by futureworks | May 8, 2019 | Blog
Famous for over 40 rides and lots of screaming … we can only be talking about Alton Towers!
When we first thought about visiting this famous venue, we wondered if perhaps we’d had a bit of wacky idea … however, we’re heading off to the theme park later this month! Hold on to your hats!
So … if the thought of a rollercoaster turns you a pale shade of green, you’re not alone …
The attraction is in the Midlands so we have to get there first before finding our accommodation and settling in.
Alton Towers itself is absolutely huge so we’ll have to be organised before the visit. There are so many rides, we might have to a wish list and see how far we get.
There are some scary names for these rides … Nemesis … Oblivion … The Smiler … Blade … we think some of the team might prefer Postman Pat’s Parcel Post ride!
So as well as a day or two away from Scarborough, what are hoping to get out the Alton Towers trip?
A change of scene … a chance for everyone to experience a world-class attraction … maybe learn a bit of patience if there are lots of queues.
We’re looking forward to the visit as some of our fabulous learners haven’t ventured outside of Scarborough very much so it’s a great opportunity to see motorways, busy towns and have a change of scene.
We’re also hoping to help get some new and useful skills acquired … buying tickets … building confidence … also being away from a familiar setting and getting used to new surroundings.
We are sure some of us will need to ‘have a rest’ after a ride, especially if the rides make some of us feel sick! We’ll just make sure we don’t eat too many hot dogs and ice creams beforehand.
We are really looking forward to it and we’ll update you when we get back. And to keep you interested, here’s five things you (probably) didn’t know about Alton Towers …
You can stay at Alton Towers in a hotel, a tree house, a lodge or even a stargazing pod!
They also host events at Alton Towers including street dance festivals.
The attraction has an extraordinary golf course.
If you fancy a bit of pampering, it also has a spa facility.
The site itself dates back over 200 years while the theme park opened in 1980 (some of weren’t even born then – eek!)
by futureworks | Apr 17, 2019 | Blog
Welcome to our latest blog! We hope you’re all okay!
Well, we’ve got something totally ‘darb’ to announce … in fact, we’re going to be talking about a fantastic ‘sockdollager … if you know your onions’ … confused Don’t be!
The weird and wonderful phrases in the above sentence are words that were used in 1920’s America (and some in the UK, too).
And the 1920’s will be the theme for our special, invite-only, red carpet event on Friday 19th July at The Royal Hotel, Scarborough.
‘Darb’ means something amazing; a ‘sockdollager’ is a special event and ‘know your onions’ doesn’t mean a stint in the kitchen … it means ‘to know what’s going on’!
We’ve had this idea – always dangerous with our team, particularly if too much coffee’s been consumed – and that idea was to have an awards night based around a Roaring Twenties theme.
The event will include a three-course dinner, proper invitations, brilliant table settings and the awards ceremony. The awards will have a fun element as well as recognising the hard work that goes on here at Futureworks NY HQ.
How did we come up with the 1920’s theme, we hear you ask?
We did some brainstorming and created lots of mood boards, which included many different ideas … the Roaring Twenties was the overall favourite.
You know here at Futureworks NY we’ve got a fantastic crew … ages range from 14 to 58, lots of different people with all sorts of stories to tell. All our learners aspire to make changes and improve their life journeys.
So our Roaring Twenties event will be a chance for some serious motivation, celebration and achievement.
As we LOVE cake – actually any food is great by us! – sorting out the delicious menu for the evening is our first priority, followed by ordering the trophies for ‘the big night’, and designing the invites.
And this is just the start …
We’re looking forward to putting the table settings together, getting the guest list ready and of course, one of the best parts of the event is to get all glammed up!
Thanks to Our Co… on Northway, the prom dresses are sorted.
We’re also going to be looking at getting some fantastic prizes for the evening … watch this space!
The ladies are going to have their hair and make-up done and look gorgeous on the night. The guys can dig out their dinner suits, dickie bows and be gallant gentlemen for the event.
We’ll keep you posted on this blog as this exciting project takes shape. Hopefully by the 19th July everything will be ‘jake’ (alright) on the night!
by futureworks | Mar 20, 2019 | Blog
Hello to our lovely blog readers and might I say you’re looking radiant today…
Our most recent posts have been introducing our staff. This time, we thought we would take a break from our intro’s and put our learners in the limelight.
Futureworks currently work with people aged 14 up to 58 years old (we won’t mention names…) We have a diverse range of people – and when we say diverse, we really do mean it! Our clients include a professional chef, two former nurses and a lady with a law degree. We have busy mums, learners who are looking to go to university and people who are looking to completely change careers or need some direction.
Recently, our younger learners were tasked with explaining “what do you think we do at Futureworks?” (Thankfully they didn’t reply with, “eat lot’s of cake”). Their responses included the following:
“Making friends and meeting new people” “Support”
“Have a laugh” “Gets me out of bed” “Achieve qualifications”
“A better future” “Inspire” “Help looking for jobs”
“Helping to grow confidence” “Keeping me out of trouble”
“Learning skills to prepare me for the future”
Above all, our learners all have one thing in common: They aspire to make a change.
At Futureworks, we pride ourselves on the fact that we really do make a difference to people’s lives. We encourage, motivate, believe, and celebrate success. Our younger learners are able to sit and chat with our ‘more mature’ learners and everyone is here to achieve their own goals. We think outside the box and we’re very good at finding solutions to the most obscure problems! We have an open door policy (unless we’re having an off day -in which case the door will be locked, firmly bolted and we’ll be hiding behind it with a bottle of Baileys and a Black Forest Gateau…)
Okay, so we know that we can’t change the world but we recognise that with the right support, we can be a part of someones success. And that’s sick! (To quote the learners.)
Recent and on-going projects are shown in the photo’s – the learners gave our classroom some much needed colour (sunglasses are optional). They are also working with Lisa Borrie from So Visualise to help create props for shows. We hope to continue this successful partnership in the future.
So, until next time… take care and don’t forget your emergency Kit-Kat on long journeys.
P.S We still have a house for sale if there are any takers???
https://colinellis.co.uk/property-search/prop_description.php?eaid=115&propid=11465&tpages=7&adjacents=4&page=4
by futureworks | Jan 28, 2019 | Blog
Hello everyone. Due to the on-going success of our renovation blog we have decided to continue this platform to keep you up to date on the goings-on of Futureworks.
Our blog will introduce our staff to you over the coming weeks and months and share the fun and inspirational stories that our learners provide us with. We want to celebrate their achievements and let you know about any forthcoming events.
This week, the blog is looking at Action Towards Inclusion (ATI) – a programme that is aimed at those who are aged 18+ and have barriers that are preventing them from moving forward. These barriers may include health issues, long-term unemployment or lack of qualifications. We work one-to-one with clients to address the issues they face and look to find possible solutions. We can also offer Maths and English qualifications up to Level 2 for those who wish to learn.
Our Keyworker is Wendy:
Wendy is a shy and retiring member of the team… (??????!!!!!!!) She has established some really positive relationships with her clients and feels that the programme has been invaluable to everyone who has engaged so far.
We have seen participants starting work or university when they previously lacked the self-confidence or qualifications to help them achieve their goal. We have also been able to help clients to access counselling and art therapy.
ATI looks to celebrate the success of our participants and we are regularly invited to The Big Thinking Events where we get to listen to the inspirational stories of those who have established ways to move forward. The guest speaker at our last event was Richard McCann who spoke about the impact that the death of his Mother had on him and his sisters, telling us how he has dealt with the highs and lows of life.
Here is Wendy getting told off by Richard McCann and then another once they’d made friends…
If you are aged 18+ and think that ATI could help you – give us a ring on: 01723 449616 for more information. We currently have availability on the programme and you would be made very welcome. Wendy makes a lovely cup of tea and sometimes she treats you to biscuits. But only on special occasions.
Next time …
Join us to find out more about our new member of staff, Jodi. She is working with our young people and has loads of ideas and energy!!
by futureworks | Jan 15, 2019 | Blog
Hello and a very good afternoon to each and every one of you. We are very pleased to announce that our first renovation is complete and the house is now on the market!! WHOOP!!
It seems strange to be back in the office every day after getting covered in dust and paint. Life is suddenly so much cleaner…
We would like to welcome everyone who is interested in seeing our finished project to our Open Day. This is taking place on Wednesday 23rd January between 10am and 12pm. The address is: 11 Hope Street, Scarborough, YO12 7PR.
This is also our opportunity to thank the learners, staff, trades people and local businesses who worked tirelessly to get the house finished in time for Christmas. We are thrilled with the support we have been given along the way – everyone has worked hard to help Futureworks get to this point and shown us that we made the right decision taking on board our new venture.
Who knows what’s next for the team? Watch this space for future news. In the meantime, we’ll be sharing stories about Futureworks and the success stories and achievements of our learners.
For more information on the house, please click on the following link: https://www.colinellis.co.uk/property-search/prop_description.php?eaid=115&propid=11465&tpages=4&adjacents=&page=17
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