We recently had the privilege of taking a team to present some assemblies and workshops to the fabulous pupils and staff of Hemingford Grey.

The aims of this workshop were to:

1. To support Anti Bullying Week
2. To raise awareness of challenges faced by disabled persons
3. To inspire the pupils that no matter what challenges are faced you can overcome
4. To share the Children’s Books
5. To educate the children on prosthetics and how they are made
6. To remove barriers of scary looking prosthetics and help the children feel at ease whilst opening up the conversation on inclusivity
7. To provide safe, open space for those tricky questions the pupils may have always wanted to ask

We did this by providing an Assembly to 3 different year groups with a presentation on just how we are all different in our own ways and also what challenges amputees face day in day out. During this assembly we we had fantastic pupils volunteering to try out making a sandwich with one arm.  The pupils also had the chance to look at prosthetics as they were passed around, one of which was from 50 years ago.  We donated books to the school so each pupil could take on of the Steel Bones Adventures books home with them and share with their family.  The school also had our Educational Pack and colouring sheets from LimbPower so they could have some fun follow up activities.

The very best part of any school workshop we do is the questions which are asked, often the most thought provoking every single visit and never cease to amaze us.  This time the team were asked questions like:

Do you sleep with your leg on? How do you put it on? Does it hurt?

The star question from this trip was, how do you feel when people stare and say horrible things? This opened up such a brilliant conversation on how we can all help to stop this and how instead of staring, smiling is much friendlier.

Here’s some feedback we received by the teacher who helped us plan the event:

“We have had such [positive feedback form both children and staff about your visit.  The most valuable part of the event was raising awareness and appreciation of difference and celebrating it as well as the opportunity for children to listen to lived experiences and ask questions.  The children said they learnt lots about amputees and how they didn’t think before what challenges they must overcome in everyday life.  Also that it doesn’t stop them being successful.”

THANK YOU TO OUR AWESOME SCHOOLS TEAM FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE.  WE CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT. 

 

We were very grateful to be able to provide the workshop to the school at no charge to them only thanks to funding from Cambridgeshire Community Foundation.