Our trip to Basildon Park

The house from the front

On Thursday 05th May 2011, we went to Basildon Park to look around the house. When we got there, we got some maps and, in groups asked the room assistants lots of questions about the place. Inside the building, we saw the different rooms and we were told about its history. We liked seeing the amazing artwork inside the rooms. After that, we went to the restaurant to have a drink and talk to our friends. Simon took photographs of us on the balcony before we went back to BCA to catch our transport home. Alexander Roberts/Sarah Viney

The grand entrance hall

On Thursday 5th May Pathways Entry 3, groups went to Basildon Park to see how different it was back in the 1700 and 1800’s. Both groups got a little taste of what it was like to be a part of the house in Victorian times. So, in order for us all to do so, we walked around the house looking in the rooms and seeing how good the rooms looked.   We asked the members of staff who worked there some questions about the house so we could all get an idea of how people lived back then. The house was amazing for the owners to live in but it must have been hard to work as a servant there. The kitchen was outside and footmen had to walk a long way with the food to the dining room. Servants had to be quiet and not get in the way. They worked from 5.00 am until about 10.00 at night cooking, cleaning and looking after the family. Richard Creffield

The State Bed in the Crimson Room -
this is for a King or Queen!

      

Pathways Biggest Success Story!

Jason Palmer joined Pathways in September 2006 and stayed with us for two years. He then moved on to do the Introductory Diploma in Land and Environment (Horticulture and Countryside) which he completed in June 2009 with a distinction.

From shy teenager ....

... to confident team member!

He was always very good at practical work, and was offered a job on the Grounds Team when he finished his diploma. He worked as a Gardening Apprentice until May 2011 when he was made redundant in the recent cuts. However with all the valuable experience he has gained at BCA he was able to easily find another job in a landscaping business which he started the Monday after he left BCA. During the last year he also turned 21, passed his driving test and bought his first car!

Pastures New: Down at Dinton

Every Thursday the Level 1 Steps to Success students take part in an off site Work Experience placement at Dinton Pastures Country Park in Hurst.   This year we have been involved in a number of projects, the main one is working on a new garden which has been designed by an ex BCA Student.

Work on the garden has included:


Building a new fence  /  Sanding and staining the table and benches for the café  /  Maintaining the raised beds  /  General maintenance and tidying up activities after the builders had completed the patio for the café.

We have also worked around the park and tasks have included:


Maintaining and improving fisherman areas / Litter picking / Clearing the BMX area / Cutting back the areas around the lakes to enable visitors to see the lakes clearly.


The photo is of the team of students who go each week.  We have had excellent feedback from the Park Rangers who always comment on the high standard of work and also the general public who always ask us what we are doing and where we are from.

Steps to Success Students

Garden Party on the Horizon!

P-P-Partay Alert!

Horizons Garden Party Thursday 28 April 2011

On Thursday 28 April Entry 2 Foundation were invited by Horizons to their Garden Party to celebrate the Royal Wedding.  There were sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and lots of cakes. Nathan and Kezia particularly enjoyed the cakes!  Matthew provided musical entertainment from his iPod: Queen and the Beatles - good British bands! 

The sun shone the whole time but it was really windy. We had to chase serviettes a few times!  We really enjoyed socialising with Horizons and would like to do it more often.

The Horizons students worked hard to make all of the party treats, with their Union Jack cake taking pride of place. The atmosphere was great, Charlotte was very impressed with Matthew’s choice of music and couldn’t help but sing along!

Basildon Park 05.05.11

Basildon Park 05.05.11, a set on Flickr.

Here are a few pictures taken at Basildon Park on Thursday 05th May 2011. We went to the estate to see what it was like for those who lived and worked in a Victorian stately home.