Annual Report 2013-2014
The Old Post Office 5 Pink Lane Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5DW
Tel: 0191 221 0233 Email: [email protected]
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Chair’s Introduction In 2013-14 the voluntary and community sector has continued to face significant change and challenges. It has been no different for NIWE, but with valuable support from funders and other supporters, we have worked hard to address these challenges and have achieved important successes.
The research funded by a Northern Rock Learning and Support grant was finalised and published. Durham University is working with us to collate and provide further analysis of the focus group discussions. It involved online surveys of service users and professionals, as well as focus groups with people who have used our service and individual interviews with commissioners. The report ‘Evidence, Effectiveness, Quality, Impact and Value’ was widely circulated and is available via our website www.niwe.org.uk.
We were delighted with the fact that the service is so valued by clients and professionals alike and found that some important issues were highlighted for us to address, in particular our client waiting list and how it is managed, the need to increase the service provision, and sustainability of the service.
The research has been instrumental in helping our service to consider necessary changes for the benefit of users and to make new proposals for funding e.g. to the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund. From November 2013 we had to temporarily restrict our area of benefit to Newcastle and North Tyneside, but did manage to raise extra funds to provide therapy groups for women from Gateshead and Northumberland.
A great deal of work went into the first stage of our bid to the Big Lottery Fund during the year of this report. At the time of publishing this report we know we have been successful following the tremendous effort required for the second stage of the bid. I would like to register our thanks to all our funders and everyone who has helped NIWE to survive and thrive.
We will be able to restore services and offer new choices to those in need and we are really looking forward to the challenges and rewards ahead.
Sincerely
Lyn Boyle Chair of Trustees
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Service Statistics The table below reflects the restriction of our area of benefit part way through the year, hence the slight decrease in the figures for visits, professionals and supporters/carers. However, the continued rise in the numbers of contacts from individuals compared to 2012-13 demonstrates the increasing need for NIWE’s services year on year.
The chart below shows the geographical split of contacts by area during the period covered by this report.
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Although the area of benefit was reduced in November 2013, NIWE still received more enquiries from Northumberland, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Durham and Cleveland than in the financial year 2012-13.
NIWE Group Therapy Service We ran 5 NIWE therapeutic groups during 2013-14, one of which started in March 2014, facilitated by the following counsellors:
Nazia Ahmed Lorna McCarthy Helen Allott Maureen McGrath Viv Armstrong
Ages of participants ranged from 18–65 years. Issues discussed included:
Bullying Sexual abuse Relationships Domestic violence Issues with Low self- Wanting to be Fear of giving up children esteem invisible eating disorder Body image Eating Loneliness Isolation difficulties Depression Loss Rape Neglect
Service User views “I felt that I was not alone with my problems and it was a relief to share information and experiences with “I feel like this group has others who had similar issues, in a safe environment.” helped me to accept having an eating disorder and has “I have always found talking provided me with positive about my issues difficult, but NIWE thoughts. It has been difficult after speaking here, I left at times but I feel a lot better feeling better and relieved.” for having participated. I really have learned to look at things in a different way and “I have made more progress in the last 5-6 sessions to understand what is (within this group) than I have in about 5-6 years of having an eating disorder. And I have learnt more happening to me.” about the deep reasons why.”
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NIWE 25 years on
We held our AGM and 25th anniversary celebrations in February 2014 during Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Our keynote speaker was Mary Glindon, MP for North Tyneside, who is such a great supporter of work to help people with eating distress.
As part of the event we also ran creative writing and singing workshops which were very successful.
Evaluation – how well are we doing? NIWE introduced the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale (WEMWBS) for monitoring the outcomes for women attending our therapeutic groups, in addition to using our own ‘before’ and ‘after’ evaluation forms.
Differences perceived by clients before and after use of NIWE, taken from the report ‘NIWE: evidence of effectiveness, quality, impact and value’, May 2014.
Recovery NIWE believes that recovery is possible – to be able to regain a life that is no longer dominated by fear of food. Recovery means different things to different people. There are many ways in which people can be helped through the recovery process and in the work of the Staywell group, NIWE aims to offer some of these ways.
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The Staywell group was successful in its bid to the northern pilot of The Funding Network co-ordinated by the Community Foundation. We are grateful for the philanthropy of members which has made possible the varied programme, including mindfulness, exercise, complementary therapies and self-esteem.
A longer-term project is the ongoing work with Ali Rhind, a well renowned local artist, to produce a recovery-themed proggy-mat wall-hanging.
Some members of the group have left to re-take up their studies, to become volunteers helping others in mental health distress, and to return to work.
Counselling pilot Viv Armstrong, our volunteer counsellor, continues at NIWE and since beginning this work in January 2013, has delivered 70 hours of short and long term counselling this year. Clients have come from a range of different cultures including Black African, Bangladeshi and White British. The number of sessions ranged from 3 to 35, depending on need and ability to continue attending. Themes presented and worked with included: complicated bereavement, cultural issues and religious traditions; isolation and perfectionism; and arranged marriage. Scores for level of anxiety and depression were measured at the start and end of therapy and had improved in every case.
Communications/promoting the service We have refreshed and updated our website at www.niwe.org.uk which has resulted in a 52% increase in usage. NIWE’s new service leaflet was produced and we are grateful to Monica Tuffs for her expert help as a volunteer.
Links NIWE is a member of: NCVS; VOLSAG; GVOC Mental Health Group; Newcastle West CCG Community Forum; North East Eating Disorders Action Group; Northumberland Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention Group; Gateshead CCG Patient, User, Carer Public Involvement Forum; and liaises with many voluntary sector mental health projects. NIWE is also a member of the Regional Eating Disorder Forum.
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Training and Education NIWE continues to provide training courses, talks and workshops to a wide range of statutory and voluntary organisations. This year the programme has been less busy due to funding pressures. We have run sessions for: The Road Centre in Chester-le-Street for school counsellors Newcastle West CCG’s ‘Time Out’ session jointly with the Richardson Eating Disorders Service Sacred Heart School in Fenham Workshop for Y4 medical students on behalf of the Health and Race Equality Forum (HAREF) North East Counselling Service Workshops at North East Regional Health Trainers’ Conference
Training feedback
“Thank you for your calm and caring “An excellent “Very interesting and manner.” presentation and informative.” delivery of information.”
“Well paced, encouraged discussion and participation.”
Collaborative Working NIWE continues to work in collaboration whenever we can.
We were especially pleased to be able to deliver body image and self- esteem workshops to Year 10 and 11 pupils at Whitley Bay High school with MESMAC North East. “Could you pass on our thanks to your staff who came out and worked with the students from Whitley Bay High School? We have had excellent feedback regarding the sessions.” We worked closely with Them Wifies to enable delivery of a series of innovative workshops on self-esteem and self-confidence to NIWE service users. These evaluated well.
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With Northumbria University Student Wellbeing Service, we jointly planned and ran an eating distress awareness day at Coach Lane Campus for students. We provided an information stall at Gateshead World Mental Health day with local mental health services colleagues Participation in Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) consultation events in Gateshead, Newcastle and North Tyneside
Trust Board Members We have welcomed two new trustees this year, Claudia Venosa and Natasha Walmsley. Claudia works as a parenting practitioner and has since been elected as Vice Chair. Natasha is a doctor in her F1 year. We have also said goodye to Eleni Venaki, who was a founding trustee, and Catherine Moody - we are very grateful for all their hard work and support, and wish them well for the future. During 2013-14 the Board of Trustees comprised:
Lyn Boyle (Chair) Claudia Venosa
Katie Cullinane (now Linden) Dr Natasha Walmsley
Jessi Lowry (now Maxwell) Dr Polly Washington (Treasurer)
Dr Joanne Neely
NIWE’s staff members remained unchanged, with Annemarie Norman as Chief Officer, Ann Dymyd as Development Officer and Karen Hannah as Admin/Finance Officer.
NIWE Eating Distress Service 5 Pink Lane Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5DW
Tel. 0191 221 0233 Email [email protected] Web www.niwe.org.uk