Month: September 2017

The Scrapstore Birmingham doesn’t only offer memberships to come and collect resources, it also offers the ‘Let’s Play’ package.

Let’s Play is aimed specifically at primary schools and early years settings, providing a container and its set up in your playground, filled with recycled materials and equipment for creative outdoor play. Training is also provided to support the delivery. When asked about the package, Claire McDonald, Nursery Manager at Bambams Nursery said:

“The Let’s Play package has been really beneficial to our setting. It’s individually tailored to meet the needs of our service and if there’s a product we need then the team will really try to source it for us.” Claire McDonald – Nursery Manager

The implementation of open ended resources is key to the project and is an approach recognised by Katie Bamber, Nursery Manager who said:

“The Training that runs alongside the package is really useful for re-igniting the spark and flair within our staff team, as they can show off provocations using recycled and open ended resources.” Katie Bamber – Nursery Manager

The Scrapstore Birmingham has recently partnered with an elderly arts and craft group as well as Kingsland After School Club and Lakeside Children Centre’s Stay and Play Group to encourage individuals both old and young to use and value their outdoor space by making ‘Bags for Help’ sponsored by Tesco.

The arts and craft group will participate in nature walks, foraging and collecting natural materials that are common to the season, from acorns, leaves and twigs to feathers, pebbles and dewy grass.

The group will then make “nature” bags for the groups of children. Each bag will have nature templates sewn onto them. For example; a bag with patchwork squares will include a nature-based theme with one object per area, such as a conker, helicopter seed or evergreen leaf.

The children will then participate in a nature walk, within the same space, collecting and adding items to their bag that are specific to the design that has been sewn on.

The Scrapstore Birmingham has been working alongside Advance to offer work experience opportunities as part of its supported business placement programme.

Advance’s vision is to transform the lives of people with a disability or mental health condition by providing the best quality housing, support and employment services.

The organisation strives to enable its customers to live the lives they choose, achieve their personal goals, feel valued and know their voices are heard.

The Scrapstore Birmingham has pledged its support for the programme by offering its supported business placement workers structured work experience where individuals have the opportunity to take part in a range of activities, from sorting donations, re-stocking shelves and of course being on hand to greet and help all members.

Two new supported business placement staff, George and Mark, were welcomed to the team in July. George said:

“Since I have been with The Scrapstore Birmingham I have enjoyed getting into a routine of getting up at a set time and coming into work for a set time.”

Mark added:

“Being at The Scrapstore Birmingham has given me the opportunity to meet new people.”

Both George and Mark will be with The Scrapstore for six months, gaining experience every Monday and Tuesday in the Scrapstore. You may find that you will receive a call or an email from them as they will be informing all of our members on developments such as exciting new stock.