Two groups of our residents have visited escape rooms recently. In addition to being a fun way for residents to spend time with each other out of the house, they are also a great way to help new housemates bond and get to know one another. Escape rooms require participants to work together in a …
Escape rooms and moving forwards: supporting residents for life beyond Restore. Read More »
A group of our residents recently visited Dalby Forest and tried out the ‘Go Ape’ Treetop adventure. If you’ve never had the pleasure, allow me to enlighten you: (sufferers of vertigo might want to skip to the next paragraph at this point!) the treetop adventure is a high ropes activity course, traversing “intricate crossings, wobbly …
I recently paid a visit to Doebakehouse on Layerthorpe to try their pottery painting. I’d intended to do one of their Restore mugs and support our partnership with them. They’d sold out the particular day I was there (with was sad for me, but great news for the success of the partnership, and fear not …
We’ve experienced some pretty epic thunderstorms in the U.K. this summer, haven’t we? Some people find a storm exhilarating; others find them terrifying, but no matter what your personal experience of storms has been, I think we can all agree that they are almost always disruptive. If you’ve ever found yourself on the sea during …
Staff away day. Team-building exercise. Regardless of the terminology, it is a concept that strikes fear to the soul for many. Okay, that’s somewhat hyperbolic. Maybe. Nevertheless, if the model of such a day is familiar to you from your own place of work, you’ve likely had mixed experience of such events. They can be …
Team-building days: taking out the cringe-factor… Read More »
When I was asked to be part of the team representing Restore at this year’s Green Pastures annual conference, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’ve attended Christian conferences before, but never in a professional capacity; my professional conference attendances have been at academic gatherings. The experiences in that arena have been varied, to …
‘Goodness, Gracious’: Report on the Green Pastures annual conference Read More »
Are you green-fingered? According to the Royal Horticultural Society[1], May is a time for sowing bedding plants, earthing up potatoes, mowing the lawn and (of course) weeding. As the weather turns milder and the days grow longer, the keen gardener relishes the opportunity to spend as much time as possible out-of-doors. The RHS Chelsea flower …
Pruning and flourishing: gardening and the work of Restore Read More »
There has been a lot of pottery themed activity at Restore the last few months: Hannah brought her potter’s wheel in to give a demo and taster session to a group of residents in early March, and Doe Bakehouse have kindly agreed to donate to Restore whenever anyone choses to paint a mini mug in …
Treasure in jars of clay: pottery and the work of Restore. Read More »
Several York churches have noted an increase in attendance among non-native English speakers of late. This is, in part, due to York being designated by the Home Office as a host city for asylum seekers and refugees [1]. Syrian, Afghan, Iranian and Ukrainian people have all arrived in York in recent months, fleeing from various …
York’s growing refugee community: how can we help? Read More »
If you take a quick journey through Restore’s social media output, it rapidly becomes apparent that pictures of residents with a set of keys to their own independent tenancy are by far our most popular posts. They get the most likes, lots of positive comments and a much higher rate of engagement than almost anything …
What happens next? Beyond the ‘key pictures’: life after Restore Read More »
Anybody who has known me for any length of time will know that athleticism is not my default state. I am more likely to be found curled up in a café with a slice of cake, a flat white and a novel, than anywhere near an exercise facility. Prior to June, the only time I …
I recently spent some time accompanying our maintenance officer, Christian, so I could see what he does. It’s a common misconception that Christian’s role is mostly painting walls and mending fences, but – in reality – it is much, much more than that. This blog aims to shed light on the vital role Christian plays …
Maintaining Restore: a day in the life of Christian Nowraty Read More »
