Raphael Centre Blog

Raphael Centre summer art exhibition

In the summer, Raphael Centre held an art fair with art work made by the residents. 
There were paintings and pottery made by the residents for sale.

It was a lovely, sunny day. 

Raphael Centre hopes to take its art exhibition on the road, starting with the neighbouring St. Joseph's Home. 

Please let us know if you would like to host our exhibition. 

Nicola’s Stone Age Year

Testing out some of the clothes! Photos: By Jay Jenner for Nicola Strange

Nicola who runs bushcraft training for Raphael Centre is going to live on the land for a year. 

Nicola has been training for many years towards this long-term goal. 

As summer solstice approaches, now is the time for Nicola to head off to live in a woodland in the Midlands. She will live off foraged food and wild meat, in a wattle and daub hut, with all clothes and equipment made from natural materials.

We will miss you, Nicola! Have a great time!

Follow Nicola’s adventures, and listen to Nicola’s Stone Age Year podcast

Bushcraft at Raphael Centre

Nicola has been running bushcraft sessions at Raphael Centre for four years. She started during the first lockdown in March 2020 – the timing could not have been better. Thanks to Nicola, the residents could be outside practicing bushcraft skills including building a shelter, starting a campfire from scratch, and foraging for food.

Raphael Centre will continue offering bushcraft sessions thanks to Nicola training our staff in bushcraft skills. 

That means our residents and visitors will continue to sit outside listening mindfully to the sounds of nature, cooking over an open fire including using edible ingredients we have foraged, and creating arts and crafts using natural materials such as willow and bark.

Thank you, Nicola, for teaching us so much about our natural world and being such an inspiration.

Images by Nicola from her blog at Woodland Ways

Happy winter solstice!

 
The shortest of the
 day of the year has just passed. 

In the days before electricity, we would have been more aware of the light and dark. 

We would “sink down in winter into the Earth mysteries, into the secrets of the Earth.” – Rudolf Steiner 

Here at Raphael Centre, we believe that spending time in nature is important for our wellbeing. 

In celebration, here are some pics by our Bushcraft instructor Nicola Strange of some of the nature-based activities the residents engaged in this year including making pottery, elderberry syrup and baking apples on the open fire. 

Here is to a peaceful and creative 2024.

Raphael Centre is hiring!

Raphael Centre is hiring!


Raphael Centre is recruiting for a new manager.

We are looking for someone who likes a varied workload, enjoys a challenge, has a good understanding of supported living, can promote a holistic approach and manage and support our fabulous, dedicated team.

Raphael Centre is a lovely environment to work in thanks to its holistic approach; we model respectful relationships with tenants, staff and community.

Please view the job description and apply via the Indeed job platform here.

And help us spread the word!

Thank you.

Autumn

Autumn is here 

Autumn – “seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness” – (To Autumn, John Keats) one of the best known lines in English poetry.

I can see why. The line lingers in the mind, conjuring this magical time of year.

The roses in the garden are still in bloom…also mellowing.

Autumn orange roses

Springtime is here!

Springtime is here!

Every week some of the tenants go to the woods for bushcraft activities. 

We have been going through the winter.

Now spring is here! 

We picked wild garlic. 

And, as always, we cooked on an open fire. 

Thank you, Nicola of Woodland Roots for these wonderful wellbeing sessions in the woods!

Brioche cooking on cast iron pan on open fire