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An Hour to Skill Initiative
We've joined the 'An Hour to Skill' campaign to help boost the skills and job prospects of the nation. Open to everyone, the aim is to inspire people to set aside one hour a week for free online learning.
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Personal and Professional Development Training
Our personal development catalogue can help create a flourishing workplace with time management, communication, presentation skills and more
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FREE: Mental Health and Wellbeing Resource Pack
Our mental health pack helped a lot of people during difficult times in 2020 and remains free for all.
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FREE: Work-Life Balance Assessment
The continuation of home working for many of us means a healthy work-life balance can be difficult to maintain. Our free tool helps you understand your balance.
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Community Support during Lockdown
If you need support perhaps collecting Prescriptions, Shopping, getting to Medical Appointments, you can go to the website below:
https://www.solinked.org.uk/
Be aware of COVID-19 scams
Action Fraud is raising awareness of another coronavirus vaccine scam, after receiving a large number of reports relating to a phishing email on Monday 25 January.
Remember, the vaccine is only available on the NHS and is free of charge. If you receive an email, text message or phone call appearing to be from the NHS and you are asked to provide financial details, or to pay for the vaccine, this is a scam!
If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge. Read the full story.
Do you have questions about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine?
Are you worried about whether the vaccine is safe, or if there are any potential side effects? Maybe you would like to know whether the vaccine contains animal products?
There is a lot of misinformation being shared on social media that is not true and you should not believe everything that you read or hear. It is important that people have access to trusted sources that will reassure that the vaccine is safe and will protect you and your loved ones.
Having the vaccine will help stop the spread of COVID-19, save lives, and protect the NHS and our local health and social care services.
Find out how safe the COVID-19 vaccine is by listening to the important messages shared in this video: If You Could Save Someone’s Life.
Find out more about the vaccine programme in Hampshire and Isle of Wight by taking a look at the frequently asked questions.
Virtual Employability Training
We’re running a free online Employability Course for people who want to develop their employability skills and start preparing to look for work. The course will be delivered online via Zoom, and you will receive resources and a completion certificate through email.
Dates and times (you must be able to attend all 3 sessions):
- Wednesday 10th February 10am-11:30am
- Thursday 11th February 10am-11:30am
- Friday 12th February 10am-11:30am
The course is free for anyone aged 19+ and living in or around Southampton.
The aim of this course is to improve your confidence around getting a job and develop your employability skills. This course acts as an introduction to employability, or to refresh existing knowledge for people who have been out of work or are looking to change their career. The course is fun and relaxed and acts as a stepping stone to accredited employability courses.
Over the 3 sessions, the course will aim to:
- Improve confidence and motivation
- Support with CV writing
- Teach job application tips and tricks
- Develop interview techniques
To join this course, please email Dan or call 07811 165534.
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Visit the gallery virtually from home
Discover the complete Perseus series of works by Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones in The Baring Room at Southampton City Art Gallery from the safety of your own home. This 3D feature allows you to walk around the exhibit, take a closer look and learn about each of these fantastic works from Southampton's Collection. View online.
You can also still view some of the wonderful online exhibitions from the City Art Gallery from home below.
Get involved with #MyGivingThanks
Watch this brilliant film with Paralympian, Aaron Phipps, sharing what he's thankful for, as part of the Mayflower 400 Southampton's #MyGivingThanks campaign.
#MyGivingThanks will create digital memories to bring the people of our city together in shared celebration. The campaign encourages you to share your photos, images, videos, stories or poems of what you are grateful for, however small, through social media using the hashtag #MyGivingThanks.
It's easy to get involved and you can even find an online activity pack to inspire you and get you started here.
Development and workshop opportunities for local D/deaf and disabled artists
Along with partners New Carnival Company and artist Rachel Gadsden, the Mayflower 400 Southampton team is running a development opportunity for local D/deaf and disabled artists. The scheme, starting this week, will provide four artists from a range of disciplines the opportunity to develop or extend skills in online community engagement. This will have a particular focus on delivering to participants with diverse needs and at the end of the scheme, in March, they will be offering free online workshops to community groups across the city.
If you run a community group or school that would benefit from one of these workshops then please email Mayflower400@southampton.gov.uk requesting more details. Materials and access support will be provided.
Additionally, one-to-one support for the artists will be available from New Carnival Company staff who will also support delivery of the final sessions. There will also be mentoring and support from visual and performance artist Rachel Gadsden. Rachel, will be running sessions online for local disabled children and young people. Her work will be designed for young people with visual impairment and ties into her Mayflower 400 exhibition What this Storm is All About. If you have a group that would be interested in taking part, the Mayflower 400 team would love to hear from you.
Make your contribution to a new national memorial
Join in a special free digital workshop for Holocaust Memorial Day. Remember Southampton's role as a city of sanctuary for Jewish child refugees who arrived on the Kindertransport and make a personal commitment to stand against all forms of racism.
Paint a commemorative stone live on Zoom and it will become part of the UK Holcaust Memorial and Learning Centre in London when it is built. The workshop takes place on Wednesday 20th January at 7pm.
Sign-up here
All you need to take part is a stone that fits in the palm of your hand and whatever decorating materials you have at home. This could be felt tips, paints or even nail varnish.
A few spaces left for our kids online art club
Explore the weird and wonderful world of art with artist Ali Eales through drawing challenges, games and projects!
This course is aimed at 7 - 11 year olds although children of other ages may enjoy it and adults accompanying their children are welcome to participate!
Tickets are required for each device being used to access the event, although we are very happy for more than one child to participate on each device.
Session are each Wednesday / 4:30pm / Book individual sessions here
20 Jan – Capturing the Ghosts of Tudor House: Illustrating people from Southampton's past
27 Jan – Barry Flanagan: When Art Bunnies ATTACK!
3 Feb – Neo-Pop: Mundane Magnificence and the art of Michael Craig-Martin
10 Feb – Behind the Mask: Explore the significance of masks in art and make your own
Free online activity packs
Don't forget we also have some fantastic free educational activity resources to help keep kids busy at home. Find them on each of our venue websites below.
Tonight - In conversation with artist David Ward
Thursday 14 January / 7:00pm / Online talk
There is still a few hours left to join artist David Ward as he discusses his work with Stephen Foster, curator of our latest exhibition Shadows and Light. This online 'in conversation' event will last approximately an hour.
Book online
Pioneering women artist talk series
Join artist Abi Kremer in a series of talks exploring the work of pioneering artists represented in Southampton City Art Gallery's Collection: Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and Bridget Riley.
Wilhelmina Barns-Graham - Wednesday 20 January / 7:00pm / Online talk
Bridget Riley - Wednesday 27 January / 7:00pm / Online talk
Image credit: Bridget Riley, Red Movement 2005 © Bridget Riley 2020. All rights reserved.
Quarantine in Tudor Southampton
Tuesday 26 January / 7:00pm / Online talk
Join this gruesome online history talk with Dr Cheryl Butler, where the plague, pox and the sweating sickness were just some of the epidemics that swept into Tudor Southampton.
With limited knowledge on infections, the spread of disease and the cause of pandemics how did our Tudor ancestors cope?
Book online
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Lockdown ideas
Although our venues are currently closed, there are still lots of online resources, activities, talks, videos and more to keep us all going during this third national lockdown.
Check out some ideas below and follow our venue social media pages for even more fun and educational ideas, quizzes and more.
Free educational activity packs
If you’re back to home schooling and need some ideas to keep the kids busy, we have some fantastic free educational activity packs which you can find on our venue websites below:
Fascinating short videos
Check out lots of fascinating short history and art videos from our Cultural Services Learning Team on their YouTube Channel.
Join Learning Officer Bea at SeaCity Museum in the below video, as she investigates how ways of communicating have changed over the past 2,000 years.
Kids online spring art club
Explore the weird and wonderful world of art with artist Ali Eales through drawing challenges, games and projects!
This course is aimed at 7 - 11 year olds although children of other ages may enjoy it and adults accompanying their children are welcome to participate!
Tickets are required for each device being used to access the event, although we are very happy for more than one child to participate on each device.
As with all our children's activities, an adult will need to stay close at hand to participating children throughout the class.
Session are each Wednesday / 4:30pm / Book individual sessions here
13 Jan – Anthony Gormley and I
20 Jan – Capturing the Ghosts of Tudor House: Illustrating people from Southampton's past
27 Jan – Barry Flanagan: When Art Bunnies ATTACK!
3 Feb – Neo-Pop: Mundane Magnificence and the art of Michael Craig-Martin
10 Feb – Behind the Mask: Explore the significance of masks in art and make your own
In conversation with artist David Ward
Thursday 14 January / 7:00pm / Online talk
Join artist David Ward as he discusses his work with Stephen Foster, curator of our latest exhibition Shadows and Light. This online 'in conversation' event will last approximately an hour.
Book online
Pioneering women artist talk series
Join artist Abi Kremer in a series of talks exploring the work of three pioneering artists represented in Southampton City Art Gallery's Collection: Eileen Agar, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and Bridget Riley.
Get 20% off if you book all three. Or book session individually below.
Eileen Agar - Wednesday 13 January / 7:00pm / Online talk
Wilhelmina Barns-Graham - Wednesday 20 January / 7:00pm / Online talk
Bridget Riley - Wednesday 27 January / 7:00pm / Online talk
Image credit: Bridget Riley, Red Movement 2005 © Bridget Riley 2020. All rights reserved.
Quarantine in Tudor Southampton
Tuesday 26 January / 7:00pm / Online talk
Join this gruesome online history talk with Dr Cheryl Butler, where the plague, pox and the sweating sickness were just some of the epidemics that swept into Tudor Southampton.
With limited knowledge on infections, the spread of disease and the cause of pandemics how did our Tudor ancestors cope?
Book online
Impressionism and the impressionists: A whistle-stop tour
Tuesday 2nd February / 7:00pm / Online talk
Join artist and art historian Ali Eales to explore this compelling and ever popular genre.
Book online
How to avoid getting cash strapped in 2021
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How to avoid getting cash strapped in 2021
COVID-19 has affected many people’s incomes, making it increasingly difficult to manage the household budget and stay out of debt. If you’re counting up the cost of Christmas and want to start 2021 getting on top of your finances, our friendly Welfare Rights & Money Advice team are here to help.
Read on to discover their top money and budgeting tips below:
Work out a budget
Staying in control of your money means having as much information on your income and outgoings as possible. Use an online budget planner to track your spending and work out what you can afford. This will help prevent you ending up in debt or getting caught out by unexpected costs, and in a better position to save for the future.
There are also some great free budgeting apps available and your bank might have an online budgeting tool that takes information directly from your transactions. You can also download the personal budget sheet from our website.
Check your benefit entitlement
If your income has changed it is important to check that that you are claiming all the benefits you are entitled to. Check your benefit entitlement.
Tips for saving money
- Use comparison sites to check you’re getting the best deal on contracts like gas, electric, phone and insurance.
- Keep a spending diary – you might be surprised how much you spend that could be saved.
- Try to cut back on non-essential spending such as takeaways, smoking, alcohol etc. and cancel subscriptions you don’t use or need anymore.
- Save on petrol and bus fares by walking as much as you can.
Save for the unexpected
It’s a good idea to include money on your budget planner to save for unexpected expenses such as repairing or replacing a fridge, cooker, washing machine or car and things like birthdays, Christmas and other religious festivals, children’s pocket money and school trips.
By putting small amounts aside regularly you will be able to cope with these events without having to miss payments on other things, especially your rent. It’s a good idea to keep your savings in a separate account from the one you use for day-to-day income and outgoings. Check out Help to Save Account from the Money Saving Expert for more tips and advice on saving.
Get help with debt problems
Our Welfare Rights & Money Advice team can help with debt and money worries. The team offers free confidential advice to help you budget manage your debts. Get in touch or call 023 8083 2339 for a confidential chat.
Sure Start/0-19 Early Help & Prevention Facebook Page
From Monday 4th January Sure Start East, West & Central are merging to one Citywide Facebook page.
“ Sure Start Family Hub Southampton”
There will be activities for families to do at home , singing, stories, healthy cooking, ZOOM sessions, signposting to services re; health, wellbeing, training, employment plus much more
Families with children 0-19 years:
https://www.facebook.com/Surestartfamilyhubsouthampton
Festive afternoon tea at SeaCity café
Christmas Tea
Looking for a special Christmas treat? SeaCity café is laying on a festive afternoon tea each day in a COVID-19 secure environment.
Enjoy a selection of tasty seasonal sweet and savoury treats. Check availability and food options here.
A COVID secure Walk-Through Nativity @ St James’ by the park Church is taking place between Sunday 20th to Weds 23rd. The church will be open between 10am-12pm and 2-4pm for people to take a walk through our building, stopping to listen, watch, read and reflect on what's been called "The Greatest story ever told" - through the eyes of Mary and Joseph, the Innkeeper and the Shepherds. Pause to light a candle or pray if you want to. There will be a goodie bag on the way out, for young and old. We recommend that you bringing a smart-phone or tablet, and a pair of headphones if you have them, to be able to enjoy the full experience. To find out more go to https://www.stjamesbythepark.org/christmas.html
For those who are missing the carol services and singing the churches in Shirley have worked together to produce an on line carol service. The premiere will be on Sunday 20th December @ 7pm and will be available, on the website, to watch at any point over the Christmas period. God to https://www.shirleychristmas.org.uk/ for more information and to watch the service, see if you can spot any familiar faces.
Thank you for taking the time to read the email.
Have a great Christmas and stay safe.
Rich
Healthier Together is an online resource for parents with school age children. Dr Sanjay Patel has prepared a series of short videos for you on subjects like "How can I explain COVID-19 to my child or class?"
Dr Patel filmed the videos to answer some of the questions being posed to him by parents and children about schools. The videos help explain why schools have put certain processes in place; why it is so important that children, parents and teachers comply with the rules; and why children are very unlikely to get unwell from COVID.
You can watch all of Healthier Together's videos here
Christmas on a budget
Christmas is an expensive time of year and many families feel under pressure to spend more than they can afford in December.
This year, with COVID-19 adding to many people’s money worries, it is more important than ever not to overspend on festive treats.
If you are already struggling to pay your day to day bills on a tight budget the thought of Christmas expenses can be stressful, but by following our tips and planning ahead you can avoid debt this festive season.
- Set yourself a budget of what you can afford and stick to it. Make a list of your Christmas expenses like food, cards, activities and presents, then use the Budget Planner to help manage your finances and show any overspending
- Don’t forget everyday bills like rent, council tax and utilities must still be paid and the consequences can be severe if they’re not. Remember there are no longer ‘non-payment’ rent weeks at Christmas
- Make a pact with family and friends to only buy presents for the children and swap Secret Santa gifts for the adults with a limit of £5 or £10. If lockdown means you’ve got more time on your hands at home, try making or baking homemade gifts instead of buying them
- Sending free e-Christmas cards by email will save on the cost of buying and posting traditional cards and is also much more environmentally friendly
- Plan ahead and only buy food and drink you realistically need (think about how much you threw away last year!)
- Switch to supermarket own-brand products and instantly reduce your grocery bills
- If you can afford to pay for goods outright don’t be persuaded to take out credit unless it really does work out cheaper. Be wary about ‘Buy now, pay later’ offers. Are you sure you’ll have the money then?
If you’re worried about debt don’t bury your head in the sand. Talk to our Welfare Rights & Money Advice team who can help you find a way forward and avoid starting the 2021 in debt.
Important information for foreign citizens living in the UK
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Important information for foreign citizens living in the UK
If you or someone you know is from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, it’s important you know how you will be affected after Brexit and what you need to do to continue living in the UK.
Already have settled or pre-settled status?
If you already have settled or pre-settled status, you are ready for the UK leaving the EU. This means that you can continue to work, live and study in the UK beyond 30 June 2021.
What do I need to do?
If you haven’t already been granted settled or pre-settled status, you need to apply to the EU settlement scheme.
The online application process is straightforward for most people and there is currently no fee. You’ll need proof of your identity and residence when you make your application.
The deadline for those living in the UK on or before 31 December 2020 to apply is 30 June 2021.
Who needs to apply?
An application must be made for every member of the family, as children and babies will need to secure an immigration status as well as adults.
The scheme also applies to non-EU close family members currently living in the UK. It may apply to close family members living abroad too, enabling those persons to join up with their EU/EEA/Swiss family member in the UK.
Even if you have lived in the UK for many years, or have a UK permanent residence document you still need to apply to the scheme.
Need a helping hand?
For more details visit the gov.uk website and for help or support with your application contact Citizens Advice Southampton by email on euss@sotoncab.org.uk or telephone 0800 246 5339.
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Re-opening venues 2 December
We’re delighted to announce that we’ll be safely reopening SeaCity Museum and Southampton City Art Gallery on Wednesday 2 December.
To keep everyone safe in our venues and to make sure we're COVID-19 secure, we'll still have in place one-way routes, increased cleaning measures and reduced visitor numbers to maintain social distancing and public safety.
We are in Tier 2: High Alert, so please note that you can only book per household, up to six people as per Government guidelines. People must not socialise with anyone they do not live with or who is not in their support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place.
Pre-book tickets to one of our venues below:
What's on?
At SeaCity Museum, all three exhibitions will be open to visitors - Southampton’s Titanic Story, Gateway to the world and Southampton Stories.
At Southampton City Art Gallery you can enjoy - Nahem Shoa: Face of Britain and Shadows and Light which is part of Southampton’s Mayflower 400 programme. Also, we are delighted to announce that there will now be a physical version of the Calm in the Collection exhibition on display in the gallery next week.
So come and join us - we can't wait to see you again soon!
Tudor House Christmas Experience Online
Sat 12 Dec / 3pm-4pm / Family tickets £7.50
Sadly, our beloved Tudor House and Garden Museum won't be open in time for Christmas, but you can join the Tudor House elves, Kate and Andy, for an hour of festive fun live from the house online.
The hour will be full of games, stories, creative family sessions, some fun history facts and more. Experience the Tudor House Christmas magic online - Book a family ticket here.
Christmas family workshops
We also have some festive online and socially distanced family art workshops to look forward to below:
Sun 13 Dec / 4pm / Sketch with Santa! Online / £10
As meeting Santa may prove tricky this year, we have an online visit from him at the gallery instead at Sketch with Santa. Book here
Sat 5 Dec / 1pm - 2:30pm / Send the Best Christmas Cards Ever! Family Workshop / Southampton City Art Gallery / £6
Experiment with a wide range of materials to Send the Best Christmas Cards Ever Suitable for families with children aged 4 to 14. Book here
Sat 19 Dec / 1pm - 2:30pm / Wintry Wire Decorations! Family Workshop / Southampton City Art Gallery / £6
Make your very own Wintry Wire Decorations to add the finishing touch to your tree - as satisfying for grownups as for children aged 7 plus. Book here
Mon 21 Dec / 10am - 11am / Christmas Eve Santa Plates / Southampton City Art Gallery / £7
Welcome Santa with a festive snack plate designed and decorated by you! Take a decorated plate home, bake it in the oven (to set your design), and use it year after year. Don’t worry, we’ve not forgotten Rudolf, we’ll make a gift for him too! Book here
We want to make your visit is as enjoyable and safe as possible. Due to COVID-19 restrictions anyone attending a workshop will need a ticket. Each booking will be seated at the same table; if you are booking for two households please make two separate purchases. Please ensure all adults book a free accompanying adult ticket. All adults and children aged 11 and over will need to wear a face covering. If workshops need to be cancelled due to local COVID-19 restrictions a full refund will be immediately issued.
#MyGivingThanks campaign launched
Yesterday #MyGivingThanks, a new campaign to create digital memories that bring the people of Southampton together in a shared celebration of our city and our communities was launched by the Mayflower 400 team. During this difficult time, it’s more important than ever to celebrate and share the important things that make a difference to our lives every day, however small.
You can get involved by sharing what you are thankful for online. Post a photo, video, poem, story on social media and share using the hashtag #MyGivingThanks. The campaign will be running until the 14th February so there is plenty of time to get involved and share what you are thankful for.
Here's a short film to help to inspire you and get you started - Watch here.
You can find out more about #MyGivingThanks on the Mayflower400 website and their Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Cultural Services Advent
This December, Cultural Services will be running an advent on Facebook each day from 1 December until 24 December. Festive posts will appear on different Cultural Services social media pages each day. Look out for Christmassy contributions from Southampton Archives, Southampton City Art Gallery, Southampton Stories, the Local Studies and Maritime Library and Tudor House and Garden.
Visit Southampton City Libraries Facebook page on 1 December to discover the significance of the above image from Southampton Archives, and to find out where to go for day two of this joyful advent.
Online exhibition talks and tours
Online Exhibition Tour: Nahem Shoa: Face of Britain / Thurs 10 Dec / 7pm / From £4.40
Join artist and curator Nahem Shoa, for a virtual tour of the amazing Face of Britain exhibition at Southampton City Art Gallery, exploring the themes of the show and works on display. Book here
Online Curator Talk: Stephen Foster: Shadows and Light / Thurs 17 Dec / 7pm / From £4.40
Join Emeritus professor, Stephen Foster, MBE to explore the Shadows and Light exhibition which forms part of Southampton’s Mayflower 400 programme, marking the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower on its now famous journey to the New World. Book here
Sir Edward Coley Burne Jones: Finding Perseus / Tues 1 Dec / 7pm – 8.30pm / From £4.40
An exploration of the life and times of Burne-Jones and his fascination with the myth of Perseus. Book here
The End of Baroque: A Flowery Death on the Rocks of Rococo / Tues 15 Dec / 7pm – 8.30pm / From £4.40
Artist and Art historian guides us through the Rococco, often referred to as the high Baroque movement. Book here
Kids online art class
Explore the weird and wonderful world of art with artist Ali Eales! Packed with drawing challenges, games and projects, this fun and accessible online course spans Greek myths and contemporary art, with plenty in between! Sessions aimed at 7 - 11 year olds.
- Wed 2 Dec / 4.30pm / Cubism for Kids: The Fantastic Fractured World of Picasso and Braque / £7.50 - Book here
- Wed 9 Dec / 4.30pm / Christmas Cartoons and Cards / £7.50 - Book here
Have your say - UK City of Culture 2025
Bidding to become UK City of Culture 2025 is a huge opportunity for Southampton and the competition, which is run every four years, brings great cultural, artistic, social and economic benefits to the winning city. Listening to the residents of Southampton is at the heart of the bid and The UK City of Culture programme will be shaped having identified the needs of the local community. By completing a short online survey, you can express your ideas and have a say in shaping the future of our city. Have your voice heard and help Southampton win the bid.
To find out more about the bid visit www.southampton2025.co.uk or keep up to date with the latest news on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @soutampton2025
Have your say - Museum or gallery visit
We'd love to hear back about your recent visit to SeaCity Museum or Southampton City Art Gallery to help us improve our offer. Please click on one of the venues below to complete a short feedback survey about your visit.
Southampton City Art Gallery
SeaCity Museum Survey
Also if you visited Wampum: Stories from the shells of Native America exhibition at SeaCity Museum recently, please share your thoughts on this survey. It should take approximately three minutes to complete.
Thank you in advance for your time and thoughts to help us improve our service.
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Advent Trail:
City Life Church, together with other friends and neighbours in the wider Shirley area have organised an Advent Trail. Each day leading up to Christmas a new part of the Christmas story will appear in a window on the trail. By 25th Dec there will be 25 window displays ending with Jesus’s birthday! They will remain until 31 Dec for local families to enjoy. There’s a map of the complete trail (see below) and every window has a sign saying where the next window will be.
Free Coding Activity for Kids!
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