Link Group

Link Group has been running for over 20 years at Huntington School. The school welcome senior citizens from the local community, into school, every Wednesday afternoon to meet students, take part in an activity and have a cup of tea. It is a brilliant opportunity for local seniors to meet and socialise and a brilliant opportunity for our students to meet people they wouldn’t come across in their everyday lives and to gain skills such as communication, team work and problem solving.

If you would like to come along to the Link Group, contact Miss Mower at the school.

Here is the Link Group Blog were you can find out what they have been up to, week by week:

Wow, this term has absolutely flown by and I’ve not had time to update you all on the activities of the Link Group but hopefully you will accept my apologies and this summary of the term so far.

27.3.13

As I’m writing this it is Tuesday 26^th March and currently 1 degree outside. I am preparing myself for tomorrow’s trip to Scarborough, I’m going to need lots of layers of clothes, my pocket money for some tasty fish and chips and of course, the sick bucket for on the way home!

So that has been the Link Group this term, thank you to Mr Wilson, Mr Barewell, the Student Teachers and the Travel and Tourism Girls for organising the trip.

The calendar for the next term has some brilliant things to come, we hope you all have an Eggcelent Easter and see you in April for more Link Group fun and games!

20.3.13

This week was supposed to be a tea party but the students organising it were on an art trip so Mr Barewell entertained them on his accordion followed by tea and cake, almost a tea party but not quite.

13.3.13

Lambing Live was the title of this week Link Group and Miss Mower had endeavoured to film a sheep lambing. After spending the weekend at her parents farm on Sunday afternoon she thought she had finally got lucky with her very own sheep, Hetty, as she started to show signs of labour. The first lamb only had its head out and no legs, so Miss Mower had to put the camera down and help Hetty with the delivery of her first lamb. The second water bag was out and Hetty laid down to push but once again the camera had to be put down as this lamb was coming out backwards! Finally, with the third lamb, Miss Mower managed to film the arrival.

6.3.13

Mr Wilson visited Link Group this week and told them of his tales of last summer. Mr Wilson got the chance to work on the closing ceremony of the Olympics, he meet some famous people and even Mo Farah!

27.2.13

The student teachers who have spent the last term getting to grips in the classroom where let loose on the Link Group and talked to them about whatever came to mind, from not feeling adult enough to teach, juggling family life and teaching and even what it’s like to always know you are going to be a teacher.

13.2.13

Link Group braved the cold again to come out and as it was nearly Valentine’s Day it seemed appropriate to do some wedding planning with the Link Group. There was an update about Miss Mower’s wedding plan, lots of pictures of all the wedding dresses she has tried on so far and even the chance to look at modern day weddings. Did you know the average wedding costs £15,000! And if you think that unbelievable, Shelagh got married in 1952, she was a triplet and all three sisters got married in the same year so their parents gave each of them £50 for their wedding. Shelagh managed to organise an entire wedding and reception for 40 guests and still have £12 to buy a gas cooker. £50 is the equivalent of £1132 today! The Link Group ladies brought their wedding albums and even some dresses. Miss Mower had a fantastic time and the Link Group shared some lovely fond memories too.

Here is Miss Mower in Anne’s wedding dress:

6.2.13

Mrs Wood brought her PDP group of debaters to talk to the link group. The students introduced the topics of capital Punishment, immigration, euthanasia and legalising drugs. It turned out, the link group wanted to bring back capital punishment, limit immigration and allow euthanasia but not to legalise drugs.

23.1.13

Unfortunately the Wilberforce Trust was unable to make this week and so Miss Mower improvised with a Quiz! There were pictures rounds, countries, anagrams that total 10 rounds in all.

16.1.13

Miss Mower welcomed the group back to school; thankfully the common room was warm as outside the temperature had reached minus 5.5! The new students introduced themselves followed by a presentation about Miss Mowers Christmas including the Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and the famous Christmas Jumper.

Here is the Christmas pudding!

2013

Wow! I can’t believe it’s nearly 2013! And here is the Link Group programme for the Spring Term.

January               

16th       Happy New Year with Christmas cake

23rd       Wilberforce Trust

30th       School Closed – No Link Group

February

6th         Debating

13th       Valentines Wedding Planning

20th       Half Term – No Link Group

27th       Student Teachers

March

6th         Mr Wilson Presents

13th       Lambing Live

20th       CoPE Presentation and Tea Party

27th       Mr Price Presents

12.12.12

This week saw the annual Christmas Link Group Dinner; we popped down the road to the Bowls Club for a fabulous three course meal. Everyone was in high Christmas spirits and had a lovely time. This was also an opportunity for the students to say goodbye to the members as it will be there last session, next week the Link Group will be at the Panto and in January it will be a new group of students who will be with the Link Group on a Wednesday afternoon. Thank you to the students for all your help this term, you have been fabulous!

5.12.12

In every Link Group programme there is a week where the students have to organise an afternoon and they chose to hire Mr Saltmer and his piano to get the Link Group in the Christmas Spirits with a festive sing along! If you would like to experience the delights of Mr Saltmer’s soothing tones and high energy power ballads then get yourself a copy of Mr Saltmer’s CD, titled “A Pinch of Saltmer” it's available from reception for £15.95. The perfect gift for Christmas!

28.11.12

This week the Link Group was hosted by Mrs Dawson, a big thank you for stepping in at the last minute! Christine from St Leonards Hospice came to Link Group to tell them all about the history, work of and plans for the future of the hospice. Link Group had a wonderful time and even gave a little collection to the hospice. Thank you to Christine and Barbara for holding the fort!

21.11.12

This week saw the Link Group participate in the annual quiz. There were 10 rounds including music, film, cake, general knowledge, sport and even a picture round.

> Betsy's Big Pub Quiz (click here)

> Answers (click here)

Teams were made up of both Link Group members and students with the questions from a range of decades. Out of 55 the winning team scored 42 and the losing team 17.

See below the winning team who graciously shared there sweet prize:

14.11.12

This week was a very busy week for Miss Mower, with the year 10 Aspiring Enterprise Day and meeting the University of York mentors for the new academic year, so Mr Tomsett kindly set in and took the Link Group through his fascination with heist movies.

Thanks to Adam from Vital for the technical support involved in letting the Link Group see the “kitchen” scene from the God Father.

7.11.12

With Bonfire night having only just passed the Link Group came back from half term and went straight into the science lab. It had been quite a few years since the Link Group had been in a science lab but the classroom behaviour soon returned with a naughty back row and giggling.
Trev and Debs the science technicans had a range of demonstrations and activities planned, a large bang, setting Miss Mower on fire and identifying which chemical make the different colours in a fire work.

A big thank you to Trev and Debs for a fantastic afternoon.

24.10.12

This week another PDP option joined Link Group. The Masterchef PDP students gave up there lunchtime to make biscuits and buns in time for the Link Group to decorate. As Halloween was just around the corner Mrs Burns decided on a ghoulish theme. The Link Group members where challenged to turn the biscuits into spider webs and the buns into ghosts.

The office staff leant a hand to judge the competition. Joyce Foster won best bun for her ghost with hair and Hazel Phillips won best biscuit with a big beastly spider.

Thank you very much to Mrs Burns and the Masterchef students.

17.10.12

This week the Ruth Richards came along to Link Group and bought 5 suitcases, bursting with vintage items along with her. She came to encourage the seniors to reminisce about their pasts, what they remember from their childhood and what they could remember from the items. Pictured below are some of the seniors perusing newspapers, looking at antique dolls and even perfume from the 1940’s which is still stocked in Boots!

 
As Ruth explained, “vintage” is  a very fashionable thing and current trend with over 10 vintage stores in York and anything from old sewing machine tables being used for interior design, thick brim glasses featuring on X factor contestants and even tin and enamel kitchen wear being supplied in Barnitts!

It was a great opportunity for students and seniors to discuss vintage items from past and present see below, Joyce explaining to Aisling about how she would help her dad with his Stamp Collection.
 


The Link Group had a thoroughly lovely time and even staff came to look at some of the items, there was a few confessions from the Link Group of items that they still have hidden away such as China sets, sewing machines and Wedding dresses which might come in handy for Link Group Coordinator, Betsy, as she announced her engagement this week.

A big thank you to Ruth Richards for sharing her lovely collection and stories this week.

10.10.12
This week the Link Group went on an exciting outing to York Cocoa House in Blake Street. They took part in a workshop for York 800 in which they reminisced about Rowntrees and the memories they have of the chocolate industry in York. Many of the Link Group members have fond memories of Rowntree’s, two of the group meet at the bus stop on their first day in the rowntree’s factory and are still friends 65 years later. Two other members meet there, married and were talking about it today, 50 years later.



The York Cocoa House is a spectacular place and was so welcoming, accommodating and thoughtful. Thank you to Sophie and the staff for making it such a wonderful afternoon. Visit www.yorkcocoahouse.co.uk/ for more information.

Pictured below are Link Group members and students capturing their memories:

3.10.12

This week Sylvia Jobling from Huntington Memorial Hall was kind enough to come to Link Group to talk about the Hall and what goes on there. In particular the Scarecrow festival that Huntington School have been taking part in for the last three years. Scarecrows have included the Big 8 and the house name sake’s with Amy Johnson winning best entry from the school 2012.

For more information about the hall or the scarecrow festival go to www.hmh.org.uk

A big thank you to Sylvia for coming along and all the effort that went into this week’s Link Group.

26.09.12
This week the Link Group came back together after having a short break over the summer holidays. It was lovely to welcome back all of the members and some who have returned following a spell of bad health.

As each term the Link Group get a new gaggle of students, they introduced themselves to the members and told them their names, what they are studying and what their hopes are for the future.

Miss Mower then informed them over everything that had happened over the summer and what is on the Link Group calendar for the next term.

September 26 Welcome Back – Catch up!
October 3 Huntington’s Scarecrows
October 10 Chocolate Week
October 17 Reminiscence
October 24 Master Chef Cupcake Decorations
October 31 NO LINK - Half Term
November 7 Science with Mr Gillen
November 14 Heists with Mr Tomsett
November 21 Betsy’s Big Pub Quiz
November 28 St Leonards Hospice
December 5 Students Decide
December 12 Christmas Meal
December 19 Panto