Huddersfield Literature Festival / News / Mon 16 May 2022
Festival launches free resources to help SEND children
Families with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) can now enjoy free resources thanks to a Huddersfield Literature Festival project, My Family Creates, which launched this week. Created by local industry experts, Salma Zaman and Nisha Lall, the videos and downloadable Activity Pack feature creative writing, dance, creative and physical movement, sensory drama and wellbeing activities – all available for use by SEND families, schools, organisations and networks.
The Activity Pack is available at: https://www.huddlitfest.org.uk/downloads/resources/ and the videos at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXP9ERAFk3hnu8TDTX09isw/videos
My Family Creates aims to improve confidence, self-esteem and wellbeing, and to reduce isolation for participants, while encouraging families to try new creative activities in the familiar setting of their own homes and to bond over shared experiences. The funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes, has helped to fill a gap in provision for SEND families, many of whom have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19.
Festival Director Michelle Hodgson says: “As a Festival we are committed to running projects offering support to those with access needs and we’re grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund for helping to fund My Family Creates. These are wonderful resources that will be invaluable to SEND families.”
Project leader Salma Zaman says: “SEND teaching and learning educational videos and Activity Packs created through the My Family Creates project will not only enhance the teaching and the learning experience of the learners but also help with gaining new skills and new learning opportunities.”
My Family Creates has the support of a range of local partners, including Castle Hill school, Caudwell Children, PCAN Kirklees, Shabang and Darren Tordoff, Inclusions Officer at Kirklees Council. Any families, community groups or specialist schools in the area interested in finding out more about the project and willing to help evaluate the project can contact: salmanishacreations@gmail.com.
Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, the My Family Creates project
provides video resources and a downloadable Activity Pack for SEND families
Media contact: Michelle Hodgson, Festival Director: director@huddlitfest.org.uk; 07771 530 450.
Hi-res images are available upon request.
Notes to Editors:
About The National Lottery Community Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund is the largest community funder in the UK – proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. National Lottery players raise £30m each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since June 2004, the fund has made over 200,000 grants and awarded over £9bn to projects that have benefited millions of people.
The fund is passionate about funding great ideas that matter to communities and make a difference to people’s lives. At the heart of everything, is the belief that when people are in the lead, communities thrive. Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, funding is open to everyone, from the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.
About Huddersfield Literature Festival
Huddersfield Literature Festival (HLF) is an award-winning 10-day Festival held annually in the spring. A blended Festival of 50+ digital, outdoor and venue-based events, HLF champions accessibility, diversity and under-represented groups. Showcasing emerging writers and artists alongside major names, the Festival offers a diverse programme of author talks, workshops, discussion topics, performance poetry, multi-arts performances, wellbeing projects and family friendly events.
Innovative special projects and commissions, often inspired by local community partnerships, are designed to promote community cohesion, improve wellbeing and proactively engage with under-represented artists, performers and audiences. With many free and low-cost events, including some with live subtitling, and Access Guides to key venues, HLF promotes accessibility with a view to offering more opportunities for a wider range of people to enjoy arts and culture.
Established in 2006, HLF is a major fixture on the town’s cultural calendar. The Festival has been selected as a finalist in the prestigious Welcome to Yorkshire White Rose Awards on three occasions (2016, 2017 & 2020), and in 2017 won the Examiner Community Award for Arts
For more information visit https://www.huddlitfest.org.uk/downloads/press-releases/