Oundle School’s ‘Have a Go Days’ (HAGDs) have been running for over thirty years and have established themselves as favourite dates in the calendars of adults and children with physical disabilities and/or learning difficulties.
Despite the weather, on the afternoons of Sunday 24th and Monday 25th April, over 500 visitors to the School, hosted by over 200 pupils, took part in various activities including swimming, badminton, basketball, archery, football, indoor rowing, crazy golf, face painting, boccia, yoga, music and art activities as well as enjoying traction engine rides around the School’s grounds. The School’s photographers and Theatre Wardrobe team set up a ‘Photo Booth’ which enabled visitors to take away a photograph, framed in a photo frame they had decorated at the art table, as a memory of their day.
Liz Dillarstone, Head of Community Action at Oundle School, commented “HAGD is a really encouraging environment in which visitors with special needs can try their hand at new sports and activities in a safe and familiar environment. There were a lot of smiles on a lot of faces and fun afternoons were had by visitors and Oundle pupils alike.”
Some visitors make a bee-line for their favourite activity as soon as they arrive; the archery is always extremely well supported. Others like to try their hand at rounders or cricket and football is always popular.
Feedback from visitors included:
“Thank you so much for such a wonderful HAGD yesterday. Our guys all loved it. Can’t wait for September!” – A visitor
“Thank you for another fantastic afternoon, the children always really enjoy themselves and along with the Drama group from Oundle we hosted in the morning, I think it should be mentioned how great your pupils were. Thank you for including us in both these” Tom Wales, Assistant Principal, COPASS
The next HAGD will be on Sunday 25th September 2016. Any clubs wishing to be notified of future events should contact Oundle School Community Action department on 01832 277267 or email ca@oundleschool.org.uk for further details.