Welcome to our Spring edition of ACE Activities’ Newsletter — what a busy and exciting few months it has been!
We began the year by celebrating Chinese New Year, inviting friends and supporters to enjoy a delicious meal prepared by our talented ACE Cookery Group. It was a joyful occasion, made even more special by Stamatis and Danny, who confidently read out the meaning of the Chinese New Year. This was a fantastic achievement for both — particularly Danny, whose reading skills have improved significantly since joining ACE Activities.
The celebrations continued as our Cookery Group welcomed residents from Woodland Grove Care Home for a shared cookery session, showcasing their Chinese dishes. It was wonderful to see both groups working side by side, learning from one another and enjoying the experience together.
In this issue
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ASDAN at ACE Activities
At ACE Activities, we are proud to offer ASDAN accreditation across our cookery, gardening, and upcycling sessions.
ASDAN is an accredited programme that brings structure, purpose, and meaningful progression to our day opportunities for adults with learning disabilities and autism. By embedding ASDAN into our projects, we are able to recognise real achievements, build practical skills, and support personal development in a clear and rewarding way.
A great example of this is Ricky’s recent project. Using the ASDAN framework, Ricky designed and built a nest box for wrens from start to finish. This included planning the design, measuring materials, safely using tools, and assembling the final piece. The result is something Ricky is incredibly proud of—and so are we.
We also incorporate ASDAN into our cookery and gardening sessions, helping to enhance the quality of learning while ensuring each activity has purpose, structure, and opportunities for achievement. It’s fantastic to see our members grow in confidence, develop new skills, and take pride in what they accomplish.
Roman Project
We love working collaboratively with organisations across the community, and in February and March we were delighted to partner with Epping Forest Museum on their new Roman exhibition.
Thanks to funding support from Culture Essex, we were able to take part in ceramic workshops and organise visits to both Harlow Museum and Epping Forest Museum. Even more exciting, we now have our very own display case showcasing work inspired by the Roman artefacts we explored during our visits.
Continuing the Roman theme, Dale created a wooden toy horse based on a design from the period—a wonderful example of creativity inspired by history!
ACE Gardening
You might think winter is a quiet time on the allotment, but at the Community Garden at Grange Farm, there has been plenty to do!
Ready, Set, Grow: Spring Prep at the Allotments
Our dedicated gardeners have been busy repairing wheelbarrows and building new structures in preparation for the growing season. Now that spring is here, the real fun has begun after months of digging and manuring! To the allotment in tip-top shape, here is how we’ve been prepping:
Winter Foundations and Spring Finesse
- The Big Dig & Feed: Over the winter, many of us have been “trenching”—digging deep and burying organic matter or well-rotted manure. This gives the soil time to break down, creating a nutrient-rich “pantry” for your plants to tap into come May.
- Structural Repairs: Winter is the time for the “hard graft.” From re-felting the shed roof to repairing wheelbarrows and sharpening garden tools, getting the kit ready means no delays now the planting window has opened.
- Fruit Pruning: Before the sap starts rising, we’ve been busy pruning to ensure a bumper harvest of berries later this year.
Spring Gardening Tip – ACE Your Sowing with Seed Tapes
If you find fiddling with tiny seeds tedious, why not try a “Seed Tape” for perfect accuracy? This is a fantastic way to ensure your crops are evenly spaced without the need for thinning out later.
It’s a tried-and-tested method—our very own Zoe used this technique as part of her gardening ASDAN challenge, proving it’s a brilliant way to get professional results with minimal fuss!
How to make your own:
- The Strip: Lay out a length of toilet paper.
- The Glue: Mix a little flour and water into a thick paste.
- The Placement: Dab dots of paste at the required spacing and press your seeds on top.
- The Planting: Once dry, simply bury the tape in a shallow trench and water well!
ACE Sports
At ACE Sports, we love offering a variety of sports to suit all abilities, and we’re incredibly lucky to have the support of our brilliant friend and boxing coach, Garry Castle. Garry recently joined us for an action-packed session that had everyone buzzing from start to finish!
The guys had a fantastic time learning the ropes of the sport, focusing on the fundamentals like finding their stance and mastering a crisp jab-cross combination. There was plenty of laughter as the group practiced bobbing and weaving to improve their rhythm and footwork. It wasn’t just a great workout; it was a real confidence booster that showed off everyone’s impressive hand-eye coordination.
By the time the final bell rang, the team had truly gone the distance, leaving the session feeling like absolute champions. A massive thank you to Garry for bringing so much energy and fun to the project!
Our Wonderful Volunteers
We simply could not provide the support and opportunities we offer without the dedication of our incredible volunteers.
We were delighted to welcome two new volunteers, Amanda MacLeod and Ellie Harrington, to our ACE Arts and Cooking with Confidence projects.
Amanda Macleod
<< My creative pursuits are an important part of how I express myself. I enjoy exploring different forms of art, whether that’s painting, textile art, leather craft or experimenting with new techniques, as it allows me to relax and communicate ideas in a visual way.
I’m really enjoying volunteering with ACE Activities. It combines my passion for creativity with making a positive impact. I value the opportunity to support others in expressing themselves, building confidence, and enjoying the freedom that art can bring. Being part of this friendly and positive environment is so much fun and so rewarding. >>
Ellie Harrington
<< Hi, I’m Noelle (Ellie) and I started volunteering with the Cooking with Confidence group in March. I absolutely love it – it’s such a genuinely warm and welcoming group, and there’s always such a lovely buzz when everyone’s together.
I’ve always enjoyed cooking, so being part of the group feels really natural for me. Every session feels really special – it’s not just about cooking, it’s the chats, the laughter and working together as a team to create the final dishes. It’s lovely seeing everyone contribute and take part, and how much pride there is in what we produce together.
Andrea is brilliant at running the group – she creates such a calm, encouraging atmosphere and makes everyone feel included and able to get involved, whatever their ability.
I always come away feeling really uplifted. It’s such a positive, rewarding experience and I feel very lucky to be part of it. >>
Tim Copeman
We were also thrilled to see our longest-serving volunteer, Tim Copeman, recognised for his outstanding dedication at the Epping Forest Civic Awards Ceremony on 13th March. Celebrating 15 years with ACE Activities, Tim began as a volunteer buddy before becoming a gardening volunteer and, more recently, a highly valued member of our upcycling team. His commitment has made a lasting impact on our community.
<< I was both surprised and delighted to be nominated for a prestigious Citizen of the Year award by Sally Panrucker of VAEF and I was thrilled to receive the award from Epping Forest District Council at a glittering ceremony in March.
I have been volunteering with ACE Upcycling for two days a week for over 12 years now, assisting young people in their carpentry skills.
We make a variety of items including bird boxes, bug houses and garden planters and it is immensely satisfying to see how our clients grow in confidence by producing quality items which we sell through a local garden centre.
I hope to continue with this work for many years to come as it is lovely to see the guys’ progress in their skills and achievements. >>
Cookery Tutor Andrea’s Apple Strudel recipe
To brighten those ‘in-between’ spring days, Andrea has shared her mother’s secret family recipe for the perfect apple strudel—a true slice of home-baked comfort.
This quantity will make approximately four, generously filled strudels. Each strudel will cut into approximately four slices.
Ingredients
1 packet ready made filo pastry (rectangles approx. 500 X 240mm)
Shop-bought filo pastry is extremely thin. BE CAREFUL with it!
500g (1lb 2oz) cooking apples, peeled and core removed
150g (5oz) mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas etc)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp brown sugar
Approx. 100g (4oz) butter, melted
Icing sugar for decoration (optional)
This is best served either warm or at room temperature. Just before serving, lightly dust with icing sugar.
Have you tried this recipe? Let us know how you got on! Leave a comment below or contact us.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/350°F/Gas Mark 3. Line a greased baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Coarsely grate the apples. Put them into a bowl. Stir in the mixed dried fruit, cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
- Lay a piece of cling-film out onto your work surface or onto a board. Carefully place one rectangular sheet of filo pastry onto it. Brush the top half of the rectangle with the melted butter. Fold the bottom half of the rectangle upwards onto it:
- Spoon some of the apple/fruit mixture onto the top centre half of the folded pastry:
- Fold in the sides of the pastry. The pastry won’t entirely cover the mixture. Now starting from the top, carefully roll the pastry downwards until it resembles a Swiss roll shape:
- Carefully, lift the strudel off the cling-film and onto the prepared baking tin. Brush with melted butter.
- Repeat with the remaining pastry and apple/fruit mixture. Note: You will not need all the pastry within the pack.
- Bake in the oven for approximately 20-25 minutes.
ACE Upcycling
Our ACE Upcyclers have been focusing on the finer skills of carpentry lately, and their hard work is truly paying off! The team has recently hand-crafted a range of fantastic wooden games, including traditional skittles and other tabletop favourites.
These new creations have already found a fans and Dawn Warwick from the Broxbourne Running Club was quick to snap them up during a recent visit. Dawn said that they will be the perfect addition to their newly refurbished social club, providing some fun entertainment for their members!
If you missed out on the games, don’t worry—the guys are still busy producing all your firm favourites. We have a fresh stock of bird boxes and insect hotels ready for the spring nesting season. You can find these available now at our wonderful friends over at Abridge Garden Centre.
New All Day Art Project
We are thrilled to launch our new All-Day Art Project, specifically designed for individuals with Learning Disabilities and Autism Recognising the need for all day respite for parents and carers we have extended the afternoon session to a full day of fun!
Running every Tuesday from 10 am – 3 pm at the Grange Farm Centre Chigwell, this immersive programme offers a space to explore a range of mediums—from photography and video to traditional painting, drawing, and crafts.
We have 3 spaces on this new venture, please contact Sally at for further details.
Looking ahead
We have lots of exciting events coming up—everyone is welcome!
- Swaines Green Charity May Fair
Saturday 9th May, 11:00am – 5:00pm - Football Match
23rd May, 3:00pm at Grange Farm Centre - Learning Disability Festival
Friday 19th June at Harlow Rugby Club
Keep an eye on our Events website page for details in due course.
Thank you, as always, to our members, families, friends, volunteers and supporters.
If you’d like to find out more about our activities and available places why not contact us for more details.
To help us keep these wonderful activities going for our lovely members, you can donate here or contact us to offer sponsorship.
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