East Mencap March 2013 | Issue 2 Newsletter ”

For the past few months 12 members at the Thanet Resource Centre have tried I’d like their hand at Manston Golf Centre’s Driving Range. Fridays, I support a to take group of five individuals, all with a keen Boys interest in the Tee-Box and a love of the the Rough to great outdoors. the Green Keep As a golfer myself, I take great pride in being able to work with my group,” developing their abilities and aiming to Swinging obtain the skills to play a few holes. Manston Golf Centre, is very supportive towards the group, recently donating a whole caddyshack of clubs. Golfing Coach/Pro, Keely Chiericato is there on Fridays, commenting: ‘It's fantastic how enthusiastic they all are and its great to see more people becoming involved in the sport. The guys are always keen to know more about the sport. I hope with the recent donation of clubs from us that this will encourage more of the group to become involved.’

I hope that by the Summer we can approach the green and look forward to our first mixed foursomes.

By [Ground control to Major] Tom Wilmshurst

A Range of Articles on p2-3

Hard Drives & Computer Chipping on p4-5

Putting Thanet First on p6

Club-A-Go-Going ~ Wendy Flips ~ GEEK INSIDE: MAG MAG World ~ Hip Hop Hooray! F o o t s t Rebel Rebel o m p i n EKM Tennant, Gillian Johnstone was February ’ amazed 20th: Leah took a trip to the Marlowe Theatre, to find Canterbury to see the herself in a local international rap video smash hit: in Stomp. Along January ! with members Now, of our seen by Community over Support Team, 100,000 the afternoon people on YouTube, ‘Ghost Town’, a was a thrilling mix of percussion, dance, theatre & song about comedy. ‘It was really good, but nowhere near as was performed by loud as I thought it would be!’ said Support Worker Margate-born Emma, ‘We support Leah to try a range of events Mic Righteous . ‘I was and activities, making sure when she at the bus stop one communicates a preference we visit similar things!’ Sunday morning and saw it all being filmed,’ says Gillian, ‘When I saw it I called my sister to tell her! I was Any Way, Any How, proud to see Anywhere myself in a film Members of EKM received certificates in about my Moving & Handling training at our hometown.’ We Resource Centre in Margate. Jill Kennington adds, ‘Just like staff here, look forward to members will benefit from the correct seeing Gillian in training to pick up and move objects safely, more local rap ensuring the safety of themselves and others. This can go into their own files which may be videos in the useful if in college or paid/unpaid work’ future.

January 17th: The EKM Swale Under Pressure group have been enjoying all new activities at the Resource Hub in Seashells, Sheerness. Here, Paul from The British Red Cross shows 18 of our members how to save lives in emergency first aid training, involving compressions, breathing techniques and even using makeshift first aid kits with clothes and household items! Since the beginning of the year our Swale group have been getting involved in Photography, Drama, Art, Men’s Fitness & Women’s Wellbeing.

If you or someone you know in the Swale area would like to get involved in the activities at our Resource Hub, contact Jaime Giddings via the details on the back. Something In The Air

Our Youth Group also got flipping for Pancake Day! Ryan (right) enjoys the only February 12: Staff members Wendy Cameron & Dawn Charlton put their pancake pancake skills to good use, raising money for EKM at lunch time. ‘I was the existing long first to try one, it tasted pretty good and Wendy looked the part’ remarked enough in order to be photographed! Ed (top left) Later that evening, our Youth Group had a go themselves. Youth Photograph by Co-ordinator Ange Brown said: ‘We all had so much fun. More opportunities for kitchen activities would be great for members to practice their skills so Liam Kelly that one day we may achieve the Pandexterous-Charlton-handed-flip!

Mencap Action Group What’s Really Happening (MAG) meets every Monday giving tenants in our supported and independent living in Thanet the chance to have their say about the things that are important to them in the area. Here’s an update of what they have been involved in: 7th January: Robin Cahill from KCC came to talk to us about Gangs and keeping safe in the community. 14th & 21th January: Colin Guest from the Tizard Centre visited with students to run a survey about bad experiences that have happened to people and how they felt about talking to Police. 28th January: Members of Kent Community Health Team came to talk to us about the Patient Engagement Network and we helped them to make information easier to understand.

Photograph submitted by Claire Goldfinch Dance EKM’s Valentines Magic Dance at The Red Arrow D a n c e Club was enjoyed by all on February 8th. Faye & Auntie Karen came along to our quarterly dance, we hope to see you at the next one on June 14th! It’s No Game pt1: February 21: Members of EKM were invited along to a preview day of Game Expo East Kent [GEEK] at Margate Winter Gardens. Developed by Marine S Studios in Margate, GEEK entertained gamers with over 150 consoles and 1000 playable games. The community day, sponsored by Council saw o people testing out new technology, practicing their DJ-ing skills, reminiscing with retro and learning fitness tips with interactive sports! Youth Co-ordinator, Ange added, ‘30 tickets were given to us, which were enjoyed by members young & old. We would like to thank Roxanne Williams at GEEK HQ for coming to talk to us and arranging for us to join in. Looking forward to GEEK:2014!’

‘It was well worth going! It was good to see computers through the generations, we all enjoyed something different there… for me it was pinball!’

Tin Machine: Thanks to you, EKM has had over 100,000 hits on our website, 1000+ Facebo S o u n d & V is io n

Photograph by Lee Harrison

The East Kent Mencap photography groups Shapes newest exhibition: Of A Splash Of Colour is currently being held at Things Herne Bay Library until March 28th (Free to all, open 9-5 Mon-Sat). Exploring colour, light & movement, the group continue to create some truly mesmerizing images so come along and let us know what you think!

Thanks to you, EKM has had over 100,000 hits on our website, 1000+ Facebook friends & 900+ Twitter followers! Please keep sug gesting, sharing, liking & tweeting our posts! H P a g e 6 e r o Man In The The Nicky & Eileen Barber e s Middle Charitable Trust have kindly funded our photography group for another year. £2,115 has In the current financial allowed the group to continue visiting Sandwich Bay climate EKM is always looking Observatory and purchase a video camera so that for new ways to fundraise so they can exhibit their work in a new & exciting way! when the opportunity came to Did you come along to our 2nd Community Quiz , promote payroll giving we held in Cliftonville on March 1st? Our 3rd event is were keen to get involved. going to be even bigger! We can announce that it will Payroll Giving is a simple way be at Jungle Jim’s in Quex Park on June 21st. Look to donate to out for more details in future… charity directly from your salary are supporting the work of The Gibbons Family Trust on a regular our Youth group in Cliftonville, providing £1,000 this basis. Because will allow us to continue developing activities for your donation 11-25 year olds. leaves your Thankyou to Bradstow Lodge for their account before donation of £100 which will go towards you receive your activities at our Resource Centre in salary it is a You can now Thanet! simple & painless way to donate by Text support charity. Most people Thanks go out to who have raised Kent Metals Message. A fast give between £4-10 per £40.80 with their collection tin! Please get in touch if & easy way to month & donations are tax you know a local business that would be happy to donate to East free making them cost put out one of our collection tins Kent Mencap effective for you & the If you’re taking part in a fundraising event or would recipient. If you would like to simply like to donate, take a look at our website & donate to EKM using payroll click ‘Donate’ to see how easy it is to sign up and be giving, talk to your employer part of EKM’s success. Your support makes all the or contact Jane at EKM for difference! more details.

EKM regularly meets with other local charities to Strangers When We Meet share learning & support each other to offer the best services for the people we support in the most cost effective way. Recently we have been discussing how to compete with the big charities’ fundraising efforts & all the resources and publicity they can command. Enter: Thanet First , a group of 6 charities, all with services in the local area, who are working in partnership to share our fundraising resources, thereby increasing opportunities, meeting the challenges of change, providing excellent value & promoting Thanet as an area to support. The 5 other charities are: Oasis Domestic Abuse Service, Thanet Community Networks, Kent Enterprise Trust, Pie Factory Music & Home Start.

Our mantra is: ‘Live Local, Work Local, Give Local’. So by supporting Thanet First you will know that only local people & organisations benefit, and all support stays in Thanet, going where it is most needed and appreciated. The group is exploring a variety of ways to generate money and already has the support of 3 of the most influential companies in East Kent: East Kent College, Manston Airport & Westwood Cross. We’re developing this business relationship and so far we have signed up for payroll giving, and donating old mobiles.

If you are interested in further information about Thanet First, go to: www.thanetfirst.org / @ThanetFirst & look out for news of further events and initiatives in the coming year. P a g e 7

Janine Genie: Swale Support Worker, Janine has be- gun working with the art & crafts group to decorate their next Prom Night at the Sittingbourne Sports Bar. ‘We wanted our second Prom to be even better than the last and have been working together to make the venue look fantastic on the night!’

The Canterbury Club Ages: 18+ 7pm-9pm. LAST DATE AT Thanington n o w a I K o n n Resource Centre: Wed: 20th March. Future dates at The Umbrella s G Centre, St Peter’s Place, Canterbury CT1 2DB £2.50 Entry. (See Above) I t ’ e n a p p The Gateway Club Ages: 18+ 6.45pm-8.45pm. Mondays except H y . . . e d a Bank holidays. New Gateway House, Northdown Road, Cliftonville , CT9 2RB. £2.50 S o m entry The Crypt Club Ages: 11-25. 7.30pm-9.30pm Thurs: 11Apr, 9May, 13Jun. Windchimes, Reynolds Close, Herne Bay , CT6 6DS. £2.50 entry Youth Group Ages: 11-25, 6pm-8pm. Tues: 12Mar, 16Apr, 14May, 11Jun. Held at New Gateway House Cliftonville. Parent/carer must stay on premises. £2.50 entry Youth Bowling Group Ages: 11-25 Wednesdays 6-8pm. AMF Bowling, Margate . Parent/carer must stay on premises. £2.75 A Splash Of Colour: EKM Photography group’s newest exhibition at the Herne Bay Library until March 28th. FREE ENTRY Quiz Night Our 3rd Quiz Night will be held on June 21st at Jungle Gyms in Quex Park, raising funds for EKM & Oasis Domestic Abuse Service . Teams of 4-8. Licenced bar. £7 each including meal. Get in touch via details to book! New Beginnings: EKM Swale Prom: April 5th. 7-10pm Sittingbourne Sports Bar 7-11 High Street ME10 4AY. £4. contact Janine on 07889563103 or see website. Red Arrow Club: Summer Dance: June 14th. At the Red arrow club, Newington Road, CT11 0QX 7:30-10:30pm. Tickets between £2.20-£12.50 contact Lynda on 01843-224482 SAVE THE DATE: Our 2nd Variety Show will be on May 30th and our 6th EKM FunDay will be on July 25th. More details online & in our next issue!

Church On Time: DPGs In Your Area

Ashford: June 7- St Francis Church, Cryol Road, Ashford, 1030-1pm

Canterbury : May 28- St Mary Bredin Church, Nunnery Fields, Canterbury 10:30-1pm We love seeing Thanet: June 4- St Paul's hall, St Pauls Rd, Cliftonville, Margate 10:30-12:30pm your photos from our events & Shepway: June 10- St Saviours, Canterbury Road, 10:30-1pm activities. You can tweet, tag or : June 6- at St Mary's church centre, Dieu Stone Lane, Dover 10:30-1pm email them in via details on the Swale: May 30- Seashells Children’s Centre, Sheerness 11:00-1pm back!

For more details on our clubs & events, please call 01843-224482 or visit www.eastkentmencap.co.uk Play It Safe Golden Years Absolute Beginners This month, we say goodbye to Registered Manager: Dawn Charlton, who, after working If you would like with EKM for over 15 years will be moving to East Kent Mencap’s East Anglia. Domiciliary Service has to work for East met all 5 standards of Back in 1997 we were called Thanet Mencap the Care Quality Kent Mencap as a Society. I started off in registered home, Muriel Commission’s Community House as a care worker and Inspection Report, becoming registered Manager covering care, welfare, Support Worker in 2004: medicines, staff, treatment & in the Herne Bay ‘I have seen so many changes to complaints. Registered area, please the way people with learning Manager Dawn (see disabilities are treated in East left) comments: ‘I am contact Alison, very happy EKM has Kent, as well as EKM’s effect our HR Officer on and development. Our members been able to continue at are in control of their lives more such a high standard of 01842-224482 or practice all this time’. than ever before and I have had visit our website first hand experience of people achieving things that once they for more details never thought they could possibly do, whether it was EKM’s Swale Group EKM also received are Charity of The going on holiday independently, recognition recently, getting a job or performing on from Peninsula: ‘for Year 2013! Look out stage in front of a big crowd! outstanding efforts and for us in the commitment to Sixteen years ago a member or Sheerness Times achieving a successful & Guardian! tenant would have done what proactive Health & they were asked, gone where Safety culture in the was suggested, not really workplace’ chosen anything for themselves, people now say no if they don’t want to do or go where and what is suggested, people now tell staff what they want to do and East Kent Mencap the staff support them to do it! East Kent Mencap supports people with learning EKM are a great example of person centred disabilities in East Kent to live full and valued lives with support for people. I will miss the feel of coming the same choices and opportunities as everyone else. to work and spending time with people who East Kent Mencap www.eastkentmencap.co.uk enjoy being there (the staff too!). New Gateway House [email protected] I would like to carry on working with people in 132 Northdown 01843 224482 the future and will keep in touch!’ Road Cliftonville Registered Charity Number: We will miss you Dawn & wish you all the best! Kent CT9 2RB 220798

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