Art Days
See what SUNDOWNS have recieved recognition for our hard work...
Hospital Work
One of our many other services is also providing Parent Packs for new parents...
Education on Wirral
SUNDOWNS offers support to parents to help them make informed choices about education...
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Welcome to our Support and Services section of our website. We help SUNDOWNS family members enjoy a wide range of activities and events. Here are just a few examples :-
- Annual Buddy Walk
- Bi monthly Newsletter
- Monthly under fives support group
- Signing for Babies
- Book library
- Computer software library
- Regular social events for parents
- Art Days
- Siblings Newsletter
- Siblings social events
Books for Schools
In February 2006 SUNDOWNS decided to commit some of its funds to providing literacy materials for every school age child or young person with Down syndrome on Wirral.
The project was called Books for Schools.
Schools were offered £100 per pupil to use to purchase appropriate level books or materials to meet each child’s individual needs. The idea proved to be very popular and all but 1 primary and 1 secondary school that we contacted took up the offer.
There has been some very positive feed back from school staff and also from the young people who have benefited from the project.
SIGNING FOR BABIES
This exciting new project got off to a great start on Friday 18th January with 7 pre-school children and 5 adults joining in
the singing and games at Seacombe Children’s Centre. We have children who have Downs Syndrome and their siblings, cousins and friends; we also have
Mums, Nuns and their friends. Some are already signing at home and at nursery, some aren’t.
Sessions are held in the lovely big multi-function room which has a great play corner and is equipped with all the things we need to make the sessions run well including a kitchen to make drinks for everyone. The Children’s Centre is a great venue and we are delighted with the facilities.
Our sessions start with a play and chat time followed by tidy up and the children then explore the “treasure basket” which is full of all sorts of touchy-feely and noisy goodies! We then say hello to all the children and sing a variety of songs and play games which introduce the signs. One of the children’s’ favourites has been showing us their family photographs and learning signs for family names. Our singing may not be fantastic, but we do have lots of fun!
Makaton Signing for Babies is a course run over 6 sessions introducing families to over 100 Makaton signs and symbols. It is available nationwide and is run by licensed Makaton Tutors and Trainers. SUNDOWNS is running each session 3 times on 3 consecutive weeks so children and adults will have plenty of practice before moving on to new signs. This also means that if a family misses one week they have other chances to attend a session. We know how often children can get poorly!
Sessions are on Friday mornings 10-12 at Seacombe Children’s Centre. If you are interested in attending please ring the SUNDOWNS office for more information.
Exciting opportunity to help at this fun morning!!
To make these sessions run smoothly we need 3 helpers per session so if anyone would like to come along to help at a session– no singing or signing required!! Please ring the office and either Lynne or Libby will ring you back for a chat.
Art Days
SUNDOWNS began providing Art Day workshops for its members in 2004. Originally these were occassions
where all the families came together, the adults to socialise and the children to make as much creative mess as possible
with as many different paints, glitter, glue and crayons.
In 2005 the charity decided to develop this concept and invited professional artists to provide workshops that would develop the skills of the children. All siblings were invited too and the children had all manner of interesting projects including working with willow, undertaking a drama workshop and even participating in a samba band.
Our Easter Party was held at Ness Gardens working with their resident artist, undertaking a nature trail, receiving easter
eggs from an easter bunny and being visited by Ben Chapman MP to see the work the children had produced. Throughout the
year the children explored the different seasons, producing art work such as banners, flags, costumes and even a
processional fish! All of these were used and displayed at the 2005 Buddy Walk. In December 2005, we received
the North West DaDa Fest Award for our innovative community Art project.
The 2006 Art Days are again developing the skills of the children and are to include an African Drum Workshop, Kite Making and even Circus Skills!
For more information on our Art Days Workshops, please contact us at our Office on: 0151 647 8888 or
you can download a PDF Leaflet
to print and read, just click the icon...
Hospital Work
One of our many other services is also providing Parent Packs for new parents of children with Downs Syndrome in Arrowe Park and Alder Hey Hospitals.
These provide contact details for useful organisations, some details on Downs Syndrome
and an introduction letter to SUNDOWNS. We also provide relevant publications to hospitals and offer training to staff.
We are members of the Maternity Service Liason Committee at Arrowe Park and have recently donated money for a breast pump.
Education on Wirral for a child with Down syndrome.
Wirral Children and Young Peoples Services Department currently offer a broad range of provision to meet children's needs.
SUNDOWNS offers support to parents to help them make informed choices about what they want for their child with impartial advice about the types of schools and settings available. We can also offer an Independent Parental Supporter.
We offer support to schools with awareness raising talks and information
about the specific learning profile of children with Down syndrome. We also fund resources for
schools and have in the past supplied comprehensive information from the - Down syndrome
Educational Trust along with NUMICON math equipment and training on its use. All at no cost to
schools.
Our current education project is to provide all Wirral schools that have a pupil with Down syndrome with reading materials specific to each pupils reading level. This has just been offered to all primary schools (March 2006) and will role out to secondary schools next term.
Contact our office for full details of how we can help you. Click here for contact information.