
A Gamelan is an Indonesian orchestra,
last Summer we took our Inclusive
Club for a session with ‘Gamelan at
Play’ this session went very well with
everyone enjoying the experience of
playing in the orchestra. We were
later offered the opportunity to host
the Gamelan for a month, this was
part of a project which had been
funded in Chopwell but the group
concerned were unable to take part.
During this month long residency all
of our user groups were invited to
play on the Gamelan as well as groups
from outside including several
local schools and other community
groups. During this time we discussed
the possibility of producing an event
for the Blaydon Races Festival.
The funding was secured with a grant
from Gateshead Council and the Gamelan
returned to Blaydon in May to prepare
for The Festival Event, ‘The Blaydon
Wayangs’. Young people from our
Inclusive Club, St Joseph’s and
Blaydon West Primary Schools would
work with a storyteller to devise a
story and then work with a Puppet
maker to design and make shadow
puppets with which to tell their
story. They were to then perform this
to an audience at the Youth Club in
front of an audience of family and
friends. Our group took part in all
three sessions, story, puppets and
music and enjoyed these new
activities. This was an exciting
project that gave many young people
the opportunity to try these new
activities it was a useful, fun and
educational experience which the young
people enjoyed.
For the past year we have had ’Active
Kids’ operating on a Saturday morning
10.00 - 12.00(term time only), this is
a
collaboration between Youth and Play
sections providing fun activities for
children 7 to 19 years. Access to
these sessions are by referal only,
contact Lysanne Etherington 0191
4332779 for information.
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