Out and About

Giving members opportunities to go out in our community as well as enjoy the nature around us is what James’ Place is all about. With that in mind, it has been a very busy month for our JP bus as well as the members! Providing a variety of different activities and scenery for our members is one of our top priorities and we are proud to say has definitely been achieved this month.  

A lot to do at our Allotment 

We are very delighted to announce that we have been given an allotment by our local parish council with easy accessibility for all our members. We understand the benefits of being out in nature and getting our hands dirty as it not only keeps us physically healthy but also is good for our mental health. The allotment needs a lot of work and has been described by one of our members as a “jungle” but that hasn’t stopped the enthusiasm and hard work we have seen from both members and our team over the last few weeks. The members have also been eager to share their ideas and plans on what they think our allotment should look like and what should be planted there. Seeing members take ownership of this project has filled us with great pride this month. 

‘A garden is not a place. It’s a journey’ – Monty Don

james' place basingstoke having fun doing some gardening
james' place basingstoke a memeber having a nice rest after doing some gardening in a folding camping chair

I like to ride my Bicycle #doyouincludeme

We also try to keep our members active including and supporting those who may be less physically able so that they don’t miss out on opportunities others would have. On the 4th June a couple of our members went to Eastleigh Pavilion to go cycling for the first time with JP Basingstoke. A huge thank you to ‘Cycle4all’ for your help with facilitating our members and providing a wonderful day out for them. In the future, we plan to take more members out on the bikes so that we can explore the area further as well as help build our members’ confidence in cycling abilities and self-balance. A successful trip out for all.

james' place members riding there amazing custom bikes

And relax…..

This month we have also been very lucky to have a leisurely cruise down the Basingstoke canal in the sun. We are so grateful for ‘Accessible Boating’ for their help in organising this fantastic experience, which has encouraged a few of our members to try something new and be out of their comfort zones. The day consists of the members boarding the canal boat called Dawn (A wheelchair friendly canal boat) in Odiham, then discovering the wildlife that lives in the Basingstoke canal up to the Barley Mow Pub. The members then had a spot of lunch on the boat, whilst the boat turned back around. Then another hour or so on the water until our members were back on dry land again. What a relaxing day!

james' place basingstoke members looking at wildlife
james' place basingstoke members looking at wildlife

Seas the Day

The theme for the last week of this month was “We do like to be beside the Seaside”. We celebrated this by organising day trips to sea (when weather allowed us) and creating sea themed crafts and baking. At the beginning of beach week, a couple of our members went to Southsea in Portsmouth to make the most of the sun before the heatwave. The members enjoyed their picnic on the beach followed by a delicious ice cream or slushie. After lunch the members then tried their luck in the arcade, which provided a much-needed break from the heat. The members really enjoyed playing the variety of games provided there. 

james' mplace members enjoying arcade machines
james' place basingstoke members throwing stones in the sea
james' place basingstoke members walking along the beach

My favourite game was the basketball game” – quote from member