Fortra bounced and raked their way into several challenges on their volunteering day at Prior's Court, building a trampoline in one of our residential gardens for future autistic young people with complex needs to enjoy and tackling the ever-present autumn task of leaf clearing. 

The group of 11 took on both challenges with enthusiasm despite the freezing weather, clearing away over 15 tonne bags of leaves and completing the somewhat complicated trampoline build successfully! 

The combination of rain and wet leaves makes walking around site treacherous for both staff and young people, so the work the group have been doing has been essential in ensuring the paths are no longer slippery and will help to prevent injuries. 

The trampoline team's work will also provide new autistic young people with complex needs with a fantastic new plaything and will help then have fun and feel more settled when they move in. Movement is such an important part of ensuring the young people we support are regulated and the trampoline they have built will go a long way in ensuring they have enough equipment to allow them these movement breaks. 

In the afternoon, the group split in two, one half finishing off the trampoline construction, the other staying in the warmth and making symbols for the young people to use on their schedules. An essential task in ensuring they have the resources they need to communicate. 

Thank you so much to everyone who has volunteered today, your work has equated to roughly 44 hours, over a week's worth of one of our groundsmen completing the same task!

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