“And breathe” – check out this thoughtful blog about wellbeing for us all in the Voluntary Sector by our own Charlotte Repton, Project Manager, Community Chesterfield

At Community Chesterfield, we support organisations with a focus on Health and Social Care. Working in caring roles can impact on mental health at the best of times, and whilst we are still living through the COVID-19 pandemic, strain on those delivering Health and Social Care services remains high – which includes staff and volunteers in the third sector, as well as frontline healthcare professionals. That’s why we’ve organised a number of learning opportunities, freely available to voluntary and community sector organisations, focused on wellbeing.

The first date for your diary is Training & Tea – Looking after the well-being of your remote workers on 27 January at 9am. Training sessions in this series are only 45 minutes long, so don’t take too much time out of your day but are always filled with practical tips and techniques – and the content will also be relevant to teams that are still operating in person. We’ve all had to adjust to a lot over the last year, and being part of these sessions is also a good way to share your experience and learn from your peers.

We’re really excited to be working with William Van Gordon, associate professor in contemplative psychology at University of Derby, to deliver An Introduction to Mindfulness at 11am on Wednesday 10 March. The course will be broken into three sections, a short presentation about mindfulness, followed by some mindfulness practice then ending with questions and answers about how you can work mindfulness into your work or your own daily life. We’re hoping to run more sessions following on from this, but this will be an essential introduction into the topic.

Looking forward to April, we’ll be running a series led by Sarah Markham, founder of Calm in a Box, all about “finding a calmer, happier and healthier life for work/life brilliance”. The four short sessions will follow Sarah’s CALM model:

C – Connect with me through supportive conversations

A –  All of me matters

L – Let me have time for rest and recovery

M – Motivate and inspire me to take care of others

Like our Training and Tea sessions, these sessions will be only 45 minutes long. We recognise that it can feel difficult to take time out of your day when you’re feeling stretched – but investing time in your own wellbeing and of those around you will pays off in the long run… We all need simple strategies at the moment to ensure we don’t burn out and that we can keep on doing the work that we love to the best of our abilities under tough conditions.

We hope these sessions will be interesting and useful for you as professionals, leaders, colleagues and most of all as individuals.

Finally, if anyone is reading this at a point when you feel like you need immediate and urgent help, there are some links to Mental Health Support Services on Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s website.

The collaboration between Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Tinnitus Support Group and Derbyshire Voluntary Action to develop an online Poetry Group is going really well.  The group has met three times in a relaxed manner to read and share poetry. 

With all the stresses around us at the current time, with the anxiety of continued lockdown, poetry is a great way to distract, enjoy and express your feelings.

The word ‘poetry’ comes from the Greek word meaning ‘making’ or ‘creating’ and that is exactly what the group has been doing. 

Staying connected has been especially important during lockdown and the online poetry group has enabled people to come together, share ideas and poetry.  In the latest session the group came together to write an acrostic poem entitled ‘Inspiration’.   We hope you like it.

Group poem
Inspiration
I am inspired by life itself
Never to know what goes on within
Seeing you in my mind’s eye
Peace and love by all was sought
Infinite possibilities on the horizon
Reaching for one’s goal
Announcing the passage of silent time
To show respect we should not mind
Informal thoughts within
Onward we will overcome
Never losing inspiration 
 
The group meets by zoom every 3^rd Wednesday in the month and there will be lots of ideas, writing prompts and inspiration, as well as an opportunity to share your poems.  The next session will be Wednesday 17^th February 2pm – 3.30pm.  The theme will be Memories.  Please contact Joanne Gordon at mail@tinnitussupport.org.uk for the link.

Weston Park Cancer Charity has completed the takeover of Nenna Kind Cancer Support Centre and they are  looking to prioritise re-establishing the transport service for Chesterfield and North Derbyshire to take patients to Weston Park Hospital. Volunteers will need to commit to at least one day a week (Monday to Friday) and have a full, clean driving licence. Download the role profile HERE.

If you are interested or would like to find our more please contact Weston Park Cancer Charity on 0114 553 3330

Read the latest Derbyshire Dementia Support Service newsletter HERE
 

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Supporting People with Dementia Through the Pandemic Survey

Last year was challenging for everyone, but especially for those affected by dementia. To help Alzheimer’s Society understand the ongoing impact of the pandemic, and are asking people to share their views on what life has been like during lockdown and shielding.

The survey is open to anyone living in Derbyshire, but Alzheimer’s Society particularly want to hear from people with a dementia diagnosis and those who are worried about their memory. They would also like carers, family members and friends to get involved.

www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Derbyshire_2021
 
The responses will help to inform understanding of the impact of the pandemic on people in Derbyshire and help us shape future services.
 
The survey closes on Sunday, 14 February. For further information please contact the team on 01332 208845 or email local@alzheimers.org.uk.
 

As well as rolling out the survey, Alzheimer’s Society will also be holding focus groups and follow-up telephone calls. If you have any service users or groups sessions which may be appropriate please email local@alzheimers.org.uk

The NHS Covid-19 vaccination programme is underway

Derbyshire’s hospitals and GP practices have begun vaccinating priority patients and staff against Covid-19. Priority is based on age, and existing health risks.

If you are in a priority group then you are at high risk of getting Coronavirus, especially if you have a long-term condition such as diabetes, heart disease or respiratory conditions.

The vaccination is FREE.

If you are eligible and get invited for a vaccination, it’s really important you attend your appointment to protect yourself, and your family.

But please wait to be contacted by your GP practice and take up the offer for this life-saving vaccine.

If you are looking to support the health and social care workforce during the pandemic, then please click here.

The Vaccinations Roll Out document below provides more information on when people are likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the sites offering the vaccine and links to more detailed information about the vaccine and the vaccination programme in Derby and Derbyshire.

Relate are able to offer 3 free sessions of counselling to Voluntary sector workers.

In addition to this they have also received funding for key workers and residents from Coalfields areas.

They are also offering 6 hour courses for up to groups of ten people online for counselling training for non counsellors ( a charge applies to this) – if groups are interested please contact tracy.marsh@relatechesterfield.org.uk

Matinée Outreach

• Do you live with dementia, or care for someone living with dementia?
• Have you felt socially isolated and not comfortable using online technologies?
• Have you been frustrated over lockdown by the lack of activities you can do, and missed learning and trying new things?

As we find ourselves in another lengthy lockdown this is an invitation to take part in something creative and new from the safety of your own home. 

Matinée Outreach is a free arts-based project for people living with dementia (and their carers) who are isolated by Covid19 and not comfortable with online activities.

Using the phone and post you will have 1:1 sessions with a professional artist. The sessions often centre around conversations on the phone with the artist focussing on topics and themes, and then often having some activities afterwards that you can try at home. The topics and themes will all be centred on the interests and motivation of the person living with dementia.

Our artists are both experienced in working alongside people living with dementia and are looking forward to working creatively and flexibly with you via telephone and post.

Please get in touch with Frances Watt on 07449 732322 or email admin@matineederbyshire.org.uk if you would like to know more or take part. 

Just because you don’t have symptoms doesn’t mean you don’t have coronavirus. Act like you’ve got it. Stay at home and remember hands, face, space. For more info: https://crowd.in/RdQ0Ot

‘2020 was the year that Chesterfield’s big heart and amazing community spirit was needed more than any of us can remember.  Residents, community groups of all kinds, businesses and statutory services rose to the challenge and worked together to make a difference for so many people who needed help to get through lockdown.  It was a privilege to be a lead partner in our local Community Response Hub.

Our social connections are so important, and contribute to our wellbeing more than we perhaps realise, so my message for Christmas is, let’s make the time and effort to connect with each other in whatever ways we can, and to reach out to those around us who are isolated and may be feeling lonely at this bittersweet time of year. ‘

You can read more messages of positivity for 2021 from other Chesterfield Champions on the Destination Chesterfield website.

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has seen many organisations across Derbyshire working to ensure the basic needs of the most vulnerable residents are met, and it has become apparent that a number of community and voluntary sector organisations would benefit from additional resources to maintain their current level of response.

The COVID-19 Emergency Fund aims to support voluntary and community sector organisations with funding to allow them to them to continue to play a key role in the local response to COVID-19.

How much you can apply for
Formally constituted organisations can apply for a maximum of £2,000.
Non-constituted organisations can apply for a maximum of £250.

Deadline for applications
Applications are reviewed on a regular basis. No date has been set for closing the fund, but it is recommend that organisations submit their application as soon as possible.

Visit the Derbyshire County Council website to find out more and download the application form: https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/community/lottery-funding/covid-19-emergency-fund/covid-19-emergency-fund.aspx