Alfie's Project Carlisle

22/06/2026

Sen sessions also available

👧🧒Wondering how to inspire your children over the summer holidays?
🌞Stressed about how to juggle work and school holidays?

FREE Sessions throughout the summer for eligible Children in Cumberland and Westmorland. Book into Susan's Farm CIO Holiday Activities and Food Sessions for 7-11 year olds.

If your child has free school meals or meets other criteria you are able book these free sessions. Please register at www.eequ.org

🐂🐑We look forward to welcoming you to our farm

17/06/2026

We are looking for volunteers for our sessions,

This will include playing games, keeping children active, arts and crafts etc also making sure children are safe at all times.

Without extra support we are unable to offer children an environment where they can be themselves and meet other children in a similar situation.

If you could spare a couple hours a week or month please get in touch either on Facebook or via our email address [email protected]

All volunteers must be dbs checked if you don't have a dbs we may be able to help.

20/05/2026

Morning Alfie's Project Carlisle

Just a quick update, following meetings over the past few months, I need the communities input in how we move forward.

Would anyone be Interested in any these courses.

Domestic abuse recovery,
Living in fight or flight
Aces cpd
Saftey in toxic environments
Stress and toxic spaces
Much much more.

The courses are paid sessions but if we can secure funding we will be able to offer these for free to the community, schools etc.

The courses vary from 5 weeks - 12 weeks.

15/05/2026

Recieved this letter this morning to share with our parents.

Dear Parents & Carers,

CHAPS (Chris Howlett Alternative Provision Specialist) currently has limited capacity available to support a small number of additional young people who may be struggling to access mainstream education.

For over 38 years, I have worked with children and young people who require a different approach to learning, particularly those experiencing:

• Autism
• ADHD
• FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder)
• Anxiety and emotionally based school avoidance
• Trauma-related difficulties
• Low confidence and self-esteem

CHAPS provides small-group and highly personalised educational support in a calm, nurturing and non-judgemental environment. Many young people who attend CHAPS have previously struggled with attendance, anxiety, behaviour or engagement within school settings, but have gone on to rebuild confidence, reconnect with learning, achieve qualifications and progress positively into further education or employment.

We offer:

• Maximum group sizes of 3 students
• 1:1 and small-group support
• KS2, KS3 and KS4 provision
• GCSE, Functional Skills and AQA qualifications
• Trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming practice
• Creative and flexible learning approaches
• Close partnership working with families and schools

CHAPS is quality assured and endorsed by Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council and has an established, trusted track record working alongside local schools.

Provision takes place in a supportive community setting at Morton Community Centre in Carlisle with access to creative learning spaces, outdoor areas and wellbeing facilities.

Please note that placements are arranged in partnership with your child’s school and would need to be discussed with your child’s Headteacher, SENCO or SEND Lead in the first instance.

If you feel your child may benefit from this type of provision, I would encourage you to speak with school staff about whether CHAPS could form part of your child’s educational support package.

Chris Howlett BEd (Hons)
CHAPS – Chris Howlett Alternative Provision Specialist

09/05/2026

Firstly I just want to apologise and be brutally honest with you all, for the lack of updates on our pages, I have taken the time out to figure out which way to take the group and I have honestly been thinking of closing the group down.

For 3 years solid I have worked endlessly to offer support and guidance to local families in our area, with not only my own lived experiences but also putting them in touch with agencies who can help, we have took courses in mental health safe guarding etc so we can be that extra support that is so badly lacking in our area.

Myself and Emma have had our own issues with our own children but we still carried on offering support to whom ever needed it.

We know the struggles everyone faces on a daily basis, the fights, the arguments, daily challenges especially with schools etc.

On top of our issues we still turned up to support other families organising trips, community centre sessions for hardly anyone to turn up.

In all honesty it has disheartened us.

I have been battling with myself on what to do, not only for myself and Emma but our children as well as all families in the community.

With the rising costs of running our sessions and with people not turning up, this cost comes out of my own pocket, as the groups funding relies on the fund raising events and the small fee of our play sessions that we hold.

I try to keep the costs as low as possible so families can afford our sessions, we also offer free sessions but again no one turns up and the rising costs are having its toll.

We have tried everything we can, we have had animal sessions, birds of prey, circus and farm visits in the past, but it's the smaller sessions that keep the group moving forward.

This is where we struggle the most.

We know first hand how hard is is to get kids away from computer screens etc. But without that support from other parents in getting there children to the sessions then we can't see a future in the sessions anymore.

Without the communities support our children's sessions will be closed. As much as this breaks my heart as helping people is my passion I need to rethink how we move forward.

22/04/2026

Morning everyone,

I have had a few emails over the past couple of days regarding our children's sessions.

Our sessions have been put on hold, we are needing volunteers to help with the sessions but all volunteers need to have a enhanced dbs check done.

Volunteers also need to have atleast a level 2 safeguarding certificate that is in date.

If you or you know anyone who would like to come along and help in our sessions please contact us either on messenger or on our email [email protected].

I also would like to ask what other support families are looking for within our community especially for over 18s

13/04/2026

Quick update.

Due to high demand single and double mattresses have now been taken.

There is still King-size mattresses available.

If your struggling and need extra support please get in touch.

12/04/2026

fans Alfie's Project Carlisle

12/04/2026

Would your child like to have a say in the future of our community, help reshape it into a future they can be proud of.. Please get in touch

30/03/2026

https://m.me/cm/AbYpmpryL5tuVKtg/?send_source=cm%3Acopy_invite_link

Welcome, everyone. This community is for members to chat access support and meet others in a similar situation.