The Get Involved Group (GIG) Monthly Round-Up September 2019

The Get Involved Group is a user-led group which aims to ensure disabled peoples’ voices are heard when services are planned and changed. We identify issues and plan the solutions.

Our next GIG meet-up is:

TOPIC: Diversity in Care Needs - from home care, direct payments and supported living to residential and nursing care WHERE: Friend’s Meeting House, Ship Street, , BN1 1AF WHEN: Thursday 3 October, 2pm – 4:30pm

As you know, the Get Involved Group carries out engagement work with disabled adults, adults with long-term health conditions, carers, friends and family and other service providers. The engagement project this autumn is to gather as much information as we can about the diverse care needs across the city, focusing on adults under 70 with physical and neurological impairments. The information will be fed into the council’s Needs Assessment, so this is a great opportunity to have your say.

We also hope to have a guest speaker – to be announced!

We’ll have our usual 30 minutes break in the middle, a good chance to catch up, and share information.

Meetings are open to all disabled people in the city, whether or not you've been a part of the Get Involved Group before. Friends, family, carers and PAs are also welcome!

Please let us know if you can make it – we’d love to see you there! Email [email protected] Call 01273 20 89 34 or 07394 56 55 03! More information to follow at www.facebook.com/groups/PossabilityPeopleGIG

And if anyone would like to suggest a new topic for us all to explore please get in touch at [email protected] .

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BSUH NHS Trust Patient / Service User Disability Group Meeting BSUH NHS Trust Patient / Service User Disability Group brings together hospital workers, disabled people and relevant groups and services to address practical issues disabled people face when accessing hospitals within the BSUH NHS Trust. WHEN: Wednesday 4 September, 2pm – 4pm WHERE: Possability Place, 14 Windlesham Avenue, Brighton, BN1 3AH Do you have feedback you’d like to share about issues you’ve faced when using hospital services? If so, please come along and have your say and help improve access for everyone. This is a really exciting time to be involved, with the ongoing development of the new hospital a regular topic. We would love you to come along and join in the discussion! You get in touch any time by emailing [email protected] or phone 01273 20 89 34 or text 07394 56 55 03.

GIG and Possability People News/Updates

Summer Social and a Warm Welcome to Linn, our new Project Lead! For the summer social we met up with the Healthy Lifestyles team, joining them on one of their Healthwalk - Sessions for Disabled People (SDP), around the beautiful haven for nature, St Ann’s Well Gardens. There were 25 of us in total, including the Healthwalks team and volunteers, a group from Grace Eyre, and some regular walkers. Shanni our cheery guide, greeted us at the garden café and made everyone feel very welcome. We strolled round the sensory garden, with the tick list Shanni provided, sniffing out lavender, mint and lemon verbena. We followed this with a walk up to the well-maintained pond, full of small fish, one rather suspicious looking seagull and at least a dozen shimmering dragonfly. It was a beautiful sunny day to enjoy the peace and natural beauty the park provides. It was also really enjoyable to share the morning with the Healthy Lifestyles team, regular walkers and the group from Grace Eyre.

We retired to the garden café for refreshments and a chance to chat with old friends and new, and to sample some of the delicious cakes the café has on offer. Thank you to those that could make it.

To view the Healthy Lifestyles programme click this link: http://bit.ly/2Zl0ZSM

Healthy Lifestyles Team info: http://bit.ly/2NBQvHB

E: [email protected] Enjoying St Ann's Well Gardens T: 01273 294589

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Keep Connected, Young Adults Group Needs You! Keep Connected, GIG’s user-led social group for young disabled adults, is back! GIG volunteer Victoria will be heading up this user-led group and she’d love to meet you.

Our scheduled meet up on 12 September 2019 has been postponed. New date to follow. Anyone for pizza?

We would really like some new members or hear from members of the group that have attended before. We’d also be keen to hear from anyone interested in volunteering to support the running of the group. Interested? Please get in touch below, we’d love to hear from you.

If you want to be added to the mailing list for the Keep Connected group please email [email protected], call 01273 208 934 or text 07394 56 55 03.

The Brighton Legal Walk – want to help us fundraise?

WHEN: Tuesday 10 September, 5:30pm WHERE: Starting at Brighton Magistrates Court, Edward Street, Brighton, BN2 0LG ACCESS: If want to join us, but have less mobility, we can bring along a wheelchair or scooter for you, free of charge. Just let us know.

This is a 10km walk which begins at the Magistrates Court and out along the flat seafront, turning back to finish in (via the scenic route!). The walk is led by judges from the Civil Courts in Sussex.

Over £4,400 was raised in 2018, with beneficiaries including Citizens Advice Brighton & Hove, Brighton Housing Trust, Possability People and Money Advice Plus.

What can you do?  Take part and join our team  Sponsor the team  Ask friends and families for sponsorship by clicking and sharing this link to your contacts and on your social media

For more info email [email protected].

Fundraising link: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/PossabilityPeople

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Friends of the Get Involved Group

Epilepsy Action coffee and chat Living in the area? Want to meet other people living with epilepsy in a relaxed setting? Epilepsy Action’s coffee and chat group meets on the last Thursday of the month at Brighthelm Cafe, North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YD from 11am-12.30pm. It's open to anyone living with epilepsy, their partners, parents or carers. The next meeting is on Thursday 29 September.

A new evening group, also open to everyone, will be starting in September. The group will normally meet at the Alcampo Lounge 84-86 London Road, Brighton BN1 4JF, on the second Tuesday of each month between 6-8pm. They will also be going out to a range of social activities, including bowling, museums and local events.

The first meeting will be on Tuesday 10 September at the Alcampo Lounge.

Other meetings may be at other venues, so please contact Keirse for venue details before attending for the first time. Both venues are fully accessible.

Find out more by phoning Madeline on 01273 508 620 or Keirse on 07546 736 045 or visit https://www.epilepsy.org.uk

The Autism League

The Autism League is a support and empowerment network for anyone with autism. It was set up by Mark Blake, an autistic student at the .

Mark works together with a like-minded team with autism to help autistic people live more independent lives. The League provides information to support autistic people to develop strategies to help with both personal life, such as emotion management, and student and professional life, such as studying, working in a team and effective ways to find a career path.

Another aim is to provide a platform for creative expression and for enabling autistic people to share their thoughts and experiences.

The Autism League also acts as a force for change, campaigning for political change. Their current campaign is to get autism recognised as a protected characteristic under the 2010 Equalities Act.

Mark would love people to get involved! You can contact him at [email protected] or by visiting https://autismleague.com/ where you can find out more information.

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Other News

New NHS 111 service contract awarded in Sussex

A new five-year contract to provide Sussex’s NHS 111 non-emergency telephone service has been awarded to the ambulance service.

South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) will be the lead provider, working in partnership with healthcare company Integrated Care 24 (IC24).

The contract, worth £18.1 million in 2020/21 and due to start in April 2020, includes being able to issue prescriptions. Patients will also have access to a wider range of health care professionals such as GPs, paramedics, nurses and pharmacists, who will be able to directly book people into urgent care appointments if needed.

Health groups across Sussex, Kent and Medway have worked together to commission a 111 service that “meets patients’ needs on their first call, including a consultation with a doctor or nurse where it is needed”.

The NHS said SECAmb and IC24 are working together to provide an enhanced NHS 111 and a service that is more integrated with 999 and existing out-of-hours care. They want to support both emergency and urgent primary care.

Meanwhile both organisations will be developing their workforces and offering roles which span both emergency and urgent care services.

The public should continue to call 999 for life-threatening emergencies that require an immediate response.

However if a call to NHS 111 is assessed as being a medical emergency, the service can dispatch an ambulance directly and provide first aid advice to the caller until ambulance clinicians arrive without the need to transfer the call, or for the caller to repeat information.

Read the full article at https://bit.ly/2MfIgBb

What do you think about these initiatives to improve the NHS 111 service?

Let us know at [email protected] or through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/PossabilityPeopleGIG

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Junior Aspie Trainers wanted!

Are you autistic? Are you aged between 18 and 25?

Do you want to be paid to talk about your life experience whilst providing autism training? Above - Aspie Trainer Team If so, then Aspie Trainers want you to join their team. Aspie Trainers is a project which employs autistic people to develop and deliver autism training sessions to individuals, services and professionals across Sussex. The training follows the social model of disability and aims to promote understanding, acceptance and inclusion of autistic people

To view the Job Specification and Person Specification in full, please click here.

To apply for this role, please fill in an application form and email it to the address on the form. If you have any questions about the role, please phone James Parmenter on 07787 250627 or visit https://bit.ly/2OTs3DV

What's your mental health journey?

Young People’s Laureate for London Theresa Lola has launched #MyMentalHealthJourney, a campaign to encourage young people to use poetry to share their experiences with mental health.

One in eight children has a diagnosable mental health condition and many more go through times when they struggle to cope. Poetry is often the thing we turn to when we need some comfort, so Theresa wants to encourage all young people to use poetry to share their mental health journey, discover that there are other people out there facing similar circumstances and to creatively engage in conversations about wellbeing and mental health. Above – Theresa Lola

Find out more about how to share and submit your poem at: https://bit.ly/2H5EaaH

Do you have experience of using ferries and cruise ships?

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency are seeking views from disabled people on their experience on board ferries and cruise ships. If you could spare a little time to take a look that would be great! The surveys can be found at: https://bit.ly/2N0THMW https://bit.ly/2YZvVHs

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Why are some doctors prescribing music on the NHS?

There are some patients who doctors think could benefit more from creative and social activities than from medication or other treatments. Referring these patients to activities like singing, art lessons and community groups is called “social prescribing” – and it’s becoming more common in general practice than ever before.

Social prescribers, who are usually attached to GP surgeries, know what’s going on in the community and can match patients to activities that support their needs. If the patient feels nervous about trying something new, the worker might even accompany them to an initial session.

Research suggests that music can help everyone, but it can specifically help certain conditions, such as dementia. When you listen to music, one of the areas of the brain that really lights up is the pre-cortical area. That's one of the last areas that gets damaged with dementia, so people with dementia, for example, retain their ability to enjoy music.

Social prescribing won’t replace drugs or other medical treatments where they are needed, but the NHS thinks that it could help people with complex health and social needs. For example, research has shown that people who live with long-term health conditions, or who need support with their mental health, can benefit from singing in a choir. Members of the GIG team have joined choirs and singing groups, and we love it!

There's also a growing number of choirs that support the mental health of people affected by physical health conditions, as well as for people who live with lung conditions. Research suggests that there are physiological benefits from the breathing involved in singing that can be incredibly effective for people who are trying to maintain their lung function and prevent lung deterioration.

And you may not even need to leave your home to experience the benefits. A University College London study with Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir - an online-only ensemble whose performances are constructed from home videos sent in by singers from around the world - found that “virtual” singers experienced the same emotional benefits as those who sang with a “live” choir, and that their feelings of confidence and self-esteem were significantly improved. Read the full article from BBC at the Proms, and find links to a BBC at the Proms podcast at https://bbc.in/2Kf9m9D

There are lots of choirs and singing groups in Brighton and Hove – just search online and you will find one to suit your own needs. However, we are going to give a special mention to Singing for Health, led by Udita Everett. Udita leads six popular weekly singing groups for older people, or anybody living with long-term health conditions. Their aim is to improve health and wellbeing, by using a combination of relaxation/ stretching/breathing exercises and singing songs together to support people with long-term health problems cope better with daily life. And you don't have to be able to sing!

Find out more at http://www.singforbetterhealth.co.uk/ Above – Singing for Health Group

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What if we could see chronic pain?

This is what it might look like.

In this video, three young women describe their experience of chronic pain, and how having a visual representation for other people to see would challenge the social assumptions, attitudes and barriers they face in their everyday lives.

Above – a still from ‘What if we could Watch the video at https://bit.ly/2Z4a01L see chronic pain”

The video is a resource at The Mighty, a safe, supportive on-line community for people facing health challenges and the people who care for them.

Find out more at: https://themighty.com/

Open meeting with Heidi Alexander, Deputy Mayor of London - Transport

We’re including this meeting as access to transport in London probably affects all of us in Brighton and Hove in one way or another, and we wanted to let you know about it. Above - Heidi Alexander

The meeting is organised by London, East & South East LESE Disabled Members Network in association with Pensioners' Network and Transport Industries Network.

As Deputy Mayor for Transport and Deputy Chair of Transport for London, Heidi will be focused on delivering the Mayor’s transport strategy: ensuring that London has a reliable, comfortable and affordable public transport system accessible to all; creating safe, healthy streets where people want to walk and cycle; and ensuring that new homes and new jobs are part of a sustainable, integrated transport system which delivers good economic growth across London.

WHEN: Tuesday 10 September from 1 - 3pm WHERE: TUC Congress House, 23-28 Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3LS COST: FREE ADMISSION (registration essential) ACCESS: Congress House is a fully accessible building.

Please register: [email protected] or 020 7467 1218 Find out more at https://bit.ly/2YyAucb

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Are you a disabled artist? Want to learn research and interpretation skills?

Then apply now for Step Up: Exploring Collections course at Ditchling Museum.

Outside In is a national charity that aims to provide a platform for artists who face significant barriers to the art world due to health, disability, social circumstance or isolation.

The charity is partnering with Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft to deliver a course focusing on the works from the museum’s collection that will be on display in their upcoming exhibition, ‘Disruption, Devotion and Distributism’.

The course will take place across five weeks. It is open to artists facing barriers to the art world for reasons including health, disability, social circumstance or isolation.

It aims to equip you with research and interpretation skills and provide an opportunity for you to explore the collection at Ditchling Museum.

WHEN: The course will take place on the following dates:

Thursday 31 October 2019, 10am – 4pm Thursday 7 November 2019, 10am – 4pm Thursday 14 November 2019, 10am – 4pm Thursday 21 November 2019, 10am – 4pm Thursday 5 December 2019, 10am – 4pm Above - Ditchling Museum

WHERE: Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, Lodge Hill Lane, Ditchling, Hassocks, BN6 8SP COST: Free and Outside In is able to contribute towards travel and lunch expenses. ACCESS: Please contact the organisers.

The deadline for applications is 9am, Thursday 3 October 2019. Interviews will be held on Wednesday 9 or Thursday 10 October 2019.

For more information and to apply, please visit https://bit.ly/2ZflksM

Or contact Kate Davey: E: [email protected] / T: 01273 381311.

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What’s On In September

The Crafty Dog Festival hosted by Say Aphasia

Come along to The Crafty Dog Festival for a fun dog show, agility classes and other have-a-go activities, stalls with local homemade dog treats and handmade dog accessories, chances to win great prizes, and much more!

The festival aims to raise funds and awareness for Say Aphasia, the local charity that supports people with the condition aphasia.

Aphasia is a communication disability which occurs when the communication centres of the brain are damaged. It is usually caused by a stroke, brain haemorrhage, head injury or a brain tumour. Aphasia makes it difficult to read, write or speak. It affects people differently. Some people are unable to speak at all, others may have difficulty finding the right words to say or have difficulty reading, writing or using numbers. It affects relationships, employment, education, social lives and confidence. Aphasia affects around 350,000 people in the UK. The fact that this condition is rarely heard of, contributes to the loneliness that aphasia sufferers experience.

WHEN: Saturday 21 September from 10am-4pm WHERE: Preston Park, Preston Rd, Brighton, BN1 6SD COST: Free ACCESS: The main park areas are accessible on the pathways - there are plenty of benches situated along the paths. The cafés are also accessible. There are limited parking spaces in this park and priority use must be given to disabled park visitors. On-street parking is available, the nearest designated accessible bays are on Preston Park Avenue. Two accessible toilets are available, one in the Chalet café in the centre of the park and one in the Rotunda café at the southern end of the park. Please contact the organisers for more information regarding your access needs.

Find out more: E: [email protected] / F: https://www.facebook.com/sayaphasia

25 years of Heritage Open Days!

Heritage Open Days is England's largest festival of history and culture, bringing together over 2,000 organisations and 5,000 events. Every year in September, places across the country throw open their doors to celebrate their heritage, community and history - and it’s all FREE. Heritage Open Days 2019 will be 13-22 September. And this is the festival’s 25th anniversary! There are lots of places to visit and explore in Brighton and Hove – just search for events and design your visit with your access needs at https://bit.ly/2cssopT

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Lagoon Fest is back!

It's happening again! Friends of Hove Lagoon invite you down to the Lagoon to join in the fun and frolics at LAGOON FEST 2019!

Kick-off at 11am from the lovely Norman Cook!

With live music and dancing, food and drink, dog show, children's activities, skateboarding, tombola, paddling pool, pirate pedalos, face painting, a raffle with fabulous prizes, Purple Turtle Therapy, Dr Bike, Lagoon Watersports, Gather Inn, Big Beach Cafe and much more.

WHEN: Saturday, 7 September from 11am-4pm WHERE: Hove Lagoon, Kingsway, Hove BN3 4LX COST: Free ACCESS: Please contact the organisers.

Find out more: E: [email protected] / F: https://bit.ly/2H5EQgp

The History of Brighton's Palace - Talk

The Brighton Marine Palace and Pier opened on 20 May 1899, 120 years ago!

In this talk to celebrate the ‘people’s palace above the sea’, local historian Jackie Marsh-Hobbs will trace its story using old postcards, enchanting photographs and archive material. A must for anyone who is interested in the pier's history and wants to revive personal memories! There will be a display of original material from local archive The Keep's collections from 5pm on the day of the talk.

WHEN: Wednesday 25 September at 5.30pm-6.30pm WHERE: The Keep, Woollards Way, Brighton BN1 9BP COST: £5 ACCESS: Fully accessible.

Find out more: T: 01273 482349 E: [email protected] W: www.thekeep.info

Above - repairs to central decking of the Pier after WWII (photo from the and Museums Brighton & Hove)

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Old Spice Cookery Group

Over 65? Want to develop more cookery skills? Then this course from Brighton and Hove Food Partnership could be for you!

The course will cover making the most of leftovers, eating a well- balanced and nutritious diet without compromising on flavour or spending a fortune and how what we eat affects how we feel. At the end of each session, you’ll enjoy the food you have created together. The emphasis is on fun, friendship and supporting each other as you cook from scratch and develop more kitchen skills, and you’ll definitely leave with a more cookery confidence and bursting with ideas for delicious recipes to try at home.

WHEN: Thursday 19 September for 5 x Thursdays at 10.30am - 1pm WHERE: Community Kitchen, Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XG COST: Suggested donation of just £5 per week (total £25) to secure your place. Contact BHF below if cost is a barrier. ACCESS: The kitchen design prioritises accessibility and flexibility – from specialist accessible cookery equipment to adaptable areas for dining and food preparation, one of which is height-adjustable/ wheelchair accessible. Please ring the organisers for your specific needs.

Find out more by contacting Evie O’Rourke at E: [email protected] / T: 01273 234810 W: https://bit.ly/33xQQk7

The Coast Is Queer

The Coast Is Queer is New Writing South’s first ever LGBTQ+ literature festival.

There will be talks, performances, panel discussions, literary cabaret, a beach walk and a literary History Club. You can also meet other writers, participate in writing workshop activities, and buy and browse at a bookfair.

WHEN: Thursday 12 – Sunday 15 September WHERE: The Spire, St Mark's Chapel, Eastern Rd, Brighton BN2 5JN COST: Many events will be free or low-cost, and bursary places will be available to all ticketed events ACCESS: Please contact the organisers.

Find out more:

W: https://newwritingsouth.com/coast-is-queer T: 01273 735353 E: [email protected]

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Get Loud for Nordoff Robbins

Nordoff Robbins is the UK’s largest music therapy charity, dedicated to bringing high quality music therapy to as many people as possible. They aim for their work to be led by the real experiences of the people they support.

On Wednesday 25 September, Nordoff Robbins will be uniting their supporters and music fans around the UK in a giant celebration of music, health and wellbeing with the return of their Get Loud campaign. Get Loud 2019 will present 12 celebrated UK artists performing at the same time in 12 intimate venues around the UK. The eclectic mix of artists performing this year are all helping Nordoff Robbins celebrate the incredible diversity of their charity, as they reach out to anyone and everyone who can be helped by music therapy and raise awareness of the power of music to enrich the lives of those affected by life-limiting illness, disability or isolation.

We’re lucky to have two Get Loud performances in Brighton! Seventies rock group 10cc will be playing at the and singer Holly Cook, formerly of punk band The Slits, will be at The Prince Albert.

Tickets for the individual ‘Get Loud Sessions’ will cost £10, with all the proceeds going directly to the charity.

Get all the information you need about Get Loud at https://bit.ly/2TtsGTj and find out about Nordoff Robbins at http://nordoff-robbins.org.uk

Shoreham Wordfest - Shaping The Future

Shoreham’s Premier Literary Festival is back! With a feast of events exploring what lies ahead and how we can shape it, along with lots of fun, entertaining and inspiring activities for all ages. Events include a Climate Emergency Summit and a young people’s Climate Change workshop, talks with writers and broadcasters, a woodland puppet show at Sussex Wildlife Trust and Creative Writing workshops throughout September. If you love words, you’ll love Wordfest!

WHEN: The main festival launches on Friday 27 September and the closing party is on Sunday 13 October WHERE: Venues throughout Shoreham COST: Various ACCESS: Check with the organisers for the specific venue you wish to visit.

Find out more: T: 07522 957691 E: [email protected] W: www.shorehamwordfest.com

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Stop telling me to eat five a day and help me do it!

We can’t open the newspaper, turn on the news or look at Facebook without seeing someone telling us to ‘eat this’ or ‘don’t’ eat that’ or ‘move more’ or ‘move differently’. Yet research shows that giving people information doesn’t change behaviour.

This talk from Sarah Cork, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Brighton University, will explore taking a social marketing approach to health behaviour change. To make change, the right products need to be developed and made affordable, attractive and easier to get hold of. How can social marketing and behavioural science encourage healthy behaviours that makes it easier to ‘do the right thing’?

This is one of a series of short and enlightening talks from local academics called Brains at the Bevy. They start at 6pm and last for an hour, including lots of time for questions and discussion. Tea and coffee will be provided during the talk and all are welcome to stay on afterwards to enjoy food and drink available at the Bevy. WHEN: Wednesday 25 September at 6pm WHERE: The Bevy, 50 Hillside, Brighton BN2 4TF COST: Free, but booking is essential ACCESS: Accessible with accessible toilet - the 49 bus stops outside the pub.

Find out more and book your place: W: https://bit.ly/2sTmZCn / E: [email protected]

Who said 50+ is a sign to slow down?

Come along to Brighton Women’s centre 50+ group for new people to meet and new things to do!

Bring your creative wish list of creative activities to try out.

WHEN: Mondays from 2pm-4pm WHERE: St Anne’s Hall (next to St Mary’s Church, 61 Upper Church COST: Free, but please contact organisers to let them know you’re coming ACCESS: Please contact organisers.

Find out more: contact Tracey Waters at Brighton Women's Centre: T: 07463288007 E: [email protected]

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Southdown Recovery College Open Day

Southdown Recovery College’s Open Day will showcase what's on offer and give prospective students an opportunity to talk to the Recovery College team, Peer Trainers and Buddies about courses of interest. The College offers educational courses as a route to recovery from mental health challenges. It is jointly run by Southdown and the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

All the courses are FREE and designed and delivered by people with lived experience of mental health challenges, together with clinical staff and other professionals.

Courses focus on recovery and self-management skills and range in length from one-day workshops to longer courses running for eight weeks, on subjects such as:

 Introduction to Mindfulness  Wellbeing Through Nature  Balancing Your Physical and Mental Health  Managing Anxiety  Mindful Photography  Introduction to Self-compassion  Creative Jewellery Making Above - Recovery College  Be Your Own Life Coach

The courses are based at community venues across Brighton and Hove. They are available for people aged 18+ living in Brighton and Hove with mental health support needs. Carers and people working within the mental health sector are also welcome.

So whether you are hoping to gain a better understanding of mental health challenges or are looking to develop new skills and abilities you didn’t think you had, the Open Day can help you decide where to go next.

WHERE: Brighthelm Centre, North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YD WHEN: Wednesday 4 September at 11am – 3pm COST: Free ACCESS: Fully accessible

And if you can’t attend the Open Day, you can always take a look at the College Prospectus online and/ or give the College a call.

Find out more at https://bit.ly/2L4Z8YA T: 01273 749 500 / E: [email protected]

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Ageing Well Festival 2019

Brighton and Hove’s fourth festival for older people (formerly the Older People's Festival) will run citywide from 30 September to 13 October. The Festival is the city’s biggest event for older people with over 100 events in 42 venues and over 4,000 taking part last year. In the UK, life expectancy is increasing by 5 hours a day! This year’s theme is all about celebrating this and ensuring that we make the most of this time. It is important that whilst many of us will be working for longer through choice or necessity that we strive to get a healthy work and life balance. Ageing well is about quality and quantity and in adding life to the years as well as years to life. At time of writing, the full schedule had yet to be announced. Find out more by contacting Juliet O’Brien on 01273 322949 or visiting https://ageingwellfestival.org/

The festival is organised by the Aging Well project at Impact Initiatives. For people aged 50+ in Brighton and Hove, this is a great place to find out about activities, support, services and events across the city. For more information call 01273 322947 or visit http://ageingwellbh.org

GIG Meeting Dates For 2019

All meetings will take place at the Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AF from 2pm – 4.30pm unless otherwise stated.

 Thursday 3 October  Christmas Social – date TBC

 Wednesday 13 November

The Get Involved Group Contact Info:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 01273 20 89 34

Text: 07394 56 55 03

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/PossabilityPeopleGIG

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