Julie and Neil MacDonald visit Hubs Together
Having established their Endowment Fund over a decade ago, Julie and Neil MacDonald wanted their funding to support children and young people who are disadvantaged, those with disabilities and/or learning difficulties. Recently, Julie and Neil visited one of the many groups that they have funded, Hubs Together.
Hubs Together supports up to 30 fostering families across Rotherham, Doncaster, and Sheffield. All the families care for children that have been through significant trauma, have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Part of their role is to organise monthly activities so that all of the families and children can get together and experience what it’s like to be part of an extended family and learn new skills.
The grant was used to fund the certification and training of Hubs Together staff to become qualified forest school practitioners, and complete the qualification needed to lead their own forest school activities. The funding was also used to purchase forest school equipment, PPE clothing, tools, and assorted items for a project engaging foster carers, their families, and the children under their care. In order complete their training and facilitate the forest school sessions, Hubs Together worked with Adventuring Angles HQ, a forest school run by qualified teacher and practitioner Angela Wright and her small team.
Angela (left) and Hubs Together Forest School Practitioners
The funded project was created to establish a secure outdoor setting, nurture positive connections, improve placement stability for vulnerable children, and encourage personal growth.
Examples of activities at the forest school include walks, scavenger hunts, den building, cooking on campfires, sensory garden, growing food, and exploratory sensory learning activities.
Both Neil and Julie are committed to positively impacting community groups throughout South Yorkshire. They expressing their thoughts following the visit they stated:
We both really enjoyed it; were humbled by the dedication and positivity of the foster families; and were beyond impressed with Angela and Hubs Together
Julie and Neil MacDonald, Hubs Together and Adventure Angels