April 2020 Newsletter

 

Condolences

We are sad to announce the passing of two of our members. Ivor Kennedy will be sadly missed by his son Gavin and Gavin’s mother Susan.

Rose Langley will be deeply missed by her husband, Michael and son Aaron.

 

Easy Read video on Coronavirus

The Purple All Stars have created a short video answering some questions about coronavirus which you can watch here

 

Launch of ‘Friendship phonecall scheme’

We have launched a ‘friendship phonecall’ scheme to help steer our members away from loneliness and isolation during this difficult time where everyone is missing their daily social interactions. The scheme involves a volunteer contacting one of our members on a weekly basis for a friendly chat and also to make sure they are ok and have everything they need, for example shopping and medicine. If you know anyone with a disability or a family/person supporting someone with a learning disability, who could benefit from this programme, please get in touch. We are very grateful to all our volunteers old and new, for their invaluable help with this new initiative.

 

‘Healthier You’ workshop

Our ‘Healthier You’ 6-week workshop, organised by HCPA, has been postponed, but they are publishing helpful information every week on how to stay healthy during the lockdown and beyond.

 

Topics so far:

Healthy Eating https://www.hcpa.info/wp-content/uploads/Healthier-you-Eat-Well.pdf

 

Exercise https://www.hcpa.info/wp-content/uploads/Healthier-You-Exercise-and-stay-healthy.pdf

 

Mental Health https://www.hcpa.info/wp-content/uploads/Healthier-You-Looking-after-your-mental-health.pdf

 

Support for frontline NHS workers

While we were disappointed to have to postpone our ‘sell out’ charity cinema night due to coronavirus, we have donated all the refreshments we had purchased, to frontline NHS workers as a token gesture to show our gratitude for their dedicated work, saving lives.

 

Hospital Passport

The hospital passport is designed to give hospital staff helpful information about a person with a learning disability. A passport can include lists of what you like or dislike. This might be about the amount of physical contact you’re ok with, to your favourite type of drink, as well as your interests.

The passport helps all the hospital staff know how to make you feel comfortable.

If you go into hospital, your hospital passport should go with you. The passport tells the doctors and nurses that they should make a copy and put the copy in your hospital notes.

If you are going to be an in-patient, and stay in the hospital overnight, your hospital passport should hang on the end of your bed so that anyone treating you can take a look at it.

Download your hospital passport.

You can include addition information by clicking on the link below for the addendum

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D_v-w519rDxSa8IRA_PQwDqw4uCpVVa1/view?dm_i=4P14,TFPB,3S841R,3K0WS,1

 

 

Noah’s Ark

Children who missed out on the Noah’s Ark play scheme, received gift packs to enable them to enjoy fun activities during lockdown. Please let us know if you have not received a pack for your child and we will deliver it to your home.

 

 

Learning Disability Week 2020

Royal Mencap have taken the decision to postpone this year’s learning disability week, with the theme of sex and relationships. However, they will be distributing information on friendships and how to maintain them during lockdown/isolation. Please let us know if you would like us to share this information with you.

 

 

Adult Activities

Join us for a range of weekly activities, such as arts and crafts, dance aerobics, drama and social clubs or just a coffee and chat.

Holiday Club

The Holiday Club runs for one week at Easter and four weeks during the Summer holidays, Monday – Friday 10.00am – 3.00pm. We also hold activity days during the Christmas holidays.