Adfam have published a briefing paper ‘Alcohol and domestic abuse in the context of Covid-19 restrictions’, available here
The Government has updated information on how to apply for a domestic violence injunction as an unrepresented applicant during the coronavirus outbreak, available here
I hope this email finds everyone well and keeping busy in our new temporary world?
I thought I would hop on and say hi and pass on some info that fellow engAGE people have been sending me…
***Thanks Linda for sharing that you’ve signed up to some FREE courses on the Open University Site. I had a quick look and here is a link to follow. You just need to create a FREE account using your email address and away you go!
***Is anyone a BORROWBOX user? I wish I had set up my library PIN before the lockdown but if you know yours then like Linda you could be checking out the online catalogue to both read and listen to books. This doesn’t work on Laptops or Desktop computers as it uses an APP that you download from either the APP store (Apple devices) or Googleplay – so it will work on Chromebooks, phones and tablets.
***For anyone struggling with shopping – as well as asking for support from VODA please check out the following link. This will take you to a list of North Tyneside Businesses who are delivering groceries and take aways – I had a quick look and spotted that the coffee shop at Earsdon Plant centre are delivering home made goodies! YUM!
***Our lockdown time is perfect for getting in the garden ( I must do this myself!) and our Encompass project is still delivering it’s ‘Small Space Gardening’ workshops via the wonderful world of ZOOM! It’s super easy to sign in and join in …. if you fancy but need some help please get in touch. Just click this link https://zoom.us/j/921818706 at 2pm on Wednesday 29th April and follow the instructions. Helen will be at the meeting to help with any ‘I can’t hear anything’ queries! It’s good fun I promise. As always there will be plenty of opportunities for your questions, as well as a guide to jobs for May and live demonstrations from Howard’s Greenhouse. You can use your phone.
If you’re finding that lots of support is online and you’re coming across a hiccup or two and would like some tech advice please let me know as I can ask our digital champions to help out.
At FACT we are working extremely hard to provide Kindness Kits of food, toiletries and household products to people and families affected by cancer who are struggling financially or who are having to isolate because of their cancer.
We are also providing emotional support over the telephone – a general helpline to check in with people and also crisis support provided by counsellors for those with greater needs.
We are doing all of this, with no income. Please support us in any way possible………we are needed now more than ever, and our vital services will be needed long after this pandemic is over to support the 1 in 2 people who are diagnosed with cancer in the UK.
WE URGENTLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE FACT SURVIVES COVID-19
😢Our charity fundraising income has stopped, their events cancelled and their charity shops are closed.
☹️We have not yet received any government or statutory funding.
❤️FACT needs to be here today, tomorrow and for years to come, but they face potential closure if they don’t get the help they need now.
🙏Please consider making a one off donation, or setting up a monthly gift, using this Just Giving link below, by visiting their website www.fact-cancersupport.co.uk or by using the QR code on the flyer
“Having the Support of FACT for me and my family has made the world of difference in helping me cope with my diagnosis of breast cancer, and the treatment that I am having. Without the friends I have made at FACT I would feel lost and very alone. FACT should be available ‘on prescription’ to everyone diagnosed with cancer – they are real medicine.”…….Feedback from a FACT service user J
If you are going through cancer, the help and support of those around you makes all the difference. Fighting All Cancers Together are looking to reward the most deserving cancer carers in the region at our 2019 North East Cancer Care Awards. If you know someone who does an amazing job of supporting others suffering from cancer, please complete the short nomination form and explain why your chosen person(s) deserves an award: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/N3BJ9KR
Why not become a volunteer ! Contact us for more information.
During this uncertain time, looking out for our own and others’ mental health is more important than ever.
Below, we share three simple tips to help you be there for someone, as well as advice from the NHS on looking after your own mental wellbeing at this time.
We’re also continuing our campaign to end the misconceptions around less common mental health conditions. Read Billie’s story about living with Borderline Personality Disorder and the stigma she has faced because of her diagnosis.
Supporting someone during Covid-19
You don’t need to be an expert on mental health to be there for someone. Read our three top tips for checking in with your friends, family and colleagues during this difficult time.
You might not be able to get out and change people’s attitudes face-to-face, but you can still challenge stigma from home. Here are three things you can do.
Taking care of your mind as well as your body is really important while staying at home because of coronavirus (Covid-19). The NHS have published some useful tips on looking after your mental wellbeing during this time.
Last week we asked you to share your photographs of what you are doing at the moment, and the response was amazing. Thank you to everyone who sent in your beautiful photographs. We will keep sharing all the creative ways you are dealing with the current situation – your walks, crafts, singing, baking and artwork. It’s important to remember that while we might be physically isolated at the moment, there is a strong community of Rethink Mental Illness supporters.
Patrick in Bristol took this stunning photograph on his daily walk. A reminder of the beauty that is all around us.
A student guide to coping
A new online magazine has been produced by students for students focusing on coping with coronavirus.
It’s part of the Step Up: University project which aims to improve student mental health across the city of London. As the project is currently unable to meet face to face, they have moved to producing online content which anyone can read.
“I find knitting very therapeutic when I am feeling anxious or restless. And I am currently knitting for charity, which is very satisfying. Knit for Peace has suggestions and patterns for small projects that aren’t too demanding. You can buy yarn on line”
– Georgie
“My son is unable to see his little girl as her mummy is immune compromised. I’ve suggested that he finds lots of photos of her from each year of her life. Hopefully this will help him feel more connected and give him happy memories to look to in the future. I hope this might help someone. They don’t have to be a parent. Pets count too!”
“Please do not underestimate – like I did, the need to communicate. Communicate with the people whom you like, if you don’t have friends or family, there are lot of groups on Facebook, there is support from Mutual Aid Groups, and local councils are connecting people with charities.”
– Mark
Please donate and support our work
The Rethink Advice and Information service is often described as ‘life-saving’ by people we support. And our work to support people living with severe mental illness and their carers is needed now more than ever.
Right now, a great way you can help is by making a donation to our appeal so that we can continue to support people in these unprecedented times.
We are grateful for any donation you can give us at this time, big or small.
In these odd and surreal times, it’s important to stay connected. We know the value of creativity to our mental health and we will endeavour to do our best to replicate something as creative, fun, engaging and community-driven as our usual programme.
“We can get through this together with kindness, cleanliness and creativity”
In this email: 1. Join Chilli Studios live online 2. Care packages update & Forest Folk Partnership 3. Online Resources
1. Join Chilli Studios Live Online 🙂
We’ve had an amazing first trial week of live-streamed workshops and launching our forum. So, this week we are trying to extend our offer and iron out a few creases.
There is a number of public workshops – do keep your eye on our facebook page.
However, the Forum and a number of workshops are currently membership only based. Focusing on the Creative and mental health community – for Chilli Studios & partnered studios like North Tyneside Art Studio’s and RTprojects (Sunderland) members, volunteers and staff past & present.
Please message jo@chillistudios.co.uk if you are interested in joining and not connected to the studios above or if you need guidance in tech issues or signing in.
See our current weeks programme above 🙂 ___________
So together there’s plenty to be inspired and delve into with positive activity for our wellbeing
2. Care packages update & Forest Folk Partnership
Due to further restrictions in travel and staff capacity, we are unable to deliver the remaining care packages. However, we have teamed with the wonderful FOREST FOLK who have created “Garden kits” a wellbeing, art and nature pack that will be delivered to our current members.
Massive thanks to the Bryonys!
They are also holding Online coffee mornings: Thursday 10.30am on Zoom, and then weekly after that. Here is the link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/560010238
This article from money and mental health gives a good breakdown of financial issues around the current situation and what support is available covering topics such as rent and mortgage payments, utilities and benefits. https://www.moneyandmentalhealth.org/covid-19-mental-financial-wellbeing/
Foodcycle are trialling delivering food parcels in Newcastle you can register here and someone will be in touch to let you know if they can help https://volunteer.foodcycle.org.uk/referral
A diverse collective of artists based at Chilli Studios
Also, you could explore our MENTAL HEALTH HERITAGE archive! Oral Histories, Personal Stories & Lived Experience
Heads & Tales is a people’s archive for the North East that explores, rebalances and celebrates the voice of people experiencing mental health conditions.
Explore a growing collection of 500 + archive items. This archive serves as a snapshot of mental health in the current day (2016-2020) but you’ll find information and interesting items from the ancient, victorian to the contemporary in numerous and creative forms.
A people’s archive should rightfully be a living and growing archive, so do remember to check back for more items to be uploaded soon
Last week, we emailed you and asked you to share how you are looking after your mental health during these extraordinary times. We were blown away by the response – so many of you shared creative and compassionate ideas for getting through the pandemic. We’ve included a selection of your tips at the bottom of this email, and we will keep sharing them each week as we move through these times, together.
Today, we want to ask for your help again. We need photographs to use on our social media to show how we’re all responding to this crisis. Perhaps you could share a photo of you talking on the phone, or a creative project you’re working on. If you’re happy for us to use it on Twitter and Facebook please email it to us.
Thank you to Georgie Lopez who sent in this photo of her walking her dog. She recommends taking a walk somewhere quiet and serene to help manage your mental health during this period.
Finding support
All the latest information about coronavirus and how it affects you and your mental health can be found on the Covid-19 hub on our website.
“Busy yourself with something creative if you can. Perhaps write lovely letters to family and friends, which we just don’t do these days – I’m on my tenth one!”
– Giles
“The Rock Choir, for everyone – not just members – daily at 3pm live (accessible later) teaches Feel-Good Songs on their main Facebook page.”
– Mark
“CovidMutualAid.org is a source of local mutual support groups, e.g. shopping for vulnerable people.”
– Chris
“I’m enjoying the chance to prepare great food at home. Yes I still have to go to the shops to collect ingredients (alternatively you can get them delivered of course), but once I’ve got them I’m enjoying the chance to cook great homemade food. I find it a creative and mindful process, I enjoy the sense of achievement, and love the results! You don’t need to be a chef, just follow a recipe you like the look of. If you don’t have many cookery books, there are loads of great recipes online.”
– Dominic
“When you wake up and get out of bed the very first thing you should do is make your bed. It may sound daft but making your bed sets the tone for the day and by starting the day being productive and positive will help how you feel more positive. No matter what you do for the rest of the day, you’ve done one productive thing. You could have a really bad day but when you look at your bed you know you did that, you made it. Yes it does sound silly but small steps are the most important when you’re low.”
– Maria
Please donate and support our work
Now more than ever our work supporting people and their carers experiencing severe mental illness is needed.
Please donate today and help us continue our important, life-saving work.
We are grateful for any donation you can give us at this time, big or small
As you will already know NTAS has had to close it’s studio doors, along with lots of other organisations, due to the current coronavirus measures. We are keeping a eye on guidance and will re-open as soon as we are able.
In the meantime, we’ve been looking at what we can do to continue supporting people and encouraging creativity to support good mental health, and are now very pleased to announce a new online programme of creative sessions!
These sessions are available on our public Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NorthTynesideArtStudio), so please feel free to share and encourage anyone to join in.
Studio Members – we now also have a private members group on Facebook – over 40 members have joined already and it’s a great place to chat, share pictures of artwork that you’re doing at home, and receive inspiration and support from your fellow members! Visit our Facebook page for the link to join. (Note: this group is only available to current NTAS studio members, volunteers and freelance artists.)
Referrers – as you’ll understand we’ve had to postpone all new referrals until we’re able to reopen, but please feel free to share this What’s On-line guide with your clients – there’s some really nice beginners sessions that they might like to join in with!
Take care of yourselves!
Rachael
Rachael Jones
Operations Manager
My working days are Tuesday to Saturday
North Tyneside Art Studio, Linskill Centre, Linskill Terrace, North Shields, NE30 2AY.
This newsletter contains details of some of the changes we have had to make during this Covid 19 Crisis. It also includes some useful links to information, advice and guidance designed to support our customers, employers and partners.
Riverside Community Health Project has made 15 online courses free to access for people with a Newcastle postcode