The Gateway Centre is run as a charity for the Community. The centre has a café with a large communal area.

Many of the people who live at Bowden Derra Park have met up with friends there and enjoy a drink and some homemade cakes and biscuits.

There is a pool table there and some of the people we support enjoy reading magazines and newspapers that are available.

Some of the volunteers at the Gateway Centre have encouraged the people we support to engage in activities that they are interested in, including gardening club, a walking group covering miles at a time around scenic locations in Launceston, a pool group, knit and natter and a sports activity session.

Some of the people we support like to go into the town with their friends as the centre is only 2 minutes away.

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The post Newsletter January appeared first on The Park Launceston.

This year, @ThePark entered two Christmas tree festivals. Some of our service users got involved in the local community.

The first was in St. Mary Magdalene’s Church in Launceston. We designed a tree to showcase disability, using icons showing different disability signs. We finished that off with bright lights and a sign in Makaton saying Merry Christmas. This tree was placed by the screen in the church and stayed for a week as part of an-80 strong display of beautiful trees from all around the area. BBC Spotlight featured the festival on their evening TV roundup.

The second festival is being held at Lewannick Church. This is our local village, and we have a strong community link with the village and school. Service users have produced a tree using their hand and thumb prints. Two mornings of creative fun, and lots of cutting out were held. Several service users have gone the extra mile by getting onboard and helping with every step of the way. Susan Worsley was one of these. She was picked to then go to the church to help place it in the line-up.

We have also produced a tree for the shop 3 Cows On’t Green. Debbie wanted this tree to showcase the shop and to use it as an advert. We have used photographs showing the shop in all its Christmas glory. David and Martin went down to spend the morning drawing items of their choosing to add to the baubles. They then enjoyed hot chocolate and a mince pies to add to the experience.

When we got to the church on Monday, 11th, it was found that spaces became available, so we placed our tree from St. Mary’s in as well. So, three beautiful trees showcasing @ThePark are up locally until 6th, of January, 2024.

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