Happy 5th Birthday to us!Posted in:Covid-19On our 5th birthday (4th May) we can’t physically get together to celebrate - instead we’ve gathered a few of our choir’s best bits from the last 5 years! The Include Choir has not stopped making brilliant memories, no matter what comes our way - global pandemic included. And there is plenty more planned for… Continue Reading
A Square Peg in a Pandemic-shaped holePosted in:Blog, Covid-19Reflections of a Small Charity CEO after an unprecedented year ‘Oh crumbs’ (or words to that effect), ‘this Covid-19 situation really is serious’ was roughly the thought crossing my mind as I arranged an emergency meeting of Trustees on Sunday 15th March 2020. What were we going to do? We’d already put some measures in… Continue Reading
Student volunteers: key to an inclusive futurePosted in:#studentvolunteeringweek, VolunteeringIt’s Student Volunteering Week! About a third of all of Include’s volunteers are student volunteers, so we’d like to take this opportunity to send a massive THANK YOU their way! They help us every day to spread the message of Inclusive Communication. Three of our volunteers have kindly take time to share their experience of… Continue Reading
Helen’s StoryPosted in:Covid-19, Inclusive CommunicationHere’s Helen’s story... “People kept recommending the choir to me because they know I love singing and signing. Eventually, I thought I’m going to give this a try. From the minute I arrived everyone was so friendly; I knew it was something I wanted to stay involved with. I absolutely loved it and I was… Continue Reading
Josh’s StoryPosted in:Covid-19, Inclusive CommunicationMeet Josh... The Include Choir has taught Josh singing and Makaton signing. He says; “The Include Choir makes me feel special because I’m very involved. I help a lot at meetings and rehearsals and keep the choir to time”! He is also a member of the steering group. Josh often takes part in the choir’s… Continue Reading
Sofia’s StoryPosted in:Blog, Covid-19, Inclusive CommunicationMeet Sofia... Sofia is a volunteer for the Include Choir, and helps with a bit of everything! She says “My favourite song is I’m a Believer because I love signing it, and it’s one that makes everyone really happy and gets us dancing!” “Before lockdown, I supported members during choir rehearsals and meetings, helped record… Continue Reading
Hannah’s StoryPosted in:Covid-19, Inclusive CommunicationMeet Hannah... Hannah learnt Makaton in early childhood but she’d forgotten most of it, until she started singing and signing with Include. Hannah and her life-long friend, Ellie joined when Include started in 2016, and have always been a fabulous feature of the choir, right at the center, singing and signing with great passion and… Continue Reading
MaryClare’s StoryPosted in:Covid-19, Inclusive CommunicationMeet MaryClare… “Singing with The Include Choir is a joyful feeling” says choir member MaryClare, who sings and signs with the choir. Her favourite song is the Bicycle Song , because it has a great tune and words which encourage people to enjoy cycling and being outdoors. I ride my bike every day and often… Continue Reading
David’s StoryPosted in:Blog, Covid-19, Inclusive CommunicationDavid sings and plays percussion with The Include Choir. His favourite song is Somewhere Over the Rainbow. He loves the enthusiasm of the choir and says; “It makes me feel good - the people are what makes The Include Choir special”. His Include story… Since joining The Include Choir David has learnt to play the… Continue Reading
Sarah and Jay’s StoryPosted in:Covid-19, Inclusive CommunicationMeet Sarah and Jay Sarah started as a singer and became a volunteer. Sarah loves the song Help by The Beetles. And Jay’s favourite is Don’t worry by Bob Marley. Jay plays percussion and sings. Sarah said; “I also love our choir’s Kind Communication song as it tells people what we are all about. For… Continue Reading
Pandemic – a path to parity?Posted in:Autism, Covid-19, Inclusive CommunicationHow are you? The world feels alien to lots of people right now. Covid 19 affects everyone in some way, no matter who you are, where you live, what you normally do, your beliefs, your status in society – Covid 19 doesn’t care about any of that.And so, in some ways this pandemic brings parity.… Continue Reading
Designing a way through Covid19 Posted in: Blog, Covid-19, Inclusive Communication, training, Volunteering How do you integrate with a new community and learn a new language when the world is in lockdown? Our very talented graphic design volunteer Christian was trying to settle in a new country at the same time. Continue Reading
Award-winning volunteer – Sofia Posted in: #studentvolunteeringweek, Covid-19, Easy Read, Hi, I'm a volunteer for The Include Choir, Inclusive Communication, Volunteering What does it take to be recognised as The Mayor’s Young Volunteer of the year? Please meet one of our most generous, energetic and versatile volunteers… Continue Reading
Improve your listening skills… Posted in: Blog, Easy Read, Inclusive Communication, Resources Include is well know for Makaton signing and singing – another important skill that we try to teach and enhance is listening. Get our FREE Easy Read resource... Continue Reading
Sometimes we have cake…but we try to be healthy Posted in: Blog, Easy Read, Healthy Eating Week, Inclusive Communication, Resources During Healthy Eating Week quite a few of our members have been paying special attention to what they eat. Our Choir Rep Hannah has worked alongside our volunteer Sofia to produce a free Easy Read resource about being healthy. Continue Reading
Free Easy Read Resources from Include Posted in: Covid-19, Easy Read, Inclusive Communication, Resources To celebrate our 5th birthday year as a charity, we’re producing and gifting the world some Easy Read resources! Continue Reading
Happy 5th Birthday to us! Posted in: Covid-19 On our 5th birthday (4th May) we can’t physically get together to celebrate - instead we’ve gathered a few of our choir’s best bits from the last 5 years! The Include Choir has not stopped making brilliant memories, no matter what comes our way - global pandemic included. And there is plenty more planned for… Continue Reading
A Square Peg in a Pandemic-shaped hole Posted in: Blog, Covid-19 Reflections of a Small Charity CEO after an unprecedented year ‘Oh crumbs’ (or words to that effect), ‘this Covid-19 situation really is serious’ was roughly the thought crossing my mind as I arranged an emergency meeting of Trustees on Sunday 15th March 2020. What were we going to do? We’d already put some measures in… Continue Reading
Student volunteers: key to an inclusive future Posted in: #studentvolunteeringweek, Volunteering It’s Student Volunteering Week! About a third of all of Include’s volunteers are student volunteers, so we’d like to take this opportunity to send a massive THANK YOU their way! They help us every day to spread the message of Inclusive Communication. Three of our volunteers have kindly take time to share their experience of… Continue Reading
Helen’s Story Posted in: Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Here’s Helen’s story... “People kept recommending the choir to me because they know I love singing and signing. Eventually, I thought I’m going to give this a try. From the minute I arrived everyone was so friendly; I knew it was something I wanted to stay involved with. I absolutely loved it and I was… Continue Reading
Josh’s Story Posted in: Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Meet Josh... The Include Choir has taught Josh singing and Makaton signing. He says; “The Include Choir makes me feel special because I’m very involved. I help a lot at meetings and rehearsals and keep the choir to time”! He is also a member of the steering group. Josh often takes part in the choir’s… Continue Reading
Sofia’s Story Posted in: Blog, Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Meet Sofia... Sofia is a volunteer for the Include Choir, and helps with a bit of everything! She says “My favourite song is I’m a Believer because I love signing it, and it’s one that makes everyone really happy and gets us dancing!” “Before lockdown, I supported members during choir rehearsals and meetings, helped record… Continue Reading
Hannah’s Story Posted in: Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Meet Hannah... Hannah learnt Makaton in early childhood but she’d forgotten most of it, until she started singing and signing with Include. Hannah and her life-long friend, Ellie joined when Include started in 2016, and have always been a fabulous feature of the choir, right at the center, singing and signing with great passion and… Continue Reading
MaryClare’s Story Posted in: Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Meet MaryClare… “Singing with The Include Choir is a joyful feeling” says choir member MaryClare, who sings and signs with the choir. Her favourite song is the Bicycle Song , because it has a great tune and words which encourage people to enjoy cycling and being outdoors. I ride my bike every day and often… Continue Reading
David’s Story Posted in: Blog, Covid-19, Inclusive Communication David sings and plays percussion with The Include Choir. His favourite song is Somewhere Over the Rainbow. He loves the enthusiasm of the choir and says; “It makes me feel good - the people are what makes The Include Choir special”. His Include story… Since joining The Include Choir David has learnt to play the… Continue Reading
Sarah and Jay’s Story Posted in: Covid-19, Inclusive Communication Meet Sarah and Jay Sarah started as a singer and became a volunteer. Sarah loves the song Help by The Beetles. And Jay’s favourite is Don’t worry by Bob Marley. Jay plays percussion and sings. Sarah said; “I also love our choir’s Kind Communication song as it tells people what we are all about. For… Continue Reading
Meet Danni – super support worker, valued volunteer Posted in: Hi, I'm a volunteer for The Include Choir, Social Communication Hi! My name is Danni, and I’m a volunteer for The Include Choir. The first time I came to the Include Choir, however, wasn’t as a volunteer but as a support worker. I’d been allocated to support a lady one afternoon, and this included taking her to a new activity. I didn’t know much about… Continue Reading
Pandemic – a path to parity? Posted in: Autism, Covid-19, Inclusive Communication How are you? The world feels alien to lots of people right now. Covid 19 affects everyone in some way, no matter who you are, where you live, what you normally do, your beliefs, your status in society – Covid 19 doesn’t care about any of that.And so, in some ways this pandemic brings parity.… Continue Reading