17 Nov

#iwill Unfold

#iwill Unfold is a mental health campaign that uses online and offline media to engage individuals and groups into a conversation about positive mental health, based on the concept of unfolding feelings and thoughts.

The steering group decided to create a website and social media channels as a means of sharing people’s mental health experiences, plus information about local support groups and relevant articles. They also decided to use the art of origami and the physical act of folding and unfolding as a symbol of the #iwill Unfold campaign and its messages.

To date, the group have folded over 100 pieces of origami, which have all been branded with their nature-inspired logo design and social media tags. When unfolded, each piece of origami has a hand-written positive message which aims to help people ‘unfold’ their own mental health. These pieces of origami will be delivered to organisations, groups, public spaces and services all over North Tyneside, encouraging local people to access the #iwill Unfold website and social media channels and to share how they ‘unfold’ with others.

Visit www.iwillunfold.com or Facebook for more information about the campaign.

Read about VODA’s #iwill Week Case Study: Hannah Gray here.

08 Nov

Weekend Friends

Weekend Friends is our peer support group that meets on the 1st and 3rd Saturday each month for people who find weekends difficult.  It’s a friendly group, please do drop by for a cuppa and a chat!  They now meet from 11am to 1pm at Costa Coffee, Wallsend High Street, NE28 8JA.

Download flyer here.

Contact Keith Connelly Tel. 07803102322 Email. Weekendfriends1@outlook.com

Many thanks,

Beth
  
Beth Williams
User Development Worker
Launchpad, North Tyneside
c/o Launchpad
Anderson House
Market Street
Newcastle
NE1 6XA
I usually work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
28 Oct

What are Mental Health Problems Animation

You might already know a lot about this. But we know that many people don’t, even though they might be affected by mental health problems themselves. It’s so important that people understand what they’re going through, and that it’s ok to ask for help when things don’t feel right.

So this World Mental Health Day we’re asking you to watch the video and to share it, so that nobody faces a mental health problem alone. You can forward this email, or you can share our Facebook post or our Twitter post.

If you’re struggling with your own mental health, we’re here for you. Find out more about our information and support.

We won’t give up until everyone with a mental health problem gets both support and respect.

Thank you and take care,

Candy at Mind

P.S. We worked with several people with experience of mental health problems to develop the animation who had some quite different views and experiences. It’s a complex topic for a two-minute animation but we hope it’s a helpful introduction.

24 Sep

Volunteering opportunities with Wag & Company



Wag & Company is a registered charity enabling volunteers with their own dog to build meaningful new friendships with older dog lovers across the North East of England.

To apply for this opportunity, you will need to complete an online application form, provide references, attend an induction programme and complete a DBS check and dog assessment.

Applications are online only, via the Wag & Company website

Download poster here

08 Aug

Out Now! Golden Guide Newcastle and North Tyneside

 

The Golden Guide Newcastle & North Tyneside

Sparkling new edition going out now!

Cheerful, bright and practical – the 2018 Golden Guide is here! Refreshed with more contacts than ever, it will help you enjoy life in Newcastle and North Tyneside.

Find social groups, activities and clubs to keep you fit and in touch.
Find support when you’re not so fit and need health or care advice.
Get help with concerns including home security, consumer issues, pensions, money and legal matters.
What’s new?
More on …
  • Socialising – LGBT groups, Cuppa Club and Contact the Elderly are busy with new groups.
  • Sport and activities – new walks and strolls, wonderful wildlife activities, getting started with a surfboard, cycle or kayak. Indoors you’ll find tennis for the visually impaired, and for music lovers – the fabulous Store Strummers ukulele group!
  • Start a business – now very popular with over 50s – find local advice.
  • Befriending help – Independent Age, Chain Reaction and Learning Difficulties North East have caring and thoughtful schemes.
  • Care support – Kinship carers, SIGN network advice and help, support for service personnel and a fully funded retreat for carers.
  • Money issues – help tracing lost money, and with pensions and claiming entitlements.

Extra health information
Discover…

Local support groups and national helplines for a range of health conditions.

Golden Guide online

Visit the Golden Guide website for more information, updates and features. The latest guide appears in full. It’s searchable with web and email links and a new Read Aloud function.

We regularly post updates and longer features, so if you have a message to get out there – let us know – we might be able to promote it online.

Sponsors’ ad pages

Our ad pages are pretty special too! They offer a wealth of extra information – always helpful, always relevant and adding their own personal style.Not only that – they are key to ensuring the Golden Guide stays free of charge. Please mention the guide when you contact them.

If you have a service for over 50s you would like to showcase – the Golden Guide could offer the perfect opportunity – please get in touch to find out more.

Collect a copy
10,000 copies are now going out across Newcastle & North Tyneside.
Largest stocks

Adult Social Care teams, public library branches and North Tyneside’s Care and Connect service have the largest supplies.

In the community
Copies are with Age UK North Tyneside and Age UK Gateshead, Alzheimer’s Society, Caring Hands Charity, Dementia Care, Elders Council, Healthwatch, Information Now, Newcastle Carers and North Tyneside Carers, Macmillan Support, PALS, Royal Voluntary Service, St. Oswald’s Hospice, WI branches and other outlets.

GPs, hospitals and pharmacies
Copies are going out to Care Navigators in GP surgeries. In hospitals they are with occupational therapists, the Short Term Support Service and the Mental Health for Older People service. The Northern Centre for Cancer Care has some too. Selected branches of Boots pharmacies and Healthy Living pharmacies will have copies in due course.
Postal service
If you, or someone you know, can’t get out to collect a copy you can request one sent out by post.
North Tyneside residents
ring Care & Connect on 0191 643 7474
Newcastle residents
ring The Golden Guide on 0191 386 5918


There is a guide for Northumberland too. Find the latest edition online at www.goldenguide.org.uk
If you are a Northumberland resident request a copy by post from:
Age UK Northumberland .
Ring for a copy on 01670 784821 or 01670 784800.

Anything to add?

I hope you like the latest guide – we’d love to hear what you think of it. Please get in touch with any comments, questions or ideas for inclusion. Happy reading!

Heather Alabaster
Editor
Tel: 0191 386 5918
Email: heather@goldenguide.org.uk

16 Jun

Heads & Tales Mental Health Heritage Project Newsletter & Upcoming Events

The Heads and Tales Newsletter is here!

Welcome to our newsletter for our Mental Health Heritage project HEADS & TALES, supported and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and through the great contribution of National lottery players.

Heads & Tales is a two-year project led and shaped by participants to explore, rebalance, and celebrate the voice of people experiencing mental health conditions. We’re aiming to develop a new archive with diverse perspectives of mental health featuring creative and new material, narratives and stories alongside reflections of contemporary and historic items from local museums and archives.

We have designed a programme that is based on equality, support and cohesion. Please see our full list of events and activity http://www.headntales.uk/programme . To deliver such an extensive programme, aims and outcomes we have also appointed a Steering group to make sure that the voice of those experiencing Mental Health conditions is active and prominent in the project.
“We value Heritage as a positive force for personal development, education and positive social impact” Joanne Burke, Heads & Tales project manager.

Contents below:

  • Our research visit to the Wakefield Mental Health Museum
  • SPEAK OUT training Jan & May and opportunity to take part June 20th
  • Research and creative archive sessions with lead Artist Nelly Stravropoulou
  • ART & LIBERATION Exhibition @ The Holy Biscuit & artist call out

 

Research visit to the Wakefield Mental Health Museum

As part of our project we visited the Wakefield Mental Health Museum, a unique museum at the heart of the Fieldhead Hospital site, to inspire our participants in how mental health archives can be curated as well as sparkle conversations around mental health. The experience was “thought-provoking because the exhibition covered the good, the bad but also the habit of those using the hospital service” as commented by our participants.

What stood out from this intriguing visit was that the voices of users were well represented, especially those experiencing medical treatments which gave us the understanding of how mental health was conceived back through time.

One item impressed our visit particularly: “the boots made me feel sorry, and it must have been horrible wearing them because they had a lock on”. It made us think about different methods of treatment and control through history and although these boots feel barbaric today back in the late 1800s these boots allowed patients to access the outdoors & gardens and at least a step away from confinement.

Another unique item in the Museum was the padded cell that was once used in the Wakefield Hospital. A few of our members had direct experience of similar padded rooms and the chance to enter this space once more felt quite empowering.

“They have got a modern-day version which is called an ankle tag!”  Participant of the trip

SPEAK OUT! training with Time to Change

Thanks to our friends from Time to Change, a series of workshops provided the opportunity to empower our participants and to challenge stigma around experiencing mental health issues. We have delivered a set of exciting opportunities to learn skills, but also to build confidence to speak out about personal experiences of mental health problems in front of groups or audiences. A number of these unique and powerful stories will also be added to our archive and join the many voices featured sharing experience and challenging stigma.

“Speaking out has changed my life” 

“I felt less on my own in terms of mental health stress and history and I felt I was part of a much bigger picture”

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! We have programmed an extra FREE session on
Wed June 20th 11am-3pm @ North Tyneside Arts Studio
Booking essential please sign up through this link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/speak-out-training-tickets-44366602703 or call Jo on 0191 209 4058

 

Research & Creative Archive workshops

The Heads & Tales project is holding Research & Creative Archive workshops as part of the Artist in Residency programme, led by Nelly Stravropoulou. We are enabling participants by artistic means to capture contemporary and original perspectives on archival materials from the Tyne and Wear Archives at The Discovery Museum. Currently we are looking into our first two key themes of the importance of language and media, and treatments and medication in Mental Health. Looking back through time from the late 1800s on, we have been looking together at a range of items (newspaper cuttings, hospital records, hospital magazines, newsletters, building maps) which have enlightened us but also drawn attention to the importance of context of the time period. We have then had the opportunity to creatively responded to these archive items with the support of activities such as original photography, cut and paste, poster design, drawing and writing exercises.

We hold the Creative Archive Sessions every Monday until mid July then starting again from October 2018 at Chilli Studios and Discovery Museum. Everyone is welcomed!
For MORE INFORMATION  please see our webpage: http://www.headntales.uk/programme

 

Our creativity does not want to stop!

We are delivering an exhibition in September called “ART & LIBERATION!” which will take place at The Holy Biscuit 4th – 19th Sept, with a preview night on Monday 3rd Sept 6-8pm.

This exhibition will showcase ephemeral works focusing on the diverse and individual experiences of mental health conditions and artistic expression. We will showcase sketch books, notes, diaries and art showing the importance of creativity to the mind, focusing on the diverse and individual experiences of mental health conditions and artistic expression. Art as liberation!

ARTIST OPPORTUNITY! 

Open call out for submissions from artists at all levels please contact jo@chillistudios.co.uk for further details. You will be asked to fill in a submission form which you can find here https://goo.gl/forms/CnZRnJBxaDJeMfB33 and send in 1-3 images of your proposed work to exhibit to the email above.

Deadline for all applications July 23rd 6pm. If successful all artwork must be received before 6th August to prepare for exhibition.


We would like to thank the broad participation and collaboration of our partners and we are grateful for the constant support received by our volunteers. To support our project, you can visit our website at http://www.headntales.uk 

Click here to download the FULL PROGRAMME!

or ask for a paper copy at Chilli Studios jo@chillistudios.co.uk 0191 209 4058

01 Jun

SAINT’s allotment looking for volunteers

VODA’s SAINT (Social Action in North Tyneside) project supports people who face barriers to get involved in volunteering. As part of the project, we have taken on a small plot at Whitley Bay Community Allotment.

This volunteering opportunity is perfect for individuals who might not have enough time for their own allotment, know little about gardening or are looking to meet some new friendly faces. Current SAINT volunteers are growing fruit and vegetables which will be donated to local causes, creating DIY projects, pieces of artwork and helping out with the site renovation project.

If you know of someone who might benefit from a couple of hours a week in the great outdoors with a small group of amateur gardeners, then get in touch with me, Josie, and I can arrange a visit to tell you more about it.

See the poster for details of when and where we meet.

01 Jun

Word and Verse

Please find details for an engAGE group at the Linskill Centre that we are trying to get up and running.  The group is called Word and Verse and after the success of the Scribblers group who meet to get their words onto paper this group is all about listening and enjoying the spoken word – come and join us with your favourite poem to share or maybe you have your own creations to read out?  The group meets every 2 weeks on a Thursday morning at 10.30am and the next meeting is Thursday 31st May.  If you would like to come along or find out more information please get in touch.

Download a poster here.

Thanks for your time,

Charlotte Mulvaney
engAGE Coordinator

Linskill Centre
Linskill Terrace
North Shields
NE30 2AY

0191 2578000

Charlotte@linskill.org

Working days: Monday to Thursday 10-3pm.

16 May

Mental Health Support Leaflet

Dear all

People have told us that they find it difficult to know where to go for support with their mental health needs. To help people easily access the support they need, we have published a short guide of support groups and services in North Tyneside that support people’s mental health.

This guide was developed through asking the CHCF Patient Forum and Launchpad Service User and Survivor Forum what support they currently found useful. The support listed can be accessed independently and the majority are free to use. We hope this provides a useful starting point for people to find and access services easily to support their mental health needs.

Download a PDF of this leaflet here. Please feel free to circulate this widely across your networks.

If you would like a printed leaflet please email info@healthwatchnorthtyneside.co.uk or call Healthwatch on 0191 263 5321.

Kind Regards

Jo

Joanne Brown

Research and Engagement Officer

Working Days: Mon, Tues, Thurs

We love to hear feedback about HWNT. Please complete our quick survey about your experience of us: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HWNT2017

Share your experience and rate your local services on our new online feedback centre

Phone  0191 263 5321

www.healthwatchnorthtyneside.co.uk

The Parks Sports Centre
Howdon Road
North Shields
NE29 6TL

Registered Charity Number 1160753