Every year our day service, the Activity and Learning Hub (ALH), takes a break from the regular timetable for 6 weeks over the summer.
This break is the perfect time to explore Sheffield, make the most of the outdoors and have fun with friends – hopefully in the sunshine!
Summer 2024 brought a change to the format of this break, in response to consultation with staff and members. The old ‘Holiday Hub’ was developed into a new 6-week programme: ‘Summer Sessions’.
‘It’s been lovely. I’ve enjoyed staying here and doing art with different staff and I got to try a bit of drama too’ Sandra, member.
Left: many members enjoyed a trip on The Ethel barge.
‘it was a great day, we got to steer the boat. I’d give the day 10,000 out of 10’ Richard, member.
ALH Manager Jennifer told us more about the development of the Summer Sessions programme:
Following feedback from our members and staff, we decided to update and improve the old Holiday Hub programme. Members were telling us that they were getting bored of the same trips to the same places so we went back to the drawing board. Members had the choice of which ‘camp’ they wanted to join: art, drama or sports. Everyone had opportunities to go out on some trips but most of the sessions were based here at Norfolk Lodge. This meant the trips could be more tailored to the members in that camp. For example our sports camps enjoyed exploring and playing games in Sheffield’s parks, and our art camps went out and created some wonderful landscape drawings of the city. It gave members a chance to try some things that they wouldn’t normally do, and connect with different people, whilst still feeling comfortable.
There was plenty to keep our creative members happy in the summer sessions art camp.
‘On Fridays I did sport instead of gardening and I’m now really good at archery’ Andrew, member
Members from our summer sessions sports camp enjoy a game of cricket in Norfolk Park.
