SensationALL & Schools Out! inclusive partnerships

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This year we are celebrating our fifth birthday! We have achieved so much since we registered our charity back in 2012, now employing six staff and working towards the Community Asset Transfer of the Old Schoolhouse in Westhill too. In 2017, SensationALL have also set-up an associated social enterprise business, Schools Out! Club, to provide a much needed out of school care provision in Westhill.

It’s early days for this start-up organisation, nicknamed SOC Westhill; and numbers are on the rise as more families in the area become aware of it’s existence. The Schools Out! club has access to two multi-purpose activity rooms, a small soft play area, outdoor play space and a wide range of resources; just some of the benefits of operating from the same Old Schoolhouse facility as the associated charity.

From this partnership, a joint monthly after-school social group has developed, including children with and without support needs. Children who already attend the Schools Out! club have the option to join the SensationALL Social Group, which runs the first Wednesday of every month between 4.30pm and 6pm. This Inclusive Social Group is for primary-school aged children and their siblings; and is a safe environment perfect for building friendships, learning new skills and having fun.  

Diane Forbes, the manager of Schools Out! club says: “the joint group provides opportunities for more peer contact, a wider range of activities, socialising and fun!”.

Suz Strachan, Operational and Service Lead for SensationALL, tells us that the monthly Social Group “completely reflects the inclusive ethos of SensationALL and all that we are trying to achieve and promote in the local Westhill community”.

Suz continues: “We offer our service users a safe environment to enjoy themselves and more importantly, to be themselves whilst benefitting from specialist support from the staff to optimise valuable opportunities to socialise with peers.”

The Social Group is a drop-off and drop-in session on the first Wednesday of every month in the Old Schoolhouse, Westhill between 4.30pm and 6pm. The group is for primary school aged children and their siblings, and is £4 / person including snacks and refreshments. Contact SensationALL to book your space at info@sensationall.org.uk.

The Schools Out! Club is open for children from Elrick and Westhill Primary school and is a before and after-school’s club. Contact Diane directly for more information socwesthill@gmail.com. #SensationALL #SOCWesthill

New key appointments for SensationALL

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Aberdeen charity SensationALL has recently added two key players to their team. Michael Goodlad, in the newly created role of Charity Development Manager and Ellie Turner as a Support Worker in the Services team.

Bob McCracken, chairman of SensationALL, told us “Michael and Ellie’s appointments is another exciting step towards achieving our goal of creating a first class community asset in Westhill. We are very grateful to The Tudor Trust and Aberdeen Charitable Foundation whose contributions have made the new Charity Development Manager role possible.”

In this role Michael will be responsible for driving forward the charity’s ambitious plans to create a vibrant community centre for the provision of services to people with disabilities, their families and carers, and address the need for enhanced indoor and outdoor play and recreational facilities. Ellie’s appointment significantly strengthens the charity’s capabilities to delivery the quality services they have become known for.

Michael hails from Shetland and maintains close contact with the islands. He has had a successful and varied business career including six years as Head of Finance and Support Services with Cornerstone Community Care in Aberdeen. He is a non-executive director of Instant Neighbour Charity, Aberdeen and a former non-executive director of Aberdeen Harbour Board.

Ellie first visited SensationALL in 2015 to photograph the sensory room for her final collection of work at Gray’s School of Art. Her brother has Autism and Ellie helped care for him from a young age, she has worked as a support worker for over two years and her work with textiles looks at the unique relationship people with Autism have with their environment, particularly on sensory stimulation.

Michael Goodlad says, “I am delighted to join SensationALL and to be able to contribute to their ambitious plans. I am impressed with how much they have achieved in the last five years and can already appreciate the dedication and vision of the existing staff, directors and volunteers.”

Aberdeen and Celtic fans come together for SensationALL

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Football fans at the recent game between Aberdeen and Celtic at Pittodrie dug deep to raise more than £1,500 for Westhill based charity SensationALL, at AFC’s first ever joint can collection involving both sets of supporters.

Aberdeen FC Community Trust (AFCCT) organised the collection along with the Celtic FC Foundation (CFCF) to raise the profile of SensationALL and help the charity with their fundraising campaign to support families living with Autism, learning difficulties and disabilities.

Both AFCCT and CFCF are committed to improving the lives of those in their communities with both organisations providing assistance to people with Autism.

Aberdeen FC was named Scotland’s first Autism Friendly Football Club earlier this year in recognition of the steps the club and AFCCT have taken to make the match-day experience user-friendly for all and CFCF’s award-winning ‘Ability Counts’ programme includes projects designed to improve the lives of people living with Autism.

Ally Prockter, chief executive of AFCCT said he is proud that both sides came together for the charity.

“We are extremely grateful for the generosity demonstrated by Aberdeen and Celtic fans at the match. While it’s all about the competition on the pitch, both teams are united by their community values and dedication to improving the lives of others through AFCCT and CFCF.

“SensationALL is a very deserving charity which helps those with multiple support needs and their families across the North-east by providing therapeutic sensory activities and support networks, training in therapeutic techniques and activities and opportunities for play and social integration.”

Tony Hamilton, Chief Executive of Celtic FC Foundation added: “I’m delighted that this was a success. We’ve visited the SensationALL project and it fits in perfectly with what we’re doing with Ability Counts. I hope it goes from strength to strength.”

Thanks to support from a syndicate of North-east entrepreneurs, AFCCT’s mascot Donny the Sheep will sport SensationALL on his shirt for the rest of the 2017/18 season.

Bob McCracken, Chairman of SensationALL’s Board of Trustees said: “We are delighted to be associated with two such prominent charities and hope that we can build on this initiative for the benefit of the communities in which we work”

AFCCT operates as a charity independently of Aberdeen Football Club but works closely with North-east local authorities and many other organisations including the Life Changes Trust, NHS Grampian, Sport Aberdeen, Police Scotland, Aberdeen Sports Village and other members of the Active Aberdeen Partnership.

Aberdeen Football Club is proposing to build a new community sports campus and stadium with on-site training and AFCCT facilities at Kingsford, near Westhill.

The 25-hectare site would see the construction of the largest new-build stadium in Scotland in 100 years and is vital for AFC to achieve a successful and sustainable future and to maximise its socio-economic contribution to the city and wider region.