Finastra's Black History Month Project

We loved visiting our friends at Finastra last week where we took part n financial education and shared our spoken word work on diversity ,role models and equality. It was an amazing day with some really talented writers.

Green Week and Community

Saturday 24th September marked the first day of this year’s Great Big Green Week and we’re getting ready for a number of events across the ward.

On Tuesday 27th we had professionals from QPCC and Paddington working with Queen’s Park Primary school students, leading a letter writing activity where the young people were asked to detail their hopes for the future Thanks to Millie Kent OF QPCC. On Wednesday 28th there was a community carbon literacy training session at the Beethoven centre as part of the compulsory training for QPCC councillors from 6-8pm.

 Thursday the 29th saw community gardening sessions led in Queen’s Park Gardens by HCGA from 10am-12noon.This was then followed by a free, community lunch from 1-3pm in St Jude’s Hall. At the event students presented their letters in person to the councillors present.

The rejuvenation of currently unused wasteland will provide a green community space for the use of local residents and school. By gating and fencing the space the project will be able to create and safe and manageable green space (100m2) for general community and education use.

The proposed community land is now repurposed thanks to the hard work of reverend David Ackerman, our kind sponsors Axis and the volunteer team from Finastra, having been currently untended and unused it is now a safe and welcoming space. Taking over management of the land and securing its perimeters has helped create and invaluable community resource through the development and maintaining of community partnerships the local residents will have access to safe and managed green space and a program of activities and outreach .In turn, the partnerships and cohesion achieved will generate awareness and understanding of local community, habitats and ecology and foster and promote ecological awareness ;embedding better future practises within the wider community. Thank you all so much.

By introducing new planting and zones within the land the space will contribute positively to local air quality and general community wellbeing; tending and rejuvenating the space will allow for community and physical activity again creating positive community outcomes while improving local access and spaces.

October will see the first sessions taking place on the land.

The space will serve the local community and 3 nursery schools while being a key resource for WCU, encouraging outdoor activity and social and ecological awareness.

Arts Projects

We took part in a national art project in February-July '22, The World Re-imagined this year and our globe is now part of a public trail of discovery in central London. This is a great way to get out and about and discover London. https://www.theworldreimagined.org/learning-globes/

We already have a second globe and are looking forward to getting even more WCU schools involved this academic year. October saw the restarting of Arts award in schools with Hallfield School already taking part. This year we hope to visit even more schools and help students begin their Art Award Journey. To celebrate we will be renting out a gallery space and publicly exhibiting students work thanks again to Axis.

Hermione Wood Wall Hangings Project

Hermione is working with us again and we are so pleased ,She is Finishing the Hallfield Quilt and will be available to deliver in WCU schools throughout ’22-’23.

We are off on our first Young Ambassadors trail this week and can't wait to share the experience.

We are Back!

With a whole new range of exciting opportunities and an amazing new partner.

Autumn is here and we are all beginning the new academic year together, full of promise and opportunity.

Hermione Wood, our brilliant textile artist is already visiting Hallfield School ,having finished the wall hanging with St Josephs and Leila is due to deliver this academic year’s first first-aid training to the students of Soho Parish.

Thanks to the kindness of Axis builders, we are launching a community football project in October and are excitedly anticipating the launch of our Forest School Community Project.

We are delighted to say that we are eagerly awaiting the training of another two dog mentors and to meeting new contacts at October’s TES event.

We have booked over 600 cinema tickets, thanks to into film, and have 360 nursery children and parents attending in November who are all booked in already.

Our incredible friends at the palaces are training community access guides in September and we have 3 colleagues attending, making access to palaces even easier for new guests.

The great team at Finastra have launched their poetry competition and we can’t wait to meet the winners in October.

Black History Month Poetry Competition

“Finspire 2022”

Finastra ESG invites kids at your school to a poetry competition to mark Black History Month 2022, celebrating inclusion and equity.

The competition, which will be moderated by poet Nelson Brooks, asks children in year 6 Primary Schools to write a poem on Black History Month. The Finspire Poetry Competition gives children the platform to build up confidence and showcase their talent and be inspired, challenged and empowered.

Entry Deadline: 5 October 2022
 

Finastra ESG is excited to announce the opening of our Black History Month Poetry Contest (Finspire). We want to hear kids’ original poems reflecting on black history, culture, experience and/or social justice issues such as racism, prejudice, unconscious bias or microaggressions.

Submit poems via our online form or email. Winning contestants will be invited to a spoken word poetry event on the 13^th of October at our office in Paddington.

POETRY CONTEST RULES
All Year 6 primary school students are invited to join.
Poems must be original and must be submitted via the online form

or email (including name, age, email address, name teacher, name school and poem)
Poems may be rhyming or non-rhyming (see notes below).
Poems should provide reflections on black history, culture, experience, and/or social justice issues.
English-language entries only, please.
Author grants Finastra permission to post the poems on our website and marketing materials.
Poems are judged on the basis of originality and uniqueness.
One entry allowed per youth.
All entries must be the original creation of the submitting author.
All rights to the entry remain the property of the author.
The author agrees to present their winning entry in a spoken word production on 13 October 2022 taking place at Finastra, 4 Kingdom Street, Paddington, London, W2 6BD.  The event takes place from 9.30 – 15.00.
60 finalists will be contacted by 7 October 2022.

Prizes:
First prize: £100
Second prize: £50
Third prize: £25
Judges:
Nelson Brooks
Jay Mukhey

Dorothe Blake

Our Mission: To inspire and embrace young people’s strengths and talents via a poetry competition, helping children of many backgrounds to find confidence and inspiration, and engaging them in extra-curricular and wider activities that help them aspire to satisfaction and fulfilment through their opportunities later in life.
Please contact me directly if you would like to get involved with any of the September and October schedule, we can’t wait to get started!

Hello Everyone,

 Happy Holidays to you all!

I have some great opportunities for your children over the holidays and after too so thought I’d let you know

The Electric Barge and Floating classroom have a free puppet Barge Project to book into :

A 4 day shadow puppetry project as part of Westminster HAF programme, 12pm – 4pm on the Monday 4th, Tuesday 5th, Wednesday 6th, and Thursday 7th April

5 places available. The project is suitable for children aged 6 – 11.

Free to attend for children who are eligible for free school meals. Limited places available for £10 for all other children. Snacks and lunch will be provided.

Parents can book a place for their child via their website: https://www.thefloatingclassroom.co.uk/easterpuppetclub

Dream Arts are running a free Drama Project at City of Westminster College

Happening from 4th of April till 7th of April

 10am till 4pm at the City of Westminster College. And is completely for FREE

If your students want to come email Angela the name of the participant, emergency contact/ email address at angela@dreamarts.org.uk

Please bring a friend if you would like to it would be great for the project to have your support!

WCU Holiday Club

I am running an April and June Club

9:00-3:45

Mon –Fri

Monday –Thursday

Register SWILSON@QUEENSPARKSCHOOL.CO.UK

Sign in on Monday with me if you get a spot via email

Queens Park School

Droop Street

 London W10 4RN

Little further Afield?

Check out westminsterchildrensuniversity.co.uk

https://www.westminsterchildrensuniversity.co.uk/

Have a go at the pre-accredited Easter Challenge

https://www.childrensuniversity.co.uk/media/1427/easter-challenge-sheet-2022-002.pdf

Copy and paste the link to see our virtual classroom

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vRYre2gwyvzQ9DNxYSWyWVhwCocIoRjvZlyJOvEtVLBMcfJ0Z0drzUY6Jg6z-9syo5TNpijdIXyWpPw/pub?start=false&loop=true&delayms=3000