Wow, what a month December has been! The run up to the festive period has full of laughter, joy and lots of singing! The members had a wonderful time decorating our location and we have been spoilt with three different Christmas trees and an abundance of handmade decorations which add a lovely cosy and festive feel to the building.
We began the month with our annual trip to the panto in Winchester (oh yes we did!!!) This year the performance was Puss in Boots and the members absolutely loved the fun and chaos of the show. There was lots of singing and participation and it definitely got us into the Christmas spirit!
There is nothing we love more than getting involved in community projects and we had a wonderful time designing and creating handmade Christmas cards which the members hand delivered to the Andover Nursing Home. The members enjoyed meeting and chatting with the residents as well as sharing some Christmas cheer!
We were so lucky this year to have the opportunity to get involved in creating stunning Christmas wreaths. Rebecca came in and delivered a wonderful workshop and the results are stunning. The members took total creative control and chose from a variety of foliage, baubles, cinnamon sticks and pinecones and tested their fine motor skills by using wire to connect it all together. We like to give the members the chance to try lots of new things and learn new skills and this was definitely something that they all enjoyed and they were able to use their creativity perfectly.
We were very excited to present our Christmas Showcase to our family and friends and what a beautiful afternoon it was! The members worked so hard throughout the month to create stunning, bespoke cards, gifts and decorations as well as performing a wonderful collection of Christmas songs. The members love nothing more than putting on a little show and we were all incredible proud of the work they put into this event and the confidence and creativity they displayed. A big thank you to all of your for coming and supporting this showcase, it was so heartwarming to look around and see everyone singing and dancing together. And thanks to your generous contributions we raised over £100 which will go towards our new outside sensory garden. We are already thinking about what we can do for our Christmas performance next year and have some fab ideas in the mix.
Our penultimate day of term was a super busy one with lots of fun festive activities. In the morning we all headed over to the Church next door for a Christingle service which the members all enjoyed and participated in. Then we headed back to JP for our annual Christmas party, where we welcomed back the talented singer Chloe who put on a fab performance for us all. The members did what they did best and enjoyed some dancing, singing and a festive feast! We had a visit from a very special guest – Father Christmas and his Elf helper.
As the year comes to a close we reflect back on all the wonderful experiences we have had and the incredible achievements that have come with them. Our weekly themes have seen us travel back in time, across the world, explore different cultures, foods and even come face to face with some fluffy alpacas. We have been fortunate enough to enjoy a variety of diverse trips out which have included the theatre, museums, country parks and nightclubs! Amongst these busy days we have also enjoyed days relaxing in our gorgeous garden, soaking up the summer sun and going on lovely country walks. We have welcomed many new faces to our team this year and we are incredibly proud of the environment both staff and members have created.
We hope you have all enjoyed this year as much as we have and we are excited to make lots of new memories in the new year. All the staff here at James Place wish you a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
