Brook - Uckfield
Spiritus, based in Uckfield East Sussex, have named their Champion Brook. She has become a vital part of the local schools and community.
On making the puppet Spiritus was able to bring a few selected gold arts Award students who participated in the professional workshops offered by Kinetika. They took back their skills to the college and helped to work with the younger students who would operate the puppet. There is a team of eight students who are totally involved with making our puppet come alive. She is called Brook as this is the beginning of a river and she is a country girl. She has been brought alive through whole college assemblies at which point some of the students as old as 13 asked if she was real. She has visited local fetes where the news of the ION project has been spread. She has been an ambassador as well as inspiration. The students have developed confidence as a result of being part of the puppet team. They have learnt to listen to each other, act with support and learn to take control and responsibility. One student who never felt part of the school, has this year as a result of the puppet, has become accepted by his peer group.
They have visited primary schools where she has inspired and enlivened the curriculum. The children learn about how she was born, through a power point slide show and are told about how little she is and how she is exploring the world for the first time. When asked if they would like to meet the puppet, the answer from students at all schools is a resounding YES. The children have danced for her, sung songs and told little stories. At one school the whole of the upper school has made individual puppets that sit on their desks and inspire all aspect of the curriculum
She has also inspired a team of teachers to become involved in a Creative Partnerships project and become an enquiry school… asking the question how do you get the wow factor in a piece of Art/technology which the puppet is.
Our puppet has helped build a small community amongst the students that operate her, she has generated a communities interest in the ION project and 2012 through our commitment and dedication ton ensure that the world is seen through our students eyes.
Brook is working hard in 2010, and her diary is already filling up:
7th-9th March ION residency in Brighton
1st May Brighton Children’s parade - About 80 schools and 4000 children took over the street in Brighton on 1 May 2010 to show off their costumes in Brighton Children's Parade. Brook, along with big brother Atom, met Prince Sunflower, who is keen to inspire young people to help save our planet Earth, in a procession from Sydney Street to Maderia Drive in Brighton. Everyone was excited to meet them and treated them like celebrities!
6th June Lions Event in Uckfield
19th June High Hurstwood Fete
28th June Get Set Day in Uckfield - A fantastic sports day with students from Uckfield Community Technology College . The Get Set Day was held at Withdean stadium for the Uckfield Community Technology College year 7 & 8 students who had a spectacular sports day and were delighted of Brook's presence.
5th-10th July Activities week
10th July ‘Big Day Out’ Uckfield children’s parade - In a river-themed procession from Uckfield Community Technology College to Luxford Field. To prepare for the Big Day Out on 10 July 2010, children from six primary schools spent days making giant sticklebacks, kingfishers and watervoles for the procession. This is accompanied by drums, floats, bands and street theatre. Brook was delighted to have been part of the parade, however she was also slighted disappointed that Atom could not make it to the parade. There will always be a next time!
6th September Uckfield Bonfire Night Carnival
12th September Thames Festival
21st December ‘Burning The Clocks’ in Brighton
Don't forget to become a friend of Brook on Facebook!
