FRANKLY SPEAKING If any of us had been told in March that in late September we would still be BRAINBOX facing Covid 19 with little sign of respite we would not have believed it. The sad reality is that Covid seems to be here to stay and we are going to have to adjust to living with it rather than defeating it, at least until we have NEWSLETTER OF THE BRAIN INJURY FOUNDATION ISSUE 81 SEPTEMBER 2020 a vaccine. It is a scary thought. The arguments rage about the best way to protect us and I am far from an expert but I just wonder what would have happened if all the money being spent on the economy had been spent on SMALL STEPS TO RE-OPENING our NHS instead so that everyone who caught Covid 19 could be These last months have been more than difficult for our members as guaranteed the best possible treatment we might well have been better off. many missed their normal routine of coming to us every week and this It is hard not to feel a degree of sympathy for some of our politicians. With- caused undoubted stress. The committee has been very cautious in out being party political I happen to believe that our own Robin Swann has done his very best. moving towards re-opening and so we decided to contact our members His straight talking and behaviour gives me a good amount of confidence. I heard on the radio and seek their views on coming back. We also conducted a full risk recently that some countries now have zero levels so there is still hope. assessment and consulted all the relevant guidelines and on the basis Cannot say the same thing about Brexit. The pandemic had almost put it out of our minds but it of that research the committee has decided to move forward for a trial is back with a vengeance and we look increasingly as if we are heading for a no-deal. We will period by offering this programme starting on Monday 28th September. not even talk about international treaties. OUR HOUSE, CAMLOUGH Have to refer to the sad loss of John Hume. I know he was not universally liked but thousands Monday 11am -1.00pm Picture framing , maximum 4 people of people are alive because of him and we have enjoyed many years of relative peace because Monday 11am -1.00pm Carers coffee morning maximum 10 people (It of his vision. It was really heart warming to hear so many tributes to him from all sides of our community. We also lost a great Englishman, well, an adopted Irishman, Jack Charlton who was not possible to get a suitable time slot for water aerobics) brought happiness of a different kind to the island. Tuesday 11am—3.00pm Triple T Club for survivors with cookery for 3 To end on a lighter note, one of my bugbears is commercial advertising on TV. I hate the way people; 11.30 - 12.15 chair aerobics maximum 10 people (available al- programmes are continually interrupted by inane adverts but I have to say two ads recently so on ZOOM) 1.30-3.00pm Singles boccia matches maximum 8 peo- have really taken my fancy. Do you know the way to San Jose and is the big green eyed ple; 1.30pm—3.00pm Single pool matches maximum 8 people monster under your bed? Finally, do you think my grandson had an agenda when he said to Wednesday 11am—1.00pm Art therapy maximum 6 people me, before returning to University in England, that he would like to be on the mailing list for Thursday 1.00pm—2.00pm Pilates in large hall, maximum number 10 Brainbox as, wait for it, he loves Frankly Speaking? The boy will go far. (available also on ZOOM) FACILITY HIRE Friday 11am—1.00pm Horticulture with An Tobar, maximum 4 people We welcome enquiries, especially from voluntary and community groups, for the use of our Danielle Digney is offering to arrange flower arranging sessions for facilities including our small meeting room, large activity room and fully fitted kitchen. Our pub Halloween and Christmas so let Olive know if you are interested. with no beer is also available for hire for small functions, rehearsal space, meetings and so on. Ring us on 30839943 or email [email protected] ARMAGH MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES Tuesday 10.30am—1.00pm and 2.00pm—4.30pm , maximum of 5 at each session, horticulture in Milford Membership is open to anyone over 18 with a brain injury and their carers and family members. Trusthouse Charitable Associate membership is also available to anyone with an interest in brain injury. To discuss Thursday 11am—1.00pm , maximum of 4 people, art therapy in Dobbin Foundation Street membership call at Open House any Friday evening between 7.30 and 10.30pm or phone Frank on 07740823713 or Aileen on 07596639487 for an informal chat or to arrange a home visit. Thursday 11am—1.00pm carers coffee morning, maximum 8 people in OFFICE HOURS Dobbin Street coffee bar We are sorry to be imposing limits on numbers but we must adhere to Monday-Friday 9am to 4.30pm.Tel 30839943, helpline 07596639487; mobile 07740823713; social distancing measures which we all participants must observe. emails: [email protected] ; [email protected] Other safety precautions will apply and participants will be asked to STAY INFORMED wipe down surfaces they have touched after each session. If you want to keep up with the news and keep people informed you can follow us on Facebook. It is essential that you phone Olive to book your place. We hope this You can also follow us on our website, www.thebraininjuryfoundation.com. Finally, we welcome limited programme will go some way towards re-establishing friend- any contribution you might wish to make to our newsletter. Email Frank at in- ships and routines and the committee will keep it under review and [email protected] Please also make sure Aine has your mobile number so she amend it when possible or necessary. As the Covid situation changes can include you in our texting service. almost daily please note we will have to observe any changes in guide- lines so please make sure Aine has your mobile number. IF YOU HAVE FINISHED WITH THIS NEWSLETTER WHY NOT LEAVE IT SOMEWHERE WHERE IT MIGHT BE READ BY OTHERS OR PASS IT TO A FRIEND? CONTACTS: 30839943 OR 07740823713 OR HELPLINE 07596639487 EMAIL [email protected] WEBSITE: www.thebraininjuryfoundation.com BY SURVIVORS AND CARERS FOR SURVIVORS AND CARERS OUR HOUSE,BY SURVIVORS 23 Newry AND CARERS Road, FOR Camlough, SURVIVORS AND Newry CARERS BT35 7JP FUNDING FUNDING—AND THERE’S MORE! Raising funds is never easy but it is particularly difficult during a pandemic and none of us envies Daryll his job but like a true trouper he has risen to the challenge with the help of some of our members. Daryll also led by example and offered to shave his hair off for BIF raising almost £1,500 in the process Sinead Heaney presents Daryll with a cheque for BEFORE! AFTER! Proud mum, Noeleen and girl- £150, the proceeds of a fund raiser a team of under friend Ciara 16 girls from Newry Rugby Club organised. Damien Rooney, proprietor of RiteFitness and son of members Patrick and Bronach Rooney, is fund raising for BIF by attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the number of chin ups in 24 hours and is seen here practising for his attempt, which will be held in his gym on 25th October. The current record stands at 5094 chin ups so what an achievement this will be for Damien who says, “This is my way of giving something back to an amazing charity which does so much to support my parents. My father Patrick had a very serious brain injury a number of years ago and BIF has been a tremendous help to him and my mother. Our whole family is indebted to BIF.” Damien has set himself a target of £2500 and is already at just over £1000. Anyone wishing to contribute to this very challenging event can contact Daryll at our office or log on to gf.me/u/yqau4x Winners of BIF T-Shirts in our recent online competition were great friend Sharon Carragher from Culloville who does our armchair aerobics and pebble art, Hannah Rose Babe from Belleeks and Lucia Morgan from Castlewellan. Congratulations to all three. Proud but exhausted Naomi O’Hare Naomi & committee member Aine Darragh, Naomi’s son gets a small gift for his support Naomi O’Hare, one of our volunteers from Mayobridge, ran 5k every day during the month of July and raised just over £2,000 for BIF. Other fund raisers recently included a donation of £600 from the Murphy family who held a family sponsored walk and family coffee morning and Sheila McBride who also held a coffee morning and raised £100. We had some success too with our grant applications and secured £2,000 from the Wesleyan Trust, £4,900 from the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland and £4,900 from the Public Health Agency’s CLEAR project. A major success for us was securing over £2000 of sponsorship towards our Golf Challenge which included a really generous donation of £1000 from Seamus Strain and his team at Camlough Community Pharmacy as our main sponsor. Some pictures from the very successful Golf Day at Mayobridge Golf Club are on the next page. As we go to press we do not have final results for the amount raised by the day itself but it was a very successful day and golfers praised us for our organisation.