2024
In February we tried out the Lego cafe Builders Brew! Great fun was had by all.
February saw Liz from the Sheffield Autistic Society show us how to make wool felted pictures. The results were amazing!
Our second walk of the year was a lovely walk from Halfway to RotherValley Country Park and a walk around the park. The blossom was already out!
Our first walk of the year was a trip to Elsecar and a walk from there. It was a bit muddy!
Paper Quilling was our January Craft activity with some beautiful results from members
2023
We finished the year with our annual Christmas Party
In December we walked the Sheaf Valley River walk
Hannah, one of our members led a pottery workshop to make Christmas Decorations
October saw us enjoy a second alpaca walk!
Making pottery Tiles
Hannah led another craft session, this time making pottery tiles.
Walk from Hathersage to the Fox House Pub
We had a great day for a walk and enjoyed the fantastic views from Carl Wark
Cooking
Sam Porton, one of our members, led a cookery session.
Drawing Mandalas
Hannah Weber led a session on drawing mandalas, which turned out to be fairly straightforward and was very relaxing
Swimming at the Open Air Pool in Hathersage
At the end of July we had a great trip to the outdoor pool at Hathersage, followed by a picnic. Luckily the weather was good and everyone had a good time.
Trampolining
Some members had great fun trampolining, and keeping fit at the same time!
Liverpool Day Trip
On July 1st, about 40 of us had a day trip to Liverpool. We based ourselves around the Albert Dock area visiting museums and the Tate Art Gallery. We took a boat trip across the River Mersey and ended the day with a visit to Crosby Beach to view the Anthony Gormley statues – Another Place. A great day was had by all who supplied the photographs below.
Members gathered to make pin and string pictures in June.
Toby, one of our members showed us how to make pictures using repeated origami shapes. The results were very colourful!
We continued our exploration of historical sites with a walk led by one of our members, Daniel, from Hooton Roberts to Conisborough, ending with a visit to Conisborough Castle, passing the excavation of a field which was the site of an ancient pottery.
Liz Friend, from the Sheffield Autistic Society, taught us how to make small animal by felting wool. It was the first time for all of us and the results were amazing!
May saw the first of two Geology walks led by local geologist Chris Damon. We explored the geology of the area around Clowne. We walked from Clowne along the restored trackbed of a former railway line, through around a mile of Permian limestone rock and moving westwards into the Coal Measures below.
In April we had a day trip to Castleton in Derbyshire, where we walked up Cave Dale – quite a tough walk! – and enjoyed the far-reaching views from the top. After lunch some of us went to visit Treak Cliffe Cavern, whilst others went to visit Peveril Castle, before meeting up and getting the bus back to Sheffield. This was a popular outing with 36 of us in all making the trip.
At Easter we made Easter Egg baskets from rolled up magazines, continuing the theme of recycling.
In March we enjoyed a warm sunny circular walk from Grenoside, taking in all sorts of terrain and views and lunching at the lovely Burncross Gateway community garden.
We started a set of craft activities on the theme of recycling. The first saw members produce table lamps from old wine bottles.
Daniel, one of our members, led a walk along the canal from Victoria Quays in February as far as it was possible to walk, beyond Meadowhall. Some of walk all the way back too, a good 11 mile return trip!
Our first walk of 2023 saw us return to the Longshaw Estate in January and whilst it was cold and a little muddy in places, we had a lovely time in the sun.
2022
December Christmas Party
This year we celebrated Christmas with a party where as well as plenty of eating and drinking we had a quiz and played Taskmaster with some creative solutions to tasks!
Christmas Craft
This year we collected sticks and made our own hanging Christmas Trees. Once at home some people even added fairy lights!
November walk
We travelled by train to Penistone and completed the PenDen Trail, ending up at Denby Dale and catching the train back to Sheffield.
October Craft
In October members worked really hard to create hanging plant holders learning how to do some simple macrame. This was far from easy, having to manipulate long pieces of cord, but there were some great results!
A Walk with Alpacas
In September 16 members had the pleasure and joy of taking alpacas for a walk, thanks to the generosity of the Holly Hagg Community Farm.
Everyone had a brilliant time and loved meeting their alpaca.
Fortnightly Snooker
We run a snooker group every fortnight at a local Sheffield Snooker Hall. If you enjoy a game of snooker, why not join the A Team and be part of this group!
A Trip to Bridlington
On 4th September about 40 of us went to Bridlington for the day – a joint trip with the group ACCTing Out.
The rain held off and some of us went to the Comic Con, whilst others enjoyed the beach, the cliffs and a trip on the Land Train to Sewerby.
In August the craft activity was decoupage
Our August walk was organised by Daniel and was a circular walk from Kiveton Bridge station, out across open fields and woods and back along the Chesterfield Canal. A good 8-9 miles in all!
In July we hired the Hathersage Outdoor Swimming Pool for an A Team swim!
July saw another cycling trip to Monsal Dale
In early July we held a summer barbecue at Wincobank Village Hall
In June we had a longer walk up Baslow Edge, Curbar Edge and Froggatt Edge and back along the river, where we encountered astonishing webs.
June saw the crafters completing fabric prints
In June we had a highly interesting and entertaining Geology walk along the Porter Valley with Chris Darmon, a local geologist. This was organised by one of our members and attracted many members.
Early June saw a day trip to York with members of ACCTivate
Here are a few members at Cliffords Tower
One of our members led a walk in Retford in May
In May, 10 of our members organised and ran an Autistic Women’s Event at the Friends Meeting House in the City Centre. Following that event, some women are starting to establish an autistic women’s network across the area.
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Autistic Women’s Meet-up
Half Day Event
This half day event is designed by autistic women in the Sheffield area for autistic women and those who identify as autistic women, diagnosed or undiagnosed, so that you can meet others like yourself in a safe environment to hear about some of their experiences of being female and autistic, share some of your own and get some support.
We will talk about topics such as diagnosis, disclosing that you are autistic, managing anxiety, masking and unmasking, communication, relationships and friends, employment…
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In May one of our members taught us how to identify trees. We practised our skills in Eccleshall Woods.
In the Spring we went to ArtWorks in Sheffield for some art/photography workshops
We had a trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in April with members of ACCTivate
The March Craft activity saw us making mosaic pictures
March took us to Burbage when it was a bit damp and boggy!
We also encountered cows on the way!
Climbing has got underway with one of our members leading this group
In February, several members learned how to do lino printing with some great results!
2022 started with an exploration of the green spaces in Rotherham, a walk organised by one of our members.
For our final event in December 2021 we had a familiar trip up the Porter Valley and a few of us visited the Alpaca farm.
In December we had a climbing taster session and hope to start regular climbing next year.
This December we were able to have a Christmas Party, which was kindly sponsored by the Talbot Trusts. It was good to be able to do this again having had to abandon our party in 2020.
In November our monthly walk took us to Bamford in the Peak District and a walk from there up to Ladybower Reservoir and back
Some of us went to Rother Valley to either walk or go cycling in October.
In October 2021, members went to the pottery to get creative
September saw a picnic in Weston Park and a walk from Malin Bridge to Low Bradfield and then on to Our Cow Molly’s for an afternoon ice-cream – a walk that Isabel organised.
We had our annual Day Trip in September and about 30 of us went to Bridlington for the day and had a great time.
Over the summer a small photography group has been meeting on line with Pete Sacker to share tips and learn how to make best use of our cameras and phones. We have made two trips, one to the botanical gardens and one to the canal so far.
Toby organised a walk to the Dragon’s Den at Wharncliffe Edge. Despite the forecast for thunderstorms we only caught a bit of rain on the way back ! The lunch time view from the top of the Dragon’s Den was worth it!
August 21 saw a picnic in Millhouses Park
In July Daniel organised a long walk from Rotherham to Elsecar Heritage Centre and the hardy walkers took part!
We had a picnic at Graves Park in July and celebrated a birthday!
Members continued to engage in craft activities during the spring and a sample of their work is shown below
Our June walk was a day out at Chatsworth. Heavy rain was predicted but in fact we had a dry, and at times sunny, day!
In May 2021 we had a circular walk from Grindleford station
Our first picnic of 2021 was at the Botanical Gardens in April
We had our first walk of 2021 in April along the Rivelin Valley and up to Bell Hagg
Our second drawing course generated lots of focussed pictures:
2021 has started with another lockdown, but members are keeping in contact and participating in various activities.
February
One of our members, Zoe, has set a photochallenge where members submit photos on a theme, with a different theme each day.
Here are some of the results:
Landscape
Sport
That’s Unusual
Regular Activities for 2021
Many have volunteered to lead our fortnightly quiz, with a wide range of topics chosen and some impressive IT skills on display.
We have also had suggestions for new activities and have started a monthly discussion group led by Nichole Sirous, a Book Group and a Board Games Group.
Our Yoga Group continues weekly, to help people maintain exercise and reduce anxiety and we have started a weekly Keep Fit session.
Our drawing group restarted in February following the impressive results from the last course, some of which are shown below:
2020 was the first year of the Covid Pandemic and we had to move most of our activity on-line, although we resumed our walking group once it was permitted.
Through the year our Craft Group has continued to be busy creating a different craft each month.
Here are some of the more recent ones:
In December, we had our last socially distanced walk of the year to help people stay calm and hopefully improve their mental health. We went to Beauchief Park and on up to Graves Park and back.
During the autumn, we ran an on-line drawing group, led by Roisin Martindale.
Here are some of the things people drew during the sessions
During November some members went on a socially distanced walk/picnic up the Porter Valley
Members have designed Christmas Cards
B I and K were voted the favourite three and made into packs of cards.
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We continued with a picnic in October at Weston Park in Sheffield
and a walk along the Norfolk Park Heritage Trail, starting at Sheffield Train Station
In September we published our Calendar and Poetry Booklet
Walk from Hathersage in September 2020
Starting from Hathersage station, we walked up through Hathersage to Stanage Edge and then back down in a loop, past a vineyard, into Hathersage, ending up at the Tea Rooms for some well earned covid-secure refreshment.
We have started walks and picnics again now that we are allowed to meet outside in small groups
Some of the keen walkers did a 10 mile walk from Elsecar in August, organised by Daniel. We saw an amazing amount of wild fruit on the way, including wonderful sloes. We also came across this stone structure called the Eye of the Needle. It was constructed approximately in the mid-late 18th century and believed to have been made in order to win a wager, where the second Marquess of Rockingham claimed he was able to “drive a coach and horses through an eye of a needle“, which when it was built, he could!!
Walk up the Loxley Valley and back down the Rivelin Valley on a very hot day in August 2020
In August we were fortunate to secure some funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to help fund our activities between August 2020 and February 2021
Circular walk from Hope Station up Win Hill, July 2020 (sadly we didn’t see the vulture!)
– entertained for a coffee and a loo!
Picnics in Sheffield
Photographs for our Calendar 2021 which members have taken during lockdown in Spring 2020
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During our on-line sessions, members have participated in many different activities including:
a weekly quiz, each week devised by a different member of the group.
and a weekly social activity.
During the social activity we have played games, made face masks…
….done a wide range of origami…
…made blackbirds…
….written Haiku poetry about Isolation and about Friends….
…. completed paintings without paint but using tissue paper
During the Covid-19 lockdown, some people have been part of the ongoing Craft Group, with Craft packs being posted out to individuals.
Some of their results are shown below:
Easter Crafts 
Bead bug Mobiles
Lollipop Letters
Sand Art
Fabric Painted Shopping Bags
Pottery
Bird Feeders
Some members took part in a ‘Grow a Sunflower’ challenge.
Here are some of their pictures.
During the Coronavirus pandemic, we have been fortunate to receive funding from the Clinical Commissioning Group and from South Yorkshire Community Foundation to continue our activities remotely. This has made a huge difference to our ability to continue to operate a wide range of social activities.
2019
At the end of November 2019 we held our annual Christmas Craft event, making chocolates, gift boxes, candle holders and baubles.
On a wet and misty November Sunday we set out to do a circular walk from Hope, through Castleton and back to Hope.
The train was cancelled and it was raining so we caught the bus to Castleton and spent the day there, visiting either the Castle or the Caves.
We also went to see the Christmas Tree Exhibition in the local church (Supported by BOOST)
Walk from Stocksbridge to High Bradfield in the rain! October 2019 (Supported by BOOST)
Origami Craft Evening October 2019
Walk from Chinley to Edale (10 miles!) September 2019 (Supported by BOOST)
A Gentle walk up the Porter Valley July 2019
Walk from Treeton to Kiveton through Rother Valley Country Park June 2019 (Supported by BOOST)
Bowling and meal out April 2019
Walk to Elsecar April 2019 (Supported by BOOST)
Our new Yoga Group February 2019 (Supported by BOOST)
Walk around the Chatsworth Estate in the sunny warm February weather 2019 (Supported by BOOST)
In January 2019 our first walk was organised by Daniel Pallordet and took us to Kiveton Bridge. We did a circular walk and then had Sunday lunch! (Supported by BOOST)
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