What are Sense branches?

Branches are groups of people who are interested in deafblindness and other associated disabilities who come together to offer each other mutual support.

They can campaign for services and the needs of deafblind people, share information, experiences and ideas and have fun socialising together. Branches fundraise for their own activities, but benefit from the help and advice of Sense staff.  

Who are branches for?

Branches are for anyone who has an interest in deafblindness and / or associated disabilities:

• Deafblind people, congenital and acquired
• Parents with deafblind children
• Carers of older deafblind people
• Parents who are deafblind and their children
• People with Usher and their families
• Siblings, grandparents, aunties, uncles etc. of deafblind people
• Friends of deafblind people, families of Sense
• Volunteers
• Professionals

In other words - everyone is welcome!

The Branches Big Bash finishes with a bang!

The Branches Big Bash or BBB for short got off to a fantastic start on Friday 5th April with a very loud, energetic and enthusiastic dinner and drinks in the bar till the early hours!

On Saturday once everyone had arrived the BBB’s packed schedule of four workshops, sensory rooms, competitive curling, cake decorating and bouncy castle fun got underway. Both the pottery and singing workshops were fantastic and provided families and individuals with activities that, while poles apart, were enjoyable, interactive and fun for all!

In pottery people played with clay, sculpted everything from cats and dogs to gravy boats and pencils pots and relaxed in the pace and quite while concentrating their creativity. In the singing workshop people were treated to the lovely voice of our workshop leader, introduced to scales and eventually after lots of laughter, sang and accompanied two fantastic songs, with energy enthusiasm and lots of dancing!

Outside the whole group took part in some sunny parachute games and a relay race like no other. Teams of participants took turns to run the sensory assault course and dress in some weird and wacky costumes, everything from wellies to backpacks. After everyone had recovered from the hilarity or the outdoor activates the whole group took part in a rhythmic drumming session that really helped the BBB end with a bang!

The Branches Big Bash was a great success thanks to lots of hard work and enthusiasm from workshop leaders, volunteers and of course Sense branches. With great weather and great friends it was great fun and something everyone would love to repeat. To get involved in your local branch and be part of fantastic events like these all across the UK contact Josie Bell at josie.bell@sense.org.uk.
 

The branches newsletter

The branches newsletter is a way for branches to keep up to date with what Sense and each other are up to. The newsletter comes out twice a year, at summer and Christmas time. The latest issue is available here:

Read the Spring 2013 issue of the branches newsletter (PDF, 1.5MB)