‘I was so relaxed I didn’t reach for my phone all day!’
Local parents took part in a lively wellbeing and creativity event at Brixton’s Ark Evelyn Grace Academy, yesterday (1 October).
The free event, organised jointly by Evelyn Grace and Brixton Learning Collaborative, was designed to help parents relax and recharge.
Parents from Lambeth primary schools including Loughborough, John Keats and Hill Mead, enjoyed pampering sessions including chair massages and manicures, guided meditation and self-care workshops.
Organisations including Art4Space, Photofusion, JemStone Therapy, Sankofa to Nature, Stitching and NOPA, ran classes where parents could make watercolour bookmarks, mosaic coasters and take part in photography and music sessions.
Parents also had the opportunity to talk to representatives from community groups including the NHS, Fit Kids Healthy Minds, Capital City College, Lambeth Parenting Services, Lambeth Elevate, Safer Renting, Thrive Stockwell, Lambeth Community Engagement, High Trees, Raw Material and Vauxhall City Farm.
“I’m delighted to have hosted our first ever wellbeing and creativity event for parents,” said Evelyn Grace principal Una Sookun “It’s so important that parents take some time out for self-care and to recharge – and to make valuable connections with community groups who are there to support them and their families.”
One parent at the event said, “I really enjoyed the mosaic class and the massage was amazing. I also enjoyed going around and talking to the different people here and learning about what’s in the community that I can join in with, and what’s helpful for my kids.”
Another parent said: “It was really nice to have something especially for parents.” And one added: “I’ve been so relaxed I didn’t reach for my phone all day!”
Emory Lavis, from the NHS team at the event to raise awareness of the need for blood donations to help sickle cell suffererers, said: “The event went really well. We’ve engaged with a lot of parents, including many who had never thought of blood donation before.
“We gave out a children’s book written by a local father and daughter team, about a little girl called Angel and her journey with sickle cell, so it was great to be able to raise awareness.”
Charlene Skyers was at the event representing Art4Space. She said: “Today has been great. There were lots of visitors who’ve all got involved and been really creative. Some have gone home with mosaic coasters they made today and others with watercolour bookmarks – and they’ve all learned more about what’s on offer in the local community.”
The event followed a successful year for Ark Evelyn Grace Academy, in which Ofsted judged the school to be “good” in all areas.
Inspectors praised the school for being a “welcoming and happy” place where “staff care deeply that all pupils achieve both academically and personally”.
The school is part of the Ark multi-academy trust, which has 39 schools in London, Birmingham, Hastings and Portsmouth.
Find out more: www.evelyngraceacademy.org
