Northcott's "Not" Got Talent

Today Emma, Robert, my Dad and myself attended the final of the "Northcott's Not Got Talent" competition. Pupils have for the whole of this school term been raising funds for our project and The Alzheimer's Society. The competition was just one part of the fundraising events. With the theme of memory loss in mind, pupils took part in a "sponsored memory game" a sponsored walk around the school grounds and the talent competition. We were treated to performances by Micheal Jackson singing Billy Jean, Movement to Star Wars, Willy Wonka's Pure Imagination and much more!!! The pupils proved that Northcott School does have talent indeed. Emma presented gift vouchers for 1st 2nd and 3rd prizes - the winners will be announced next week after votes have been counted. The four of us paid our £1s and made our choices - now we just have to wait!!!

Alzheimer's Society Fundraising Ball

On saturday 14th November, Emma, Hannah and I attended the Alzheimer's Society Ball at Willerby Manor Hotel. It was a great success, raising over four thousand pounds for the cause. The meal was lovely and we came away with lots of ideas for our Valentine's Ball! Hannah is going to be the lead in this project and has gone away from the event, head spinning and ready for action!

Quiz night and Planning Meeting 13th November

Our first quiz night was held at The Royal Oak Beverley on Thursday. We had around nine teams taking part and held a raffle. In all the night raised £120. On Friday 13th, the team met for a whole day to continue implementing the changes to our plans. The day also included an advisory session by Merv Simpson and Kate Kerr to discuss our fundraising plans.

Fundraising Meeting

At the meeting today we discussed some of our fundraising ideas. In order to adhere to the Trust Policy for fundraising we have scheduled a meeting with Mervyn Simpson, Financial Services Manager to clarify what is needed. Emma and Rob spent a day with the pupils at North Cott School. They took part with the pupils in their sponsored walk. Those who participated walked around the grounds - some of them completing 5 circuits! Emma and Rob both said the pupils are excited at being involved with the project and were very interested in how much we have acheived to date. Well done to the pupils and staff of North Cott School - oh and Emma and Rob!!

3D walk through of proposed plans.

Today the team met to begin the long process of making the changes using the comments made during the second wave of consultation. After two hours, we decided to postpone the meeting with the advisory committee scheduled for next week until later in November. With still a number of issues to address, the 13th November meeting to refine the design proposals at Willerby Hill HQ promises to be a long one!

Moving on - slowly but surely!

On Tuesday 27th October the Team met with Angie Mason to discuss our plans so far. She gave some great advice on how to present our proposal to the Trust Board in February 2010. Later the same day Suzi from The Big Studio visited the site to discuss our ideas for glass art which could be used in the scheme - she gave us lots to think about in preparation for our planning meeting next week. Suzi took away some of our tentative ideas for an art theme for whole project to enable her to develop our thoughts.

London Development Weekend

The second of our residential development programmes was held in London on 14th - 16th October 2009. We all stayed at the Strand Palace Hotel. We were promised a less intense timetable then the Cranage Hall event by the King's Fund Team - they lied!!! After meeting at King's Fund HQ on Cavendish Square, all the teams were split and visited a number of previous King's Fund projects.

We were all very inspired by what we saw. We were able to identify a few similar developments to our's as well as spot a number possible problems with our design. Some of the areas we need to look at again are our way finding solutions, indoor planting, seating in waiting room area, Rob was particulally taken by the wooden panelling at St George's Hospital. After a long day touring the London sites we arrived back at the hotel giving us just enough time for a quick shower then out the the theatre where we saw Wicked and dinner later.

Day two, a whole day at Tate Modern. Rob represented Humber Team in the juggling competition. Armed with the juggling balls provided on the grassy area in front of the gallery, all the team representatives were judged, X factor style, on their preformance. Rob was through to the final!!! We all wondered what the Tate Education Team had panned for us. Each team were asked to give resume of their project. Sue volunteered for this impromtu presentation. After this the team members were taken in various groups by the art experts who discussed art works, explored and stretched our understanding of art and even had us creating our own small artworks. We eventually had a little time together as a team to look reflect on how our ideas may enhance our project, or in fact swamp it.... we needed to re-think. Tired but inspired we returned to the hotel, bursting with ideas.

Dinner that evening was held at the King's Fund HQ, and was attended by Dr Gillard. Sue was asked to speak as the representative of the dementia projects. She spoke passionately about the project and expressed the commitment of our team. Day Three: Rob took part in the grand final of the juggling competition - he managed to win a bottle of wine to drink on the train home by coming fourth! All the teams were asked to present "their story so far." After a feedback session on our presentation skills (eekkkk) and lunch we were then asked to reflect on our own feelings on what we brought to the team - a sort of personal stregnths and weaknesses!! I personally found this very enlightening exercise, I think a lot of us in the team had got to that stage of asking "why am I here" By 3pm we were all ready to be heading home - it was as we sat on the train home we all realised how exhausting the 3 day programme had been. I for one slept fort most of the journey back to Hull!

User consultation of first design draft

24th September 2009 saw the launch of the consultation process to seek opinions on our first design brief. Our first group were the staff of the building who took the opportunity to comment on Rob's first, very detailed drawings, and some samples of glass art. The second wave of consultation will continue throughout October giving the team chance spend some time with all user groups, staff, clients and outside agencies who currently use the clinic. To date, the comments have been mostly favourable and constructive. We seem to have addressed all of the priority issues highlighted during our first wave of consultation. Positive remarks include :- - more ‘approachable reception.’ - seating to wait for taxi’s to stop them and the staff having to nip in and out. - very open feel to design. - like the idea of having technologies to play with they don’t seem so baffling then. - like the gallery idea- give something to look at. Additional ideas - a place to keep memories of people or mementos of people – perhaps by giving a donation to buy something little in memory of someone - a planting area / indoor garden