Walking around the event gave us the opportunity to meet people from services throughout our organisation and it was great to see everyone having such a good time. As the organisers of the event we had a very busy weekend and much of what happened is now a bit of a blur, although we have enduring memories of Great Interactions and staff going the extra mile to ensure the people we support could make the best of the opportunities available.
It wasn't only the response of MacIntyre staff that impressed, many of our visitors also displayed warmth and understanding in their activities. This was perhaps best illustrated by the handler of the birds of prey who, in addition to providing an excellent demonstration was able to respond to the different needs of all the spectators to provide the most memorable experience.
It was lovely to see Tomas, a former student at Womaston, quickly reacquaint himself with the facilities and particularly pleasing that he recognized so many of the students and staff. The low profile support provided by Helen gave Tomas the freedom to explore and experience his old haunts and to independently initiate interactions.
A very special thank you goes to Afzal who camped for the whole weekend and whose gentle humour and sharp observations kept us both amused and was thought provoking in equal measure. Thank you for the lessons learnt: we continue to reflect on these.
Chris Auger, IT Tutor & Tracy Morris, Staff Development
and Compliance Officer
MacIntyre School, Womaston