Creative Craft at Portsea Camp for the Epilepsy Foundation
I was delighted to offer Creative Craft workshops at Portsea Camp for the Epilepsy Foundation on the 25th July 2015. Organized by Linley Klopper and David Clunn from the Epilepsy Foundation with volunteers and staff assisting throughout the day in all activities, all clients were happy campers staying in attractive accommodation at Portsea Camp, by the sea.
Portsea Camp, situated on 3704 Point Nepean Road in the heart of Portsea, while quieter through the winter months is still bustling on the weekends, especially attracting shoppers in Sorrento. Sorrento and Portsea are beautiful places to visit year round- it’s more temperate by the coast, without the windy weather and scorching heat that attacks other seaside towns. Although I’m heavily biased, living in Blairgowrie!
Fabric painting of Moonraker, a sailing ship
restored by my husband Wayne Parr!
Portsea Camp offers school holidays camps for children, charity camps and weekend getaways for disadvantaged children and teenagers, Easter camps, community, partnership and family camps. The camp is a registered charity with a mission to provide quality and affordable holidays for all. The Portsea Camp facilities are fantastic- it has so much charm, with hand painted signs, murals and artwork featured around the camp not to mention spectacular sea views, especially, from the art room!
It was a fantastic day out- I had busied myself preparing creative art and craft workshops in readiness for clients of the Epilepsy Foundation event, featuring the sailor arts of knot tying and ropework which is a specialty of mine, for the morning, followed by a textile workshop, involving fabric painting on calico bags, for the afternoon.
While I didn’t get a chance to experience the big swing, flying fox or super slide, being busy in the art room, for most of the day, holding workshops, I did attend a beautiful lunch with all the guests and organizers at the Portsea Camp and a very interesting session after lunch on practicing Mindfulness. By the end of the day, guests attended an Epilepsy seminar and then we gathered at the Portsea Hotel for a lovely dinner. I was delighted to have the opportunity to share with the group and to welcome my husband Wayne Parr and introduce him to friends and colleagues met on the day.
I am proud to have been invited back already to host the art activities for the Family Respite Weekend at Portsea Camp coming up in November 27-29 2015, for the Epilepsy Foundation and having the opportunity to run children’s art and craft workshops by the sea. There is a beautiful outdoor table I’m hoping to use in the warmer weather. I can hardly wait for Summer to return!
I’d like to thank David Clunn and Linley Klopper again for coordinating the activities at Portsea Camp for the Epilepsy Foundation and their guests for their enthusiastic participation. It was a pleasure to teach such a fabulous group, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole day and am looking forward to coming back soon!
Melinda Piesse 