AfA Summer Newsletter 2019

Issue 39 Summer 2019

Look at the back page for our new logo and website

Bromley Advocacy for All is an independent advocacy organisation and an equal opportunities employer. Charity no: 1064855.

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in this newsletter 3

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our news

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Bexley Speaking Up

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Ladies group

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Bromley Together Media Team /Young Voices

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Bromley Speaking Up group

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A team /Bridge to Independence

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Bromley Together and Big Health day

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Young advisors

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Speaking up in schools

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Speaking up groups in Kent

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Speak up Sutton

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Dates for your diary

our news Well done to our Bexley Speaking Up group member Sunny for all his hard word with the “Can you understand me team�

I scoffed it all myself.

It had rainbow colours on it

AGM Teresa spent her 50th birthday eating this lovely cake

Well done to our members who were voted on the Bromley Together Committee and to our members and staff who received Awards Find out more in Autumn / Winter edition Thank you to Gordon and Polly for chairing the event so well 3

We went to Danson Park for our yearly trip for a picnic and to play some games.

The weather was kind.

We played Boules.It is a bit like bowling.

Sunny said “I liked having fun with the group. It was great getting together.

It is a good way to keep your mind busy to help your mental health.�

Boules

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Bowls www.dansonparkbowls.co.uk

In the Autumn we are going to play bowls with a local Bowling club

We visited Mind In Bexley to tell them how hard we are finding it to access their services.

We are planning to do some work with them to help them understand our needs better.

We did some mindfulness under a tree in the rain in the churchyard.

We then went on to the pub to catch up with each other and have a bite to eat and a drink.

We are thinking about lots of ways to look after our mental health.

Big Safety Day Stephen was the compere for the 1st Big Safety Day He also did a session about Mate and Hate Crime.

We are very proud of our very special, super hard working member.

Well done Stephen

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Ladies Group The Big Health Day

We prepared some posters and advertising for this event And thought about which ones we would like to go to:

 Mindfulness  Getting my teeth checked  Making a smoothie Police Session Here are some of the positives and negatives

 I feel safe if police are around  They do the best they can with the cuts to budgets

 Managing kids on bikes  Not enough around when you need them

Next Bromley Safer Neighbourhood Team Drop in Surgery : 3:00PM - 4:00PM, Mon 15 July 2019 at Bromley Pavilion Leisure Centre 6

Living Alone What we say about loneliness

Making Friends Next month, we have invited ladies from Lewisham Speaking Up come to our summer picnic , as they are keen to get out and meet other women’s groups locally. We will let you know how it goes!

Friendship and Support The Silver Line is the only free confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people, open 24

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Media Team

Nathan Age: young at heart.

Special skill: Advocacy through art.

Personality type: hard working and fun.

Favourite hashtag: # Where is my pencil.

Gordon Age: Is none of your business .

Special skill: master of easy read.

Personality type: silent but always listening Favourite hashtag: # I’ll have a shipyards.

Sarah Dowding.

Age: old enough to know better.

Special skill: Instagram and hashtag specialist Personality type: creative and powered by words Favourite hashtag: # coffee and books are my thing.

George Age: for him to know and you to find out.

Special skill: deep thinker wise speaker.

Personality type: so open he should be a book.

Favourite hashtag: # do you need help with that.

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Young Voices Together We looked at all the different food labels to see if they were easy to understand.

We found that it was hard to tell if the label meant the whole packet was good for us or not.

After that we chose a piece of fruit and drew it that was a relaxing thing to do.

We have also looked at keeping safe out and about.

We spoke about how we keep safe and who we would tell if we didn't feel safe.

At our last meeting we went to the new Vue cinema.

We went to the pub first for dinner.

Then we sat in posh chairs and watched Men in Black. “The film was great I loved the aliens� Adam 9

BSUG Review of Fab House Cafe Fab House is a really good place to go to if you have a disability. It is spacious, accessible, there are only a few steps, and the floor is even for people unsteady on their feet.

People with mobility issues can get around. It is tidy and clean and they have nice pictures.

The food is very good, and there is a good selection. Our favourites include “The Rocky Road�, pain au raisin, scones and anything with icing on!

They have a great selection of drinks and they are sensitive to allergies.

The prices are reasonable The staff are very helpful and polite.

They can see that some people need help.They will help us to bring our food and drinks over to our table.

To them the customer comes first.

We would like to thank the staff for all their support for our coffee mornings.

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‘Listening To What You Have To Say.’ In our June meeting, we had a visit from Helen and Lisa. They wanted to hear our views about the future of services for learning disabled persons.

This is Helen talking to our chair Adam We talked about: what we enjoy doing What makes us cross who do you go to for advice and info Our conversation included, supported living, the NHS, self advocacy and how we are treated Holly said: “She can come back to another meeting as she was very calm listening to people when they were talking…didn’t talk over me, let me finish my sentence.”

Helen and Lisa said: “The session went really well and we were grateful to hear the feedback from Service Users.”

The concerns raised are now being raised at Bromley Council.

We will keep you posted about what happens next.

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Advocacy for All

bigger voices– better lives Keeping Safe With The A Team

Bexley big safety day The A team ran a hate and mate crime session It went pretty good it is about raising awareness. And helping people spot fake friends There was safe transport session about good and bad bus drivers

Adam said his favourite part of the big safety day was when he hosted friendship fortunes “ I did very well because everyone was learning about what is a good and what is a bad friend .I also did the safe places workshop with Bexley Mencap.”

mate crime

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Bexley Bridge to Independence project Bridge to Independence Project , providing group work courses and 1:1 support for young people with ASC and ADHD in Bexley to help with confidence building and planning for work Our Courses Confidence Choices Preparing for work Getting around In the Workplace Discussions ‘Do you tell your boss you have autism?’ ‘ it has nothing to do with doing your job’ ‘...a ghost in society’ ‘Attention to detail is a positive for an employer.’

What our members have gained ‘I feel better at social gatherings.

‘I went for an interview and got the job!’

https://www.bexley.gov.uk/sites/bexley-

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Big Health

you have yo you have the power! the power!

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Day 2019

Las t

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Oxleas CLDT came and did health checks and did a stall about health eating Thank you to Melanie and Vee

Thank you to Rob from Bromley Well for attending with his information and the dental service for coming

Thank you Sarah for presenting the questionnaire results 16

We loved the mindfulness sessions that Carol did with us Thank you Carol and Nathan who helped with the arts

A big shout out to Heather for selling our crafts. Nathan from Mind, Tracy for doing the wonderful smoothies and Mel for her hand massages

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Bromley Together Nikki from the Alzheimer’s Society came to talk to us about dementia. She is a Dementia Champion.

We had a quiz about dementia .

We learnt about the brain and how dementia affects people.

Dementia is to do with the brain Yolande

you have you have yo you have the power! the power! the power!

Be kind. To people with dementia. Give them time . Help them.

Gill

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For Learning Disability Week in June two of our members held a table top sale at Community House in Bromley to sell cards that the Art group made..

I love the Art group. It was fun doing this.. I really enjoyed it.

La st

Linda went to the Valuing People Event .

She spoke up about the buses in Bromley. to Catford Bus Garage.

She told the group about our visit

We heard about Community Roadwatch in Bexley and met some staff who work on the Underground trains.

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We can talk about anything .

We are good researchers.

We found out that Direct Payments are a really good way for people to get short breaks.

We have been doing work for the Havering Learning Disability and Autism Strategy.

We learnt more about our own Autism and what we need to cope.

We fed this back to Havering council We also celebrate each other We have loads of laughs.

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We are good at listening to each other.

Our work is to make young people’s lives better in Havering.

We talk about important topics like Transport and what to do if things go wrong.

We think there should be more police officers to help keep people

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Glebe School

The group did work this term on healthy eating and the different food groups Students enjoy working with James– our peer supporter He prepares resources and activities each week that are fun for students to work together on.

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Marlborough School Being healthy.

This term the group have been looking at all the things that make us healthy.

We started by looking at different foods and deciding if they were healthy or not.

We played a game of guess the fruit which was lots of fun.

Then we chopped lots of fruit and made a fruit salad it was great snack at break time.

We then talked about exercise and the types of exercise we do.

Our favourite type of exercise is to dance.

Finally one of our members won a Jack Petchey award for his positive attitude.

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Our members get out and have fun this summer The groups have been going out and enjoying doing different things In Whitstable we have been walking along the creek making the most of a sunny day.

Our members had a number of thoughts about their walks.

We are enjoying the sights and sounds of the countryside and how nature an help you to feel calm and relaxed. our members say

“walking helps me cope and feel less 24

“There is so much to see and I find it easier to talk to people when I’m walking”

We have also been enjoying walking in Broadstairs.

David wearing jeans in this picture has just become our volunteer to lead our Broadstairs walks.

We want to thank David for offering his help to keep this successful walk going.

The walking group meet every month. They told me that it was a great way to meet each other.

They said that it has become important to them.

Paul said that “It is good to go out and walk even if I sometimes don’t feel like it I always find I enjoy the walk once I start.”

The groups have been taking games outside to enjoy them .

A breeze added and bit of extra challenge to this game of Jenga

Cheers from all of our members in Kent.

We hope you have a fun summer.

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Speak up Sutton What's love got to do with Relationships We had a great session on relationships with action voices young peoples group It was interesting to find out what it means to say YES when you are ready to have relationship Not all relationships are worth pursuing

You need to know when to walk away from a wrong relationship

Be a giver, not a taker

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Action Voices What does it mean to become more independent We did a session about becoming more independent and the young people enjoyed it very much.

We talked about the expectations and what help needed in order to be more

Independent It was interesting to find out what the young people can do by themselves without having to ask anyone for help.

It is important to be able to manage your own money and learn how to save for important things We said listen to instructions and know how to keep yourself safe.

Learn not to over trust people.

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dates and events Come dine with US Fish and Chip Night At Geddes Place Tuesday 30th July 6PM TILL 8PM Media group Every other Wednesday 10AM TIL 12.30PM Community House Monthy Arts and Crafts group at Community House 10.00 til 12.00 Dates available please give us a call

Check out our new look website and our new logo www.advocacyforall.org.uk

/advocacy4all /advocacyforall @biggervoice /biggervoices 28