Get Started - Wetherby Fulfilling Lives Centre (Weeks 1-3)

Everybody join a circle, open a parachute and let’s start a game. Whoops of laughter and delight echo through the room, it’s an energetic opening for our series of sessions at the Wetherby centre, with a lot of exercise for everybody!

With lively music we twirl silk ribbons in 1001 different ways. Adells finds ways to wriggle her ribbon like a snake or fly it gracefully like a bird. Meanwhile Michelle whirls her ribbon so enthusiastically that she manages to put three knots in her piece! Everybody takes a turn to lead and follow - so we try out the leader's ideas. There are some fantastic ideas flying around, literally. 

Stretch our legs and make a beautiful procession – a ribbon conga with whirling ribbons making dynamic rainbows. Rona and Adelle are expert leaders, directing us into all the nooks and crannies of the room, round and round the snooker table.

 Under, over, through, follow, flight, flap, float, waft, drift… 

 “Are we dizzy yet?!” 

Over the weeks we’ve introduced different activities exploring the elements of wind and water. Blowing food dye with fans, through the straws with our breath or moving them with fingers. We observe playful scenes of people blowing backwards and forwards, watching meandering multi coloured rivers entering personal landscapes in the imaginary territories. 

 “You little tinker!!!” Vivienne is in giggles as she watches the river of her colours merge into others.

“Look at this, he, he, he…” Steven engineers an extra long straw by joining two together and blows with all his might a big red sea of colour in the direction of Andrew’s bit of paper. 

In another week, we introduced a variety of handmade bubble wands cobbled together from recycled materials. These were a big hit, especially with the addition of glitter and bells dangling on the ends of the wands! 

 "Let's catch a bubble and watch it fly. Splat! Pop!" 

At first everybody was a bit careful with buckets full of soapy water, but soon we were all dipping and blowing, dunking and blowing bubble sculptures, until we were all out of puff and it was time for a tea break. 

“I’ve got it, I’ve got it!” Jeffrey was delighted when he caught all three balls. 

 And most recently we have been marbling paper with sweet smelling almond oil and coloured oil paint. We carefully select colours and mix the water with oil, watch the paper float, whilst dipping, dunking and observing the changes. 

Andrew was excited to see his favourite colour green being added into the water and oil mix, vocalising his excitement. It’s wonderful to see how the first attempts with trepidation turn into confident gestures and proud exclamations “Look at this!”

Bryony and Milena