Gnome Homes

Delightful recipe includes; recycled tyres, compost, seedlings as well some creative thinking, green fingers, a special ingredient and some fun – it is Skills Tank after all.

And there I was stood with my keys in one hand and an umbrella in the other trying to unlock the door to Station House in the pouring rain when a voice from behind said:

Please mate will you sign for this?

This being a large but light box.

Bad timing? You bet, I just wanted to get in out of the rain – I duly opened the door, signed for the box and battled my way into the bleep bleep bleep of the alarm.

This big but light in weight box created curiosity, even better it was addressed to Skills Tank but no name, I just had to open it. Intrigue set in, once opened there were lots of little white boxes, I popped the top open and got a surprise – there peeping up at me was a plain white chubby pottery gnome with a cheeky face.

I knew these cheeky chappies had to be part of a project for one of the Skills Tank hubs.  Later in the day the tyre man, from up the road, dropped off 11 tyres to Signal House putting two and two together I took over the box of gnomes and hey presto mystery solved – they were both ingredients for a fun project to kick start a summer of colour. A project made up of gnomes, brightly coloured paint, tyres, seedlings, compost, some fun learning and a staff member slipping into a stream.

The outcome – total involvement, teamwork, some exercise, safety lessons and a big sense of achievement for the students and for the world to see some fabulous planters to increase the cheer around Signal House.

With a bit of thought, it’s amazing how these projects create a fun learning environment, build self-esteem and many smiling faces of achievement.  If you’d like to know more about how Skills Tank improves the lives of adults with learning difficulties/disabilities, behaviour that challenges, autism and mental health call Glenys on 0121 308 6555.