Exeter Gateway Centre

The past couple of weeks have been full on in the activity department, with members embracing the theme of Under the Sea-  all manner of colourful fish and painted scenes have been created plus the resident mannequin has been transformed into a mermaid! There has also been time to celebrate another birthday (complete with freshly baked cakes)-this time one of the more ‘mature ‘members, Keith.

As well as the ocean linked activities, a Tardis money box has been added to the list of items made recently. Furniture up-cycling is still in progress, with Vincent and Mickie showing their off their sanding and painting skills.

As we move towards the end of October, members are discussing costumes, food and music for the Halloween Party…more to follow!

It seems that every week we are celebrating a birthday at the centre. Within the past two weeks, a couple of the younger members, Julie and Robbie, have enjoyed a freshly made cake and the dulcet tones of the Gateway Choir singing Happy Birthday. 

On the activity front, Peter and Vincent have again been busy with their paper-mache skills, making and decorating a cyber-man mask and army helmet. Other members have made bowls and picture frames.

In keeping with our topic of Under the Sea, Emma and Victoria have created a magnificent underwater scene for display.

Last week saw the final monthly week of barbecues- due to popular demand, the bbq season had started back in April! Over the past few months, hundreds of various food items had been cooked, many of which had been harvested from the greenhouse and planters. As well as the usual burgers and sausages, members had sampled veggie kebabs (using home-grown tomatoes and courgettes) and grilled patty pan. Other fruit and veg had also been used in many other culinary creations including spinach scones and a variety of quiches.

No-one ever goes hungry, and the staff are more than happy to see members enjoying the healthy benefits of our garden area.

After months of meticulous planning and preparation, the day had finally arrived for the Late Summer Gathering-a day’s activities for members of the Exeter, Barnstaple and Taunton Gateway Clubs. The venue was High Bickington Community Centre, where over 100 members, carers, support staff and activity leaders enjoyed a fun-filled few hours.

The centre and its grounds were used for a variety of activities. Inside, there was New Age Curling, mask and jewellery making, Tai-Chi, plus musical instrument workshops courtesy of Wren Music. Outside, members could toast marshmallows over the campfire, engage in story-telling, make all manner of items from felt and willow and take part in various sporting challenges. There were also displays by local bee-keepers, North Devon Falconry, Cadenza Alpacas (particularly popular with Amy!), local vintage tractor enthusiasts and Ellie, (one of Exeter’s Trustees), who brought along a small selection of her hens!

The day’s catering was supplied by the Rapid Relief Team, who, under the expert leadership of Julian, made sure everyone was fed and watered sufficiently; teas, coffees, water, burgers and hot-dogs, salad and desserts! No-one could complain about being hungry! A massive thank you for all their efforts-it added to making the day a success. Thanks also to the members of the Exeter Rotary Club who marshalled the event, Colin from Barnstaple Lions (and his furry friend) and all the other support staff on the day.

No gathering would be complete without the end of day disco, giving those dancers among the groups the chance to show off their moves! It was then time to say a fond farewell and board the transport back home. Everyone had a great day, which would not have happened without the tireless efforts of Eileen Rosamond, the Exeter Gateway Centre manager. We are also grateful to Amanda and Jo from Barnstaple, for their input before and on the day itself.

Of the many activities on offer at the centre, from cooking to pool and computers to bingo, papier mache items are very popular at present. Several picture frames have been designed and decorated plus bowls and even a landing craft!

With the fine weather still with us, Debbie and a few volunteers spent a worthwhile morning cleaning the windows!

This year has been busy in the garden with members choosing, planting and harvesting a variety of fruit and vegetables. In turn, the kitchen has been a hive of activity as the produce  has been used in many a culinary delight!

We have tasted and thoroughly enjoyed a range of recipes, from spinach and cheese quiche to patty pan muffins. Due to the expert watering by Suzanne and Tia, the greenhouse has produced an abundance of courgettes, cucumbers and tomatoes. Most members have chosen to supplement their packed lunches with a bowl of fresh salad. There is still plenty to harvest, so more healthy lunches to come!

On Wednesday 15th August, a group of members travelled (problem free!) by public bus to Westpoint Arena for the Devon Blue Light Day. Hundreds of adults and their carers from all around Devon were treated to a great day out with a host of activities to enjoy. There were staff and resources from all three emergency services, plus interactive displays and workshops.

A great time was had by all, and everyone returned home (again no transport issues!) clutching their goody bags full of various free gifts.

A big thank you must go to the organisers for all their efforts in making the day a success.

For the third year running and by popular request, a group of members again visited The Word of Countrylife in Exmouth. It was an eventful day, starting with the bus driver not stopping outside the venue and continuing into the caravan park at Sandy Bay. This impacted on our timings meaning we had a very small window for a comfort break prior to boarding the Deer Train. Thanks to the patience of the staff at WoC, and especially the driver Bill, the ‘train’ was only 5 minutes late! Having fed the deer and returned for a hand-wash, we split into groups to spend some time looking around before we then headed off to the bird of prey show. This was a particular highlight for many of the members as they got ‘close up and personal’ with the birds. From here, we then had lunch and continued to explore.

We allowed plenty of time to catch the 3.30 bus back to Exmouth…

3.30 came and went and after several phone calls to StageCoach, it transpired that due to roadworks this particular bus would not be arriving and they couldn’t guarantee when the next one would arrive!

Thanks to the understanding and patience of family and carers, several members were collected, others eventually caught the bus and others went to Exmouth in what taxis were available!

Despite everything transport wise, everyone enjoyed themselves and requests have been made to go again next year!

Back in April, Tim Leveridge, the son of one of the centre’s trustees, ran the London Marathon to raise funds for various charities including The Exeter Gateway Centre. To show support for his efforts, a large amount of members raised over £250 by undertaking different ‘sporting’ challenges gathering sponsorship from family and friends.

Each member took part in excess of an hour’s activity broken down into 10/15 minute slots, including Wii-Fit, cycling, air-hockey, aer and chair-robics. Everyone enjoyed participating and we discussed the benefits of exercise and keeping healthy and have continued to use the equipment throughout the summer.

The annual trip to Millfield was a great day out with yet another bright, sunny and very hot day! This year we shared the coach with Horizon club, so many members were able to catch up with old friends. The students from Millfield were very helpful and stayed with our groups all day. Everyone made the most of all the activities on offer and some found a new way of cooling down by actually electing to go in the stocks and have wet sponges thrown at them. The lunch was fantastic as usual and despite the heat everyone stayed busy right up until it was time to leave – Thank you Millfield School for a fantastic day.

Mickey Chew cooling off