Years of delivering community-led health improvement services in South

ANNUAL REPORT 2016 - 2017 Contents Page

Staff of 2016 - 2017 1

Chairperson’s Report 2

Board of Director’s Who’s Who 3-4

Executive Manager’s Report 5

Organisational Priorities 6

Priority 1 - Promoting Heathier Lifestyles – Community Health Matters 7-9

Community Food Matters 10-14

Grassroots Project 15-17

Go2Play Project 18-19

Lanarkshire Domestic Abuse Response (LDAR) 20-22

Parents Supporting Parents Project 23-25

ReConnect Project 26-28

Smoke Free Project 29-30

Priority 2 - Volunteer Development 31-34

Priority 3 - Organisational Development and Sustainability 35-37 Staff of 2016 - 2017

Lesley McCranor Julia Miller Pauline Nichol Carolanne Robertson Management Team Management Team Finance and Admin Team Finance and Admin Team

Clare Cook Christine Baillie Kate Williamson Grassroots Project Grassroots Project Grassroots Project

Fiona Gairns Barbara Harding Simone Janse Van Rensburg Robert Stewart ReConnect Project ReConnect Project Community Food Matters PSP Project

Wendy Kyle Mary Hasting Margaret Browning Community Health Matters Out & About Project Community Health Matters

Carol Hamilton Jenny Dewar Faye Frame Stephanie Girdwood LDAR Project LDAR Project Go2Play Project Stop Smoking Project 1 Chairperson’s Report

At the last AGM Sinclair Scott stood down as Chair of the Healthy Valleys board. Everyone at Healthy Valleys wants to give a huge Thank You to Sinclair for all the support, guidance and time he gave to the organisation over many years.

Some of the challenges Sinclair described in his last report for us have stayed the same, but others have moved in positive ways.

Healthy Valleys’ accommodation problems were eased when we moved in May to the Lockhart Community Hub in . This lets our team work in a place that is more convenient for the people who we are here to support. It also brings good opportunities to work alongside people in other community groups and staff who work in Community Health services. We hope this will lead to more good ideas and partnership projects that bring more benefits to people living in our part of .

People living in continue to be affected by health and social inequalities. This Annual Report shows the many ways Healthy Valleys is responding to the needs and choices of the people we work alongside. Over the past few years the strategies and priorities set for and for South Lanarkshire have increasingly reflected the approaches that we know make a positive difference in people’s lives: preventing problems arising or escalating, promoting good health and wellbeing, and working with people to build resilience for themselves and their families and for their communities.

We are proud to be contributing to achieving good outcomes for people living in our communities as well as achieving the policy outcomes.

I want to thank the volunteers and staff at Healthy Valleys and the other members of the board for everything they have contributed to making this another good year.

Anne Connor Chairperson - Healthy Valleys

2 Board of Directors

Sinclair Scott After graduation and junior hospital posts, Sinclair came to Douglas as aGeneral Practitioner. The practice covers a large geographical area of South Lanarkshire, with surgeries in the three largest villages plus the Community Hospital at Douglas. It has a long history of training medical students and GP’s. After retiring from the practice Sinclair took the post of Programme Director for GP Training in Lanarkshire until full retiral.

Married with three sons, three daughters-in-law, two grand-sons, one step-grand- daughter, and one step-great grand-daughter!

Retired last year after 50 years as Scout Leader and retired from Healthy Valleys board on 24th November 2016.

Anne Connor Anne lives one mile outside South Lanarkshire, in Scottish Borders. She currently works as Chief Executive of Outside the Box, which is a small charity that provides community development support to groups across Scotland.

Her previous roles included developing national participation projects for people using health and social care services. She started her working life as a civil servant and was a manager in the NHS with responsibility for mental health and addiction services. Anne was appointed Chairperson on 24th November 2016.

Bill Watson Bill joined the Healthy Valleys’ Board of Directors in 2008. He was educated at Boroughmuir High School, and qualified as an ICAS accountant with Deloittes. He then took up post as accountant in electronic manufacturing before becoming a financial director then managing director. He won the queens award to industry for export achievement. He has also managed distribution businesses in USA, France, Italy, Spain, Australia and Singapore. Before retiring, he was Chief Executive of Scottish Rugby Union for six years, creating and chairing the Celtic League and sitting on the IRB, 6 Nations and ERC boards. He also operated a private ambulance company in Scotland and North England for six years. Sporting wise, he played international rugby for Scotland in the 1970’s and coached at Boroughmuir and Biggar RFC.

Fred Farrell Fred is originally from the area, he studied Law at the Universities of Strathclyde and Glasgow. Until recently he was a practising member of the Faculty of Advocates and specialised in criminal trials. He is a member of the Scottish Medico Legal Society.

Fred is married, lives locally and has a passion for motor bikes and classic cars.

He is also an active member of Historical Society.

3 Leo Sherry Leo joined the Board in 2012. Before this he worked in the public sector in the areas of planning, regeneration, economic development, community engagement and, programme and project delivery. Through partnership working he has engaged extensively with the private, public and voluntary sectors in project delivery. In addition, as a volunteer for a number of years, he has gained an understanding of the challenges facing voluntary sector organisations in building their capacity for service delivery and organisational development. In his spare time, he strives to improve his musical ability.

John McCafferty John McCafferty has worked in local government for the past 28 years, firstly with Renfrew District Council (where he was involved in the regeneration of Ferguslie Park and other areas in Renfrewshire) and since October of 1996 with South Lanarkshire Council.

John purports to be a golfer and a keen 5-a-side footballer and has more holidays per year than Alan Whicker in his prime.

Karen McGuigan

Karen McGuigan is currently a Health Improvement Co-ordinator and Public Health Advisor for NHS Lanarkshire. She has worked for NHS Lanarkshire for 16 years and was one of the original members of the group that secured funding to develop the Health Valleys initiative. Her first degree is in sport and she also has a Masters degree in Public Health from the University of Glasgow.

Karen joined the Board in 2015. She is passionate about empowering communities to improve health and wellbeing and recognises the valuable role that the third sector plays in this. Karen spends her spare time with her husband and two young sons and enjoys running to keep fit and healthy.

John Dalrymple John is an experienced social worker who has spent the majority of his career working in services for people with learning difficulties in Scotland. He is currently the Director of Neighbourhood Networks.

John was the first chief officer of the Grampian based Partnership Housing (INSPIRE). In 1998 he co-founded Support for Ordinary Living, a supported living organisation in Lanarkshire. John was also instrumental in establishing Values into Action Scotland as an independent Scottish agency in 2007, and now acts in the role of co-chair.

As a hedge against retirement he has recently established a new consultancy agency, Radical Visions, with his colleague Frances Brown. John lives in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, with his wife Moira, and is keen on Hearts, jazz and Scottish self- determination.

4 Executive Manager’s Report This year has been full of new developments, organisational growth, moving to bigger and better premises whilst progressing and delivering the Health and Social Care priorities.

At Healthy Valleys, we are highly focused on our core strategy: innovative approaches to health improvement, early intervention and prevention, community engagement and empowerment, highly motivated and caring workforce, operational excellence delivering optimum value for money. These are the key factors to our continued growth and success and enable us to deliver effective and efficient community based health models that reduce health inequalities in our operating area.

On the move…….from to Lanark! This interim move has proved extremely successful and brings people together from across the vast rural area; volunteers, beneficiaries and other agencies, working together to strengthen relationships and achieve common goals.

Investing in People - People at the Core People are very important to us and that includes staff. We have a very high retention rate, excellent work attendance levels and envious service delivery.

Staff growth and development; staff and volunteers access opportunities to increase skills and knowledge through a range of continuing personal developments; conferences, knowledge hubs, seminars, workshops. People are our most precious commodity and we want to continue to develop their skills, experience and knowledge through action learning.

Resilient people and communities Early Intervention and Prevention methods are designed to action as soon as possible before issues become more difficult to reverse. Our relentless focus on finding out what people need to help turn their lives around for the better is what we are about. Not giving up when the tough gets tougher, in fact, that makes us more determined to fight for those who feel disempowered and don’t feel their voices are being heard by those who need to hear them and act on what’s being said. We enable these voices to be heard and ensure the appropriate action is taken. To illustrate this further, people’s real life stories are documented within this report.

From maternal and infant health to our cooking and training academy, we bring people together to learn and develop new skills, increase knowledge, create new social networks and strengthen partnership working. All of which, contributes to making our rural communities a healthier and better place to work, rest and play.

Our work is supported by a team of committed volunteers who bring their lived experiences to better support others. Volunteers are a very valued commodity and they benefit too from the support offered to further develop and grow.

Moving into the year ahead, there will be a particular focus on social prescribing; working with GPs and health professionals to encourage them to prescribe a non-medical intervention where this is appropriate. This is an ambitious aim that will help change cultures, change systems, change lives.

Special thanks has to be given to our key partners, NHS Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership for supporting and enabling our transition to Lockhart Community Hub.

Lesley McCranor Executive Manager – Healthy Valleys

5 Organisational Priorities

Established in 2003, Healthy Valleys is a community led health improvement charity and company limited by guarantee. It is located 7 miles South West of Lanark and delivers support services to children, young people, adults and older people.

It has 4 organisational priorities:- Priority 1 – Promoting healthier lifestyles Priority 2 – Volunteer development Priority 3 – Organisational development and sustainability Priority 4 – Social enterprise

This annual report gives an insight into what we do to achieve Priorities 1, 2 & 3 which contributes to achieving the national health and social care outcomes. Priority 4 is still on hold until we move to suitable premises to enable us to fully develop our social enterprise concepts.

We continue to create opportunities to link people with people, to learn new skills, to uptake community based volunteering placements and support lifestyle change. All of which will contribute to making our rural communities a happier and healthier place to work, rest and play.

National Outcome 5: Health and social care services contribute to reducing health inequalities.

Healthy Valleys’ vision is to reduce health inequalities in South Lanarkshire through the provision of a range of community led health improvement projects that specifically target those people in need of extra support.

How do we achieve National Outcome 5?

Lanarkshire Domesticc Abuse Response (LDAR)

6 Priority 1 - Promoting Healthier Lifestyles Community Health Matters

The term mental health is used in many different ways. It applies to a continuum from emotional wellbeing like happiness and sadness, to mental disorder like the acute reaction that can happen to stress, to mental illness like schizophrenia. Environmental, social and individual factors help to determine mental wellbeing.

Genetic and environmental factors affect the prevalence and level of severity of mental illness in a population. These interactions are complex, but they offer different ways to influence mental health at an individual and population level. Source: Scottish Government Mental Health Strategy March 2017

Community Health Matters is part funded by Scottish Government, Tackling Poverty and Integrated Care Fund and is essentially a 3 pronged approach to reducing health inequalities in the Clydesdale locality:

Social Prescribing Project - building on a short-term pilot project with the Douglasdale GP Practice

The creation of Community Hubs to better serve the needs of rural communities and

The Volunteer Buddy Project integrating previously successful Healthy Valleys’ mental health projects (Out and About and Time Out) to support vulnerable young people and adults to maximise involvement and community connectedness.

1412 512 487 Health & Young people Volunteering wellbeing and adults hours sessions engaged contributed delivered

146 people were referred via the Social Prescribing route, the reasons for their referral include the following: • 54 have a long-term condition (e.g. Osteoporosis, Crohns, Fibromyalgia, Diabetes, MS) • 119 presented with a mental health condition (e.g. Bipolar, Anxiety, Personality disorder) • 13 Carers

Often, those referred have more than one health condition.

7 “I think the service provides “What I want to say is Healthy excellent support and Valleys have been amazing and understanding for people go out their way to support me. I going through difficult times, it wouldn’t be where I am now, in a helps to build self-esteem and better place from where I was. I can’t confidence.” thank everyone that helped me and the others I know so all I can say is a huge thank you for everything.”

Interventions

Example of health and wellbeing interventions: • Counselling • Mindfulness • Fitness Sessions • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy • Social Groups • Stress Management

8 Jennifer’s Story Jennifer 21, Before I sought help from Healthy Valleys, I struggled to leave the house due to severe social anxiety. I had no life outside of my house and although I was ready to tackle my anxiety, I had no idea where to begin.

I went to my doctor and they referred me to Healthy Valleys. I am at a loss as to what I would have done without Healthy Valleys’ help and resources to reintegrate myself back in to my community. Since my first meeting with Wendy and Margaret, I have been to many social events organised by Healthy Valleys and met lots of new people. This has increased my confidence around people greatly.

I have completed and passed my food hygiene course and an emergency first aid course, all organised through Healthy Valleys, in an effort to help further my job prospects. I have also taken up driving lessons after plenty of encouragement from Margaret.

They genuinely care about my wellbeing and my future and to know that you have someone cheering you on and willing you to do well in life makes all the difference.

I feel that without Healthy Valleys and their encouragement I would have given up a long time ago in trying to get better.

Caroline’s Story Caroline, 36, was new to the Clydesdale area. She had made a good recovery from addiction and was hoping to make a fresh start. Over a period of 6 months she was signposted to a variety of social activity and introduced to peers who quickly became good friends and helped her build a new support network.

Caroline said “I was attending another support group in . The facilitators handed out leaflets about a Community Café run by Healthy Valleys. I went along and met Wendy who explained a bit about the organisation and what they do.

Initially I was happy with the social aspect alone. Before joining I lived in my bedroom alone. I soon realised the importance of socialising and having friends. Soon Wendy encouraged me to apply for college and I was accepted on a nail tech course. I was doing courses with Healthy Valleys to prepare myself for facing life. I learned about Wellness Recovery Action Plan. I improved my self confidence. I am waiting to do first aid and food safety. I have started Volunteering.

I recently moved house and I couldn’t have done it without the help of my Healthy Valleys social group. Healthy Valleys has changed my life in a big way. The day trips we take to amazing places wouldn’t be within my reach had I not been introduced to them. I am looking forward to continuing to work with them and growing my life to be a more productive member of society.”

9 Community Food Matters

Food is an essential human right but not everyone has equal access to good quality and affordable food.

NHS Health Scotland has adopted the Dowler definition2, which defines food poverty as: ‘The inability to acquire or consume an adequate or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways, or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so.’ Source: E. Food and Poverty in Britain: Rights and Responsibilities

What causes food poverty? Food poverty is complex and multidimensional. An array of factors contributes to food poverty including: • income • local availability of and access to retailers selling affordable, nutritious food • access to transport • access to cooking, storage and preparation facilities • appropriate skills and knowledge relating to nutrition and the preparation of meals

This is especially true for people living in rural communities.

Our Community Food Matters project is funded by South Lanarkshire’s Integrated Care Fund and provides multiple solutions to alleviating food poverty in the Clydesdale locality through our well-established cooking and training academy;

• Provision of 3 community cafes in Rigside, and Lanark • Rural Café provides a hot meal for those struggling financially & affected by a range of issues • Health education, learning and development programmes • Health and wellbeing programmes

Community Cafes

3 123 59 339 Community Cafes Sessions Adults attended Individuals established delivered 47 sessions at the Rural Cafe

10 “I had no self-confidence – was staying “I go to the café to meet new away from things. I have made a very people and to get out of the good friend at the café – she is like a house with the baby. I like sister. I can now walk into a room full of the staff, volunteers and food people that I don’t know now. I am less and the people are friendly.” depressed, have more energy and am Rigside Café participant eating better – less fizzy juice and eating more fruit.” Kirkmuirhill Café participant

11 “The Rural Café has enabled women who are struggling financially to have a healthy meal plus one to take home and use that day or freeze. The Rural Café is immensely beneficial to those who have young children or who live alone to break the social isolation.” Women’s Aid worker

Community Cooking and Training Academy

111 13 68 Adults Adults Adults attended participated in participated in 5 REHIS Food 8 Cookery Skills a REHIS Food & Hygiene courses courses Health course

“Since taking part in the cooking courses I know what balanced diet is, what is in certain foods and how easy it is to make homemade food.” Lanark Social work 15 minute meals

12 Angela’s Story

Angela is ‘single’ and in her late 30’s. She had a great childhood growing up with her mum, dad and sister. Both her parents worked but the family spent a lot of time together; ice-skating, horse riding, walking the dog and other activities. After school Angela worked in retail and then moved on to a promoted post. She married and things were great at first but over the years things changed for the worse. Her husband became abusive, forced her to lose contact with her family and friends which led her to becoming completely isolated. ‘After 10 years of married life and after a brutal attack that left me in hospital, I decided I had to leave. The consultant at the hospital put me in touch with a support agency. After the hospital discharged me, the agency found a safe place for me to stay. That agency works in partnership with Healthy Valleys and from there I was referred to the Rural Café which is part of the Community Food Matters project.’

Community Food Matters involvement and benefits The Rural Café was Angela’s first contact with Healthy Valleys. After some time being supported to attend, Angela managed to go on her own. She attended the café for a year while she was focusing on establishing a new life as she ‘walked away with nothing.’ At the café, she knew she would have a hot meal and one to take home. She made new friends and started going to our other community cafes and to the new Yoga class at Lockhart Community Hub. Yoga helped her relax along with complementary therapy provided by our LDAR project. She says the benefit of attending Healthy Valleys’ programmes, other than the obvious health benefits, has been “getting out and about and meeting new friends because I have lost contact with all my other friends.” She says at the Rural Café she learned how to eat a more balanced diet which was a good thing for her health issues. Her confidence gradually increased day by day and she says this is due to the support of the people she has surrounded herself with. She is also more aware of the other local services that are available to her.

One day at the Rural Café, Angela heard Healthy Valleys’ staff talking about the different volunteer opportunities available and decided to enquire about becoming a volunteer. ‘I had a thought, you [Healthy Valleys] had helped me so now it’s my turn to help others.’ After going through the volunteer recruitment process and essential training, Angela now volunteers on a regular basis at the Community Food Matters cafés as well as at the cooking courses. Angela has completed the following training; Healthy Valleys Induction, REHIS Elementary Food Hygiene (certificated) and First Aid and she is hoping to do Equality and Diversity and REHIS Elementary Food & Health.

Future Aspirations Now living independently, Angela has re-established contact with her family which she describes as being “amazing!” She has lost 3 stone in weight, started walking (everywhere) and says she feels less isolated and so much better. “I can go out or watch telly or speak to people whenever I want – I can make my own decisions.” Angela hopes to continue volunteering and through time get back into work, maybe working with horses or with children with disabilities.

13 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Our physical activity programmes come under Community Food Matters. There are links between what we eat and how we exercise and how together they contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

If we were to analyse the research behind common health treatments, we’d find that exercise can be as effective as taking medication – particularly for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Physical activity can also reduce your risk of many other diseases, including prostate and breast cancers, dementia and brain strokes. Source: © The Health Sciences Academy ®. All Rights Reserved.

Brisk walking is simple, yet powerful. It can help you stay trim, improve cholesterol levels, strengthen bones, keep blood pressure in check, lift your mood, and lower your risk for a number of diseases (diabetes and heart disease, for example). A number of studies have shown that walking and other physical activities can improve memory and resist age-related memory loss. Source: © The Health Sciences Academy ®. All Rights Reserved.

“I have more mobility and “The walks keeps me fit and active strength and feel more relaxed.” and gets me out the house.” Yoga participant Health walk participant

“It’s great (bowling) I feel more active now.” Bowling participant

14 Children and Families

As a result of welfare cuts on households with children the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) expects the number of children in absolute poverty to increase.

In their May 2017 briefing note, the IFS have updated their projections to show that absolute child poverty will increase from 27.1% in 2015/16 to 31.6% in 2020/21, which is a return to levels not seen since the early 2000s.

It is predicted that there will be a £264 per adult welfare payment reduction by 2021 in South Lanarkshire.

As welfare cuts take their toll on already vulnerable families, the need for projects like Grassroots is ever growing to help families support their babies and children and give them the best possible start in life.

The BIG Lottery funded Grassroots project is a 3 pronged approach to early intervention and prevention:

Pre Conception Information and Education Service (PIES) aims to encourage young people at risk to make informed lifestyle choices to reduce the potential of unplanned and unhealthy pregnancies.

Intensive Parental Support Programme involves trained local volunteers being matched to families to support them to attend community based services and activities inour Family Education Support Programme and to ensure the parents attend vital health care appointments.

Family Education Support Programme (FESP)offers referred families a range of opportunities to improve their parenting skills and their health and wellbeing.

469 173 Community Parents activity sessions accessed attended by support 80 families 1,003 Health care Volunteering appointments hours attended 24 contributed 307 Volunteers FESP sessions supported delivered parents on a 1:1 basis 15 “What you guys mean to me and my baby – Friendship, a lifeline, a safety net and a set of adopted parents that actually knows everything. Thank you for everything.” Participant

“I’ve managed to come off anti-depressants and stay HAPPY this time. I still have my off days, like everyone, but my mood its 100% better. I can get out even if I’m sore (knees, back, shoulder) as I can arrange to be picked up if I’m too sore to walk which is great. It’s unfair for Allana being stuck in because I’m too sore.” Participant

Sarah’s Story

Background A young pregnant woman Sarah was referred to the project in April 2016 by her midwife as she was struggling with her mental health. Sarah was living with her husband, didn’t drive, she felt isolated as she didn’t have family or friends close by. Sarah was very anxious and had been suffering from depression for a while although excited at the thought of becoming a mother. 16 Journey with Grassroots Sarah was matched with a trained volunteer, Louise “Assisting with travelling to who met her weekly. During Sarah’s pregnancy, Louise and from groups/courses supported Sarah to ante natal appointments such as is invaluable and having a scans, to the midwife and to the consultant. Louise was volunteer is a huge help to not only offering transport, but more importantly a becoming independent. listening ear, emotional support and introduced health topics such as healthy eating, breastfeeding, support You guys are amazing.” networks etc. Sarah was anxious and worried about money. We referred her to Lanarkshire baby bank for baby clothes. Louise also spoke to Money Matters and CAB to get money advice and supported her to get a benefits check in May 16. Sarah also completed a healthy weaning workshop run in partnership with us and NHS Health Improvement Team.

Sarah welcomed a healthy baby boy Josh in July 16. During the subsequent months, Sarah’s mental health decreased rapidly. Louise met up with Sarah weekly, initially for coffee and a chat. Louise spoke about pre 5 groups and tried to encourage her to participate, however, she was incredibly anxious at this. Sarah was referred to the perinatal mental health team and we encouraged her to speak to her Health Visitor for further support.

During and after the Christmas period, it was evident that money was a factor in Sarah’s stress. Her benefits were sanctioned and this exacerbated her poor mental health. We referred her for a food pack and to Healthy Valleys’ Rural Café. Louise, helped her to engage with CAB and attend appointments to her GP to get advice and to receive the correct benefit entitlement. Sarah’s mood lifted and she was ready to engage in pre 5 groups supported by Louise. They attended Bookbug and baby yoga and Sarah completed all activities facilitated by Healthy Valleys; 8 week Family Health and Wellbeing course, parent art classes, a weekly parent peer support group and she also took up a second offer for stress management sessions and left her son in the crèche – a big step for Sarah

Sarah is now thinking about returning to work in the future and is looking into courses to build up her CV.

“The support from Grassroots has been invaluable, they were encouraging and understanding of my circumstances and assured me that I wouldn’t be alone in my first steps of motherhood. They arranged for me to attend groups with other mothers in a similar situation to myself and helped me make friends. They partnered me with a volunteer, Louise was a perfect match. She helped me get back on my feet and was my rock through the ups and downs of pregnancy and post. When Josh was born, they put me in touch with CAB, without their practical help, I’d have been in deep trouble and I am always grateful for their initiative. Louise helped me onwards with Josh to continue attending groups and Josh has also made friends with the children in the weekly peer support group, an experience he would not have had due to my conditions. In short, without Grassroots, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

17 Physical Activity and Children

The importance of play for children’s healthy development is grounded in a strong body of research. As a natural and compelling activity, play promotes cognitive, physical, social, and emotional wellbeing, offering the necessary conditions for children to thrive and learn. Through play, the child can experiment, solve problems, think creatively, cooperate with others, etc. gaining a deeper knowledge about his/herself and the world. From an early age, the possibility to experience several opportunities for unstructured play, in which the child can decide what to do, with whom and how, promotes positive self-esteem, autonomy, and confidence. Source: Porto Biomedical Journal April 2017

Funded by Inspiring Scotland, our Go2Play project has successfully engaged primary aged school children living in the data zone areas in a range of outdoor play activities within the school playground and in local parks and green spaces.

401 226 97 Children Active play Parents participated sessions engaged delivered

18 “Very good activity and enjoyable with mums, dads, nanny and papas to be able to join in.” Parent

“Great initiative, good to see kids outside enjoying themselves and being active outdoors. After being part of the sessions, I encourage my son to replicate some of the activities at home outside.” Parent

“Go2Play has been fantastic for the children at Rigside, every session they have so much fun their faces are beaming but we know that they are developing lots of social skills, resilience, how to deal with conflict all key skills for life. It has been fantastic to promote a wide range of skills for example in golf or badminton. All our children have been engaged the full time. Within the playroom we can see the benefits and the impact of the active play, the children are transferring some of the skills they are learning into their everyday play.” Head of Nursery

A teacher’s story about Tom

Tom P7 attends a local primary school and in the past has been a boy known to rebel against play rangers, getting into trouble and then presented with time outs. As active play sessions continued, Tom’s confidence and independence grew, he was less involved in crowds of children rebelling against the play ranger’s wishes and was more involved in helping them and playing with other children. Witnessing Tom’s increased confidence to walk away and become more involved in other aspects of play that involved children out with his normal grouping of friends was becoming a common occurrence. His appetite to play football and other activities grew, asking to play every day during the play sessions. Active play has been great to see as this is a personal development which will put him in good stead for other aspects of his present and later life.

19 Lanarkshire Domestic Abuse Response (LDAR)

Domestic Abuse, as gendered based violence, can be perpetrated by partners or ex partners and can include physical abuse (assault and physical attack involving a range of behaviour), sexual abuse (acts which degrade and humiliate women and are perpetrated against their will, including rape) and mental and emotional abuse (such as threats, verbal abuse, racial abuse, withholding money and other types of controlling behaviour such as isolation from family and friends. Source: National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland, Scottish Partnership on Domestic Abuse, Edinburgh, November 2000

There were 51,926 incidents of domestic abuse in Scotland recorded by the police in 2009-10. Women are far more likely to be victims than men, with incidents involving a female victim and a male perpetrator representing 82% of reported incidents. Many women never report the abuse to police. This is partly because the abuse may not be physical and may not constitute a ‘crime’. Source: Scottish Government 2010, Statistical Bulletin Crime and Justice Series: Domestic Abuse Recorded by the Police in Scotland

Lanarkshire Domestic Abuse Reponse project (LDAR) is a multi-agency funded by the Big Lottery Fund to benefit women across Lanarkshire who have experienced domestic abuse. The project is led by NHS Lanarkshire’s Ending Violence & Abuse service (EVA) and partners include various Citizens Advice Bureaus, , North and South Lanarkshire’s Women’ Aid. Lanarkshire Rape Crisis, North Lanarkshire Violence against Women Group, Door Way Partnership South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire Housing and Social Work Services, South Lanarkshire Housing and Technical Services and Healthy Valleys. All of these agencies are committed to working together to improve access to specialist practical and emotional support to women who have experienced domestic abuse.

Healthy Valleys provides the complementary therapy element of support to women referred, they who must also be experiencing at least one of the following issues on an ongoing basis:

• sleep problems • physical health problems • low self-esteem • emotional numbness • difficulty with talk therapy • difficulty with touch • depression • anxiety/panic

91 512 219 Women Complementary LDAR referrals accessed therapies received complementary therapies delivered

20 “After living with abuse for 50 years …the psychologist explained why I was always on high alert; the advocacy & advice workers empowered me as a woman and are sticking with me and the complementary therapist gave me my body & soul back. I would be dead if not for all the help.” Participant

“My aromatherapy sessions with the therapist have been invaluable. It’s helped me greatly in my recovery from physical, mental, emotional & spiritual issues. I no longer feel damaged by my marital abuse.” Participant

21 Karen’s Story

Karen had suffered abuse as a child and over 20 years of domestic abuse. She had never sought help until now. Her GP referred her to EVA Services where for the first time she felt someone finally understood her. She felt empowered to know that the symptoms she suffered stemmed from the traumas that she had endured over the years. The Psychologist gave her many tools to cope with her symptoms which she found helpful. The Advocacy worker supported her to go to the Police but this was put on hold as Karen found the stress it caused resulted in unexplained pain over her whole body. Financially she was in difficulty too but the care, advice & support she received from her CAB worker until she moved in to her new home stabilised her and reassured her that all would be well.

When Karen came for her first complementary therapy session she was anxious, hyperalert and couldn’t sleep at all. She was feeling worn out, isolated, had low self-esteem & looked heavily burdened. She was apologetic for everything & believed she didn’t deserve any good things in her life. She found it hard to imagine anything helping her but she hoped the therapies would help her not feel like a ‘crazy’ woman. She loved the oils blended specifically for her needs and went home looking forward to using them.

The next week she came in looking like a different person! Having used the oils daily she felt much better in herself, calmer, clearer in her mind & not reacting in anger. She managed to sleep all night, something she hadn’t done for years, & as a result she had more energy which spurred her on to clear out her house.

After a few sessions, she visited her GP who couldn’t quite believe the difference in her, having seen Karen struggle for many years. When she saw her Psychiatrist he too noted the visible change in her and asked for more information regarding the LDAR project. She is using her medication much less now and if she ever feels overwhelmed she knows the essential oils will help her feel more balanced again.

By the end of her therapy sessions Karen was ready to work again with the Advocacy Worker & felt strong enough to talk to the Police about all that had happened. She felt empowered, loves her new home and is planning on learning to drive so that she can fully enjoy her new- found freedom.

Karen’s story captures the value of the LDAR project team work and shows the contribution each part plays in helping to rebuild women’s lives after trauma.

Karen said so many times that if it wasn’t for the help she received she probably wouldn’t be here (see the quote on page 21). She felt valued, understood and not judged and she feels everyone working together is what saved her life.

22 ‘Good parenting and the relationship between parent and child are critical to the development and health of a child, future outcomes throughout childhood and as an adult. More specifically, bonding, attachment and attainment between parent and child from birth have critical implications throughout life for the health and wellbeing of the child and future adult’ Source: NHS Lanarkshire Maternal and Early Years website

The Parents Supporting Parents (PSP)project has been running in rural villages of South Lanarkshire since the summer of 2014. The project works with parents and carers of children under 5 years who are isolated and lonely, want to help themselves and others by developing different types of local support that suits their lives and circumstances.

The project: • Brings parents and carers together to share ideas and makes connections between people leading similar lives and help prevent isolation and loneliness • Works with parents and carers to develop new groups and activities to suit their specific needs which are suitable for families (with children under 5 years) living in the rural area • Gives parents and carers the confidence, skills and opportunity to play helping bond and attachment with their babies and children • Encourages and supports parents and carers to become more involved in their community, other local groups and activities with their children

PSP was funded by the Cattanach Trust until March 2017 and has been operating in Rigside, Douglas, Blackwood & Kirkmuirhill, Forth, Junction, Lanark (Smyllum) and Carluke.

We have helped support parents to develop and recruit families to pre 5 groups in each village. We worked in partnership with SPELL and VASLan who gave additional support to the groups around programme activity, committee skills and funding to support longer term sustainability for each group.

PSP has successfully engaged parents and children who are in need of extra support. Many of the families are also involved with Social Work, Integrated Children Services and Grassroots and they are usually affected by poverty and have little or no opportunity to take part in activities in their local community.

171 156 Activity based 8 Participants sessions Communities supported delivered engaged

23 “There’s not much to do in . The group has been great – we’ve had some laughs and the activities have been ace.” Parent “I’ve always been quite shy and was bullied at school but I didn’t want my son to be the same. The group has been good for us both – it’s good for him to play with other kids and I’ve got to know a few of the other Mums too and made some friends.” Parent

24 Susan’s Story Background Susan is 23 years old and has two children aged 18 months and 4 years old. She is a lone parent who has been supported by Women’s Aid and has no contact with her ex-partner who is the father of the children. Susan has no family support locally or friends since she moved from Glasgow. Susan did very little in her village other than visiting the local shop and dropping her oldest child at nursery. She would say hello to some of the parents at the nursery drop off/pick up times however didn’t know them very well. Susan was really struggling, feeling lonely, had low confidence and was feeling “pretty low”.

Engagement with Parents Supporting Parents Susan received an invite to join the PSP group through the local nursery. Initially she didn’t go as her confidence was so low however with some encouragement from one of the nursery staff she decided to give it a try a few weeks after it had started. Susan said the staff member was lovely and made her feel very welcome as soon as she arrived and introduced her to the other mothers some of which she had recognised from nursery and others that she had never met before. Susan said “I was so scared to come along but knew that I needed to get out of the house. My wee one also needed to meet other little ones. I couldn’t believe how friendly everyone was”.

Susan and her little one enjoyed the weekly group and the planned activities which ranged from making arts and crafts, telling stories to playing games. She particularly enjoyed the company of other adults and found herself sharing parenting tips and ideas with the other parents. She also made friends with a couple of mums and they also met out with the group meeting at each other’s houses and the local play park. Susan said that when she joined the group she was the quiet/shy one and didn’t feel like she had anything to contribute however after a few weeks she was getting more involved and felt her confidence was growing and she was helping with some of the smaller tasks including setting the room up, making the tea and after a while she took her turn to read the story to the kids which is something that she never thought she’d do “It was a small simple story but I never thought I’d have the confidence to read a story to the kids with the parents around”.

After a few months Susan was feeling much better. She had taken on more responsibility at the group including the planning, taking notes from their planning meetings and help with the general organisation of the group. She knew more people in the community (wider than just the group) and was getting out much more. She went to the Book Bug session in Lanark and had also found a gym tots class for her little one so she feels he is also benefitting playing with other children and they are spending quality time together.

“Parents Supporting Parents was a life line for me. I had a horrible time and had to move from Glasgow and I knew nobody. I was always stressed and found myself shouting at the boys. We needed to get out of the house and do something fun. The group helped me find new friends who have been really friendly and supportive and I’ve also found out more about the community and what other things are out there to help me and my family. I’m still recovering from my past however I’m on the right road now and I honestly think going to the group was the start of that.”

25 Older People and Loneliness and Isolation Loneliness and social isolation are harmful to our health: research shows that lacking social connections is as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day (Holt-Lunstad, 2015). Social networks and friendships not only have an impact on reducing the risk of mortality or developing certain diseases, but they also help individuals to recover when they do fall ill (Marmot, 2010).

Loneliness and physical health • Loneliness increases the likelihood of mortality by 26% (Holt-Lunstad, 2015) • The effect of loneliness and isolation on mortality is comparable to the impact of well- known risk factors such as obesity, and has a similar influence as cigarette smoking (Holt- Lunstad, 2010) • Loneliness is associated with an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease and stroke (Valtorta et al, 2016) • Loneliness increases the risk of high blood pressure (Hawkley et al, 2010) • Lonely individuals are also at higher risk of the onset of disability (Lund et al, 2010)

Loneliness and mental health • Loneliness puts individuals at greater risk of cognitive decline (James et al, 2011) • One study concludes lonely people have a 64% increased chance of developing clinical dementia (Holwerda et al, 2012) • Lonely individuals are more prone to depression (Cacioppo et al, 2006) (Green et al, 1992) • Loneliness and low social interaction are predictive of suicide in older age (O’Connell et al, 2004)

Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, our ReConnect project helps prevent further decline in an older person’s health by providing them with a volunteer buddy to enable them access local opportunities and meet other members within their community.

68 people 755 380 aged 51-80 Volunteering 1:1 Support received hours sessions support contributed delivered

26 “I don’t know what I would have done without ReConnect. Nobody else wants to help. You have been a lifeline and this is life changing for me.” ReConnect Participant

Mabel’s Story

Mable is 85 years old and lives by herself in , with no amenities nearby. Mable recently moved to the village to be closer to her family. Her husband had died many years ago and she had previously lived in the same house in a large town for 35 years. When Mable moved she found herself becoming isolated as her family are out at work during the day. Although Mable is fairly mobile, a lack of accessible public transport stopped her from going out. It was also for this reason that Mable’s friends could not come and visit her. As time went on, Mable became stuck in the house and her mood began to suffer.

Mable was referred to the CPN team but she told them….

“I don’t need a CPN to help me get better, I need to get out of the house.”

27 When I first met Mable, her mood was very low. She had not left the house in 2 years, had stopped driving and was increasingly anxious about going outside- often suffering panic attacks and having to return home immediately. Mable had little knowledge of what was available in her own area and did not feel ready to be involved in any group situations or busy locations. Mable used to be very independent and this new situation had come as a shock and she expressed a fear of never going out again if something didn’t change. Mable was desperate for some support to get out and about independently.

Mable’s Journey with ReConnect Mable has been working with ReConnect for around 3 months now. At first her volunteer began with simply taking Mable out for a coffee and a chat to build her confidence being outside the house. This has progressed to Mable visiting the supermarket, bank and attending healthcare appointments.

When I spoke to Mable recently she explained “I can now go to the ATM while my volunteer waits in the car and I can browse the supermarket out of sight of my volunteer. It sounds small but to me this is huge. I would never have been able to do this before I had ReConnect.”

Mable’s volunteer is now working with her towards the possibility of using the “dial a bus” to get around. Also to link her back in with the church, which she desperately misses. This would open up a whole new social chapter in Mable’s life. Mable is also talking about getting back out in her car again and has visited neighbours in her street by herself. It is so inspiring to see such a massive change in Mable’s life and the new found confidence it has brought.

“I am so happy I made the decision to call. ReConnect is an excellent service. It’s changed my life. I feel 100% better knowing ReConnect is there.” “It has been really rewarding Mabel volunteering with ReConnect. It’s been great to see the journey the client can go through from insecure and sad to a confident cheery person who smiles and giggles - best payback ever. I really enjoy her company, we have a laugh together.” Mabel’s Volunteer

28 Smoke Free Project

According to NHS Lanarkshire’s Tobacco Control Strategy, over 130,000 adults living in Lanarkshire are current smokers and the majority of them live in our most deprived areas, where there are already significant inequalities.

The high number of people smoking within Lanarkshire significantly affects the health and well-being of the wider population and the strong link between smoking and deprivation means that exposure of children to second hand smoke tends to be higher in deprived homes. Source: Smoke-free Lanarkshire – For you, for children, forever: Lanarkshire Tobacco Control Strategy 2017 – 2022

The Smoke Free project funded by NHS Lanarkshire, delivered by Healthy Valleys in partnership with specialist Stop Smoking Nurses provides a unique intensive support to help individuals in the Clydesdale communities stop smoking and create smoke-free homes and cars. Healthy Valleys adopts a community development approach to stop smoking and the difference has had significant success in a short period of time.

113 32 19 Individuals Participants Support were consulted engaged in the sessions on project design stop smoking delivered and support project

29 Tam’s Story

Tam is 35 years old and has been a smoker for around 24 years. He was a heavy smoker and recorded a very high carbon monoxide reading at the first group session. Tam has been involved with Healthy Valleys for several years and had previously tried to stop smoking with the support of other agencies but was unsuccessful: “I tried before but they made it really difficult for me and I felt like I had failed.”

When asked why he wanted to engage with Healthy Valleys to stop smoking he said “I was so happy when I found out Healthy Valleys were doing a stop smoking group, people at Healthy Valleys have faith in me and I wasn’t scared to come to the group, I didn’t want to go back to my doctor or to the chemist.” This man has made a successful quit attempt.

He was asked how he found the programme and the support he received. “I would have started smoking again if at the hard times I didn’t have someone to contact … I needed the extra support throughout the week and people had so much faith in me to stop that I knew I could do it.”

When asked if he felt like he would have been able to stop smoking without the help of Healthy Valleys he replied “no I wouldn’t have had the support I needed, Stephanie listened to me and gave me encouragement when I needed it most, she was there for me. I felt like I was valued.”

What does being a non-smoker mean to you and your family? “everything … I don’t wheeze anymore and I have lost weight because I am walking more … I am going to learn how to drive because I have more money and I am going to volunteer because I have my confidence back, I don’t stink of smoke anymore.”

What is the best thing about being smoke free? “the best thing so far is that I eat better and drink less coffee I feel healthier and I feel motivated to keep improving my health.”

30 Priority 2 - Volunteer Development

Volunteering is at the heart of Healthy Valleys. Many people volunteer because they want to do something positive in their community, to support someone less fortunate than themselves and to make a difference.

Volunteering not only benefits the recipient of the voluntary actions but benefits the volunteer too. There are many health benefits associated with volunteering;

Social interaction improves mental and physical health, according to ‘Psychology Today’ the benefits of consistent socialising include better brain function and lower risk for depression and anxiety. You also improve your immune system.

Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, low self-esteem, and even Obsessive Compulsive Disorder have all been helped by volunteering. When people with OCD, PTSD, or anger management issues volunteer, they feel more connected to others. They have an increased sense of purpose. Connection and meaning translate to decreased symptoms and improved social function. Source: The Balance March 2017

This year we’ve broken some records!

106 4,206 Active Volunteer volunteers hours

14% 19% increase increase

31 All our volunteers have access to good quality training and support. This year volunteers participated in the following training courses:

ACTIVATE Course Anxiety & Depression ASH Tobacco Use & Youth Work Baby & Child First Aid Bookbug for the Home Car Seat Children & Families Affected by Substance Misuse Child Protection Dementia Awareness Dementia Friendly Walk Leader Depression & Anxiety DYLOS and Dangers of Second Hand Smoke Emergency First Aid Equality & Diversity Functional MOT Fitness Infant Massage Healthy Valleys Role Specific Volunteer Manual Handling of Inanimate Objects Mental Health First Aid Mindfulness Moving of People Play @ Home Psychiatric Diagnosis REHIS Food & Health REHIS Food Hygiene ROSPA Water Safety Safe Talk Second Hand Smoke Sexual Health Sexual Health and Relationships Stay Warm, Stay Well Volunteer Induction Volunteer Development Meeting (with training) Walk Leader

Quality Standards and Recognition

Healthy Valleys Volunteers continue to be very successful in official recognition of the valuable work they carry out.

Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan) awarded us the Health and Wellbeing Organisation of 2016 and Active Project of 2016 for our Go2Play project.

Our volunteer led Community Cafes and Rural Café also achieved their Healthy Living Awards from NHS Health Scotland.

This impressive portfolio of awards is a fitting tribute to the work our volunteers undertake.

32 David’s Story Background I have been volunteering for ReConnect for just over a year and most recently have been supporting Jessie- a 73-year-old woman with restricted mobility, to get out and about. Jessie had not been out of the house for some time and I have been supporting her to rebuild her confidence in public places and social situations. Jessie has made great progress sincewe began seeing each other and now reports feeling much less lonely and isolated and more positive about the future.

“I used to shake like a leaf, I don’t now.” Jessie, Participant

Deciding to volunteer with ReConnect I was attracted to this Project after seeing an advert on Gumtree. My gran is in a care home with dementia and I feel that when she was in her own house she could have had more support. I wanted to help others in a similar situation.

I also wanted to go back to college to pursue a career in social care and felt this volunteering opportunity would give me valuable experience.

Most importantly for me was the experience of being better connected to my community. I am new to the area and at times feels quite isolated myself. ReConnect helps me to be part of something and get out and about.

Expectations The role that I have taken on with ReConnect is exactly what I thought it would be. I find my spirits lifted at the end of a visit and feel good about the fact that I am making a difference.

“How rewarding it is to be a ‘happy’ part of someone’s life. To not have specific times and be watching the clock but be focused on listening, caring and encouraging someone back to good social interactions and better mental health. It’s a privilege.” Volunteer

33 Impact Since volunteering for ReConnect, my confidence has increased and I am getting out and about by myself much more than I would have been if I had not been volunteering. Supporting Jessie has helped me with my own anxieties.

“The opportunity you gave me and the confidence that brought has changed my life.” Volunteer

I have started a college course and have been able to use my volunteering role as part of my coursework- giving me valuable hands on experience.

Since volunteering with ReConnect I feel I am interacting more positively with older generations I’ve gained a better understanding of older age groups and realised that older people face the same social hierarchies and difficulties that everyone else does- age isn’t relevant! I have a bigger appreciation of the importance of social interaction in people’s lives and what a massive difference just getting out makes to people.

“Can’t thank you enough for all your help and support, it was you giving me this opportunity that has gave me back my self –belief.” Volunteer

Challenges The most challenging part of my role is maintaining boundaries with vulnerable older people. It is so important to build a helping relationship but at the same time keep them at arms length as we do not want them to become dependent on us- we want them to become independent.

Improvements If I could make any improvements to ReConnect, it would be to increase the length of time we can offer support and also to consider offering a befriending type element to the project- for people who would struggle to ever become socially independent.

34 Priority 3 - Organisational Development and Sustainability

What do we mean by Sustainability? “A sustainable future is one in which a healthy environment, economic prosperity and social justice are pursued simultaneously to ensure the wellbeing and quality of life of present and future generations. Education is crucial to attaining that future.” (Learning for a Sustainable Future - Teacher Centre)

The Board of Directors play a pivotal role to ensure that the Organisation is not exposed to adverse risk and sufficient funds are in place to achieve the Priorities contained within this report.

Going forward into the next financial year, the Board will undertake an Organisational review to ensure we continue to progress in the right strategic direction, have strong governance and have adequate financial resources in place to deliver our key priorities.

Services Vision

Sustainability

Resources

In the meantime, Healthy Valleys continues to work towards its Organisational priorities at the same time as pursuing operational development activities. It is recognised thatthe Organisation has grown and it continues to diversify, this in turn puts pressure on existing physical environments and resources. The following areas are currently being addressed to enable organisational development and sustainability. These include:

35 Rural Centre for Children and Families As previously stated, it is important that Healthy Valleys operates from a ‘fit for purpose’ building and accessible location which provides improved access for communities anda conducive working environment. The rural community has expressed that they would benefit more from the services of the Organisation if they had access to a community facility e.g. meeting space, training rooms, childcare, community kitchen/café.

In response to community need, the premises working group has been negotiating an interim arrangement with NHS Lanarkshire to maximise access to the former hospital whilst, continuing to work in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council and others to purchase a site in Lanark for re-development.

Partnership working Partnership working is key to any successful organisation. Healthy Valleys cannot and does not work in isolation but continues to develop and build new working relationships for the benefit of the wider community. This approach brings its own challenges but with the skills and experience within the team we manage to achieve more collectively than we would as a single operation.

Transport Recognising transport is an issue in the rural area, we still intend to purchase or lease a suitable vehicle which will reduce barriers to community engagement and participation. However, safe storage and maintenance continues to be a challenge. When these matters are resolved this work priority will be developed.

Staff Development and Training In addition to 1:1 support and supervision sessions, each staff member has a personal development plan. Board members also undertake training and development opportunities.

Some of the training undertaken this year includes: Active Play Adult Support & Protection All Weather ASH Tobacco Use & Youth Work ASIST Auto Enrolment Pension Baby & Child First Aid Child Protection Depression & Anxiety DYA Induction DYLOS and Dangers of Second Hand Smoke Emergency First Aid Equality & Diversity Everybody In HIV Awareness Manual Handling of Inanimate Objects Marketing Mental Health First Aid Mindfulness Moving of People Play Champions REHIS Food Hygiene Sexual Health & Relationship Substance Misuse Walk Leader Weight to Go Instruction of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Managing Safely

36 Acknowledgement and much appreciation is expressed to the following funders: BIG Lottery Fund NHS Lanarkshire South Lanarkshire’s Integrated Care Fund Cattanach Trust Children in Need Community Food & Health (Scotland) Inspiring Scotland Scottish Government: People & Communities Fund South Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Fund

37 Healthy Valleys is a Company Limited by Guarantee No: 246145 and is a recognised Scottish Charity No: SC034253

Healthy Valleys, Lockhart Community Hub, c/o Lockhart Hospital, Whitelees Road, Lanark, ML11 7RX Tel: 01555 662496 [email protected] www.healthyvalleys.org.uk