Day 1:
Today, when I arrived at the office, I had to acumulate all the boat kits for tomorrow. That's 25 kits full of pieces of cardboard, which doesnt sound like much on the surface, but after about the 6th kit, you start to think that you didn't put the long, thin piece in one of the bags, so you go through all of them to realise that they are all fine, so then you carry on, and then one of the piles looks a bit large, so you have to go through all of the bags, just in case. They were all fine, every time I checked...
So eventually, after completing that herculean task, I had to pack up all the trays, sponges, pens, string, white tape, masking tape, clip boards, and everything else into two boxes which seemed large at first, but then Hugh said I had to put work sheets on the clip boards, which of course were right at the bottom, so I had to un pack everything to get them out, but it was all fine in the end.
Then, I had to write a press release for the harbour festival launch, where all the boats that the children make will be released in the Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion boat race, which was really hard, because I have never really done anything like that before. Hugh said it was good, but he was probarbly just humoring me. (information on the harbourside launch >) http://www.myfuturemychoice.co.uk/assets/file/Young%20Shipwrights%202012.pdf
Day 2
Yesterday, we set of to Pontypridd at 7am, and having not had much sleep, I was exhausted, but ready to face the day. When we arrived at the Muni art centre, we found that we were locked out, with all the volunteers, and boxes with the kit in (not to mention the plastic white tape that if you get wet before you want to, it doesn't work). But we eventually got in, set up all the tables, with the cardboard boat pieces, and hung up reels of tape around the room. It makes more sence when you see it.
The children arrived at 9:30, Bryncelynnog and Maes Gwyn secondary schools. we split them off into seven groups, then one at a time, they had to go and see Warwick (who designed the boat) and get a step on how to create it. While all this was going on, Nathan a film maker, was wondering around with all his fancey equipment, videoing the children piecing together this boat, while they talk to the volunteers, about their jobs in the industry. Because Nathan is going to create a short film about the trip to Pontypridd, so that everyone can see the work done at My Future, My Choice, for themselves.
When all the groups finished building their boat, they had to decorate it. But not just with pretty pictures, and swirly writing, they had to write on the boat, what it is that they want to achieve in the future, weather that's a place they want to go, or a job they want to have, or anything, that they aspire to do in the future. They also decorated the boat with stickers of our sponsers, where the volunteers came from.
Day 3
On Wednesday, we stayed at the office, I spent most of the day cutting up stickers forthe workshops that we have this and next week.
But, I also had to go on lots of little errands for hugh, such as picking up the tickets for the childrens boat ride for tomorrow's workshop, from the Bristol tourist information centre. They were very interested in the work we do at My Future, My Choice, and asked lots of questions. I also had to pick up some printing for tomorrow's workshops (workbooks, and more stickers!) As well as that, I had to buy some certificates from Park street, to give to the children at the air show next week.
Day 4
Yesterday, we had a workshop at the M Shed, with the children from Easton Primary. They arrived at 10 am, and were split of into two groups, one group went outside with Hugh and Polly to visit a boat yard, and learn about different parts of boats, and the other half stayed with Warwick and I, to build the cardboard boats with volunteers from Burges Salmon.
Inside, the children were then split of into 5 more groups, of around 3 or 4 people. Then, like Tuesday, Warwick would call the children up one at a time, and give them some information of how to build the boat.
As well as this, the children had to ask the volunteers (and myself) about anything they wanted, weather that’s what they do for a living, what kind of car they have, or where they go on holiday.
When the boats where finished, the children had to decorate
them with the stickers of our sponsors, and where they want the boat to go in
the future, or where they want to go in the future.