moondance Foundation for funding these sessions – they make a huge difference to our members. Hereβs to many more sessions filled with music, laughter, and connection! π΅πβ¨
Yesterday our members enjoyed another fantastic craft session with Deb and Louise from Multiply. They had a brilliant time designing their own Christmas trees and making festive decorations. π¨π β¨ Everyone got creative, learned something new, and made beautiful pieces to take home. We love seeing the confidence and smiles these sessions bring! ππ Great work everyone β your Christmas crafts looked amazing! ππ
π A massive thank you to all our wonderful volunteers who covered Friday’s Reconnect Through Cookery session! π The food looked absolutely amazing π
Our members prepared peppers, onions, and mushrooms to add to a tasty Mayflower chicken curry π served with fluffy rice π. We also enjoyed a fun game of bingo π and a quiz ββthe room was full of happiness, laughter, and very full tummies! ππ
Also, during the session Paula received her certificate and delicious dairy- and gluten-free cake from the learning disability liaison nurses as a thank you for taking part in the annual health check video.
These sessions make such a huge difference to our members, especially on dark winter days βοΈβ¨. They bring warmth, connection, and a reason to smile. Thank you everyone for making today so special! π Weβll see you all on Wednesday for music πΆππΊ
Meanwhile, Gethin and Nat had just come home from the hospital with their new baby πΆπΌ And yesβ¦ believe it or notβ¦ they didnβt bicker for a change! π€£ They were absolutely hilarious and kept everyone laughing.
A huge well done to everyone β our TRAC members and the students. β Weβre already looking forward to the next session and working with you all again soon! ππ
β¨ This morning we were joined by Clair, Leah and John from the Primary Care Learning Disability Health Team for the official launch of the Annual Health Check video weβve been working on together! π₯π
The new video will now be used to train doctors, helping them understand how to make health checks easier, clearer and more accessible for everyone π
A huge thank you to the team for the delicious pastries and juice π₯π§ Everyone who took part received a voucher and certificate for the fantastic job they did featuring in the promotional video πποΈ Weβre proud of everyone involved and weβre already looking forward to working together again in the future π€β¨
We had such a lovely morning together! π₯° Everyone enjoyed a warm breakfast π₯β and then got stuck into some gorgeous Christmas crafts ππ π There was plenty of chatting, laughing, and learning something new π¬β¨ The crafts looked amazing and the room was full of festive cheer! Groups like this make such a difference β€οΈ They help people:
β Feel less isolated β Build friendships β Learn new skills β Boost confidence β Have fun together
Thank you to everyone who joined us β you made the morning special π€ Canβt wait for the next one! π¨π
Yesterday we visited the University of South Wales for another brilliant session with the TRAC team.
π Hannah took on the role of Geraldine, who is non-verbal, has a learning disability and Williams syndrome. π§‘ Christy played the role of Geraldineβs support staff. π₯ Nat played a patient who had a fit and knocked herself out, bruising and cutting her head.
The students were amazing! π They asked thoughtful questions about the best ways to communicate with someone who is non-verbal and explored what medical checks and support Geraldine would need for her constipation. They also worked brilliantly as a team supporting Natβs scenario. The feedback was fantastic β itβs wonderful that TRAC students get the chance to teach, share real-life experiences, and help future nurses learn in such a meaningful way. π Well done everyone! π
Todayβs Reconnect Through Music session was another brilliant get-together! π The room was filled with singing and friendship as our talented members performed an amazing 25 songs. Everyone showed confidence, enthusiasm, and joy β it was a day to remember. πΆπ« Every performer gave it their all, and the support from the audience made it even more special. ππ€β¨
Our members gave some incredible performances that had everyone smiling and clapping along:
ποΈ Natalie sang Why by Annie Lennox β such emotion and power! π Matilda brought energy and confidence with Naughty from Matilda the Musical. β€οΈ Mandy gave a beautiful version of If You Donβt Know Me by Now by Simply Red. π° Adrian had us all moving with Money, Money, Money by ABBA. π₯ Theresa performed Eternal Flame by The Bangles. π Anthony sang What About Us by Champaign and wowed everyone. βοΈ Ellysia lifted the room with Mr. Blue Sky by ELO.
A big thank you to Christy, Cheryl, and Helen for preparing the delicious sandwiches and sausage rolls. π₯ͺπ We received some lovely feedback from those who attended:
π§ Jason said he loved the music and singing. π¬ Vicky shared that she enjoyed mixing with people. π€ Rebecca said she loved meeting up with everyone again. π£οΈ Rachel enjoyed talking with new friends. π Anthony said it was an excellent day. πͺ Judith said the session helped build her confidence.
It was wonderful to see how much these sessions mean to everyone β not just for the music, but for the chance to connect, make friends, and feel part of something special. ππΆToday reminded us why these sessions matter so much β music brings people together, builds confidence, and fills the room with joy. π A huge well done to everyone who took part, helped out, and made the day unforgettable. π₯°