Buddy Bench Ireland: November 2016

A Very Special Buddy Bench For a Special Boy !

Made by Midland’s Prison Campus in Port Laois

By our in-house psychotherapist Judith Ashton BA ITEC MFPhys IMTA ,

Working with our Buddy Bench Aware Programme in primary schools is a fantastic opportunity to introduce young children to the concept of friendship and emotional awareness, communication and listening to each other, and today Nov 28t 2016 was a very special day for me. I visited Scoil Aonghusa in Cashel, Co. Tipperary as they took delivery of one of the most wonderful Buddy Benches I have seen to date. It was beautifully handcrafted by the men in the metalwork department of the Midland’s Prison Campus in Port Laois, thank you very much.

Scoil Aonghusa in Cashel, Co. Tipperary

They had specially made this bench for a six year boy who is a pupil there. Sadly he was not in school today as he is currently in hospital in Dublin but we all hope that he will soon get to sit on this fantastic bench.

Scoil Aonghusa is a wonderful , modern, colourful and happy place for 90+ children and teens with multiple challenges ( physical and emotional) where all the pupils have moderate to severe learning difficulties. I was greeted at the door by a fantastic helper called Daisy. Daisy is a Labrador who does a great job bringing joy to everyone she meets. The teachers here are all very dedicated and the students are a credit to themselves and their parents. I had the pleasure of meeting a student council of six lads who were all very interested in The Buddy Bench and they all thought it was a great idea for the school. They could not wait to try it out and we took lots of photos of them sitting on the bench together.

A Very Special Bench For You A.B. with Love.

It is days like this that make me very happy to be working with our Buddy Bench Aware Programme , and seeing the happiness on the pupil’s faces is something that I will never forget.

Stepaside ETNS Friendship Week

On Monday November 21st we attended a very moving yet fun event. The children of Stepaside Educate Together National School in Ballyogan Dublin 18 came together to receive their Buddy Bench (Friendship Bench) to commemorate a very special pupil who had passed away in the terrible tragic fire in Carrickmines last October. We do hope this bench brings comfort to all.

On a day like this, Judith and I sat with and watched the children sing, interact with each other and just be giddy as they should. How precious each and every one of their lives are. What will they will bring to society, a cure for cancer, a astronaut, a poet, a mother for they capabilities are endless.

All children and parents assembled in the hall where Anne (Principal) said say a few words of welcome, Chairperson of the BOM said few words about the Buddy Bench and who we are dedicating the bench too. The Student council who were very professional indeed spoke about the school friendship pact and gave one out to each class followed by a song "you've got a friend in me".

If we find ourselves in the area again we hope to receive the same reception, ie delicious home made cakes and a warming cup of tea.

We thank you all for the hospitality and we are delighted to be in the position give your Buddy Bench with the help of #steveysepicadventure.

“We do not have control over many things in life and death but we do have control over the meaning we give it.” R.I.P.

Buddy Bench Ireland's Visit to Limavidy Co. Derry

“Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.” Martin Luther King

With great pleasure we attended a fantastic event this week where representatives of nine Limavidy schools came together to be presented with their Buddy Benches, aided by the joint effort of Mags Connolly, Tesco's Champion Co-Ordinator and Brian Mc Closkey of Ballykelly Men's Shed and the group of shedders of course.

For whatever reason this quote "intelligence plus character- that is the goal of true education" from MLK himself echoed in my mind. The group effort of many hard working determined people invited us from Kilkenny, children from nine different schools, teachers from those schools and several different representatives together with one common goal. To educate the children, to enhance their emotional intelligence and to set them on the right path of social and emotional learning.

All the children from:

Limavady Central Primary School

Termoncanice Primary School

Gaelscoil Léim An Mhadaidh

Rossmar Special School

Roe Valley Integrated Primary School

Drumachose Primary School

Ballykelly Primary School

St. Matthews Primary School

Together they gathered in the assembly hall of Limavidy Central Primary School to listen to our in-house psychotherapist Judith Ashton, give a taster of our Buddy Bench Aware programme. Children naturally embrace these programme where we repeat our ethos "Look Up, Look Around and Look Out For Each Other".