The Bradbury Centre
The Bradbury Centre in Southbourne is our newest addition to our Day Services provision. Its location on the high street makes it easily accessible for people living in our supported living homes in the Southbourne area, and being right in the centre of the local community them to feel more involved in the local community. Its close proximity to Southbourne beach also makes access to healthy outdoor activities really easy.
Retail & Enterprise
We have a small shop at The Bradbury Centre, where we focus on selling beautiful handcrafted items made by our service users, along with unique items created by other local artists. The shop offers a fantastic opportunity for people to gain retail skills and experience that improves the potential for them to access employment and volunteering opportunities within the community. Our shop is open on Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday from 10am-3pm.
Our Employability Programme focuses on:
- Customer service skills and improved social interaction
- Stock management and merchandising skills
- Stock ordering and rotation
- Finance skills, including cash and card sales, refunds and accounting
- Marketing and advertising
Outcomes:
- Retail and marketing skills
- Improved financial acumen
- Increased understanding of design and manufacturing
- Increased confidence and self-esteem
- Improved social interaction
Creative Programme
The Bradbury Centre also offers an interesting and stimulating creative programme. In September 2024 we redesigned the interior to include a large open-plan activity space where people can participate in a range of arts and craft activities. We know that engaging in creative activities has a hugely positive impact on people’s mental wellbeing and we provide a wide range of opportunities for people to try new things and learn new skills. Our programme includes:
- Upcycling small items of furniture
- Mosaic work
- Block printing
- Woodwork
- Jewellery making
- Modelling and sculpture
- Needlecraft and working with textiles
Outcomes:
- Improved fine motor skills
- Improved concentration skills
- Positive relationships
- Teamwork skills
- Increased knowledge of recycling and reusing
- Improved sense of achievement
Wellbeing Programme
Mental wellbeing is a really important factor in a person’s overall health. People who have positive social interactions and feel included are generally happier and can expect better long-term health outcomes. Our health and wellbeing sessions focus on helping people improve their self-care, such as looking after their skin, hair, and personal hygiene, improve their diet through a better understanding of foods that are healthy, and participate in more physical activity.
Being able to relax and unwind is also an essential element of positive mental wellbeing so we offer activities such as yoga and meditation that support improved relaxation techniques and improved sleep.
Supporting people to access other community-based activities is also a core element of the programme, not only to support improved mental wellbeing, but also to support improved independent living. Being able to use public transport independently to access new opportunities and visit new places opens up the world and has a hugely positive impact on people’s self-confidence and sense of achievement.
- Improved mental health and wellbeing
- Reduced anxiety and stress
- Improved physical health and wellbeing
- Improved self-esteem and confidence
- Better knowledge of healthy eating and drinking
