News

Twenty-six family members and carers came to the first Family and Carers Empowerment Event. Lively and informative, the event was designed by SUITE to introduce this group of people formally to the Trust in a way it has never done before. The event was very well received. One delegate told us it was “really excellent to receive this information in an informal setting”.  All credit to those staff and volunteers who found creative and interesting ways to engage with delegates on their area of expertise.

Please encourage the family members and carers you know and work with to come along to future events. We are sure they will find it interesting, helpful and enjoyable too, “lots of information, good atmosphere” was how a delegate described her experience.  The next event is on Thursday the 2nd of December, 4.30 to 7.30, at Southwark Training Centre. Subsequent events will be held in other parts of the Trust. To book carers a place call Zapharena Johnson on 0203 228 3235 or email suiteadmin@slam.nhs.uk

The focus of the event was for delegates to be able to speak to welfare benefits workers, discuss medication issues, find out about the complaints service and PALS and talk about the care pathways people might make. Having participated in a taster session many delegates signed up to a series of Peer Support Workshops that the Trust is now able to offer them. If you know a carer who would like to attend these workshops you should contact Esther Craddock on 0203 228 5320 or email esther.craddock@slam.nhs.uk

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Wednesday 17th November 3:00pm – 4:00pm

Brixton Town Hall, Brixton Hill, SW2 1RW

People with dementia and their carers tell us that one of the most important things to them is to have the opportunity to speak with someone else who really understands.

In 2009, the Alzheimer’s Society in partnership with Modernisation Initiative End of Life Care, South London and the Maudsley, London Borough of Lambeth and London Borough of Southwark began to develop a peer support network. This network links people either living with or caring for a person with dementia to others, sharing similar experiences.

The project is broken into three key areas:

Group meetings (Stockwell, Brixton, Peckham and Bermondsey)

An online forum

One to one support delivered by former carers

So far we have supported over 30 carers and people with dementia to access our services, but we know there are thousands out there that can really benefit from this network.

Find out more about our creative peer support services and how you can help the people that you work with to access these. You’ll also have the chance to put forward your thoughts on how you can help us to build this network further.

Registration from 2.30pm – Afternoon tea and cake will be available!

This event is open to all professionals working with people with dementia and carers of people with dementia living in Southwark or Lambeth.

Places are limited, so please book your space by Thursday 11th November. To book your space email tracey.wells@alzheimers.org.uk or call the Southwark office of the Alzheimer’s  Society on 020 7089 9173

Koruso!, meaning chorus in Esperanto, began in October 2008 as a Southwark Council initiative to promote community cohesion. It has since grown from a small choral group to a self-run community choir with a wide-ranging repertoire, performing music that bridges cultures and unites faith traditions.

Koruso! is honoured and delighted to have Andrea Brown as our Musical Director and Michalis Angelakis as our Principal Accompanist.

To date, Koruso! has performed at a variety of venues across its home borough and beyond, and has risen to the challenge of a live performance on BBC Radio.

The project won an ABC award in December 2009 at the Royal Society for the Arts and was cited by the judging panel as ”an excellent, innovative way of bringing people together through a shared passion for music”. The ABCs are the Awards For Bridging Cultures, administered by iCoCo (The Institute of Community Cohesion). A recent performance was at the Royal Festival Hall on London’s Southbank as part of Voicelab’s 2010 series.

Interested in joining?

New members, aged 18 and over, are always welcome.

Koruso! rehearses on Thursday evenings from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at The Learning Centre, Cator Street, Peckham, SE15 6AA. These premises are wheel-chair accessible.

Our next term commences on Thursday 9th September 2010 and runs for 12 weeks (with a break for half-term).

No audition is necessary for new members. The only requirement is a passion for singing and a commitment to the choir.

We perform on occasion by request and also at our own ticketed summer and winter concerts each year. You will need to attend at least 80% of rehearsals to take part in performances.

The first rehearsal is free. Term fees are £30 (£15 for concessions) for 12 weeks – which is tremendous value, considering that you will be taught by our world-renowned Musical Director and Accompanist.

The term fees are payable by the second week of each term. Payments can be made by cash or cheques (please make these out to “Koruso Southwark Community Choir”).

If you’re interested in singing in a fun, friendly and relaxed environment, then please come and join us!

Contact sing@koruso.org.uk or phone 07539 525 559 for further information.

To find details of the winter concert please click the picture below:

25th November
Clifford Chance, Canary Wharf, London

This event is FREE to attend.

Guest speakers :

Paul Burstow MP Minister for Care Services
Maria Miller MP Minister for Disabled People
Special guest host : John Stapleton (GMTV)

Carers UK holds an event each year to allow carers to debate the issues that matter to them. This event also incorporates our Annual General Meeting.

Last year our Question Time event saw carers question politicians on what their parties would do for carers. At that event both Maria Miller MP and Paul Burstow MP were opposition MPs for the Tories and Lib Dems. They came to the Summit and debated carers’ issues with the Government Minister.

This year the tables have turned and they are both now Government Ministers. We’re pleased to say that they have both agreed to come back. Book your place at our National Carers Summit for the opportunity to put your questions to the Ministers with responsibility for carers.

Complete the form below to book your place. Places are limited. Only carers and former carers can attend. Unfortuntely due to space limitations and the costs of hosting this event, we cannot accomodate people who work for carers’ organisations or other paid staff.

Unable to attend?

You can hear the Summit on the day live online, thanks to Carers World Radio www.carersworldradio.com Through the website you can also put your questions to journalists on the day who in turn will put them to the panel.

If you would like to register for the Carers UK National Summit 2010 please click here:

Come and celebrate world mental health day, a full programme of events including dance, information stalls and stress relief tips to help you improve your wellbeing.

Saturday 30th October 2010
Peckham Library
1pm – 4pm

For more information click here

The Giving Us A Voice project, aims to bring together Black, Asian and ethnic minority family carers and people who have learning disabilities and those who provide and commission services.

This will enable a full discussion on good social care services in times of change to take place. The project is being run jointly by ARC, Mencap and BILD. There will be 9 regional meetings which will lead to the production of a national charter for inclusion. In order to truly represent the voice of BME family carers it’s hoped that many will attend these meetings.

Places are being filled but we are keen to get more family carers to attend and give their views. Please, please could you encourage any family carers of people with learning disabilities who are from a BME community to attend the events.

Please see the attached flyer for more information or contact pam.smith@arcuk.org.uk

Giving Us A Voice Flyer

Repaying the Kindness are organising a special celebration for the carers of Southwark and Lambeth.

Halloween Party for Carers
Tuesday 26 October
4.00 -7.00pm
at Jamyang Buddhist Centre

There will be live music, yummy snacks and time to socialize with friends. Dress up warm as we will have some sparklers and small fireworks.

If you want to attend all you need to do is give us a call to let us know you are coming (or leave a message if there is no answer)
RTK office: 0207 820 9020

We all know that living with Sickle cell is not easy but there are some children and young people whose experience with Sickle Cell is worst that most, especially when they have a stroke.

Do you think that a Shooting star award would make a difference to their lives, make them smile, or feel encouraged?

Nominate that child today and you will be doing just that!

Sickle Cell & Young Stroke Survivors (SCYSS) presents our first Shooting Star Award.

The Grange City Hotel.
8 – 14 Coopers Row
Tower Hill
London
EC3N 2BD

6/11/2010 18:00 – 24:00

The award is designed to commend, acknowledge as well as encourage children and young people who have had a trying time battling with sickle cell and related illnesses in the last year.

We will appreciate it, if you could nominate children or a young person that you feel are deserving of the award or children who will benefit from this award from your surgery/ clinic.

The procedure is very simple. Simply fill out the form attached and we will contact you as soon as possible to let you know if your nominee has been successful.

Children and young people below the age of 18 (up to 25 if they have had a stroke) are eligible and the closing date for nominations is the 16th of October.

Please feel free to photocopy and circulate the form to your networks. We look forward to your prompt reply.

Don’t forget to get your tickets today.

Carol Nwosu

Carol Okoroafor-Nwosu
Founder/Chief Executive Officer
Sickle Cell & Young Stroke Survivors
8th Floor, Hannibal House
Elephant and Castle
London
SE1 6TE

Tel: 020 7358 4828 Mobile: 07903 654 608

Website: www.scyss.org
General e-mail: Info@scyss.org

SCYSS for children, young people and their families affected by Sickle Cell and Stroke in Young children.

SCYSS Nomination form 2010

Picturehouse cinemas are working in partnership with The National Autistic Society to hold special film screenings for people on the autism spectrum and their families, friends and carers.

During the film low lights are left on inside the auditorium and the volume of the soundtrack is reduced. It is fine for customers to move around, make a noise or take a break during the film if they need to.

The National Autistic Society is the UK’s leading charity for people affected by autism. If you need information, advice and support, call The National Autistic Society’s Autism Helpline on 0845 070 4004 (Mon-Fri, 10-4).

Autism Friendly Kids’ Club
at Stratford Picturehouse

Regular Autism friendly screenings take place at Stratford Picturehouse on the first Saturday of each month as part of their Saturday Kids’ Club screenings.
TOY STORY 3 (2D)
(U, 2010, 108min)

11am, Saturday 2 October

Join up to the Stratford Picturehouse Kids’ Club and get your first screening free!*

Membership is £4 and you can join up on the day.

Non-members prices: £3 children / £6 adults
Members prices: £2 Children / Adults FREE

________________________________________

AUTUMN 2010
HALF-TERM SCREENINGS

CATS AND DOGS 2 (2D)
(U, 2010, 85min)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1287468/

11am, Monday 25 October
The Ritzy, Brixton
Booking line: 0871 902 5739

11am, Thursday 28 October
Greenwich Picturehouse
Booking line: 0871 902 5732
________________________________________

STRATFORD CINEMA CLUB
in association with
Newham People First

Stratford Picturehouse has joined forces with People First Newham – a support group run by and for learning disabled adults – to make cinema going more enjoyable for adults with learning disabilities and other special needs.

On the first Tuesday of every month Stratford Picturehouse will screen 2 films from the main programme with an interval half-way through for those of you that find sitting down for a full 2 hours a struggle.

The cinema doors open at 12.30pm and the films start at 1pm. Tea/coffee and biscuits are available from the upstairs bar area, before, during and after the screenings so you can chat about the movie with other cinema club members.

MADE IN DAGENHAM (15, 2010, 113min)
http://www.paramountpicturesintl.com/intl/uk/madeindagenham/

Doors open 12pm, Tuesday 5 October
Tickets costs £3.50, carers go FREE
To book tickets call: 08707 55 00 61
________________________________________

Please contact Elinor Walpole for further information on any of the above screenings.

t: 020 7326 2611
e: elinor.w@picturehouses.co.uk

BBC Radio4 Any Questions Friday is being recorded at City of London Academy on Friday 8th October.

Jonathan Dimbleby chairs the topical discussion from City Academy, in Southwark, London with questions for the panel including:

• Iain Duncan-Smith, Secretary of State for Work & Pensions
• David Starkey, historian
• Claire Fox, director of the Institute of Ideas.

Tickets available from the Academy Martin Edwards
medwardes@cityacademy.co.uk
Doors open 6.45 to 7.15pm and recording from 7.30pm and finishing by 9pm.