Staff Matters May 24, 2019 Issue 206 Week 47
CHERRYWOOD SPECIAL EDITION
CHERRYWOOD - AFFORD’S FLAGSHIP & FUTURE LEGACY For long before any of us stepped through Afford’s doors, Afford has enjoyed a rich and well respected history of innovatively supporting local communities. Absolutely central to Afford’s legacy is Cherrywood, our Flagship site. Cherrywood has been with Afford right since we were first registered as an organisation in 1952 – back then we were the Poliomyelitis Society, dedicated to helping to rehabilitate suffers of Polio during the height of its epidemic in NSW. In the 66 years since then, Cherrywood has provided many unique supports and opportunities for clients. It was the compassion and specialist care offered at Cherrywood that fostered our inherent reputation as a stoic support for the community. Today, Cherrywood has grown into Hub for clients to enjoy our Day Programs, sensory gardens and the Cherrywood Friendship Farm that is facilitated by Bushbred Horse Assisted Learning Programs. Bushbred is a unique and highly engaging program where clients learn about social interaction by interacting with animals – including a camel, cows, goat, chickens, horses and more – and honing these skills to use in everyday life. Flavoured by its rich history, Cherrywood remains one of Afford’s most unique services and a real point of difference for us within today’s NDIS marketplace.
In This Issue 1
Cherrywood - Afford’s Flagship & Future Legacy Joke of The Week
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Cherrywood’s Next Chapter
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Cherrywood’s Next Chapter Cont.
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Cherrywood - Afford’s Flagship & Future Legacy Staff Profile Selfies Of The Week
The future plans for Cherrywood are even more exciting, with the next chapter for the 35ha site including: - Road Safety & Travel Training Course The installation of a Road Safety and Travel Training course, equipped with paved roads, traffic lights, crossings, street signs, footpaths and more to simulate real world traffic conditions. The Training Course will feature motorised carts that will allow high functioning clients to use the site as a driver training track, or for clients to take turns with staff at driving around the course. This disability-specific Road Safety and Travel Training circuit will offer an exciting and educational program to NDIS participants and be an excellent example of our in innovation in service provision. - Accessible Park Area The creation of an accessible outdoor picnic area, inclusive of large outdoor gym equipment and play items such as an outdoor jumping pillow. An accessible toilet will be installed in this area, as well as paved walking paths for all to enjoy the sensory experience of bush walking. Camp-ovens will also be installed in this space to
REMINDER
Don’t forget to send your clients’ achievements, good news stories and photos to Marketing@afford.com.au
Continued on page 4
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Staff Matters
CHERRYWOOD'S Cherrywood Friendship Farm
Day Programs
The Penrith and Mt Druitt Day Programs are located at Cherrywood. Clients are enjoying the new facilites that were built.
Picnic By The Pond
The smaller dam will be cleaned. Ducks and a picnics area will a great feature.
Bushwalking There is a bushwalking trail that will be used for clients to enjoy. We will also have adventure wheelchairs available.
The Cherrywood Friendship Farm is an important part of Cherrywood and is a program that will contine to grow in partnership with Bushbred Assisted Learning
May 24, 2019 Issue 206
NEXT CHAPTER Recreation on the Water!
The current larger dam will be cleaned and can be used for water activites like paddle boats, canoeing and fishing.
Camp Afford! The large oval area could be a Club Afford Camp with tents or huts, where outdoor & independence skills can be developed.
Group Homes Imagine a whole neighbourhood of Afford group homes. This area is earmarked for new group homes to be built.
Road Safety Training The road safety training track will be an amazing feature that will equip clients with practical life skills. We can use the trikes, carts and mini cars.
Sensory Space The current sensory garden space will be revamped to include more stimulating activities for clients.
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Staff Matters
May 24, 2019 Issue 206
CHERRYWOOD - AFFORD’S FLAGSHIP & FUTURE LEGACY CONT. - Community Activities Within the accessible park area, community based activities such as pop-up outdoor cinemas and disability-friendly silent discos will be held. - Orienteering Using the accessible pathways, orienteering programs will support groups to work together to use their team work and navigational skills to navigate through the bush track. Scavenger hunts will also be facilitated on site! - Outdoor Recreational Activities Similarly, we are set to purchase an Action Trackchair, which is an all-terrain wheelchair that allows clients to remain level while traversing uneven surfaces such as those found out bush, to enjoy immersive outdoor sensory experiences that have traditionally been inaccessible to those in wheelchairs. Another part of the outdoor recreational activities will include draining the dam toward the front of the property and recreating it to become an onsite catch-and-release fishing program. - Onsite Camping The site will cater for outdoor camping stays that will build the independence of participants and allow them to experience camping in a safe and supported environment. Golf buggies will be used throughout the site to transport clients to and from the various onsite activities. - Group Homes Once the above programs are in place, Cherrywood still has space for the construction of multiple group homes, which will allow residents to enjoy all that the Afford Lifestyle has to offer. NAME: Dave Hollier POSITION: Bushbred Caretaker LOCATION: Cherrywood, NSW
FAVOURITE SONG? A Bushman Can't Survive on City Lights FAVOURITE MOVIE? Man From Snowy River
STAFF PROFILE
FAVOURITE HOBBIES? Camel racing and horse riding FAVOURITE FOODS? Roast dinner cooked in camp oven
IF YOU COULD BE AN ANIMAL WHAT WOULD YOU BE? Camel WHAT IS YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Camel trek in Simpson Desert IF YOU HAD THE POWER WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT THE WORLD? Change dependence on $ value
SELFIES OF THE
sie Barletta Selfie Above: Ro e on the trike rid a g kin ta t jus at Cherrywood!
Pawsome Alvarez anSelfie Above: Cristina Dog, Maggd Cherrywood's Resid ie! ent
iday Meeting Selfie Above: Fr Secret ladies at Cherrywood s! busines
Selfie Abo have Micheve: No Gordo you ca n't lle's marsh mallow!
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