If you’re a young person looking to make positive changes for you and other young people across Portland, there’s still time to apply for the 2023-24 term for Portland’s Youth Council. Not only will you have fun, you’ll also be supported throughout your journey and there are some amazing benefits:
Get your voice and opinions heard.
Learn new skills and gain experience and knowledge across a wide range of subjects and projects.
Participate in flexible volunteering and training opportunities (with certification).
Build your confidence and aspirations.
Meet new people.
Take part in events and trips.
Download the information pack below or contact Georgina or Kate via: 01305 823789 (Monday to Friday – 10am to 2pm) / office@islandcommunityaction.org.uk (with PYC in subject line). Deadline for applications is 29th September 2023.
Nothe of the Living Dead combines jump scares and escape dungeon style challenges and puzzles in an hour long experience that sees participants take on a chilling quest to save the world from an undead takeover.
The event, which takes place at the Nothe Fort – voted one of the UK’s spookiest locations, is now in its fifth year and has become a firm favourite with horror enthusiasts across the South West,
“Had the most amazing night at this last night! Thanks to everyone involved for making it such an engaging and immersive experience. Would highly recommend anyone thinking about going to book in before they miss out!!!”
“I’d recommend this to anyone considering coming, I’ve never laughed or screamed so much. The location, games and story are all fantastic.”
“It’s scarier that Thorpe Park’s Fright Nights, a grown man in our group literally wet himself it was so terrifying!”
“Second visit to this wonderful event last night, loved how different it was from last year and still just as terrifying!! A fab night out for a great set of causes.”
This year’s theme, Dead Men Tell No Tales, will see participants thrown into a world of marine mayhem, when they discover that Davy Jones’s treasure has been stolen by a group of corrupt politicians in search of world domination. When Jones’s curse reanimates his dead pirate crew to go in search of the missing gold, the only way back is to pacify Jones and his horde of salty snackers by finding the gold first and sending it back to the ocean depths.
Are you brave enough to take on the tunnels, crack the challenges, unearth the treasure and save the world, surrounded by a pack of petrifying pirates and marine monsters?
If the answer’s yes, then grab yourself a ticket for the best Halloween Scarefest this side of Salem!
As in previous years, the event is a collaboration between local charities the Nothe Fort and Island Community Action (ICA), and CIC EPIC Games Dorset.
If you do anything today check out some of the installations at this year’s b-side Festival, which is running 7-10 September.
Some really inspirational pieces of work, including Entry at Islanders, Rafts at the Royal Manor Theatre and the Weather or Not Station Audio Walk at Brandy Row.
Such a fantastic event for Portland. Huge thanks to all those who’ve made it happen.
There’s also the b-side Fringe, which goes on to the 17th.
Another thank you to our Community Crafters – Linda, Jayne and Tracie, who have spent the summer creating some gorgeous hand puppets for Atlantic Academy Portland‘s Primary KS1 team.
We hope the children enjoy them as much as we have in the office.
Our amazingly creative Community Crafters have been so busy this summer.
For starters, we had bags jam packed with these gorgeous octopuses (or octopi, depending on who we ask) handed into the office. In fact, they were so cute Portland Marina borrowed them to use as decorations for their recent Portland Week celebrations.
Soon, they will be swimming back to us, ready to be gifted to mothers with new babies this Christmas (along with local information about where they can access an extra pair of hands or bit of support when they need it).
They say it takes a village to raise a child, but for our community we reckon it takes an Island!
ICA were delighted to support the Portland Youth Council to create a sculpture that represented the damage plastic pollution is causing in the waters around Portland.
Below is a comic strip telling the story of ‘Bob The Blob Fish’ and the hundreds of local people and children that helped create him. They got involved in a range of ways, from joining the beach cleans to collect the materials that helped build him to helping with the decoration itself.
Bob was completed in time to be displayed at Portland Marina as part of their Plastic Shores project.
The group of incredible 12–16-year-olds that make up the Portland Youth Council have fundraised and organised this trip with the support of the ICA team.
The aim was to provide and promote affordable activities and celebrate young people’s resilience and volunteering efforts. They certainly achieved this aim by providing 20 free spaces and a further 28 places at a significantly discounted rate.
Groups such as 1st Portland Scouts, Atlantic Academy, Dorset Young Carers, The Drop In and other voluntary groups on the island were contacted to put forward nominations for the 20 free places.
A massive THANK YOU to Excelsior Coaches Ltd, who kindly donated transport in the form of a 53 seater coach and two lovely drivers.
Paul Knight – Coaching Unit Operations Manager at Excelsior says, “Excelsior was originally set up as a Bournemouth company however a depot was opened in Dorchester in 2019 (based with sister company Damory), which covers West Dorset, but as with many situations COVID overtook launch plans etc. and most people still presume we are Bournemouth. I, and a number of my drivers and supervisors live on Portland and see the great work community groups on the Island complete. It is a pleasure to support where we can.”
A big thank you to Lisa from The Drop In for volunteering her own time to support the young people on the trip.
Information will be going out in the next few weeks about how local young people can get involved in Portland Youth Council.
