looking at the world from a "big" gym ball

On a warm sunny Monday, what better way to spend the morning than playful movements on the floor with your baby? The New Parents at St Thomas’s invited us back for a third run of Babygym. Today there were fourteen bonnie “bouncing” babes and their parents having fun, learning about movement including a short discussion on key early childhood issues.

a joyful stretch on the baby-trolley

Babygym movements are based on the Primitive Reflexes. They help babies move & explore with confidence, creating wonderful brain-body connections.  These games & activities, including lots of songs and music, also help very small people engage socially and with their thinking.

echo games on the gathering drum

bouncing and stopping

In April 2011 Spring to Life CIC was successful in its bid to gain a Comic Relief Grant administered by the Birmingham and Black Country Community Foundation. It was a modest sum of £1,000 but with it we have achieved a lot.

In the early summer our two horticultural therapists worked with a mixture of people from deprived settings to help them set up and look after food and flower growing projects. Facilities were provided to ‘get people gardening’ and many happy memories were made and new opportunities opened up.

Hope Housing Gardening Project for refugees and asylum seekers are turning a lawn into a productive permaculture garden in Bournville.  The grant supplied much needed tools for their regular community work parties. Felipe works regularly with this group who attend from all over the city.

growing well-being at Hope Housing

Charles Davis House, is a residence for people with various levels of mental ill health.  They needed support to add vegetable and salad crops to their flower garden.  Residents are now tending  the plants and cropping them for their own use – a great use of space and time.

Waterside Hotel – Princip Street.

Waterside Hotel is a hostel used by homeless, ex-offenders as well as people with drug and alcohol habits.  The courtyard was completely devoid of any plants until Thursday 2^nd June when our two Horticultural Therapists turned up with make-your-own containers, compost, hanging baskets and plants.  A great morning was enjoyed working with the residents to create a new flower and vegetable garden.  It is being looked after by the residents who wish to expand the project further.

before

during

after

one month on

Spring to Life aims to work further with these groups and other people who live in deprived settings who will benefit greatly from being involved in social and horticultural projects on an occasional or more regular basis.  WE think gardening improves well-being!

The paints were bought cheaply or donated and people gave their time freely. One of the highlights was the number of people who stopped to chat at the reservoir and encourage the volunteers in their work.  The mural certainly brightens the lives of people who use the reservoir for recreation.

Grateful thanks also to www.gardenskill.co.uk who donated a frame, net and fleece to keep the cats and frost off the produce.

starting to dig ...

Job done!

young seedlings

COMMENTS FROM PARENTS – Different parents’ highlights from Baby Gym at St Thomas’s, November/ December 2010: learning what benefits to baby different movements have; (finding out about) the neurological reasons behind the movements; my child has become more active and talkative; learning that you can help your baby to crawl by putting her on her tummy and supporting her feet.

Favourite games were: Roll the Ball and Swinging in a Blanket. Also learning new actions to familiar nursery rhymes .

What makes a good babyhood? You can download the questionnaire and return it to liz@springtolife.org. Please see also www.goodbabyhood.wordpress.com for more information.

By pupils of George Dixon International School

Funded by the Big Lottery, Spring to Life coordinated community artists to help people from the heart of Birmingham in Ladywood B1 and South West Edgbaston, to construct and paint art inspired by nature and wildlife from the locality and from a nearby allotment.  The work was exhibited at the local community centre, attracting local people to see the local talent.  Local Primary Schools were also encouraged to contribute by creating autumn displays called ‘Nature on a plate’.

Nature Exchange Tables can be found at Karis Medical Centre forecourt for people to ‘bring and share’ natural objects, excess produce, etc.

Sculpture at Ladywood Health & Community Centre

Ten 4ft x 4ft paintings by local residents and two local schools, inspired by nature, were installed beside the Tower Ballroom at Edgbaston Reservoir on Friday 28th May .  Look out for them next time you walk around the reservoir.

Spring to Life aims to ‘grow well-being’.  We believe that getting out into natural surroundings really helps us feel better. Noticing the natural beauty on our own doorsteps is so important not only for well-being but also in raising pride in our neighbourhoods.  This project aimed to help build community as well as local people’s interest in nature and the growing environment.  We think it succeeded!

Purple Flowers

Philippa ran the project and can be contacted at philippa@springtolife.org