Our ‘Ber Months Round-Up
As the days grew shorter and the seasons changed, life across our homes was anything but quiet. From autumn adventures to festive celebrations, the ‘ber months have been full of laughter, learning, connection and unforgettable memories. Here’s a look back at what we’ve been up to between October and December.
Autumn Adventures & Special Moments
Paul has been enjoying time outside of the home with Matt and has even made a new best friend along the way — Obi. Jim headed to Legoland with Kadie and had an amazing day exploring the model cities and cars, while Ann, Phillip, Pete and Jim enjoyed a night away at the Weston-super-Mare Carnival, soaking up all the lights and excitement.
Robin went on a beautifully planned holiday to Weston-super-Mare with his friend Cath and our lovely team members Tanya and Sophie. The trip was designed entirely around Robin’s favourite holiday activities, creating a truly special weekend. Cath shared that she “loved it and it was a perfect weekend with her friend.” A heartfelt thank you to Crescent Hideaway for helping us design such an accessible and memorable break.
Jeremy had the surprise of a lifetime when he went away with his family to see Status Quo — his favourite band — and was beyond excited. Renae enjoyed a relaxing spa weekend, complete with pampering and exceptional Halloween nails, while Karen has been busy smashing her fitness goals after joining the gym and working with a personal trainer — we are so proud of her.
One of our standout trips was a fantastic holiday to Hoburne, where Phillip, Jim and Christopher travelled with Jaqui, Sophie and Christina. Everyone enjoyed delicious dinners out, relaxing in the hot tub, visits to the steam museum, and even discovered a Victorian Christmas shop — a highlight for Phillip, who loves all things festive.
Our love of the outdoors has carried us from autumn into winter. We’ve enjoyed beautiful seasonal walks, taking in the changing colours of autumn, as well as some wetter, muddier and more adventurous bike rides — often rounded off perfectly with a visit to the pub for a cheeky drink or a game of pool!
Learning, Independence & Active Support
Active Support continues to be at the heart of everything we do, supporting greater independence and skill-building both in and outside the home. College has been a real highlight this term, with creative sessions exploring textures using fabrics, paper, threads and yarn to make personalised sensory books. Owen particularly enjoyed the sessions where we used magazines, newspapers and comics to create our own expressions. We’re already looking forward to next term in January, where the focus will be the Art of Maths.
Steven has been brilliant at learning how to cook with Maria and working with Jaqui to learn new skills to develop his independence within the home.
Adam and Christopher have been developing brilliant life skills at Cookery School, most recently preparing a full Christmas dinner and pudding — skills they’ve been excited to bring home and share.
We’ve also spent time focusing on Keeping Safe, with workshops, craft sessions and in-depth conversations around what “keeping safe to me” means. Together, we explored healthy relationships, discussed what to do if something doesn’t feel right, and created person-centred craft boards showing who each person feels safe with.
Celebrations, Birthdays & Community
There have been plenty of reasons to celebrate. Happy Birthday to Jim O, with special thanks to Christina for his fabulous Elvis cake, and Happy Birthday to Dom, who marked his day in style with lots of presents and a trip to the pub.
We kicked off the ‘ber months with a fantastic Halloween party — a fancy-dress spooktacular complete with a singer, karaoke and plenty of fun. Becca stayed and enjoyed both the Christmas and Halloween celebrations - staying from start to finish, which was so brilliant.
Later in November, we completed our Children in Need Challenge, taking on three different walks across three types of challenges to ensure everyone could take part in an inclusive way. Jeffrey and Richie fully embraced the Pudsey Spots!
Ann, Renae and Tola went to see Mamma Mia in Bristol to dance to all things ABBA!
ITV News even came to visit us at a Cavaliers Mixed Ability Rugby training session to celebrate inclusivity in sport. Everyone we support had the opportunity to be interviewed — we’re famous! Rain or shine, training and games have continued with enthusiasm. Tola, Dougie, Dave, Steven, Dom, Jim and Tony went on a Rugby Tour with their team mates to Exeter and had a brilliant time playing Rugby and Dragon Boat Racing!
A special thank you to Alice, our lovely ex-team member, who made Jim’s day by arriving in her police car and letting him have a turn — a dream come true for someone who loves all things police.
Festive Fun & Christmas Cheer
As Christmas approached, the homes truly came alive. We’ve embraced festive baking, Christmas shopping, crafting, wrapping presents and sending cards to loved ones. Decorations went up, homes were filled with warmth, and the excitement was contagious.
Phillip, whose favourite thing in the world is Christmas (with a tree in his room all year round!), has been in his absolute element. From visiting Christmas shops to choosing new decorations, his joy has filled the homes.
We also took part in Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day — full of festive fun, with Tony proudly winning the trophy for the ugliest jumper!
The season ended on a high with our Christmas Party. It was wonderful to welcome family, friends and our wider community for an evening of music, dancing, festive outfits and cheer. Clare was delighted that Andrew saved a dance for her. And a really big, special thank you to Ken and Yvonne, and Martin and Kay, for travelling so far to celebrate with us — your presence made the evening even more special.
As we look forward to our Christmas Eve walk and the big day itself, we can reflect that the ‘ber months have been filled with connection, growth, celebration and joy. We’re so proud of everything achieved and the memories made, and we’re excited to see what the new year brings.
