CHALLENGE
Activ8 is back with a bang! Get ready for a fun-filled three months, as our latest Activ8 challenge is here to bring everyone together to tackle some fantastic activity-based challenges.
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Host your own masquerade ball Page 6 Have a game of walking football Page 10 Make your own birdseed ornaments Page 12
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Winter 2O22
CHALLENGE
What’s in store over the next three months?
October
As usual, Activ8 begins in October with some spooktacular activities to get you into the Halloween spirit! Whether you’re celebrating in style with a masquerade ball, or getting cosy with some autumnal treats, we’re sure you’ll have lots of fun together!
It’s all kicking off in November, with the start of the 2022 Football World Cup, which is taking place during the winter for the first time ever! Not only that, we’re challenging you all to make a ‘Veg Pledge!’ – turn to page 8 for details.
Last, but by no means least, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! (We know, we can’t read that without singing it, either!) There’s so many festive challenges to get involved in, so whether baking’s your thing or you prefer getting your Christmas craft on, we have the perfect activity for you!
Remember to track your activities and complete the enclosed card with your activity stickers – make sure you tell communications@voyagecare.com when you‘ve completed the challenge as there are some great prizes on offer this year!
We hope you enjoy Activ8 2022! Ready, set... Activ8!
Keep us updated with photos and videos whenever you finish an activity! Send to communications@voyagecare.com so we can share on our channels!
Look out for the pound icon and head to Hive for some money saving tips!
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DecemberNovember
Are you up to the Activ8 challenge?
Rules
• Every time you complete an activity or challenge, you must find the correct sticker and log it on your activity card. This will help you to track your progress
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To complete the Activ8 challenge you need to collect 8 stickers, but feel free to do more (or all!) of them. There might just be a bonus prize in it for your service!
• Let us know when you’ve completed your activity tracker by sending a photograph or a scan to communications@voyagecare.com We’d also like to see your photos and videos to show that you’ve taken part. (Don’t forget your consent forms!)
• Entries will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and services who have completed the Activ8 challenge will receive a confirmation email with details of how to claim their prize
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All other competitions will be judged after their respective closing dates and we’ll share details of the winners through our usual communications channels
We wish you all the very best of luck and hope you have lots of fun!
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patch to plateFrom
Put on your wellies, slip on your gloves and head out to pick a pumpkin this autumn!
Use the insides of your pumpkin to make a Halloween pumpkin cake!
For the cake:
300g self-raising flour
300g light muscovado sugar
3 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175g sultanas
4 eggs, beaten
200g butter, melted
Zest 1 orange
1 tbsp orange juice
500g pumpkin, seedless and cut into chunks
For the frosting:
• 200g pack soft cheese
85g butter, softened
100g icing sugar, sifted
Zest 1 orange and juice of half
Method:
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Butter and line a tin with baking paper.
2. Put the flour, sugar, spice, bicarb of soda and sultanas into a large bowl and stir to combine.
3. Beat the eggs into the softened butter, stir in the orange zest and juice, then mix with the dry ingredients till combined. Stir in the pumpkin.
4. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and springy to the touch.
communications@voyagecare.com with your carved pumpkin by 4 November to be entered into our competition!
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4 October
A house of horrorsCarve away!
1. Grab your pumpkin and mark out your design using a washable marker.
2. Cut out a lid for your pumpkin.
3. Scoop the inside out, saving the bigger chunks of flesh for a pumpkin cake.
4. Carve out your design carefully using a sharp knife or pumpkin carving tools.
5. Place a battery tealight inside and display ready for trick-or-treaters!
Turn used cartons into creepy houses to make your own spooky decorations for your service this Halloween!
You will need:
• 3 juice cartons
• Scissors
• Black paint and paintbrush
• Orange cellophane
• White and black marker pens
• Halloween stickers
1. Carefully cut the bottom off your first two cartons about 2/3 of the way down.
2. Cut the bottom off your third carton about 3/4 of the way down.
3. Using a black marker pen, draw some windows and a door on your cartons.
4. Grab your scissors and cut out your windows and door.
5. Paint each carton black and leave to dry.
6. Stick your cellophane on the inside of each carton, so it shows through the windows.
5. To make the frosting, beat together the cheese, butter, icing sugar, orange zest and 1 tsp of the juice till smooth and creamy, then set aside in the fridge.
6. When the cake is done, cool for five minutes then turn it onto a cooling rack. Prick it all over with a skewer and drizzle with the rest of the orange juice while still warm. Leave to cool completely.
7. Mix the frosting to loosen, then, using a palette knife, spread over the top of the cake in your own design. Enjoy!
7. Glue your cartons together, in a row of three, with the tallest one in the middle.
8. Use your white pen to draw on some cobwebs and stick on any Halloween crafts!
Top Tip! You couldmake your hauntedhouse into aterrifying town! Justadd more cartonsto your display.
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Host your own masquerade ball!
Put a terrifying twist on the traditional Halloween masquerade ball and seek out your best outfit for an evening full of dancing and mouthwatering munchies! You’ve already made your spooky decorations and pumpkins – all that’s left to do is create your masks and have a howling good time!
What you
need:
Print out yourmask template
Head to Hive and find a mask you like and print it off on card. Cut out the outline of your mask.
Create your design
Sequins, ribbons, rhinestones – anything to make your mask stand out!
No masquerade ballis complete withoutlots of dazzlingmasks! Follow thesesimple steps tomake your very owncreepy creation!
Make your mask stand out by drawing a design on your mask. Now the fun part begins as it’s time to start adding colour and decorative materials to your mask! Start by painting your design, then use the glue to stick on your decorations.
Remember to make your mask look fit for a Halloween masquerade ball!
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1 2 • A4 card • Poster paint or crayons • Scissors • White glue • Paintbrush • Disposable chopsticks • Feathers • Glitter glue •
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October
Create your handle
Find a long handle for your mask like a wooden chopstick and paint it or wrap it in ribbon. You then need to glue the handle onto the back of your mask – you can either glue it in the middle or on the side.
Add the final touches!
Your mask is now complete, but if you feel like taking it one step further, why not add a couple of feathers or ribbons to give it that extra wow factor!
It's monster munchie time!
You will have received your very own monster munchie flapjack baking kit along with your Activ8 toolkit – take out all the ingredients and follow the recipe card in your cookbook, to create your mouthwatering munchies!
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Take the pledge to eat more veg
Fruit and vegetables are better for the planet than any other ingredients. In fact, meat is makes up for nearly 60% of all greenhouse gases from food production. So, for this month’s Activ8 challenge, join the #VegPledge!
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To get you started, here’s a veggie shepherd’s pie recipe for you to try… Ingredients: • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 large onion, halved and sliced • 2 large carrots, cut into small chunks • 2 tbsp thyme, chopped • 400g can chopped tomatoes • 2 vegetable stock cubes • 410g can green lentils • 950g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks • 25g butter • 85g mature cheddar, grated November
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 190C/170C fan/gas mark 5.
2. Add your onion and some oil into a pan and then add both carrots and chopped thyme.
3. Add your chopped tomatoes, then crumble in the vegetable stock cubes and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Tip in your can of green lentils, including the juice, then cover and simmer for another 10 minutes until the carrots still have a bit of bite and the lentils are pulpy.
5. Meanwhile, boil the sweet potato chunks for 15 minutes until tender, drain well, then mash with the butter.
6. Use a spoon to fill a pie dish with the mixture and then top with the mash. Finish with a sprinkle of cheese before cooking for 20 minutes, until golden and hot all the way through.
Search 'Meatless Monday' on Hive to download our meal planner! hiv e
competition!
Send us a picture of your pie and recipe, alongside your ‘Veg Pledge’ – this could be anything you’re going to pledge to do, like grow a new type of vegetable or try a meatless recipe once a week! Send to communications@voyagecare.com and the winning pie recipe will be added to the Voyage Care cookbook!
You can add lotsof different veg tothis recipe! Usewhatever you haveleftover and addthem to the mix.
Enter our #VegPledge
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Kickstart the
Boot up
Why not get things started with a Walking Football tournament!
Could you invite other services in your area to bring their own team and play against each other? Here’s how you play…
To set up, you’ll need a football, goal posts (for this you can use anything, like two cones and just place them apart so you have somewhere to aim in the middle). You could also give everyone something that shows who is on each team – like a certain coloured t-shirt to wear they can attach to their outfit.
Split your players evenly, for example six versus six. Remember, you can have people on the bench so you can take it in turns to play and everyone gets some rest!
It’s time to start playing! The main rule, of course, is no running or jogging.
Did you know?
32 teams take part in the World Cup!
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World Cup! The World Cup kicks off on 20th November –here’s how to host your own World Cup party… 1 2 3 November
Christopher, a personwe support fromMaidstone Road lovesplaying to keep active!
Christopherwithteam member,Joshua
Head over to Hive to download the foam finger template!
Looking for decoration ideas for your party? Grab some paper plates and some string, decorate each plate so it looks like a football. Attach the string to each plate to create some party bunting!
Cut out the foam finger template and draw round it onto each of the foam sheets (these will make the front and back of your foam finger).
Once you’re done tracing, cut out each of the foam pieces. Glue the sides together. Make sure to leave the bottom open so you can fit your hand inside!
Once the glue has dried, you can decorate. Personalise your foam finger with your own design or team colour and then you’re ready to watch the first match!
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1 2 3 • The foam finger template (you can find this on Hive) • Foam sheets • Glue • Craft decorations What you will need: Make your own foam finger! Cheer on your team during matches with this supporters' essential!
hiv e
How to make your own
birdseed ornaments!
Get creative with this eco-friendly craft and bring a little Christmas joy to the wildlife in your area!
What you'll need:
✔ 1/4 cup hot water
(1 oz) box gelatine
Instructions
In a medium bowl, add the hot water and gelatine; mix well to combine. Quickly stir in the birdseed. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the Christmas cookie cutters on the baking paper and spoon the birdseed mixture into the cookie cutters.
cup of birdseed
cookie cutter
Let the mixture set inside the cutters for 15 minutes. Using a skewer, poke a hole in the top of each ornament.
Top Tip! Brushor spray the insidesof your cookiecutters with oil toavoid sticking.
Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes to harden. If the hole has closed slightly, poke it through with a skewer again.
Insert a piece of ribbon through the hole to create a loop. Hang your ornaments outside and wait for the birds to arrive!
Head over to Hive for a bird watching checklist! hiv e
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DECEMBER
cocoa!Cosy
There is nothing more wonderful then cosying up on the sofa with a warm hot chocolate and festive film! We’ve put together a recipe to help you make the perfect hot chocolate!
Ingredients:
✔ 200ml full-fat milk
✔ 3 heaped tsp hot chocolate powder (not instant)
✔ Pinch of sea salt
✔ 1/2 tsp instant coffee
✔ 1/4 tsp cinnamon
✔ Marshmallows, whipped cream and grated chocolate for decoration
Method:
1. Gently heat the milk on the hob, do not boil (you could also microwave!).
2. While the milk is heating, add your chocolate powder, coffee, cinnamon and salt to your favourite mug – add a splash of the hot milk and stir into a paste.
3. Add the rest of the milk slowly and carefully to the paste, stirring as you go.
4. Top with marshmallows, whipped cream and grated chocolate – enjoy!
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How
winner!
Head over to Hive to take part in Millstream’s merry movie marathon!
Christmas card competition!
The annual Christmas card competition is back! We can’t wait to see what amazing designs you come up with this year. We had over 150 entries last winter/Christmas, and we hope to see even more this year!
Send a photo of your creation to communications@voyagecare.com by 2 December, and we will announce the winner shortly after. Good luck!
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to enter: hiv e
Street's creative fingerprint painting design was last year's
Turn your home intoSanta's Grotto!
There is no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than by filling your home wit er! So, why not transform one of your rooms into a magical winter wonderland? Here’s how:
Choosing the best room
Santa’s Grotto is supposed to remind people of a magical place! Take a look around your home and look for a room which is small and cosy, but has enough space for you to decorate. Your aim is to fill the room with as much festive cheer as possible!
It's all about the tree! Remember, every Santa’s Grotto should have at least one Christmas tree filled with fairy lights, baubles and topped off with your favourite tree topper!
Head over to Hive for some Christmas tree inspiration! hiv e
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Decorating your Grotto
Now here comes the fun part! Include a wide variety of different Christmas decorations in your Grotto. Some great ideas include twinkling stars, glittery fabrics, Santa’s elves, reindeer, baubles, candy canes, brightly coloured sweets, and much more!
Have a go at making our sock snowmen to put around your Grotto!
Reindeer
chocolate bark!
Ingredients:
• 200g milk chocolate, chopped
• 7 red Smarties
• A multipack of Curly Wurly bars, or a small bag of pretzels
• Sprinkles and stars, for decorating
• Edible googly eyes
Method:
1. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Put the chopped chocolate into a microwaveable bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-second blasts, until completely melted.
3. Pour the chocolate onto the lined baking sheet. Spread the chocolate out with a butter knife or the back of a spoon.
4. Before the chocolate hardens, gently arrange the red Smarties over the slab leaving big spaces in between – these are the reindeer noses.
5. Add the googly eyes and press into the chocolate above the Smarties.
6. Cut chunks of Curly Wurly or break pretzels to look like antlers. Push one into the chocolate above each eye.
7. Add your sprinkles for decoration, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
8. Once the chocolate is hard, snap the bark into pieces around the reindeers – enjoy!
For a step-by-step photo guide, visit Hive! hiv e
Santa's sock snowmen!
Are you looking for a festive craft? Look no further and have a go at creating your own sock snowmen!
What you’ll need:
Pair of old white socks
Rubber bands
Rice grains
Ribbon
4 x black and 2 x orange map pins
Buttons
Top Tip! Ifyou only havewhite map pins,colour them inusing Sharpies!
Glue or needle and thread
1. Cut off the toe end of your sock.
2. Turn the sock inside out and attach a rubber band tightly to one end of the sock. Then turn the sock right-side out again.
3. Fill the sock with rice. Make sure to pack it down as you go so the sock gets a round base.
4. Rubber band the other end of the sock closed and put another rubber band 3/4 of the way to the top to make the head of your snowman.
5. Tie a ribbon around your snowman’s neck to look like a scarf and use the pins to make a face.
6. Use the toe the part you cut off your socks to fashion a stocking cap and then sew or glue on your buttons!
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Taking careof you!
There are times in the year that can be challenging for many reasons. That's why it's important to us that our colleagues and the people we support commit to making self-care a priority by pledging to make time for self-care activities on a regular basis.
This year, instead of encouraging you to make a New Year’s resolution, we’re asking you to make a pledge to yourself to take care of your wellbeing throughout the entire year.
Cut along the dotted lines
Spend more time outside
There are lots of different self-care activities you can have a go at, but try to do the things that bring you joy! We’ve pulled together some ideas to get you started:
Call a friend
Read a book or magazine
Try a new skincare routine Try a new hobby Paint or craft something
Cook your favourite meal
Listen to your favourite music
Write down your feelings
The most important thing to remember is that self-care is all about you. If your version of self-care is doing these activities with a loved one or housemate then start ticking the pledges you'd like to try! If you'd like to do something else, then go right ahead!
We’d love to know if you’ve made your self-care pledge this year! Tell us all about it by emailing communications@voyagecare.com
