THE Frome Children’s Festival which takes place from 10am-4pm on 21st August promises to be the most inclusive and accessible yet.
Purple Elephant organisers are revving up to Sunday the 21st August, focusing on making the day as accessible as they possibly can. They have consulted with and worked with local youth groups and schools with additional needs, as well as taken advice from local families who have first-hand experience of living with a child with additional needs.
Event organisers Lenka Grimes and Azeema Caffoor said, “We got the ball rolling at last year’s festival with Somerset Parent Carers Forum. Eight young people, all with additional needs, came along to the festival and wrote a report, which we have used to guide our approach to this year’s event.
“Open Storytellers have given us new ideas as well as great feedback about what works, and they’re making an exciting performance for the festival. We have also been fortunate to meet Robin Meader, a talented artist, working alongside Charlotte Woodall, social enterprise manager and teamed up with them plus Critchill School students to design T-shirts for our volunteers and young trainees to wear at this year, so do look out for their awesome designs!
“We also had the pleasure of visiting Pod and Pod plus, a local charity working with young people with additional needs, who have been consistently and enthusiastically involved in the festival, putting together a creative stall every year. This year they will be running a jewellery-making stall using recycled materials and scrap. We were also excited to be invited to Frome Falcons, a dynamic power-chair football group who meet at Frome Leisure Centre. Parents and young people kindly took time out to give us their views and as a result we have enlisted a Bristol-based frame football group and hope some of the Falcons will come on down to join us.”
Also at this year’s festival will be more accessible activities like clay modelling for the visually impaired, a zip wire accessible to people in wheelchairs, Widgit communication symbols, clearer signage, BSL interpreters and family support workers, boccia and seated volleyball.
Running from the Cheese and Grain, plus the length of the river bank and into the whole of Welshmill Park, there will once again be priority wrist bands for young people with additional needs and a ‘Changing Places’ accessible toilet in the Market Yard carpark. All the activity providers will also be given guidelines on best practice in working with young people with additional needs.
The FREE Frome Children’s Festival takes place from 10am-4pm, 21st August, thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, Frome Town Council and the generosity of its volunteers. The event is free and text donations can be made by the public on the day. Please see www.purpleelephant. org or email info@purpleelephant.org.uk for more information.
