What we did this year....2015

 

Secretary's report 2015

What seemed like it was going to be a quiet year turned into a very busy one and with a surprisingly large amount of Czech exchange projects (12), which had been taking a backseat in recent years. We twinned with a new town (Priverno in Italy) started a new venture (English lessons at the College) actually exchanged actual Police forces (there's something we never thought we'd end up doing) and we organised a Twinning Conference. Next year we prevent Jupiter from colliding with Uranus. Let's hope it works (and we get the grant). To read a reportback on each trip click on the link.

January 2015 Czech and Italian Family centre workers drop in

February 2015  Bridgwater Police officers visit Uherske Hradiste

Thursday 26 February 2015 Bridgwater twins with Priverno

 Saturday 7th March 2015 Bridgwater Twinning Conference

 June 2015 Akropolis summer visit to Somerset

 July 2015 Ceske Budejovice tour of Somerset and the West

 August 2015 Kladno teachers tour the South coast

 September 2015 Bridgwater Mayor visits UH wine festival

 September 2015 Sheldon Singers play Prague and Ceske Budejovice

 October 2015 Voice of the People visit Slovenia (and Venice)

 November 2015 Czech Mayor and Police visit Bridgwater

November 2015 Kladno students have course at College

December 2015 Akropolis Czechs final visit to Bridgwater

Akropolis Winter Sojourn

It's like a line up of glamour models, it really is

For the third time this year we've hosted the ladies of the Akropolis family centres in Uherske Hradiste and Kromeriz. Dagmar, Natalie, Marie and Ivana. Linking up for a full weeks job shadowing at Bridgwater College and related programme they stayed with host families and drove around in the fat car of the fat councillor.

Here's what they did.

Sunday 22 November	2300 (fly Brno to Stansted 2130 arr 2240) Accom CAMBRIDGE YHA
Mon 23 nov	0730 Breakfast.           0800 Travel to Bridgwater ( (200m/ 4 hours  ) Free afternoon
Tuesday 24 nov	0800 breakfast at hosts          0830 drive to Bridgwater College 09.00-09.30 Welcome and coffee with Management team Reception ALL Rachael Corbett, Becc Baker, Kevin Smokcum, Hollie Taylor, Lucy Hall 09.30-10.00 Tour Bath Road ALL Kirsten Sugg 10.00-11.30 Visit to Children Centre and observe Forest School session ALL Charlotte Weech 11.45-13.15 Visit to the Arc and B12 to look at ALS followed by lunch with ALS LSA team leaders Bath Road ALL Hollie Taylor and Sue Painter 13.15-15.30 Lesson observation Steps into Employment and Further Education offsite Bath Road and offsite 2 Helen Stone Lesson observation Learning for Life and Work 120 2 Jane Irons 15.30-16.00 Review of the day and any questions B13 ALL Rachael Corbett Own arrangements home 1930 Evening meal
Wed 25 nov	0800 Breakfast       1000-1400 Chilton ‘1610’ sports centre   2.30 visit The Bridge School –Sarah Jervis 6.30 evening meal
Thurs 26 nov	Czechs visit a mosque 0800 Breakfast  1000 meet at Engine Room, High street 1030 Karim Miah at Islamic cultural centre    Afternoon in Taunton 1800 Evening meal
Fri 27 nov	0800 breakfast  0830 depart>Bridgwater College   09.00-9.30 Transition and links TBC ALL Anna Galbraith 09.30-12.15 Lesson observation Learning for Life and Work B8 2 Kevin Smokcum Lesson observation Introduction to Further Education K5 2 Becc Baker 12.15-13.00 Lunch and discuss LSA support Canteen ALL Hollie Taylor and Sue Painter 13.00-13.30 Independent travel to Crockers ALL 13.10-15.30 Lesson observation Entry to Land Based Studies Multi skills workshop 2 Dave Martin Lesson observation Progression for Life Cr3 2 Ellen Tranter 15.30-16.00 Work placements and supported internships Cr5 ALL Helen Hausmann, Rachel Porter, Jo Collard 16.00-16.30 Prince’s Trust Programme Cr5 ALL Michelle Owens 1630 Snowflakes and Shopping in town centre & Xmas lights turn on/ 1900 squibbing on town bridge 1930 Eve meal
Sat 28 nov	0800 breakfast 1000 SHOPPING THERAPY in EXETER Evening meal and European quiz night (the Brits win)
Sun 29 nov	10.00 depart to Stansted by 1600  (1800> stansted to Brno)

Czech students on an English Course at Bridgwater College

Kladno students

A new venture of ours is a partnership project with Bridgwater College whereby we arrange transport, accommodation, meals and touristic programme whilst the College provides teachers, classrooms and lessons for the week. Our first experiment was with the Moskevska Zakladni Skola in Kladno, Czech Republic. The group stayed at Model Farm.

This is what they did

Mon 9 Nov	Fly Prague to Bristol  – U2 6266 at 17.00 from Prague arrive Bristol  18.15 and collection from airport by Brian in minibus 1930 arrive Bridgwater          2030 Evening meal Accommodation at Model Farm, Bridgwater      http://modelfarm.com/
Tue 10 Nov	Lost in Taunton 0730-0830 breakfast       0830 Transfer to Bridgwater college by minibus 0900-1200 Morning 3 hours lessons at college      Lecturer BARRY CHAPMAN 0900-1200 Room A39 1200-1300 lunch at College 9.00 Welcome and Introduction to the team 9.15 session one Pair work: brainstorm of current knowledge about UK Group report on above (speaking)Input from Barry Chapman (listening and writing notes) 10.30 small break 10.45 session two Use of visuals to cover the above (listening and reading) 12.00 Lunch at Bridgwater College 13.00 College tour with Julie Kirkham, International Officer 1400-1700 Afternoon trip (tour of Bridgwater) Returned to accommodation by 1800                     1930 eve meal
Wed 11 Nov	Wandering in Wells 0730-0830 breakfast        0830 Transfer to Bridgwater college 0900-1200 Morning 3 hours lessons at college    Room A30 9.00 session one Pair work: brainstorm on own country        Pair presentation on above (speaking) Input from Barry Chapman (listening and writing notes) 10.30 small break      10.45 session two  Pair work: brainstorm on observation of what they saw so far (comparison structure)  Group report on above (speaking) Input from Barry Chapman (listening and note taking) 12.00 Lunch at Bridgwater College 13.00 Depart Bridgwater College  Afternoon trip- Glastonbury, Wells, Cheddar                 1900 eve meal
Thur 12 Nov	same picture, bit darker..hmmm 0730-0815 breakfast          0815 Transfer to Bridgwater college 0900-1200 Morning 3 hours lessons at college Room D17  9.00 session one Attractions of Somerset. Sharing their experience so far and expressing their opinion (speaking) 10.30 small break10.45 session two    End of course celebration/ certificates presentation 12.00 Lunch at Bridgwater College 13.00 Depart Bridgwater College for day trip   1930 eve meal
Fri 13 Nov	0730-0800 breakfast. 1045 depart for Airport by 1130  Fly Bristol/Prague return U2 6265 Bristol 13.30