As we navigate through these unprecedented times, it is more important than ever to stick together as a community and do all we can to help each other. Blythe House Hospicecare  healthcare assistants, nurses and counsellors are continuing to provide end-of-life care in people’s homes, and telephone support to patients and families across the High Peak and beyond. 

If you or someone you know could do with any support, please don’t hesitate to contact them. This might simply be a telephone chat, or picking up supplies, or collecting a prescription.

Please visit their website for further updates about our care and services throughout this time: https://blythehousehospice.org.uk/keeping-you-safe-information-on-coronavirus/ 

People needing to shield themselves from the coronavirus COVID19 will find the coming weeks a struggle as they are unable to meet friends and family or leave their home. Age UK Derby and Derbyshire are working to find ways of making sure older people feel valued and in contact with the outside world. If you would like to help writing a letter might be one way.

We are in contact with many older people who normally attend our services and places like our Chaddesden Park Centre for activities and social contact. We are working hard to ensure they get regular telephone contact from a familiar voice but a letter would give a real boost too.

To make sure everyone stays safe, and your letter or card does nothing but good, please follow the guidance below:

Don’ts:

• Please only sign the letter with your first name only or ‘from a well-wisher’ type neutral sign-off.
• Don’t share personal details like your address, age, date of birth or anything that would identify you.
• Please don’t make personal or discriminatory comments.

Do’s:

• It is ok to share some personal circumstances like ‘I live with my husband’ or ‘ I have a cocker spaniel’, and a little about what you do or did for a living.
• It’s good to describe positive things such as things growing in your garden, things you are doing to keep yourself cheerful, activities you enjoy, memories and reminiscence, the view from your window (keeping your exact location secret).
• Ask questions to stimulate an older person reading the letter to think about how they feel: ‘I’ve cooked myself a hot meal tonight, I find a nice hot dinner really makes me feel better when times are tough – do you find this too?’ or ‘I love this time of year when the air is cool but the sun is warm, what is your favourite time of year?’.
• Encourage your reader to follow the Government guidance and to use support services if they need help.

When you have finished your letter or card put it in an envelope marked ‘Letter Friend’ and send it to:
Age UK Derby and Derbyshire
29A Market Place,
Heanor.
Derbyshire.
DE75 7EG
(If you have lots of letters post them all together in a large envelope)

Thank you for helping at this time,
Yours, Katy Pugh, Age UK Derby and Derbyshire Chief Executive

Rethink Mental Illness are the lead provider of Derbyshire Recovery & Peer Support Service and they recognise the impact the situation may be having on people’s mental health.

They are now providing an Emotional Support Helpline, using their single point of access contact centre. This Helpline is for anyone feeling they need emotional support. This might be due to ongoing support needs, worries about the current situation, feelings of anxiety or loneliness – or any other reason. The Helpline will run during normal office hours but will be monitored and times changed to meet growing need.

If you need support, a listening ear, or just someone to chat to call 01773 734989.

Inspire Community Garden are holding their usual sale of plants every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon (from 1 to 3 pm) throughout May.

In order for them to comply with social distancing, you need you to book a specific time slot to visit for selection & collection of plants. Time slots will be available every 15 minutes. If you can let them know beforehand what plants you would like to buy, they can be set aside for you.

Please either email Lindsey at lindsey@inspirecommunitygarden.org.uk or text or phone 07753 181800.

Payment must be made in cash into a tub at the garden.

An up to date list of available plants is on their website

Derbyshire residents can get the latest NHS Covid 19 information while staying safe at home with the launch of a new online hub.

A one stop shop of latest updates, advice, information and direct ‘signposting’ to other helpful web sites has been added to the Joined Up Care Derbyshire hub at: https://joinedupcarederbyshire.co.uk/covid 19 information and advice

The information will help keep people safe , informed and able to access services during the country’s continuing lockdown in response to the pandemic.

All seven NHS organisations working across the county and the city and county councils will have their service updates covered as they are all partners in the ‘Joined Up Care Derbyshire’ health and care partnership.

A postcard is being delivered to homes across Derby and Derbyshire to make sure everyone knows where they can find this information, and make arrangements to help those who do not have access to the internet.

Healthwatch Derbyshire has also provided their number so residents who want to speak to someone to get support in accessing the information.

Project eARTh is a project from High Peak Community Arts for those experiencing mental distress and other long term conditions, which usually operates within groups based in New Mills & Buxton. Due to COVID-19, Project eARTh has established a number of virtual & remote projects: the Postcard Project, Ugly Bug Ball Quilt & Pom Poms.

Project eARTh

Age UK Derby and Derbyshire have been working with local businesses and organisations to bring home-horticulture packs to older people across the city and county.

As a result of the current advice that people over 70 should shield at home for 12 weeks, many of our older people are facing an extended period of isolation and uncertainty. Along with the loneliness, worry and practical difficulties this brings, many people are also finding that boredom and a loss of meaningful occupation through volunteering, socialising or getting out and about is having a detrimental impact upon mental health.

Growing kits
In response to this hidden crisis, Age UK Derby and Derbyshire are working to deliver home-horticulture kits to older people living alone and in care homes. The kits will include a booklet of activities, seeds and planting instructions, and in the case of individuals with no garden, a pot and enough compost to grow their seedling. They have been developed with the help of Horticultural Therapist Caroline Cook, who has a background in working in the NHS and in care homes.

Therapeutic effects
The therapeutic effects of growing and gardening are well documented. In times of stress, the tactile process of planting and simple act of caring for a seedling can be calming and grounding. Recipients won’t need a propagator, seed dibber or any fancy equipment, and don’t need to have any experience of gardening. The first packs will allow recipients to grow a Pot Marigold, or Calendula, which carries the meaning of courage, and are being delivered this week by volunteers from LifeCycle Derby. Delivery by bicycle where possible and use of recycled, biodegradable and paper packaging means that this project is able to have minimal environmental impact, in keeping with the green-fingered spirit it is driven by!

Further information
Further kits are planned for flowers to be planted later in Summer. If you or somebody you know would like to receive one, please get in touch via email:- lindsey.coombs@ageukdd.org.uk or call 01773 766922

Derbyshire Voluntary Action are delighted to share our first Network Newsletter Home Edition. We hope you find it packed full of inspiring and useful information!

As always, we remain committed to supporting our voluntary sector, and we hope that the information shared in this newsletter allows you to feel connected to what is happening within our communities in Derbyshire.

You can view Network Home Edition HERE or download the PDF HERE

Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook – A Tool to Help You Build Resilience During Difficult Times

The Wellness Society have published a free Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook to help manage stress and anxiety during this period of global uncertainty. 

Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook

Wednesday, 25 March 2020 11:44

Derbyshire Voluntary Action remains open for business during this unsettling period and we will continue to support our members, clients and our community, albeit in a more virtual way.

The Derbyshire Voluntary Action team is dedicated to supporting you and your group to stay connected and continue to support your beneficiaries wherever possible. Our projects, ‘Community Chesterfield’ and ‘Connect to…’ continue to be fully operational and are working virtually too. If you want to speak to a member of our teams, contact us in the usual way.

We already have a variety of ways to keep the Derbyshire Voluntary Action community connected, including our telephone calls, emails, bulletins and newsletters, but we are also exploring new ways of networking virtually so that you can see familiar faces and engage in discussions from your laptop. We are also exploring ways of helping you to connect with your members through online platforms and for us all share in this learning as we go along.

We have made the difficult decision to postpone upcoming Derbyshire Voluntary Action face to face forums and events until the ongoing situation becomes clearer.  At present, this includes all events up to the end of June 2020.  Be assured we are not going anywhere and you will definitely see us, just in a different format.

If you are a Derbyshire Voluntary Action member please send us your news, experiences, any advice you may have, or general updates on your group, so that we can continue to raise awareness of your good work and of course, support one another.

In addition, we are creating our soon-to-be-released, ‘COVID-19 Connect’ Facebook site where you will find useful information, lots of activities and ways to stay connected, plus some uplifting stories demonstrating how our communities are helping to tackle the challenges this pandemic will bring.

If you would like to get involved in webinars, blogs, shared learning or have ideas on topics, activities or team challenges you would like to share online please do let us know. 

There will be challenges for all of us in the coming months so if there is anything Derbyshire Voluntary Action can assist with or if you have any questions, get in touch with a member of the team and we will do our utmost to help you.

Our telephone numbers and email addresses remain the same.

We look forward to continuing to work with you during this uncertain time and as ever, we are here to support you.

Thank you,

The Derbyshire Voluntary Action Team