Since the Voices Launch on March 24th - which involved live broadcasts from all three schools, and lots of bacon sandwiches - everybody's been completely immersed in the various parts of the Voices project. We've had some wonderful visitors to the school - from Henry Morris the feltmaker who makes all his own clothes from felt, to Paul Warriner - who starred in Coronation Street as Toyah's lecherous lecturer, and is going to teach a drama workshop for all the pupils. The book project is coming along well
Local performance poet Jez Walsh has been suitably inspiring to pupils and teachers alike - and some of the poems the pupils have been coming up with have been great! With just a few weeks to go until the publishing deadline, all pupils involved are writing and illustrating their poems as fast as they can! 
The photography project is also developing nicely! Everybody at Turnshaws has now become accustomed to seeing Emrys and his budding crew of photographers out and about around the school. Since the Easter holidays finished, the residents of Huddersfield in general will probably have to do the same, as the photographers now have access to a minibus in which they're travelling the Kirklees countryside searching for artistic inspiration. Some artistic inspiration has already been found for another group of pupils from Turnshaws and Shelley - as they're working hard to transform the front of the studio in the school hall at Turnshaws from a plain burgundy into a riot of colour with a mural that they've designed themselves. This mural is also going to feature some "tactile art" - so watch this space! Preparations for the end of project concert are also already underway - with groups from Turnshaws working on a fantastic Chinese dance piece, Almondbury's junk band perfecting their technique, and Shelley High's steel band are also putting the finishing touches on a performance piece. But it's not just music. Pupils from Turnshaws and Shelley are working together to come up with a Puppet Show, and even making their own puppets with help from Margaret and Barbara from "Hand to Mouth" Puppets. Almondbury High have also been working on some drama pieces - written and performed by the pupils themselves. 
There's a certain group of pupils who couldn't wait for May 17th. Some pupils from Turnshaws set sail on the Austen E Johnson - a barge that's been specially adapted to be wheelchair accessible. Laura from Shelley High went along with them to join in the fun, and is helping to keep the website up to date on all the action from that day. Watch this space! And of course there's our plans to renovate the Highburton Recreation Ground. Turnshaws has been raising money to make it suitable for children of all abilities. Working in partnership with Kirklees council, the Parish council and many local businesses and community groups we hope to transform the existing playground into a tranquil play and picnic area over the course of one weekend - which is looking likely to be the 28th and 29th of June. Everybody is welcome to come down and lend a hand, and hopefully have some fun at the same time! With so much going on there's been no shortage of stories on the radio. We've heard lots of people's voices - and the great thing is, there's so many more stories to tell.
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