A WEST Devon-based theatre company for adults with learning disabilities recently took their work into a primary school for the first time. The Get Changed Theatre Company held two workshops with ten and eleven-year-old pupils at South Tawton Primary School. The aim of the project is to give pupils the opportunity to learn more about bullying and ways of dealing with it, while gaining a valuable insight into disability issues. Vicky Hooper, Get Changed co-ordinator said the workshops had been ?fantastic? and ?a lot of fun? for the children. She said: ?Sadly, one of our learning disabled company members was a victim of bullying by young people on the estate where she lives.? WPC Angie Frost, West Devon crime prevention officer secured funding through Safer West Devon to commission Get Changed to carry out the two awareness workshops. WPC Frost said: ?The workshops have been a huge success. ?The children responded well to the themes. I really do hope our work has helped to bridge the gap between the young and learning disabled people in the community.? Teacher Caroline Boother said: ?It has been an opportunity for the children to work closely alongside members of their own community. They have been encouraged to question their own attitudes towards a wide range of issues from stereotyping to bullying.? She said the children had found the workshops fun and were looking forward to a return visit. The Okehampton-based theatre company is currently working in conjunction with Community Safety Partnerships throughout the county and hope to be able to ?roll out? the project to other schools in the area. However, Vicky said this would require funding as the company was reliant on fundraising and donations to be able to continue its work with adults with learning disabilities. Get Changed has been running for more than ten years and has members from across West Devon.



.jpg?width=209&height=140&crop=209:145,smart&quality=75)
