There was Maypole dancing on the grass area in Camphill Milton Keynes on 1st May. The music played while dancing was fun folk dance music. Maypole dancing is a form of folk dancing from Western Europe. There are two distinctive traditions of maypole dancing, the circle dance and the ribbon dance.
Circle Dance - Dancers perform circle dances around a tall pole which is dressed with garlands, painted stripes, flowers, flags and other emblems.
Ribbon Dance – Dancers gather in a circle, each holding a coloured ribbon attached to a much smaller pole. As the dance commences the ribbons are intertwined and plaited either on to the pole itself or into a web around the pole.
It was a warm and sunny day on 1^st May so it was a good day for maypole dancing. There were also refreshments in the foyer of the Chrysalis Theatre.

 Alex Fox

People's comments of 'Unique Me'

These were the comments that people left in the comments book of the ‘Unique Me’ photo exhibition held in the Chrysalis Theatre in Camphill Milton Keynes on Friday 16^th May.

What a fantastic exhibition! As good as any in London, if not better. Stunning capture of personalities in the B&W portraits, really gets the peoples characters. Brilliant work by everyone involves – I think the whole thing should go on tour.

Jon, Bedford

Totally Stunning photographs. In one fell swoop you have captures the silent depths of these beautiful people.

Chris Crooks

Beautiful photographs (especially the black and white ones)

Miquel

Stunning and very moving photos. They show people full of pride.

Michaela (@ Talkback)

Fantastic exhibition, love the contrast between ‘at work’ and the studio portraits. Dom looking serious! Love it.

Emma

Very nice photos. It was a good idea.

Great exhibition, fantastic photos. Thank you for all the effort, time, energy and love you put in it.

Josuna

Happy to be part of the exhibition. Thanks so much.

Jin

Excellent, brilliant work – black and white so meaningful. Good subjects of course. Thanks you very much.

I think that all the photos are really lovely. I am honoured to be a part of it.

Mary

An amazing photo exhibition. Showing everyone so positively.

I like the photos. I think it’s very nice.

Steven

Great exhibition, worth travelling for.

Christine (Stevens’s sister)

Wonderful photographs, the black and white ones seem timeless.

Very interesting prospective – good idea, lovely set of photos.

The most remarkable and beautiful photographs that bring out the best of all the people that have been pictures. Enjoyed it lot,

Oh my goodness.  I felt moved to tears. These photos capture an essence that is so special. Thank you John and Residents of CHMK.

Julia

Very moving! Wonderful photographs! Put me down for a copy of the book.

Jeremy

Really enjoyed this exhibition. Love how you captured life in the village contrasting with the beautiful individual shots. The darkness of the background showed the stunning faces off.

Lynne O’Neil

What a fabulous collection of prints. Beautifully captured and collectively they tell a wonderfull story of Camphill in Milton Keynes. Thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you.

Dan Cavanagh

Fantastic. Just Excellent.

Steve B

Brilliant work that’s done. So many positive emotions and great stories behind them all.

Very interesting pictures. Made me realise that it is so easy to be happy and to be helpful to others. Can see all their faces that they love to be a part of this community and they did enjoy the time with the photographer.

Absolutely amazing. It was so lovely to see the residents and their personalities shine through. The contrasts of the black and white photos brilliant.

Gail

Thank you for externalising some of the most amazing people I’ve met in my life. Great work.

A beautiful collection of the personalities here at Camphill. Just love the perspectives of the colour pics. So much warmth and impact.

Paul

I really enjoyed playing the piano for all of you especially when John Esco took a photos of you and thank you Damian and Marta for my lovely photo.

Amy Prior

All very well done. I liked the exhibition very much.

An amazing exhibition. Really moving and emotional. Fantastic photography. Thankyou.

Alex Fox

Unique Me

On 16^th May, there was a photo exhibition in the Chrysalis Theatre in Camphill Milton Keynes called ‘Unique Me’. The exhibition comprised of over 70 photographs of the residents who live in the community. These photographs included stunning portraits, alongside images of activities around our community and workshops that we do in the community. Judy Eslmore, a residents introduced the opening of the exhibition, and Tim Davis the Chief Executive (of Camphill Milton Keynes) and Steven Mundie (another resident) cut the opening ribbon on the hall doors to start the exhibition.

It would not have been possible for this photo exhibition to have taken place without the invaluable help from our Camphill friend, John Esco. He is a freelance photographer who lives in Milton Keynes.

The exhibition was called ‘Unique Me’ because we are all unique individuals with our own special gifts and talents.

‘Unique Me’ is part of the EU project ‘Youth in Action’ “We will win the life”’.  This project is connected to a similar community for people with a learning disability in Poland. One of the main aims of the project is to project is to promote social inclusion of people with special needs.

John Esco and Judy Elsmore.

Tim Davis and Steven Mundie opening the exhibition.

Balcony view of the photo exhibition.

Ground view of exhibition.

Some of the photographs.

Alex Fox

Evacuation

www.ticketsource.co.uk/chrysalismk

Alex Fox

Easter Breakfast

On Sunday 20th^st April there was an Easter Breakfast in the Chrysalis Theatre in Camphill Milton Keynes. Hanne Drexel did some bell ringing and also played the lyre. For the breakfast, we had some hard boiled eggs which had been nicely painted for the Easter celebrations. We also had nice cheeses and different kinds of bread produced by the Bakery.

Alex Fox

We will win the Life!

We would like to remind you that our community is taking part in the project from the programme 'Youth in Action'. Thanks to the EU grant, together with our partners from Poland: "Agrafka" (voluntary service called Safety Pin) & WTZ (day centre for people with a learning disability), CMKC could use the opportunity to organise and support events promoting integration and inclusion of residents within the local Community. The main goals of the project are to overcome internal barriers against, with people with disabilities and exchange experience and good practises between groups from different countries. At the same time similar events supposed to happen here, in CMKC and in Pabianice - city of our project partner. Both of the organisations  meant to be supporting each other and exchanging ideas and opinions.
Hope all of you 'like' us already on facebook! If not it might mean that we are not promoting the project well enough!

 In Poland they have organised many amazing events for example sports day or fashion show (see pictures). There were also photos of residents from organisations in different Restaurants as a photo exhibition!
On Friday as a part of our project at the Chrysalis Theatre in Camphill Milton Keynes, there  will be a photo exhibition. All the photos and article about this event will be on the blog soon.

Alex Fox