Croydon Mencap news - summer and autumn 2021

news summer and autumn 2021

Notice of the Croydon Mencap Annual General Meeting (AGM)

You are invited to our AGM on

November Thursday

Thursday 18 November

18

12.30 pm

online on Zoom

There is more information inside

Croydon Mencap trustees and staff Board of

Chair

James Kiamtia-Cooper

Trustees

Treasurer

Stuart Dunk

Chief Executive and Company Secretary

Alan Avis

Trustee

Amy Creatura

Trustee

Angelene Rackett

Trustee

Anne Simpson

Trustee

David Congdon

Trustee

Farzana Hayat

Trustee

Kevin Oakhill

Trustee

Tim Flood

Portland

Chief Executive

Alan Avis

House

Operations Manager

Abigail White

Finance Officer

Carole Letchford

Administration and Communications Officer

Jo Ramsay

Office Administrator

Denise Haughton

Carers Support Worker

Sue Payne

Family Link Worker

Sharon Scott

Family Link Worker

Sue Utley

Family Link Worker (Transition)

Tansy Muller

Healthy Lives Coordinator

Emily Hyatt

Parent / Carer Participation Officer

Jane Speller

Volunteering Buddies Project Coordinator

Lameez Behardien

Welfare and Rights Worker

Lloyd Thomas

Clubs @

Centre Manager

Kat Edwards

Leslie Park

Deputy Manager

Emma Ouzman

Deputy Manager

Rebecca Perry-Bridgewater

Support Worker

Anita Belcher

Support Worker

Georgie Amroussi

Support Worker

Jenny Shannon

Support Worker

Liz Psaila

Support Worker

Tracy Gunaratnam

Chill and

Coordinator

Christine Bush

Chat

Deputy Coordinator

Sue Payne

The Saturday

Coordinator

Rory Goring

Club

Support Worker

Helen Kenyon

Support Worker

Nana Opoku-Acheampong

Monday Night

Coordinator

Liz Psaila

Social Club

Support Worker

Daniel Collison

Support Worker

Georgie Amroussi

Support Worker

Rory Goring

Support Worker

Toni Daws

Support Worker

Tracy Gunaratnam

Annual General Meeting - Thursday 18 November 2021 If you would like to attend the AGM please contact us by Thursday 11 November and we will send you the Zoom details. If you need help to use Zoom, please let us know.

info@croydonmencap.org.uk

020 8684 5890

Other details 1. Any member wishing to submit a resolution (idea for a rule change) to be talked about at the AGM must send it in writing to our office to arrive

by Thursday 11 November 2021.

The letter must have the name of the person making the suggestion (called the proposer) and 1 other person (called the seconder) on it.

It must also have the written support of 6 members.

2. Any member wishing to discuss a specific issue, (not a resolution) must tell us in writing by Thursday 11 November. These will not be voted on.

3. Nominations for Officers and Directors of the Board should be sent to the Croydon Mencap office by Thursday 11 November.

The person you nominate must be a member of Croydon Mencap and be up to date with their membership payment.

The nominations also needs to have 2 people, a proposer and a seconder (as above) Also, make sure you ask the person if they would like to be nominated.

Croydon Mencap (AGM) letters about Portland House the AGM 678 London Road should be Thornton Heath sent to CR7 7HU

In memory...

We were sad to lose one of our carers, Eric Hill, who died earlier this year.

Our thoughts and best wishes are with his wife Jean and their family.

Remembering Yvonne In June it was a year since Yvonne passed away and we wanted to spend an evening remembering her and celebrating her life.

On the evening of 10th June, around 20 of us brought a picnic to sunny Brockwell Park in Lambeth and talked about our memories of Yvonne.

Everyone who came wrote a message to Yvonne on wildflower seed paper which we attached to flowers and laid them at the base of a tree. The flowers and messages looked beautiful in the evening sunlight. We hope the seed paper will grow wildflowers in Brockwell Park for other people to enjoy.

It was lovely to see so many members that Yvonne had been supporting for over 30 years in Lambeth and Croydon. Thank you to everyone who came.

Early Positive Approaches to Support (E-PAtS) Congratulations to Julie, Meg, Sharon and Sue who completed their training, and passed their assessments with flying colours! They have already started holding their 1st courses, and look forward to running more next year.

What is E-PAtS? An 8 session group specifically for families of young children (0-5) who have a learning or developmental disability. Supports wellbeing for family caregivers, positive development for children and access to other services.

If you would like to know more about E-PAtS, please contact us.

info@croydonmencap.org.uk

020 8684 5890

Transition Workshops At the other end of the age range, we are running free online workshops for parents of children with disabilities from Year 8 (approx. age 13-14) up to age 25. There are 3 already scheduled and more to come soon -

Wednesday 27 October 2021 10am - 1pm Puberty, Sexuality & Relationships

Thursday 11 November 2021 10am - 1pm Transitioning to Adult Social Care under The Care Act 2014

Thursday 3rd February 2022 1pm - 3pm Person-Centred Planning email Tansy to book your place -

tansy.muller@croydonmencap.org.uk

Eye care for people with a learning disability People with a learning disability may not realise they have a sight problem, or may find it difficult to tell someone.

SeeAbility recently held an information session with members of Clubs @ Leslie Park and sent us some information to share -

Accessible eye care – from SeeAbility Many people who have a learning disability also have a sight problem adults are 10 times more likely to have sight problems children are 28 times more likely to have sight problems 6 in 10 people with a learning disability need glasses people with complex needs are more likely to have a sight problem

Do you, or anyone you support, find it difficult to have an eye test?

SeeAbility can help - we have 3 eye care champions who can assist with sight tests, wearing glasses and eye care in general.

We use our eyes for everything we do so it is really important to look after them.

The 1st thing to do is go for an eye test.

This can be at an optician or at the hospital eye clinic.

you do not need to speak or read to have your eyes tested if you do not know the alphabet, you could use pictures and say what they are, point to them or match them some people find it easier to use sign language or Makaton during the eye test

We have some Easy read information about eye tests, and some useful forms for you and the optometrist to use, on our website –

1. Having an eye test 2. Telling the optometrist about me and my eye sight 3. Feedback from my optometrist (results of my eye test)

An optometrist is a person that is trained to do your eye test and work out if you need glasses. An optician may work with the optometrist and help you choose glasses or help to fit them properly.

After your eye test, you may be told that you will need to wear glasses or get new ones. Make sure you get the ones that help you as well as look good. It is important to look after your glasses and keep them clean.

We have 2 Easy read factsheets about wearing glasses on our website, Wearing glasses - for children and Wearing glasses - for adults

If you would like to read more information about eye care, please visit www.seeability.org/eye-care-factsheets

If it is difficult to find an optician in your area, please look at our optician database on our website. www.seeability.org-find-an-optometrist

Grace McGill

If you have any questions and would

g.mcgill@seeability.org 07849 639989

like to know more, please get in touch.

Lance Campbell l.campbell@seeability.org 07849 640000

Wayne Chapman w.chapman@seeability.org 07849 639998

Learning Disability Week 2021 Our members created a brilliant canvas for the art and creativity theme.

Thank you to Lloyds Park Café for displaying it. http://lloydsparkcafe.co.uk/

Carers Week 2021 Thank you to all the carers that joined our events, we had online sessions every morning and got some great feedback including the comments below. We also sent out over 140 Carers Week packs.

It had been a hard morning I was extremely uptight this for me so it really made the day morning before I joined but felt better. I didn’t really know what so much better after the to say but I thought about how meditation, I did find it hard not W is a happy and popular person. to fall into a deep sleep! – I Blow Your Own Trumpet made would like a copy of the recording me realise that I had something if and when possible please. to do with that.

Carers Support for carers of adults with a learning disability if you are not able to join our online sessions and would like to meet Sue Payne at Portland House for a coffee (or tea!) and a chat, please contact her to make an appointment.

sue@croydonmencap.org.uk

07718 494 468

Staff updates Alan, our Chief Executive, has announced his plans to retire in the next few months. We are recruiting a new CEO and will let you know when we have more news.

Deneshia sadly left in June, when our Strictly Come Walking project finished. She did an amazing job of setting up the group and keeping it going through lockdown with the brilliant Walking Challenge! We hope to see her back volunteering with the new walking and sports group.

Rona, our fantastic Volunteering Buddies Project Coordinator has also sadly left - and we hope she will also come back to volunteer. Rona set up the project in the 1st lockdown so supported volunteers and their buddies got to know each other online. This year supported volunteers and buddies were able to meet for outdoor projects.

Lameez is the new Project Coordinator of the Volunteering Buddies Project. Lameez was a buddy, so already knows a lot of volunteers and buddies on the project and will be continuing Rona's great work.

Emily is the coordinator of our newest project - Healthy Lives walking groups and sports for adults with a learning disability. The sports will be decided by the members and will include things like cycling and trampolining. The 1st Healthy Lives walk is on Saturday 30 October at Lloyd Park.

Beckie, deputy manager at Clubs @ Leslie Park, is currently on maternity leave.

News from Clubs @ Leslie Park Jade's skydive

Jade is the 1st member of Clubs @ Leslie Park to complete her Don't Hold Me Back challenge! Jade did a skydive from 15,000 feet, and raised over £1000 for charity.

Jade also had a big surprise - Eastenders actress Emma Barton came to give her a One Big Thank You from The One Show!

The surprise Thank You was shown on The One Show at the end of September.

Strands Beauty Salon at Leslie Park

A very kind supporter recently gave Leslie Park a donation in memory of her husband who ran a local hair and beauty salon called Strands. As a way of saying thank you, we bought a range of training items for members to use on site and we renamed the art room 'Strands Salon'.

Sport in Addiscombe Park

We visited Addiscombe Park and took part in several outdoor sports on the grass and in the tennis courts. We learned new throwing and catching skills with Emma.

The weather was lovely and we really enjoyed it.

Shannen

News from Clubs @ Leslie Park -

Going to see Joseph in the West End

As part of Mark's Don't Hold Me Back challenge, 8 members went into London to see the show. Hopefully Mark will be performing a 1 man show towards the end of the year.

Drama with Make A Scene

We started preparing for our end of term show to perform at Leslie Park. We chose to put on Cinderella as a pantomime. As a group we chose our characters and Andree helped us make up a script.

Danny

Volunteering Buddies Our volunteers have been working hard at gardening projects across the borough. Hassit and his buddy Fabien have been doing a fantastic job at Thornton Heath Rec. If you have a task that needs some help from volunteers, or you would like to be a supported volunteer or a buddy mentor, please contact Lameez -

lameez@croydonmencap.org.uk

07923 173 005

Monday Night Social Club for adults with a learning disability is back and Liz is now our club coordinator!

Monday

Monday evening

7 pm to 9 pm

£4.50 a session

New Addington Leisure and Community Centre

liz@croydonmencap.org.uk

07718 494 636

The Saturday Club for adults with a learning disability

On the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month 10 am to 2 pm

rory@croydonmencap.org.uk

Chill and Chat

£8.50 per session

07718 494 614

for parents of children with additional needs from birth to 5

Term time sessions at Portland House, Zoom sessions, support for parents over the phone, WhatsApp group sharing information, advice and support

Contact Chris or Sue for more information

chris@croydonmencap.org.uk / sue@croydonmencap.org.uk

Croydon Mencap Portland House 678 London Road Thornton Heath CR7 7HU Company Registered no. 3628599 Registered charity no. 1073063 telephone 020 8684 5890 email info@croydonmencap.org.uk