December 2008
Saturday 20th December
Christmas Spirit
Every year Churches Together in Hedge End, West End and Botley come together to sing carols to bring the spirit of Christmas to shoppers in Hedge End. We are very pleased to have been chosen to benefit from the collection they made while performing. Support your local shops, your local churches and your local community!
Churches Together in Hedge End, West End and Botley are: All Saints Church (CoE) High Street, Botley Catholic Church, Freegrounds Road, Hedge End Methodist Church, St. John's Road, Hedge End Kings Community Church, Upper Northam Road, Hedge End Salvation Army, The Gap, 37 Bursledon Road, Hedge End St. Brigid's Church (RC), Woodlea Gardens, West End St. James' Church (CoE), West End Road, West End St. John's Church (CoE) St John's Road, Hedge End St. Luke's Church (CoE), St Luke's Close, Hedge End United Reformed Church, St. John's Road, Hedge End
Thanks also to Eastleigh Town Band for their Carol Concert at the Pavilion in the Park, Eastleigh, earlier in the month. It was a great performance- thanks to the band and to everyone who bought a ticket.
We are also pleased to have been adopted by Waitrose at Chandlers Ford as one of their charities of the month.
Thanks for your support!
November 2008
Friday 21st November
Centre Treasurer, James Motherwell, came along to the Friday Club this week to receive a cheque for £1500 from the QE2 Activity Centre Fundraising Committee. The Fundraising Committee organised a number of events during the year including a Jazz Evening, a Summer Barbecue and an evening with Eastleigh Town Band.
Thanks to everyone involved for organising the events and everyone who came along to support these events.
October 2008
Staff from Savills Estate Agents came along in October to help put up some fencing, along with friends from the MultiSports Club. We also had a return visit from the guys at Groundworks Solent who helped carry out some clearance work around the Grounds. A good time was had by all!
Thanks a lot, you guys.



September 2008
we said goodbye to a couple of good friends of the Centre this month.
Sam Smith has been running our riding sessions at the centre for several years now but is leaving us to set up her own stable yard in Somerset. We wish her the best of luck in the future and thank her and Bill & Sandra at Oasis Riding Stables for their support.


We also lost one of our favourite volunteers, Steve Scott, who has taken up a post in London. Steve is an inspiration to everyone he meets. It is no co-incidence that Barack Obama's bid for the US presidency took an upturn after he bumped into Steve earlier this year!
Good luck to Sam and Steve!
Special Olympics GB
The QE2 Activity Centre isn't the only body celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. It was also back in 1978 that Special Olympics Great Britain was established. Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB) is the major provider of sporting opportunities for people with a learning disability and provides equality of opportunity for all athletes regardless of ability or degree of disability.
So, where else would Special Olympics South hold their birthday party but the QE2 Centre? Around 170 athletes, families and supporters, from Hampshire, the Channel Islands, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire came along to celebrate.
Special guest was current Chairman of the SOGB Board Lawrie McMenemy MBE, who is most famously known as Manager of Southampton Football Club during their most successful period in history when he guided his team to FA Cup victory in 1976 against Manchester United.
Good luck to all the athletes taking part in the National Games in Leicester 2009!
August 2008
Friday 15th August
the green team summer scheme
The 2008 Transitions Summer Scheme finished today with the presentation of certificates at Manor Farm and the opportunity to view the Great Fence of Botley and a new coppice at Manor Farm. As always the Summer Scheme was a lot of hard work, a lot of fun and a great learning experience for everyone concerned - not just the students, but the volunteers and QE2 staff and everyone who contributed along the way. There's pictures and more info if you follow this link
Monday 4th August
Jason Ringenberg
C'mon in folks! As a really special treat for the summer the legendary Jason Ringenberg - all the way from Bon Aqua, Tennessee - played live at the Centre this afternoon. Jason's set included Route 66 and a typically storming Absolutely Sweet Marie as well as some of Farmer Jason's greatest hits.
Before Jason played we were treated to a few songs from some guests staying at the centre from Sheiling School. During an interruption in the middle those nice folks from the MultiSports Club presented a cheque to us for money raised on the sponsored walk on July 20th. Thanks guys!
Sunday 3rd August
soggy start for summer scheme
As you can see from the picture on the left, this year's
"summer" scheme got off to a soggy start. Never mind, the forecast is
better for tomorrow and we've got Jason Ringenberg flying in from Tennessee to
entertain us.
before heading off into the woods in the rain everyone pitched in to make a special birthday meal for one of our volunteers.
(no time for daily updates!)
July 2008
Sunday 20th July
Walk for QE2 activity centre
A couple of dozen people (plus two dogs) took part in a five kilometre ramble around Manor Farm Country Park walk on Sunday morning. It was a beautiful day and hardly anything got broken. Pictures may follow. A number of families from Eastleigh's Multi Sports Club joined us, as well as a family enjoying a HAS short break at the Centre and some folk along for a guided walk. Here's a short report from the Multi Sports Club website:
Sponsored Walk
We
enjoyed a great walk on Sunday 21 July, led by Phil Oates from the QEII centre
who is a Heritage Guide. The weather was good to us, and we spent 2½ hours
exploring the area. We learned interesting facts about the river, and people who
used to live there. There was Dave the Peddlar who was cut up (literally) and
dumped in the river. There was the hidden well, evidence of brick works and old
jetties. There was the wreckage of Henry V's ship, Grace Dieu. However, the
highlight of the walk was when Phil fell off the fence! Oh how everyone laughed.
(He wasn't hurt!)
Many thanks to the families who supported us, by participating and by
sponsoring. Watch this space for the total raised, to be shared between Multi
Sports Club and the QEII centre.
Families who walked, and walked, and walked . . . Small, Perrin, Jones, Daud,
Nicholson, Trimmer
Not too late to make a donation and reward their efforts on behalf of the club!
I don't know, you fall off one fence . . . does anyone let you forget? . . .
Thanks to everyone who took part.
Wednesday 3rd July
LOCAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICE FIRMS GO HEAD TO HEAD IN CHARITY CHALLENGE DAY
The Southampton offices of leading accountants and business advisers BDO
Stoy Hayward and leading regional law firm Coffin Mew, went head-to-head today
in a charity build challenge to help provide some much needed facilities for a
local activity centre.
The day, held at the QE2 Silver Jubilee Activities Centre in Bursledon, who specialise in providing day activities for people with disabilities, proved to be a real success.
A team of ten from BDO Stoy Hayward challenged a team of ten from Coffin Mew, to build new sections for the centre’s caving system, in a head-to-head style challenge. The two teams’ work was judged at the end of the day by the centre manager and a senior instructor for craftsmanship and team work.
Centre manager, Phil Oates said: “It was a close run challenge and the results were excellent but BDO Stoy Hayward pipped Coffin Mew to the post. We really appreciate the work undertaken by both of the teams, it is great to see local businesses coming in and working on projects like these, which provide an invaluable facility to people in the local community that use the centre.”



Forensic Senior at BDO Stoy Hayward and organiser for the day, Simon Jones said: ”It was a fantastic day. We all had a great time and enjoyed the challenge of undertaking the activity against each other, and at the same time we created some much needed facilities for the centre.”
BDO Stoy Hayward regularly undertake work in the local community as part of its Community Volunteering Policy, which allows employees to use up to six paid working days a year to positively contribute to the world outside the workplace by volunteering their time. Recent activities have included helping the Forestry Commission with a public litter pick at Wilverley in the New Forest and a beach clean with the Marine Conservation Society at Netley.
For more information on BDO Stoy Hayward please visit www.bdo.co.uk and for Coffin Mew http://www.coffinmew.co.uk.
June 2008
Monday 30th June
Long story short: it’s been a busy month. There has been no time for writing about what is going on because there’s so much going on! We’ve had a lot of people through the doors, along for day visits or for summer holidays.
There’s more people using the Centre for day activities than ever before. Every week we have over thirty groups from local schools, day centres and homes in the community taking part in activities. They come from all over Hampshire – plus a few from Dorset, Sussex and Surrey.
During June we’ve had groups in from all over the south of Britain and the odd group from Manchester and Germany. We’re already taking bookings for next season so maybe it is time to think about next year’s holiday or school trip.
Friday 20th June
Summer party
We had a very entertaining Summer Party with German beer, German sausages and Eastleigh Town Band. Thanks to the Friday Club and Fundraising Committee for organising this event; thanks to the members of the Eastleigh Town Band for giving their time so generously; thanks to the guest conductors who did such a great job!
By the way the Eastleigh Town band were great – you really should go and see them. They are playing at Eastleigh’s Leigh Park at 2:00 on Sunday 26th July – what better way to spend a sunny summer Sunday?
Monday 2nd June
The HAS/QE2activitycentre project
Hampshire Autistic Society, working in partnership with the
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Activities Centre, is pleased to offer
individuals with ASD and their families/carers an opportunity to stay, or to
participate in activities, at the Centre at a much reduced rate (conditions may
apply).
At the moment dates are currently available during July, August, September and October for both accommodation and activities. To obtain further information, or to make a booking, please contact the Outreach Department on 023 8063 3951 or e-mail carole.hiorns@has.org.uk
May 2008
Thursday 22nd May
there is a good reason for the long gap since the last update - it isn't that nothing has been happening - it is that so much has been happening! Earlier this week some very lucky regulars went out in the Solent on board The Salix Lady, a 38' Broom motor cruiser!
This was made possible with help from our friends at the Calvert Trust, Keswick, in particular John Crosbie and the boat's owner, Jock Birnie. Four groups of adults with autism or learning disabilities went out, we saw Cowes, Southampton Docks, Tenacious, Gypsy Moth IV, Ellen MacArthur's big cat and lots of water!
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One of the first groups to use the QE2 Activity Centre, thirty years ago, was Anglesey Lodge, run by Hampshire Autistic Society (HAS). I'm pleased to say they are still using the Centre - in fact we now have half a dozen different groups every week from HAS. And we're about to have even more.
We are working together with HAS to enable families of people with autism to visit the Centre for holidays and day activities. Watch this space (and the HAS website) for news.
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April 2008
Friday April 18th
30th anniversary party
over 100 friends and supporters of the Centre came along to celebrate 30 years of the QE2 Activity Centre. Eastleigh mayor Roger Smith, flanked by the Centre's Chair, Godfrey Olson, and Vice Chair, Mrs Sanders, cut the birthday cake and we were entertained by Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo and Jason McNiff and his band. I don't remember the last time I saw people dancing to a Leonard Cohen song or clapping along to a an Italian anarchist chant - what can I say but Bella Ciao!
Thanks to Jason, Steve & Graham and Emily, Jo, Jill & Anna for the music; thanks to everyone else who came along and enjoyed themselves.
16th April 2008
in the news
yes we do! We've always been keen on recycling here at the QE2 activity centre - and for the past decade we've been collecting aluminium foil. Around the Borough of Eastleigh there are five collection points where you can take clean foil for recycling - these are sited at Tesco, Bursledon; Asda, Chandlers Ford; Sainsbury/Marks & Spencer, Hedge End Park; Mortimer Road car park, Botley; and Civic Offices, Leigh Road, Eastleigh.
The foil then comes to the Centre and a couple of enthusiastic
volunteers (take a bow, Dave and Joyce!) crush it into handy cubes with a baling
machine. When there's enough collected we have it taken away and a short
time later we receive a cheque. This helps us - and helps the planet too!
in the news again
Both the Southampton Advertiser and the Southern Daily Echo reported on the generous donation from the Garfield Weston Foundation.
Work has started on the new kitchen for the log cabin (that's the one behind the folk in the picture below). It should be finished very soon.
10th April 2008
thanks!
QE2 Activity Centre and Pals say thanks to the Garfield
Weston Foundation for a generous donation towards the Cabin refurbishment
project!
The donation will be used to improve the cabin accommodation at the Centre - where Berkshire's Pals group has been staying this week.
Says Will from Pals "it has been a great week and a brilliant opportunity to practice living skills and social skills. The donation will mean it will be even better in the future".
We also heard this week from Southampton City Council that they will be providing grant support for the QE2 Activity Centre again this year. Centre manager Phil Oates says "The continued support of local authorities like Southampton City Council and Hampshire County Council really makes a difference to the Centre. We look forward to working with Southampton and Hampshire residents in the future, particularly as new ways of providing day services for people with learning disabilities are developed".
spot the difference competition
6th April 2008
take a look at these two pictures of the cabins taken just a few days apart . . .
Oh well, it'll soon be summer!
poetry competition
4th April 2008
here are the winning entries in the poetry competition
QE2 is the place to be
QE2 is the place to be
people are all upbeat
the staff are all
mad like Kerry and
Emily. So what are
we going to do? will
we all go have some
fun and some laughing
by Laura
Whoosh, squelch, ping
Whoosh! down the zipwire.
Squelch! through the mud
Ping! goes the arrow
hitting the target with a thud
Off we
ramble round the Hamble
Oh ouch, was that a bramble?!
North, south, east or west
Our orienteering is not the best
Survival skills under the trees
Boiling water to make the tea
At the end of the day we're ready for a rest
The staff at Bursledon are simply the best!
from Anglesey Lodge
CHECK OUT THESE RECORDINGS FROM LAST YEAR'S "NO DEEPER BLUE"
March 2008
poetry
competition
Following on from our very successful art competition earlier in the year - here comes the poetry! All you have to do is to write a poem connected in some way (no matter how vaguely!) with the QE2 Activity Centre. Send it by post, pigeon, e-mail or deliver it by hand by Friday 4th April. The best will go on the website, they'll all go on the wall.
As always there's a great prize - 4 tickets to our birthday party on April 18th!
springtime in the manor farm country park
Spring is sprung and the wild flowers are on their way. Here are some of the pictures that visitors from ILG have taken during their 12 week environmental activity block. Other activities have included making bird boxes and creating an art attack.
grants and donations
We have heard this week from Hampshire County Council, University of Southampton and CLA Charitable Trust that they are all going to support us this year.
The CLA have made a donation towards our cabins appeal which will allow us to renew the kitchen in the log cabin.
University of Southampton's grant will fund the setting up of a token economy scheme which will run as part of our Transitions summer project.
Hampshire County Council have given grant aid to the Centre from the outset and we are very grateful for their continued support. Councillor Margaret Snaith, Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage approved the funding at her decision day held on Tuesday, March 11.
Five outdoor centres and one voluntary organisation were awarded funding to assist in educating young people and adults in the county, which complement those facilities available at the County Council’s own activity centres.
Cllr Snaith said: “Whether it be providing outdoor leisure activities for young people from some of the more deprived areas of Hampshire or offering an invaluable outdoor facility about the environment – each of the six organisations have demonstrated that they play an important role in maximising wellbeing and enhancing our quality of place."
orienteering
Skills for Working Life students from Taunton's College, Southampton have been working on an orienteering course in the Manor Farm Country Park. They started by going to an existing orienteering course in another country park to find out what orienteering is all about, then learned about making maps of their own before planning routes in the country park. Then they designed and made orienteering markers, that would be suitable for our regular visitors. Finally they placed the new markers out in the woods around the Centre. Several groups have already had a go and the new onsite orienteering course gets a big thumbs-up!
February 2008
Monday 25th February
art competition - the winner
Congratulations Sara!
Sara has won an activity session for her group this coming Friday. Go to the art gallery to see Sara's piece "Climbers" in all its glory.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote. Thanks to all the artists who entered.
Friday 15th February
art competition - vote, vote, vote!!
the walls of the QE2activitycentre are currently bedecked with entries for our 30th Anniversary Art Competition. The Judge has carried out the difficult task of whittling down to just six finalists - and now we would like your help in choosing the winner. Head to the art gallery now!
Friday 8th February
what's new
New games from Emily, artwork from Horndean Day Services and a new ramp built by Hampshire Probation Services. Not only that but work has begun on the A frame cabin bathrooms - two have been completed and two more are being worked on right now. By the time you come for a holiday all five A frames will have spanking new shower rooms.
January 2008
Wednesday January 30th
Around this time last year the Charlie Dimmock TV series "River Walks" featured a programme about the River Hamble. This included a piece about the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Activities Centre. If you missed it last time around its going to be shown again on Wednesday 30th January at 7:30pm and 11:30pm - this time around its on the slightly esoteric UKTV Gardens channel.
January 18th 2008
welcome back
A new year and already there's lots going on at the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Activities Centre. The cabin refurbishment has started with all five A frame cabins having their bathrooms replaced. The new climbing wall sections (see left) are ready to go, the tunnel system has been extended, the pontoon boat is back on the water after its annual service.
Its only January but already this year we've had groups in from Yorda, Releasing Potential, Portsmouth Day Services, Hampshire Autistic Society, Fairhaven, Anglesey Lodge, Hope Lodge School, Bassett, ILG, Hillcrest, People Potential, Limington House School, Finnegan Unit, Havant Day Services, Purbeck Care, Tauntons College and Robinia. Each week over thirty groups of people with special needs are using the Centre, covering an area from Purbeck in the west to Bognor in the east, Basingstoke and beyond to the north.
If you are interested in a regular day booking in the summer get in touch quickly because there are not many places left and priority will be given to groups that come throughout the year.
January 11th 2008
art competition
To start off the year we are running an art competition with a great first prize - an activity session for your group on February 29th!
All you have to do is create a piece of art, relating to the QE2 Centre, the activities here, or the number 30. It could be a picture of the time you went canoeing, or something you've seen in the woods, or on the river; it could be a photo of your friends, even a poem about your visit here.
All the entries submitted will be displayed at the Centre. The prize of a group activity session on February 29th, will be awarded for the piece of art which, in the opinion of the judges, best captures the spirit of the Centre!
Create your entry - painting, model, sculpture or poem - and deliver it to the Centre by hand, email, post or pigeon by Thursday 14th February 2008. The competition is open to anyone - the prize of an activity session is for a special needs group - the winning entrant can nominate which group that is.
January 1st 2008
happy new year and happy anniversary!
In March 1978 HRH Princess Margaret opened the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Activities Centre. To celebrate thirty years of providing activity opportunities for people with special needs we are going to have a whole series of events.
to start off the year we are going to run an art competition with a great first prize - an activity session for your group on February 29th!
next up - its the Centre's 30th Birthday Party, on Friday 28th March 2008. (now moved to 18th April)
in May there's the Everest Challenge - an exciting fundraising event for local youth groups - stay tuned!
in June there'll be a German style beer festival with oompah band!
there'll be a sponsored walk in the Manor Farm Country Park on Sunday July 20th - if you'd like to take part contact the Centre
and just to make sure that all musical bases are covered there'll be a Jazz evening and a barn dance in the autumn!