Cheshire Young Carers Summer 2021 Programme Review by Cheshire Young Carers

SUMMER PROGRAMME PROJECT REVIEW 2021

11,134 HOURS OF ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG CARERS

TOTAL OF

1786

ENGAGEMENTS

111

EVENTS OVER

WEEK

SUMMER PROGRAMME 2021 PROJECT REVIEW

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

THE CENTRES

THE ACTIVITIES

THE TRIPS

TEAM YAC

BIG TRIPS

OUR DONORS

PROGRAMME FEEDBACK

GET IN TOUCH

INTRODUCTION

SUMMER PROGRAMME REVIEW 2021

It was “touch and go” for most of the year if we would be able to deliver activities face to face this summer due to Covid infection rates. However, with the vaccine and more relaxed guidance from the government the Cheshire Young Carers team decided it was essential to at least try to deliver a more normal schedule of activities over the school summer holidays. So intensive discussion took place with staff, partners, and venues to deliver an amazing programme of activities that was designed to get young carers together again, build friendship networks and help children who had spent much of the previous 18 months in isolation to have confidence in being out and about. The result has been our biggest ever programme of events, in more local centres than ever and not forgetting the popular online activities that have been developed over the last 12 months. You can see the results of the hard work in this report and so many smiling faces. Cheshire Young Carers is grateful to our funding partners (see page 21) who provide the financial resources and without this investment we simply would not have been able to deliver our events and activities.

I also want to pay tribute to the Cheshire Young Carers staff team, the colleagues who joined us for the summer programme period and the volunteers who helped to deliver the full programme in extraordinary circumstances. The programme reflected in this report is the result of months of planning, hours spent dreaming up activities, periods of frustration when plans fell apart as a result of things outside our control but also the joy of when a great plan comes together. As you read this review of our summer 2021 programme, please consider the challenging circumstances against which it was delivered, the fact that many of the children had not seen their “young carer friends” for over 18 months and the fact that the threat posed by Covid had not disappeared. Throughout the last 18 months Cheshire Young Carers has continued to support children who are young carers, much of which had to be done online so it was just fantastic to be back meeting children face to face. Enjoy reading this inspiring reflection on a summer of fun for young carers. Thank you,

Graham Phillips Graham Phillips Managing Director Cheshire Young Carers

THE CENTRES CHESTER We had an amazing time at the Chester Centre at Northgate Arena. Before the activities, we would explain the theme and the plan for the day. We would play introductory games that helped the children to get to know each other, and puzzles and games would be set out as an icebreaker. The children were obsessed with time bomb, we would play it at least 4 times a day! The young carers enjoyed the activities that were provided, especially drawing tv and film characters, the Olympics day and card games. In the afternoon, the children would take part in the workshops which went down a treat, especially print making, mixed media, pot painting and stop motion. Due to the limited outdoor space, the children would be taken to the park to let off some steam by playing football and basketball which they thoroughly loved! The children were also able to take part in quizzes, well-being, nutrition and fitness activities that assisted them with their social skills, self-confidence and forming strong friendships.

ELLESMERE PORT We had a fantastic time at the Ellesmere Port Brio Sports Village during the summer holidays. As a warm-up, we often sat down and discussed the current theme, the day ahead and then engaged in a few basic games to get them moving. These were often monkey ball or Kahoot Quizzes (where we had different coloured cones representing an answer). We found that doing a physical game from the beginning allowed them to wake up and get started. This was either followed up with a craft session until lunch. In the afternoon we were able to use the outdoor pitches which gave them all a chance to let off some steam and let staff wander between groups to get a more personal chat. Trips to Westlake and Manchester United were some of the highlights of the summer.

KNUTSFORD

During our two-week sessions based in the lower school campus of Knutsford Academy the young carers enjoyed playing group games, workshops, craft activities and days out. We also enjoyed themed sessions run by the amazing teaching staff; these included looking at and learning about dreamtime stories, aboriginal markings, the Olympics, the Great Barrier Reef, Japanese Manga art where they created their own Manga character, print making, totem poles and drama sessions. The young carers also got to take part in some team games and activities including escape room type maths puzzles where the young carers had to solve the puzzles as a team to unlock the different padlocks to discover the next clue. We also made use of the vast grounds and played games such as hide and seek (a firm favourite), rounders, football and some Olympic style activities.

THE CENTRES MACCLESFIELD As young carers arrived at the centre, they were able to socialise and take part in energetic games before taking part in a variety of workshops. The young carers enjoyed learning new skills, making crafts and learning about different cultures from around the world, including dressing up in Indian Saris and making Rangoli sand pictures. One of the most popular activities was creating their own mini worlds out of recycled materials to use in their stop motion videos. In the afternoons the group enjoyed lots of games, trips to the local park and taking part in challenges. The groups particularly enjoyed making use of the stage, putting on talent shows and their own Dragon’s Den.

WINSFORD Winsford Young Carers have enjoyed an amazing summer together at Winsford Lifestyle Centre. As well as the activities and trips organised by our activity team, Winsford explored the local library, learned first aid, visited the park, played different sports weekly in the sports hall, took part in an egg drop parachute challenge, and created their own ‘trashion’ show. Seeing the young carers all get stuck in and taking part in every activity was fantastic, but best of all the young carers’ feedback showed they loved the activities and their favourite thing this summer was making friends.

CREWE The young carers started most sessions with a starter activity such as colouring, crafting or playing games. After this, the sessions were activity focused and the children were able to explore different avenues of crafting as well as learning new skills. The activities themselves enabled the children to express their creativity as well as promote confidence with trying new skills. After lunch a range of child and adult led activities were organised, a particular favourite was ‘Empire’ as well as more active games such as ‘hot potato’ and ‘elephant football’. The sessions would end with a circle time in which the children conducted a breathing activity, a healthy food task such as a game or activity and a chance for the children to give feedback on the day. The Crewe centre was also given the opportunity to spend one day a week at the local park. We started the day with a run around the playground before splitting into smaller groups and participating in three different activities. The activities consisted of arts and crafts as well as orienteering through the park, they completed treasure hunts, looking after the wildlife activities, sports day races and still life drawing of the scenery around them in their sketch books. With lunch provided the children were able to picnic in the park. Afternoons were spent with a mixture of playing outdoor games as well as free time in which the children mastered new skills such as skipping and juggling. Before the end of the day, the young carers were given the opportunity to take part in the circle time activities. A quote from one of the children ‘this was the best day ever’ sums up the enjoyment and fun which was created.

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WORKSHOPS YARN ANIMALS Inspired by the natural materials and bright colours which feature in a lot of art practices in Africa, the young carers had a go as bringing animals to life using coloured yarn. Using stencils of the young carers’ favourite safari animals they were able to create 3D structures which formed the base of their animals. The next part was the most fun, as they wrapped their animal bases in lots of colourful yarn. The young carers went wild with their creative skills and imagination and even made some animal hybrids, turning zebras into unicorns and adding wings to elephants. The process of wrapping the yarn around the animals became quite therapeutic to the young carers and the younger ones also loved playing with them after they were created.

PHOTOGRAPHY Over the summer we were finally be able to run photography workshops in person, following their growing popularity since we began online sessions in lockdown. Young carers were split into groups where we ran a few different activities based around the theme of Macro photography. The first photography station had 2 portable studio light boxes, tripods and different coloured backdrops for young carers to photograph some flowers in a vase or fruits in sparkling water. The fruits were very popular as they created an exciting bubble effect when they splashed into the water. The other activity was themed around vantage point using Lego figures and toys. The aim of the task was to make the figures seem bigger than their surroundings by using different angles and lighting. The workshop was thoroughly enjoyed, and the young carers got to use the cameras in a new and exciting way.

WORKSHOPS CLAY PRINT MAKING The young carers loved experimenting with print making, taking inspiration from the art and culture of Asia, and using natural materials and botanical patterns. The young carers used clay to create shapes inspired by different types of decorative pottery and traditional sculptures such as the Terracotta Warriors. The young carers also got experimental using different flowers and leaves to press into the clay sculptures and tiles to see what printed patterns they left behind. The patterns created by the printed flowers and leaves were beautiful and so intricate, the young carers gained confidence throughout the workshop to experiment with other materials and foraged natural forms to see what patterns they made. The young carers also took inspiration from their favourite tv shows and books, creating sculptures and 3D images. The process of working with the clay was just as impactful as the final outcomes for the young carers, as they enjoyed playing with the texture or the clay and found it relaxing.

MULTIMEDIA PICTURES During Asia week we got crafty using a range of different art mediums and materials to create 3D photo frames. Laid out on the table were lots of images of Asia, different coloured card and paper, tissue paper, colouring pens and pencils, craft scissors and accessories. The young carers each gathered some materials consisting of their favourite colours and their images. We all then decorated an A4 piece of card using the gathered materials, and some even wrote messages in different Asian languages! Many young carers used positive affirmations on their frames like ‘be kind’, ‘you can do anything you set your mind to’ etc. After we had made our base of the frame, we used acrylic pens to decorate the plastic by outlining shapes and words and drawing new things. The young carers were all so excited to take their frame home and share their creations.

WORKSHOPS SEA SCULPTURES In Australasia week the young carers had the challenge of capturing the ocean using a number of creative techniques. The first part of the workshop was the most challenging as the young carers created origami whales. This took a lot of patience and a few attempts, but the outcome was really impressive to the young carers. They loved learning to create a 3D model out of one piece of paper and a sequence of folds and were so excited to go home and show their friends and families. The second part of the workshop took inspiration from the colour and movement of the ocean. Using watercolour, the young carers created beautiful colour blended patterns which they used in an experiment using salt to see how it created texture and unique shapes in the paint. The young carers then used this painting technique using salt to paint their origami whales. The final part of the workshop tied all the other elements together. Using sea glass, the young carers learnt how to tie the pieces of sea glass together to create a hanging decoration. Some young carers picked sea glass that matched the colours used in their whales and created a beautiful hanging sculpture by attaching the origami whale at the end.

MACRAME Following the South American theme and the pot painting workshop that young carers loved, we ran a Macrame workshop where they made plant hangers! This workshop was relaxed as everybody sat around the table chatting away and following the step-by-step guide to creating their macrame art using cotton rope. The intricate designs were soon mastered, and the young carers were very excited to take them home and hang them with their plant pots inside.

WORKSHOPS PLANT POT PAINTING The young carers looked into all the beautiful bright colours and bold patterns used in South American art and festivals and painted their own unique colourful artworks on terracotta pots. The young carers loved having plenty of time to paint their plant pots whilst also socialising with their friends. With South America being home to the incredible Amazon rainforest, the young carers also learnt about the important role that wildlife and plants play in our world. They each planted a little sunflower in their pots which they were able to take home and watch grow, whilst learning about the responsibility of helping plants grow and the pride they will be able to feel when it blooms into a beautiful flower after all their hard work!

STOP MOTION ANIMATION Many of the young carers had expressed interest in stop motion animations and films when using the cameras. So, in Australia week, we experimented with making our own! Young carers were split into groups where they were given a storyboard to create their plan. Once the wacky stories were ready for the next step, the young carers collected materials to build a set for their stop motion. We had Lego, toy figures, play dough, recycled materials and other crafts which soon became racetracks, houses, stages, oceans and more! Each group excitedly set up the tripod, camera and their equipment and got going with taking a series of images which soon became a short film.

ONLINE ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY PACKS To fit in with our virtual ‘Trip Around the World’ theme, young carers were sent weekly digital activity packs in the shape of passports to six continents - Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia, South America and North America. Each passport contained interesting facts about the continents, craft activities, reading activities and videos, physical activities and games as well as colouring pages and puzzles. By sending out digital packs to all our young carers we are also able to support those who are unable to attend face to face sessions.

FAMILY COOKING Our online family cooking sessions continue to be popular with young carers, and for our ‘trip around the world’, all of the healthy recipes were themed around the different continents. Young carers were able to learn new culinary skills as Sarah led the group with step-by-step instructions and encouraged the young carers to try new ingredients. Recipes included Beef Stroganoff, Cape Malay Veggie Curry, Chicken and Mushroom Ramen, Australian Hot Pot and Beef and Chorizo Empanadas.

TRIVIA NIGHTS

Trivia nights were back by popular demand throughout the Summer every Thursday which the young carers and their families could join on Zoom. We had Summer themed Bingo where everyone was invited to get their sunhats and sunglasses on and dance around to some tropical island tunes. With the winner of the first line and ’bingo’ getting Amazon vouchers as prizes there were lots of happy smiles from young carers and family members. We also had Family Quiz nights which featured questions on the theme of the different continents we were traveling to that week, with the winners of 1st, 2nd and 3rd all getting Amazon vouchers as prizes too. The young carers and their families love the fun interactive aspects of the Quiz which allows them to let their competitive side blossom as they race to get to the top of the leader board. For the final trivia night, we also took inspiration from the different continents with a range of fun Gameshow rounds. The first rounds challenged the young carers and their families on their knowledge of European languages. Asking them to name a number of ways to say ‘Hello’ in different European languages, with the quickest to answer winning a prize. Round 2 was inspired by Australasia and the Coral Reef where young carers and their families had to be the quickest to complete the sink or swim challenge by being the quickest to find an object that sinks and object that swims. Round Three was inspired by the different logos of companies across the world where young carers and their families would battle it out on Kahoot to get the highest on the leader board by guessing the correct logo. The Gameshow finale is probably the favourite round with the young carers and their families which is the Speed Fancy Dress round! This time the young carers and their families had 5 minutes to dress up like the Statue of Liberty, with the criteria having to have something to resemble a draped dress, a crown, and a lamp. The young carers and their families had such a fun time getting creative and competitive within the time limit.

TRIPS CHESTER ZOO

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Many of our young carers love animals and learning about them too, so it felt right that after a year of seeing them on Zoom we would have a day out to Chester Zoo! From elephants to butterflies, they were mesmerised and keen to find their favourite animals around the park. In small groups we all took our own expedition to see who could find the most animals, and most importantly, the penguins that were a definite favourite! It was a great day for everyone to be outside, having picnics and enjoying each other’s company in the sun. AU G

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POSITIVE PONIES

After having an outreach session with the Positive Herd Project before lockdown the young carers couldn’t wait to be able to visit the site in person and spend time with the horses face to face. The Positive Pony Workshop has been created to give disadvantaged and vulnerable children the opportunity to spend a day learning about and interacting with horses in a safe and stimulating environment. The day’s activities combine interesting classroom-based learning, group activities and practical hands-on sessions to ensure the children have an engaging and enjoyable experience. The workshop provided a chance for the young carers to experience a potential new passion and hobby which is also therapeutic. The workshop took place over 2 days with 2 different groups of young carers going on each day. During the workshop the young carers were able to learn about the horses’ needs and the huge responsibility for caring for such an animal. They also learnt about the horses’ dietary needs as well as their emotional and physical needs too. They all got the opportunity to stroke the horses which provided a bond between them and then got to learn how to lead the horses on a walk. It was lovely to see some of the young carers really tackle their fears of the horses and they were able to stroke and lead the horses by the end. Both workshops were such a huge success that it was a struggle to get them to leave at the end of the day as they were having so much fun.

DELAMERE FOREST

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Ready, set, explore! Young carers turned into forest explorers for the day at Delamere Forest, where they enjoyed a variety of fun activities with their friends. Whilst on their adventures they walked up Old Pale Hill, played outdoor scavenger hunts and different team building games. Everybody reconvened for lunch where they enjoyed catching up with friends from other areas. After lunch, everybody went back into their groups and started creating trails for each other, den building and free time to enjoy playing together. Since lockdown we have seen the positive benefit of doing trips in nature and the outdoors, especially for the young carers’ wellbeing, so we are very pleased to have incorporated this into the summer and for it to have been enjoyed by so many!

TRIPS TRAMPOLINING

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There is nothing the young carers love more than being able to run around and go wild with their friends, so going to the trampoline park was the perfect place to do that. Young carers in Chester and Ellesmere Port visited Freedome, whilst young carers in Winsford and Northwich visited UA Trampoline Park, for an afternoon of jumping, games and party food. These trips were an opportunity for the young carers to be ‘children’ and hang out with their friends in a fun and carefree environment.

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WHITE PEAK ALPACAS

When the young carers arrived at White Peak Alpacas, they were given a talk about the alpacas and split into smaller groups, the young carers first got to meet and stroke a sheep before going through into the alpaca pens. Each young carer got to pet and hug the baby alpacas and also have their photograph taken before going through into another pen to pet those alpacas. After each young carer had chance to pet and have their picture taken with the alpaca, we had chance to explore the rest of the farm where we saw some chickens, a donkey, more alpacas and wallabies.

WESTLAKE

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The young carers in Ellesmere Port and Chester enjoyed a day in the sunshine at the education site Westlake with Reaseheath College. Suited and booted in their wellies the young carers enjoyed a morning of pond dipping, where they were able to get up close to the local pond residents such as newts, frogs and a number of species of fish. They also learnt about the different types of plants and insects that enjoy the pond and how they help keep the pond on its residence happy and healthy. After the young carers enjoyed a picnic, they got to meet the resident Alpacas, who are known for being a little cheeky, which the young carers found very entertaining. In the afternoon they got to put their design and building skills to the test to create dens in the wooded area at Westlake. The young carers learnt how to build the most effective and practical dens using materials they were able to forage and also learnt how to work as a team in order to succeed in the challenge. The young carers got super competitive and wanted to make the biggest and most stylish dens, with some teams making sofas and cosy corners. The day at Westlake was a great escape into the countryside with young carers getting to see and experience things they would normally be able to.

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RSPCA STAPLEY GRANGE During our Easter Programme, we were very lucky to have the team at RSPCA Stapeley Grange deliver a workshop online, the session was extremely popular – especially with our many animal lovers! We were so excited to be able to visit the site as part of the summer programme, and as were the young carers. Whilst visiting Stapeley Grange, young carers enjoyed creating bird houses for the site, which was great for their self-confidence, being part of something so important. They also got to look around the site and saw more of the animals this way, which they loved. Although, a definite magic moment was toasting marshmallows!

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MANLEY MERE

Mud, mud, glorious mud! The muddiest trip of all, and by far one of the young carer’s favourites. With the sunshine beaming down on us the young carers tackled all the tricky and very muddy outside obstacle courses and attractions. These included ropes over ponds, narrow log bridges over muddy water, underground tunnels, slides, hamster wheels, rope swings and many more. Their teamwork in all the groups was excellent throughout the day as they encouraged and supported each other to tackle their fears of hights, dark spaces and especially getting muddy. Some young carers were having so much fun in the mud, that they were swimming in it, and all loved the entertainment of being able to dunk each other into the pond using the dunking chair. After they all got changed into nice clean clothes, the young carers enjoyed a picnic before going home on the coach.

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JODRELL BANK

We were kindly given tickets to visit Jodrell Bank in the rolling hills of the Cheshire countryside on a lovely sunny day. Jodrell Bank is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the third largest steerable telescope in the world. The day began with an interesting and interactive talk in the open theatre, where young carers learnt more about the history of the site and what they do there. We then split into smaller group for the young carers to explore the site and enjoy the different attractions. The favourite activities of the day were space crafts, the outdoor playground and the photography exhibition!

TEAM YAC LUNCH CLUB

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Our first activities for young adult carers (YACs) of the summer were two lunch clubs. In Crewe we met YAC’s from Cheshire East for a meal at Gourmet4, and our Chester group met for lunch at Hickory’s Smokehouse. With many new faces joining us on YAC activities for the summer it gave the groups an opportunity to meet each other with the older YAC’s sharing favourite past YAC events and trips. After lunch the groups were given some time to go shopping in smaller groups. It was fantastic to see the regular group members welcoming the new YAC’s to the groups and friendships starting to develop.

CADBURY’S WORLD

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Who wouldn’t love a visit to a chocolate factory? When we started planning the summer programme, a visit to Cadbury World was a popular request from the YAC’s. An important feature of our YAC trips is travelling as much as possible by public transport, giving the YAC’s an opportunity to learn how to purchase tickets and navigate the rail and bus networks with staff on hand to help them gain confidence to travel in their own friendship groups. The Cheshire West group had an early start to meet up with staff at Chester Railway Station and travel by train to Crewe where they met up with the YAC’s from Cheshire East. The whole group then continued the rail journey, transferring at Birmingham New Street for a train to Bournville. After a short walk to Cadbury World the YAC’s enjoyed the factory tour which included a chocolate demonstration, a chance to write and draw with chocolate, chocolate tasting, 4D cinema and of course a very important trip to the shop!

SC2 RHYL

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Our Cheshire East YAC’s travelled from Crewe to Chester by rail where they met up with YAC’s from Cheshire West to continue the journey to a very sunny Rhyl. Our first stop was the newly built SC2 on the promenade where YAC’s had the chance to take part in Ninja TAG. This indoor, multi-level assault course is a cross between Total Wipeout, and Ninja Warrior and our young carers took on the challenge without hesitation! Testing their skills, fitness, and bravery, they attempted to hit all the targets and did an amazing job, even if they did come out tired and sweaty! There were definitely some very keen competitors and they all enjoyed comparing their scores on the big board at the end! After all their hard work, we grabbed some chips and drinks and sat on the promenade to enjoy them together with the group from North Wales Young Carers. In the afternoon the YAC’s split into smaller groups for free time, with the beautiful sunny weather, many of the groups chose to spend time on the beach, some even went for a paddle!

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INNOSPEC IN TO WORK We are very grateful for the staff at Innospec Ltd for arranging two fabulous into work visits for YAC’s at their Ellesmere Port plant. On both days five young carers accompanied by a member of staff were given a very warm welcome to Innospec and after a short safety briefing everyone was treated to breakfast. Everyone was issued with PPE to wear for the behind-the-scenes tour which included a fire safety session where everyone was able to put out fires using the different types of fire extinguishers. After an amazing lunch everyone learnt about clothing and masks worn to keep workers safe whilst working with chemicals and some first aid. At the end of the visit the young carers were given goody bags and presented with a cheque to provide each of the participants with a gift voucher for a shop of their choice. AU G

SHOPPING AND CINEMA AT CHESHIRE OAKS

One of our most popular trips of the summer programme for YAC’s was a trip to Cheshire Oaks. Our Cheshire East YAC’s navigated the transport system, meeting at Crewe Railway Station and then taking the bus from Chester Railway Station to Cheshire Oaks. The YAC’s enjoyed watching Jungle Cruise at the Vue Cinema, a fabulous Mexican lunch at Chiquito’s and time around the shops!

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MANCHESTER

Our day trip to Manchester was one of the biggest trips of the YAC programme. Travelling by train from Crewe and Chester the two groups met up at Manchester Piccadilly Station and walked to the Arndale Centre. YAC’s were able to spend time exploring the cultural sights and shopping areas, spend time socialising in the sun at Piccadilly Gardens and enjoy tasting lots of different cuisines at Mackie Mayor, a cosmopolitan food hall in an 1858 Grade II listed market building, on the edge of Manchester’s famous Northern Quarter.

TEAM YAC GO APE DELAMERE

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Young carers travelled once again by train to Delamere Forest, to take part in the Go Ape Delamere Tree Top Adventure Plus Challenge. After a safety briefing, the young carers split into groups to begin their tree top adventure by taking part in the Adventure loop and zip line. Once they had practiced their tree top skills it was time to hit the heights of the Adventure Plus challenge course with more challenging activities and an even bigger zip line to the finish! After completing the course everyone enjoyed a picnic and then some free time exploring the tracks and trails through the forest before heading home.

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FRODSHAM WATERSPORTS On a slightly damp and drizzly day our YAC groups travelled once again by train for an active day out with Frodsham Kayaking. Arriving at Frodsham Railway Station the YAC’s walked through the town to the kayaking centre on the River Weaver. The YAC’s were able to try single and double kayaks and SUP paddle boards. The double kayaks certainly required some great teamwork to paddle along the river and it was great to see those who had kayaked before helping those who were less experienced. By the end to the session everyone had increased their confidence, the rain didn’t spoil the fun as most ended up in the river either by capsizing the kayaks or jumping in!

ESCAPE ROOM

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Young carers from Cheshire East travelled by train to Chester to meet up with the young carers from Cheshire West for a visit to Escapism Chester. The young carers took part in a variety of different escape rooms in small groups where their task was to hunt for clues and crack the codes and puzzles. Each escape room had a different theme and despite lots of surprises and screams, all but one team managed to beat the clock and escape before the hour ran out. After enjoying lunch together, the young carers enjoyed some free time around Chester’s shops and meeting up for delicious ice-creams at ‘Snugbury’s on the River’ before travelling home.

BIG TRIPS MANCHESTER UNITED

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At Cheshire Young Carers we have a lot of Manchester United fans and arguably a lot more after a very exciting visit to Old Trafford itself! The day began with a tour of the grounds, where young carers paraded out of the tunnels as if it was match day and sat in the managers’ chairs to pick their team. They were so excited to visit the changing rooms and sat and posed in front of their favourite players’ shirts, being sure to ask lots of questions to the tour guides about the players. The museum of memorabilia certainly impressed the group as they gravitated towards the impressive number of trophies at the ground. After lunch, we were lucky enough to have an educational session on the club’s history as well as learning some secret and interesting facts, whilst the YAC group had an education session which was careers focussed. The final part of the day was a favourite, whereby the young carers were able to try on shirts and boots from a variety of different clubs. This was an encouraging and exciting day for many of our aspiring footballers in the group.

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ALTON TOWERS

The Golden Ticket Trip! Young carers were really excited throughout the Summer to get the opportunity to go on this year’s Golden Ticket trip, which they had to earn points to go on by attending workshops and activities throughout the Summer. The trip was so popular with our young carers that we had to split it over two days, with Cheshire East going one day and Cheshire West the next. We were lucky enough to have beautiful weather on both days of our visit which made the experience even more exciting. Young carers went round in small groups dependant on their preference of rides and age, which made sure all young carers were able to have an enjoyable experience. The thrill seekers were made up that they got to go on the big rollercoasters and the younger ones were so excited to be able to go to the new World of David Walliams and ride the Gangsta Granny ride, one of their favourite books. The young carers loved going on the water rides, they especially loved targeting the Cheshire Young Carers staff members on the pirate ship water shooting game and laughing about who was the most soaking wet. Alton Towers allowed new friendships to be made and fears to be tackled. There were a number of young carers who went on their very first rollercoaster and were so proud of how brave they had been. It was clear by how many smiling faces we had getting back onto the coach that they all had such a lovely time and couldn’t wait to tell their families about the day. The giftshop is always a hit, with young carers buying treats and souvenirs to remember the day, and also buying presents for their family members at home.

FUNDERS & SUPPORTERS Without the support of our generous donors, this programme would not have been possible. We want to thank them for their support, donations and encouragement.

THE PROGRAMME WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITH OUT THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF DONORS!

Cheshire East Council Cheshire West & Chester Council Edsential Innospec Steve Morgan Foundation Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport John Lewis & Partners Matthews of Chester Mr John Yates Redrow The Community Support Shop Whitby Village, Ellesmere Port

The Earl of Chester

WE ARE S O GRATEFU L FOR THE SUPP ORT THAT IS CONSISTE NTLY RECEIVED .

SUMMER PROGRAMME 2021

Programme Feedback... We have changed the names – to protect the identity of these young carers.

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to you all for all the brilliant summer activities. Sam and Laura have really enjoyed joining in and I’m delighted that Laura has made a new friend in a similar position to herself, as she feels quite burdened by her responsibilities and by not feeling ‘normal’.

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My 3 have had such a fabulous holiday because of Cheshire Young Carers. Thank you all for everything you’ve done.

I’m thrilled to see I get this amazing opportunity to go to Alton towers with the amazing people I’ve met over the last few weeks since I started joining in with the young adult carers team!

s h! That ha c u m o s u es ‘Thank yo r tough tim u o e d a m asier. really bit more e le t t li t a h t just reciate it!’ Really app

‘Oh my goodn ess thank you so much fo r simply everything yo u do. Oliver has had so mu ch fun this summer. It wa s brilliant. You guys are incre dible’.

SUMMER PROGRAMME 2021

Programme Feedback... “Thank you again for your continued commitment to provide some well needed outdoor activities to the children!” “Thank You. I know my Y.C. had great fun at Delamere, and all the other fantastic days you have provided!!!Thank You xxxx “

to you all s k n a h t d “Many itivity an s o p r u o to for y hank you T . m s ia s ing enthu the amaz r o f u o y ith all of e doing w s ’r u o y k r wo ivitie d the act lly n a s id k the rea tting, it’s e g e ’r y e th ed. appreciat

happy that “We are so n activities ca face to face in... Holly start up aga issed young has really m carers”

“Luke had an amazing summer, he’s gotten to do things he’s never done before and he has a new interest in outdoor activities after going pond dipping, and now wants to try fishing and things as well.”

I just wanted to say a humongous thank you to you all!! I can’t believe how many days activities you managed to provide free!! Sophie has absolutely loved her days with you all & we can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done️. We look forward to seeing you at the term time sessions again soon. Thank you so much.

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SUMMER PROGRAMME 2021 PROJECT REVIEW

CHESHIRE YOUNG CARERS Registered Charity no. 1151399 Northern Lights Business Park, Rossfield Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 3AW

Tel: 0151 356 3176 info@cheshireyoungcarers.com

www.cheshireyoungcarers.org @cheshireyoungcarers

@CYC_youngcarers

@cheshireyoungcarers

Cheshire Young Carers Cheshire Young Carers

Cheshire Young Carers Summer 2021 Programme Review

Articles inside

THE CENTRES

THE ACTIVITIES

INTRODUCTION

BIG TRIPS

PROGRAMME FEEDBACK

THE TRIPS

OUR DONORS

TEAM YAC