We have had a wonderful summer! 

Families have enjoyed nine very different activities, with costs to families kept down as much as possible. 

We began our summer with the Wolseley WildChild experience. Pond-dipping was a big hit, children and adults alike loved exploring the muddy water for all kinds of wildlife. At the outdoor classroom we could make bird feeders - great for our kids who like structured activities! Meanwhile, our young people who preferred to do their own thing escaped into the wooded area for den-building, tree-climbing and general scampering about Pippa, our activity guide, was amazing with the children and made all of the activities so much fun. Our next event a few days later, was the Commonwealth Games-themed Stay and Play. Young people completed sporty challenges to earn medals and make medals for their parents and carers. Everyone was a winner! 

Week Two saw us enjoy an afternoon at Our Space, a super adapted outdoor adventure playground and indoor soft play centre for families with additional needs. There were bikes, climbing frames, slides, swings and much more to enjoy. Parents and carers agreed that it was such a calm and peaceful environment, they felt relaxed and comfortable. There was plenty for siblings to enjoy too. Big smiles for everyone! 

On Week Three we provided an activity for Tweens and Teens; Clip and Climb was a huge success. Everyone got stuck into the climbing walls and young people pushed themselves to meet the challenges. It was fantastic to watch them but even though they were well harnessed in, volunteers sometimes had to shut their eyes! The very next day we were back at Stone for an exclusive float swimming session. On a really hot day this was very popular. Staff at Stone Leisure Centre were fabulous, encouraging the young people to swim, jump, and mess around in the water! 

Week four was Monkey Forest week. Over 50 people visit the forest with us. The weather had cooled a bit, but the rain held off - which meant the monkeys were more active and we saw so many - including babies! On Friday of week four we hosted a Bubble picnic, a drop in event where we provided bubbles for our families and were on hand to support at Beacon Park in Lichfield. NAS Stafford volunteers enjoyed getting together, whilst providing sporting equipment from Stay and Play stores for families to enjoy. 

Week five was the main event, 60 members went to Lower Drayton Farm, a vast space with a huge indoor play area, petting zoo with outside adventures and animals. There was a dino maize maze and tractor rides, go karting, alpacas and much more! The rain stopped halfway through the visit and we all enjoyed some outdoor fun! The farm provided quiet rooms for our members and the staff were just lovely. 

Our final event in week six was at the Special Needs Adventure Playground in Cannock. Families enjoyed a safe and supportive environment for lots of outdoor fun and games. We welcomed familiar faces and new members and the weather was perfect. 

This summer 66 families have accessed 226 places on our activities and we have loved seeing you all! 

Many thanks to volunteers Lindsey Douglas, Anne George, Julie Goodyear, Tracy moon and Nicki Scarborough for their amazing support. Our summer programme could not have gone ahead without their input. The rest of the NAS committee have also been brilliant with the ideas, the finance, and the admin involved. We would also like to thank everyone who donates to our branch, or has donated in the past, to keep these activities going! 

We look forward to seeing you all in the coming months and have some lovely plans for the autumn and winter. Thank you for the joy of sharing your summer with us!