MC Magazine - Winter 2018/19

MAGAZINE

MC

Winter 2019

YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY

EMILY’S CHA-CHACHANCE In debt? Help is out there

Sepsis – what you need to know

Travel therapy

MC

MAGAZINE

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3 WELCOME 4 IN THE BALANCE 8 DROWNING IN DEBT?

DROWNING IN DEBT? We ask an expert what to do.

11 ESCAPE THE WINTER BLUES

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14 BEWARE SEPSIS – THE SILENT KILLER 17 LET’S DANCE! 20 NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

COME DINE WITH ME Discover the secrets of creating posh nosh from an award winning chef.

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IN THE BALANCE We discover that you don’t have to be a Bendy Wendy to benefit from yoga – and get tips from the experts.

Contributors: Diane Cooke, Emily Williams.

Photography: Rick Gem, Joel Goodman.

Design: Jo Hadfield.

Illustrations: Ella Byworth, Gary Andrews.

Cover shot: Page 17

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22 COME DINE WITH ME 25 THE SELF ESTEEM TEAM 27 THE LILY-JO FACTOR 28 DIVINE INTERVENTION

LIFE AFTER PRISON...

31 POETIC JUSTICE

...everyone thinks they know the story... but they don’t.

33 LIFE AFTER PRISON 34 DAY IN THE LIFE 35 MEET YOUR NEW GOVERNORS

You can contact us at: communications@merseycare.nhs.uk MerseyCareNHSFoundationTrust

@MerseyCareNHSFT

@Mersey_Care

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

MEMBERSHIP AND GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), is a European-wide law, which governs how organisations can collect, use and transfer personal data. It came into force on 25 May 2018 alongside the new Data Protection Act 2018. As a Foundation Trust, Mersey Care has a statutory requirement to develop and maintain a membership and it is necessary for us to process our member’s personal data to perform this task. Our members are drawn from the public, people who use our services or care for people who use our services and staff. We request and securely hold data on our members, which they provide when joining our membership.The data we hold on our members enables us to show that we are representative of the community we provide services for, to keep members updated through our quarterly MC Magazine via email or post and to invite all members to the Annual General Meeting. We also engage with all members advising when the election for governors will be taking place, giving members the opportunity to nominate themselves to become a governor and to vote in elections for the council of governors. Should you no longer wish to be a member of Mersey Care please email: membership@merseycare.nhs.uk with your details or call 0151 471 2303 asking that your details be removed.

WELCOME N

ew year new you! Resolutions aside, just a break in the clouds, longer days and a hint of a bud on a leaf can lift spirits and start us thinking of new horizons.

If you’ve stuff hanging over you it’s not always so easy. We meet two women whose very different but equally devastating life events took them to dark places. The light at the end of their tunnels were people they met along their journey, who offered them a pathway they may not have found by themselves.

A physical journey can set you on a psychological one. You don’t have to go far. In our travel feature a family therapist explains how travelling can help you look beyond the here and now – and create positive memories to draw upon.

In this issue, Dancing with the Stars Ireland professional Emily Barker talks to MC Magazine about almost giving up dancing and how she’s discovered a different sense of fulfilment helping people regain confidence through dance.

We also talk to the people behind the transformation of a disused 1950’s church in an area of social need into a centre for learning, recovery, health and wellbeing. It’s called ‘The Life Rooms’ – we find out why.

Enjoy this issue!

The MC editorial team.

A physical journey can set you on a psychological one.

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By Diane Cooke

IN THE

BALANCE

IS YOGA FOR YOU? (no Lycra or horse riding skills required!)

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FOCUS ON YOGA It seems everybody is into yoga right now – even Prince Harry and Meghan. But is the image of young hipsters levitating in Lycra off-putting for some?

W

ell, the experts reckon yoga really is for everybody.

You’ve plenty of options to

find a style you truly enjoy. Whether it’s chanting and mantra, challenging poses, sweating profusely, relaxing and restorative, Om-ing on paddle boards. There’s even yoga on horses!

Given the virtual smorgasbord of yoga paths it’s no surprise that so many people are finding one that suits them. Some have even reported that practising yoga as a couple has saved their relationship. Way to go!

Anyone who has ever attended a class will know that there are three types of enthusiasts – the beginners, the improvers and the Bendy Wendys. The beginners painstakingly work their way through to the downward dog position on a quest for improvement, while the bendies lift their own body weight into positions reminiscent of a circus contortionist.

THE BENEFITS ARE WORTH

THE HARD WORK Actress Claudia Mirallegro and Leo Oppenheim are yoga teachers who have turned inversion into an art form, but are keen to stress that yoga benefits everybody.

Leo, who also practises acrobatic yoga, says: “Some of the classes I do are some of the hardest physical work outs, but the benefits in terms

of strength and improvements to posture are worth it. In terms of the mental health aspect, breath work is key. You can use your breath to take control of how you’re feeling emotionally.”

Claudia believes everybody should be doing yoga: “There’s a huge mental health epidemic and a lot of

people are suffering with stress and anxiety.

Yoga is a tool to help, even if it’s just sitting on your yoga mat and meditating, or something a little more challenging like Ashtanga yoga.”

Watch Claudia and Leo’s video by clicking here or visit mirallegroyoga.com.

It’s certainly impressive to watch, but is it something mere mortals, who are more at home on the sofa than a mat, can achieve?

We asked experts from different backgrounds for their views on why we should take it up. (More on page 6.)

Claudia and Leo believe yoga can help with stress and anxiety.

Leo Oppenheim

Claudia Mirallegro

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Physiotherapist Carole Griffith uses yoga for balance.

IT PROMOTES CALMNESS FOR THE DAY AHEAD Carole Griffith, a community physiotherapist with Mersey Care uses modified yoga positions to support patients with neurological symptoms such as multiple sclerosis, stroke and cerebral palsy – with impressive results.

H

er interest began back in 2003, when she worked with a local yoga teacher to offer an accessible class for people with physical disabilities.

“I use yoga to help balance, flexibility and managing spasms and spasticity,” she says.

“I ask patients to hold a pose to work on strengthening anti-gravity muscles and fascia which are important for balance.”

Carole practises what she preaches. Every morning before work she does a 10 minute

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WHAT IS YOGA? Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to boost physical and mental wellbeing. The main components of yoga are postures (a series of movements designed to increase strength and flexibility) and breathing.

The practice originated in India about 5,000 years ago and has been adapted in other countries in a variety of ways.

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT IT? sun salutation, sometimes including a short meditation and Pranayama to promote calmness, before the day ahead.

She says: “I recognised the benefits of yoga years ago. I accept that it’s not for everyone, particularly if you’re not used to sports activities. But you don’t need to be fit and use mats on the floor, it can be done on a chair.”

It’s been proven to: • boost mood • increase flexibility • build heart strength • tone muscles • aid weight loss • reduce stress • improve pain management.

FOCUS ON YOGA

BETTER FOR BACK PAIN

MEDICS SHOULD

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A yoga class designed for chronic low back pain in patients has

TAKE NOTE

been proven to be safe and effective for reducing pain, improving function, and lowering the use of pain medication. The same controlled randomised trial by York University in 2011 found that it also proved that the benefits of yoga lasted longer than other therapies. The result

S

is Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs,

Shere believes yoga has a place in medical treatment programmes.

herezade (Shere) Ruano trained as a yoga teacher, but wanted to learn how to use it to treat people with specific medical conditions. An arrhythmia specialist nurse with the NHS, she now uses yoga in her work with heart disease and cancer patients.

Shere turned to teaching yoga after her career as a ballerina came to a sudden end due to a lower back injury. Dancing had been her first love so, not surprisingly, she didn’t take to yoga straight away. But she changed her mind after being reintroduced to it by a young cancer patient.

“I thought ‘this is something that people do because they want to relax and feel better, so there must be something in that’.”

After specialising in the USA she developed her own method using yoga for cardiovascular disease and cardiac rehabilitation, for those suffering from anxiety and stress.

a 12 week programme for those suffering with back pain.

She developed the first international training in yoga for cardiovascular disease and cardiac rehabilitation in the UK. Her method, Rhythmia Breath, combines her specialist nursing knowledge with the physiological learning around posture alignment gleaned from her days as a dancer and Hatha, Kundalini and Kriya yoga techniques.

Shere describes the results as ‘absolutely amazing’. “One young client is at very high risk of developing arrhythmias and needs a defibrillator to shock his heart. Through sessions of breathing, meditation and relaxation he’s been shock-free for almost two years.”

yogaforbacks.co.uk •

Latest recommendations for managing lower back pain advise more group exercise to assist self-management. Pilates can also be helpful.

DID YOU KNOW?

She says there’s a need for research on merging yoga with modern medicines.

“I truly believe that its benefits should be taken into account by the medical profession, and stated in guidelines.”

The literal translation of the word “Namaste” breaks down into three sections... Nama means bow; as means I; and, te means you. Thus,

FIND OUT MORE...

•

Guide to Yoga – nhs.uk

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British Wheel of Yoga: bwy.org.uk

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mirallegroyoga.com

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The Live Well Directory for classes in Merseyside including chair yoga: thelivewelldirectory.com Rhythmia Breath: thebreathingpractice.com

I bow to you. The gesture is one of greeting in India. Most often we hold our hands together in the prayer position at our heart chakra.

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FOCUS ON DEBT

DROWNING IN DEBT

It’s easy to end up out of your depth. You spend a bit more, borrow, lose a job, split with a partner or just ignore money issues.

We talk to Citizens Advice debt advisor Rachel Penny about how it’s never as bad as you think and how help is at hand.

WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO YOU? When people come to us they’re often in dire straits. They don’t plan to get into debt, but so many things impact. It could be someone is on a zero hours contract, relationship break up, a life event like a wedding. Or they don’t have access to online advice. In a lot of cases people have just never been taught how to manage a budget.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? We can help you make a plan to pay your existing debt, speaking to landlords and energy suppliers on your behalf. And we can help you maximise your income; get your full entitlement of benefit.

Part of our role is to empower someone, give them the opportunity to be in control, to say ‘I can do this’. Our money advice team includes a personal budgeting advisor who’ll sit down with someone and take the time to explain.

CAN YOU TRULY UNDERSTAND THEIR SITUATION? I’m a single mum. When you’ve been through tough times yourself you can relate to people. But I can share my own experiences

and tell them how they can still have the things they want. I’ve recently bought an almost new Next sofa for £200 from eBay. With the right help and way of thinking it can be done.

IS DEBT A SYMPTOM OF MODERN SOCIETY? People have always had debt – in days gone by it would be the Provvy (Providence). Now it’s pay day loans with extortionate interest rates – not many people understand how annual percentage rate (APR) actually works!

PEOPLE SAY YOU HAVE TO TAKE DEBT TO GET A GOOD CREDIT SCORE? Credit ratings do show you are reliable and can pay, but you don’t need to buy a big item like a car to prove that – a mobile phone account will do just as well.

Get help – see page 10.

IS IT ABOUT EDUCATION? Yes. We should all learn how to budget from an early age. We’ve spoken to sixth formers who don’t even realise you have to pay bills!

IS IT GETTING WORSE? We’re seeing a big increase in the extent people are affected psychologically. It’s also a lot more intense, more and more people tell us they feel like taking their lives. We’re a tight team and we all support each other, but it can be tough.

I’m a single mum – I’ve been through tough times myself.

Rachel Penny, Citizens Advice debt advisor.

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REAL LIFE STORY

Linda O’Neill (centre) with sister Mandy (right) who supported her to get help from Rachel Penny.

I DIDN’T THINK I’D COME BACK FROM MY DEBT

L

inda O’Neill and her husband Kev each had their own roles when it came to the family finances. He’d manage the bills, she’d use their money frugally to keep them and their children fed and clothed.

Jolted into reality Linda went into a state of panic. “I thought I’d go to prison. I couldn’t tell my kids – I didn’t want to upset them.

I suffered depression and anxiety. I even thought of ending it all, I thought if I go my debts will go with me.”

“We’d never had a debt in our lives,” said Linda. “He gave me money and I did the shopping. We often struggled, but if we couldn’t afford it we didn’t buy it.”

Mandy persuaded her sister to visit Sefton Citizens Advice in Bootle. Even as they sat down with advisor Rachel Penny, Linda still felt the situation was futile. “I didn’t believe they could help. I thought they’d just say ‘it’s your problem, deal with it’. But Rachel just kept saying ‘don’t worry we’ll get it sorted’. I felt so relieved.”

When Kev died in 2016 Linda, now 62, was consumed by grief. It was her sister Mandy who realised bills were being left unpaid.

“I noticed a pile of unopened letters” she says. “Linda had no idea that they paid things like bedroom tax. I told her she couldn’t ignore it, she needed to get help.”

The expert help and guidance she received has set Linda on a new path, with a better understanding of her finances.

Now on job seeker’s allowance she’s a volunteer in a local charity shop. “I didn’t think it was possible to come back, but I’m sleeping well and much more relaxed knowing things are under control. If anyone comes into the shop with debt problems I send them straight to the Citizens Advice service.”

Rachel contacted Linda’s creditors while a colleague accompanied her to court over unpaid rent charges. The court had been advised of her situation and the case was quashed.

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FOCUS ON DEBT

DON’T STRUGGLE GET HELP...

When you’re struggling it can feel lonely. But there are lots of debt advice organisations who won’t judge you. Even if you think you have no spare money they can find ways to deal with debts that you might not know about.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE Almost 327,000 people contacted the charity Step Change for help with their debts in the first half of 2018. Around half experienced debt because of job loss, reduced income, or health issues.

A third were behind on their council tax – by far the highest category of debt arrears.

WILL GETTING ADVICE LOSE ME MY JOB? The Government debt advice service Step Change says many people worry that getting debt advice or choosing a certain debt solution will affect their job. They fear that having a poor credit rating might mean that their contract will be terminated, or they may feel embarrassed at the idea of their employer finding out about their debt.

Their website says: “As our service is confidential, anyone can get in touch with us for debt advice and find out more about their options. What’s more, we will never tell your employer that you’ve been in touch with us.”

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IN DEBT AND NEED HELP • Get advice as soon as possible • Reduce your bills by swapping providers.

WHEN YOU’RE BACK ON TRACK • Reduce your outgoings – it’s the only way to change things • Save small amounts with your local credit union for life events.

SOURCES OF HELP • uSwitch – uswitch.com • citizensadvice.org.uk • NODDLE free online credit score and app – noddle.co.uk • Credit Union – findyourcreditunion.co.uk

FIND OUT MORE...

• The Money Advice service website has details of online, telephone and face to face services. moneyadviceservice.org.uk • Step Change Debt Remedy provides you with the expert advice, budget support and solutions to help you manage your debts. stepchange.org • National Debtline offers free debt advice online through its My Money Steps tool and its web guides, fact sheets and sample letters. mymoneysteps.org • Samaritans offer a safe place for you to talk any time you like, in your own way – about whatever’s getting to you. samaritans.org

By Emily Williams

TRAVEL FEATURE

DISCOVER

SOMEWHERE NEW AND

LOSE THE WINTER BLUES Booking a vacation in a warmer climate is the go-to mood booster for many.

We ask a family therapist why travel can make us feel better, and why you don’t have to go too far to get the holiday vibe.

A

s we peer out of mist-cloaked windows in the icy pinnacle of winter, the weather can creep into our minds unnoticed and affect the way we feel.

This seasonal shift in mood is all too common. Evidence shows us that during the bleaker months, our spirits

are vulnerable to plummet at the rate of the thermometer, spiralling into a transitory stint of what we call the ‘winter blues’, or at worst ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ (SAD), the medical diagnosis for severe cases.

There’s sound scientific evidence behind these cyclical sombre spells. A lack of natural sunlight causes a surge

in the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, and insufficient levels of serotonin, our chemical mood regulator. This imbalance disrupts our buoyancy and triggers a depressive and lethargic response, making even trivial day-to-day tasks more difficult. This is why we start hunting for sunshine breaks.

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Trouble is holiday companies and airlines know what you’re thinking – and they’re often one step ahead in hiking up the price of any trip with the potential to boost your vitamin D. The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder says on his website simply: “The best way to travel is cheaply. Partly this means you can travel more and partly it means you’re not isolated from the host community and you can get closer to the soul of a place.”

Money saving expert Martin Lewis advises using price comparison sites such as Kayak, Momondo and Skyscanner to get lots of data about cheap flights in a very short time. They work differently so find the one that’s best for you.

As memories of summer fade winter can put pressure on relationships.

The best way to travel is cheaply. Partly this means you can travel more and partly it means you’re not isolated from the host community and you can get closer to the soul of a place.

Therapist David Kenny advocates travel as a fundamentally valuable, if not necessary part of making sense of what’s happening in our lives, whether it be seasonal changes or something more profound.

As our body becomes less resilient we become pre-disposed to worrying about our health. We might start catastrophising – a way of thinking in which we assume the worst will happen. Being somewhere different can help us step out of this cycle and rethink our situation and our relationships.”

As a family therapist with Mersey Care, a mental and community health NHS Foundation Trust, David offers relationship focused treatments for people with mental health issues. The focus may be on relationships between people, but it can also be between people and objects or ideas; or between a person and their past, present and future.

Travelling is stepping into new experiences. That’s vital for us in terms of personal growth. It helps us to discover and figure out inevitable changes in our identity as we go through life and enjoy the new things we’ve found.

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“It could be lack of light, dark nights, money issues after Christmas. Whatever the reason your mood can impact on the people around you. If that develops into a negative cycle people may turn to unhelpful ways of coping, like self-medicating through alcohol and drugs to try to elevate their mood.

Being somewhere warm and sunny isn’t the only option to reinspire your zest for life says David. His own winter travel aspirations have shifted from hotter climes, to places that intrigue him on a therapeutic level.

“Places like Scandinavia can give you an insight into a different approach to life.

I’m attracted by their championing of an ‘open dialogue’ approach to therapy that centres on relationships between the person and their immediate community of friends, family and places.

Family therapist David Kenny says travel is a necessary part of making sense our of lives.

“Experiencing other cultures and customs, watching how people behave and communicate can be an eye-opening lesson that can leave a lasting impression about life beyond your own periphery,” he says.

“A good example is food and drink. In Britain we sit quite separately, each with our own plate of food, but in cultures with a strong sense of community people will share one huge dish, it feels more communal. Whatever the experience, if we grow from it we can bring home what we know and incorporate it into our own lifestyles.”

NO FLY? NO PROBLEM What if you can’t muster the energy or money to take flight? Or if the mere idea of planning a trip and boarding a plane brings a wave of anxiety?

You could follow in the footsteps of novelist Will Self, who crossed 1000 miles of the UK on bus, boat and foot, from Plymouth to Londonderry. His documentary of the good, the bad and the downright ugly on radio revealed some fascinating insights into the British psyche.

Or you could, like David Kenny, find somewhere closer to home (his local shoreline in Sefton is wild and naturally beautiful) – for a calming sensory discovery.

MC MAGAZINE LOVES...

Martin Lewis’s tips for different destinations – like free concerts in Amsterdam and beating the Colosseum queues in Rome. visit: moneysavingexpert.com/travel/ travel-tips Simon Calder’s packing advice – assume anything you check in will be lost without trace and imagine how you’ll feel if it does – then pack accordingly.

“Allowing yourself to be absorbed in your surroundings can positively heighten your awareness and aid you in noticing the splendour in every detail. In winter the pinewoods near me are quite damp, that woodland smell really livens the senses. It’s so quiet. You hear every tiny sound. And it’s hard not to get excited if you’re lucky enough to spot wildlife.”

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY Simon Calder’s best places to travel to in Europe that are still warm in autumn/winter?

“I’d choose an island from Crete, Malta, Sicily, Mallorca and Ibiza, with the Canaries best for the real depths of winter. (taken from interview with Leger Holidays).

The message is clear. Getting out there, going somewhere new, stimulates a curiosity for the world and ourselves, and in turn helps us to look outward. A change, as the saying goes, is as good as a rest…

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If you’re embarking on a few public transport journeys in one day or week, save money with travel passes

Find a free walking group near you: ramblers.org.uk or walkingforhealth.org.uk

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Railcards save you a third on travel for younger and older people and families: railcard.co.uk

Look in your local authority website or call for local walks and events: thelivewelldirectory.com

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Listen to Will Self’s podcasts on BBC Radio 4. bbc.co.uk/radio4

LOCAL TRAVEL TIPS •

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Travel at off-peak times if possible to avoid rush hour and highest prices

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My Bus app compares bus times and prices to find you the best deal

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FOCUS ON SEPSIS

DRAWING MY FEELINGS HELPS ME

EASE THE LOSS Storylines in shows like Coronation Street and long running radio soap The Archers have helped raise awareness about the silent killer sepsis, but animator Gary Andrews’ daily doodles are spreading the word around the world.

By Diane Cooke

W

hen Gary Andrews’ wife died of sepsis leaving him to bring up their two young children, he turned to what he does best to cope with the tragedy.

Animator Gary, who has worked for Disney and directed the Fireman Sam TV series, draws a daily diary of his life which has served to highlight the dangers of sepsis to a global audience.

He began the doodle diary, which he shares on social media, in 2016, because: “In a digital world I missed the scratch of pen on paper.

So I made it a habit, last thing at night, to do a little sketch based on something that had happened that day.”

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But it took on added significance when Joy died suddenly while he was away on business in Canada. He caught an earlier flight home, but she died before he got there.

After a few days of flu-like symptoms, Joy, who was 41, had been rushed to hospital with a suspected kidney infection but her condition deteriorated rapidly.

The autopsy later revealed that she died of multiple organ failure caused by sepsis.

Gary, 57, says the entire hospital unit was in shock.

“From the minute Joy was admitted to hospital, specialists from every department tried to find out what was wrong. No-one could have done anything to save her,” he says.

Sepsis is known as the silent killer, and Gary hopes to raise awareness of the illness that has, until recently, been regarded as an afterthought for many doctors. Its symptoms – including fever, sickness, blotchy skin and dizziness – are often mistaken for other illnesses and not recognised until too late.

If captured early on, it can be treated with antibiotics.

“Blame and ‘what ifs’ won’t bring Joy back,” he says. “Would she still be alive if I hadn’t been in Canada and a doctor had been called a day earlier? I can’t think about things like that. What happened has happened and you just have to come to terms with it.

I just want to move forward, to honour Joy’s memory and bring up our kids in a way she would have approved of.”

The doodle diaries describe how Gary takes one day at a time, when, on certain days, simple things like watching Strictly with the kids – Lily, aged 11 and Ben, eight – can bring forth a flood of emotion.

“I had to break it to the children when I returned from Canada. It was the worst thing I’ve ever had to do, but I’m grateful that it was me who told them. They were devastated, but the wonderful thing about kids is that they live in the present. We talk about her all the time and they have been incredibly strong, doing brilliantly at school despite the grief of missing her so much.

They are my inspiration.

“I have my moments. It’s a rollercoaster, there’s this incredible sharp pain that really hurts and then the pain goes away for a bit and then it turns into a throbbing ache and that’s where I’m at now. There is this overwhelming sense of loss and what could have been. But I’m also grateful for everything we had – 19 fantastic years together and she’s left this incredible legacy through the diaries.”

they have flu-like symptoms I tell them to get it checked out as a matter of urgency.”

Indeed an animation of the diaries shown on The One Show recently has been viewed two million times. Gary also has 50,000 followers on Twitter compared to the 600 he had before the diaries became known.

Charities have also asked him to highlight issues like bullying and self-harm.

“What started as self-therapy for me has achieved so much more, which is humbling.

It also makes Joy’s death seem less pointless,” he says.

Gary Andrews.

The diaries have been Gary’s form of self-therapy – “by drawing my feelings it helps me to express them and ease the pain.”

But he never expected them to take off in the way they have. Suddenly, they are striking a chord with people around the world.

“I get messages every day from people around the world saying how they are helping them and that makes me feel good.

I feel lucky that I have this way to express my grief that other people don’t have.”

He’s also highlighted the symptoms of sepsis which has brought it to the attention of thousands and even saved lives.

“I wasn’t really aware of sepsis before Joy’s death, but now I’m horribly aware of it. If any of my mates post on Facebook that

Sepsis: get the facts page16.

Watch the Doodle Diaries on Facebook: www.facebook.com/gary. andrews.31 Or follow Gary on Twitter @Garyscribbler garyscribbler.co.uk

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FOCUS ON SEPSIS

BEWARE SEPSIS – THE

SILENT KILLER We should all know a lot more about sepsis than we do.

It killed 46,000 people this year alone. Yet it’s still something of an enigma. We spotlight a condition that is potentially life threatening, yet whose symptoms are often vague.

EARLY SYMPTOMS: • High temperature (fever) or low body temperature

Clinical lead Nicky Ore became seriously ill through sepsis.

SO WHAT IS IT AND WHY DO WE NEED TO BE VIGILANT? The name is itself a new phenomenon.

It’s been called blood poisoning – but it’s not just in the blood. In fact sepsis is a reaction by the entire body to severe infection where bacteria, viruses or fungi multiply and release poisons into the blood. It can cause serious illness needing emergency treatment.

Anyone can develop sepsis after an injury or minor infection, although some people are more vulnerable. Men are more likely to develop sepsis, but the death rate is higher among women.

Some people even suffer from post traumatic stress disorder following their experience.

HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN TO ACT? Clinical lead Nicky Ore says people should be aware and act quickly if someone shows signs of being at risk.

Although an experienced nurse, she became too ill to recognise symptoms in herself.

“I’d been working long hours during a heat wave and started feeling tired and unwell. I put it down to pushing myself a bit too much, took painkillers and had an early night.

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“I woke up still feeling unwell, but with a busy day ahead I went to work. It was scorching outside but I was shivering and struggling to think straight. I had no idea how ill I was.

When Nicky’s lips and nail beds turned blue colleagues realised something was seriously wrong. They took her to hospital where she spent two days on a high dependency unit.

Nicky needed two months off work to recover. “Sepsis wipes you out physically and mentally and recovery is very slow.

I temporarily lost my short term memory – that really scared me. My family was devastated too, it’s affected us all.”

She was told afterwards that the trigger was a severe kidney infection and dehydration.

Her advice to others who are concerned?

“I’d tell anyone who thinks someone may be at risk of sepsis to seek medical advice on their behalf. It may be something less serious but it’s not worth taking a chance.”

• Chills and shivering • Fast heartbeat • Fast breathing.

OTHER SYMPTOMS: • Feeling very sleepy or about to lose consciousness • Severe tummy pain • Feeling very dizzy or faint, or having a fit • A rash which does not fade with pressure • Not eating any food or drinking any fluid • Being sick repeatedly.

LONGER TERM SYMPTOMS: Some people experience long term physical and/or psychological problems during their recovery period, such as: • Feeling lethargic or excessively tired • Muscle weakness

• The Sepsis Trust offers information on those most at risk, signs and symptoms and guidance on where and when to get help. www.sepsistrust.org

• Swollen limbs or joint pain • Chest pain or breathlessness.

These long-term problems are known as post sepsis syndrome. Not everyone experiences these problems.

Emily with her 2019 Dancing with the Stars partner Irish actor Johnny Ward

LET’S

DANCE

Ireland’s Dancing with the Stars professional Emily Barker talks about the ‘unreal’ experience of becoming a TV celebrity, how she almost gave up dancing for good – and her new venture to bring dance to communities.

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IN CONVERSATION WITH...

LIVING THE DREAM

BUT I ALMOST GAVE UP

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he’s the darling of dance in homes across Ireland and exudes confidence. As the youngest professional on RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars Emily Barker is living the dream.

But Emily Barker still recalls trembling through her first class as a shy seven year old. And she’s had some tough times since. Now she wants us all to know the confidence dance can bring.

We spoke to Emily during a hectic rehearsal schedule for the 2019 series. She partners Dublin born actor Johnny Ward, best known for his role as gangland criminal, Paulie, in RTÉ’s hit drama series, Love/Hate and kidnapper, Ciaran in the station’s soap opera, Fair City.

WHAT’S IT LIKE PARTNERING SOMEONE WHO MIGHT HAVE TWO LEFT FEET AT THE START? “It’s wonderful. You learn together and you develop a real connection. You get better together and as the professional you can reassure and encourage.”

Emily’s felt the fear herself. Having tried lots of other hobbies without success, she agreed to her mum’s suggestion of a dance class in her local village hall only to find the whole thing ‘very scary’.

“We’re just a normal family, but I was always quite nervous and shy. Mum wanted me to have a hobby.

But none of my friends went dancing and I remember walking in on my own terrified. But I fell in love with dancing.”

Anyone can do it.

If you can walk you can dance.

18

She thinks her relationship with dance and the feelings it brings may well be linked to the nights she’d sit with her granddad enjoying Strictly Come Dancing drinking tea and eating chocolates!

“I loved it. I had a real drive to get better.

It became my life; I wanted to be the best dancer, so I really pushed myself.”

By the time she was 12 Emily was competing at national level. She’d left her village dance school and stopped going to school (with the education authority’s blessing) to concentrate on developing her skills.

Things took an unexpected twist. “I stopped enjoying it. I didn’t see my friends any more; I had no social skills or education. I was moving from place to place, from one teacher to another trying to find the best one for me. The love had gone and I decided to give up. I thought to myself ‘I’ll never dance again’.”

Emily’s parents supported her decision to become a personal trainer. But they’d seen their daughter’s potential and at 17 – four

years after she quit – her dad persuaded her to teach dance.

“They wanted me to be happy, but they knew dance was what made me tick and they wanted me to find that again.” she recalls.

Gradually the love of performing returned and Emily auditioned for a role in the West End show Burn the Floor.

“I hadn’t danced for four years so I didn’t think I stood a chance. I had to move away from home and it was incredibly hard work.

It was the biggest learning curve of my life.

But I knew by then that dancing is my thing.

When I dance I feel free.”

•

Dancing with the Stars is screened Sundays at 6.30pm on RTÉ One and can also be watched on the RTÉ Player.

Fancy dancing but don’t know how? nhs.uk gives lots of help and will help you find a group or class near you.

Hear more from Emily on our YouTube channel by clicking here.

Emily with celebrity partner Olympic race walker Rob Heffernan

IT’S SPARKLY, CRAZY AND VERY HARD WORK! When the chance came to become a professional on Dancing with the Stars Emily threw ‘all my eggs in one basket’.

She’s now on her third season and loving it.

“It’s sparkly, crazy and very hard work!

You live on adrenalin. You get so excited and pumped up at the idea of improving someone. But you learn from each other. I’ve kept in touch with all my partners. Rob Heffernan (Olympic medal winning race walker) and DWTS quarter finalist and I message regularly; he’s given me lots of life advice.

@confidancemdf

“Dragon’s Den judge Norah Casey, who was Curtis Pritchard’s partner, helped me set up my new venture Confidance Mind Dance Fit, which uses dancing as a means of helping people change the way they feel about their situations – to help them feel their best.

Norah felt dancing had changed her life forever. We noticed it too. She grew both as a person and quite literally through changing her posture! She was so overwhelmed she wanted other people to have the opportunity to feel the same.

confidancemdf.com

I want to show people that dancing isn’t about how good you are it’s that anyone can do it. If you can walk you can dance – and it’s the most fun anyone can have without speaking!”

Email emilybarkerwork@hotmail.com

19

STAY WELL FEEL GREAT

NEW YEAR

NEW YOU ep Ke !!! p it u got u yo is! th

4 mon ths to the weddin g!

Dietitian Brian Johnson suggests putting a post it note on the fridge to remind you why you’re eating healthily.

Is your New Year resolution to lose weight? Mersey Care Dietitian Brian Johnson says don’t rush into it.“Fighting ingrained habits takes time. It’s got to be the right time for you to start.” He also says you’ll need two or three months to adapt – and it’s ok to fall off the wagon. “Lapsing isn’t a bad thing, it can be helpful and it’s just the way we’re made.”

BRIAN’S TIPS?

ACT LIKE A BILLIONAIRE Feeling pessimistic about 2019? It may be the website for budding billionaires but Forbes has some simple advice we can all use.

Each day identify three things you are most grateful for in life and shift your focus from the negative to the things that matter the most.

Learn to be grateful and focus on what you do have, not what you don’t have.

Whine, complain, moan and fully express a temper tantrum.

Then you can look at the situation more optimistically.

Forbes.com

GO TO A FREE

EVENT

FREE h

elp her e!

Events such as Life Rooms’ monthly wellbeing market in Walton, Liverpool, not only get you out of the house, they put you in touch with experts by profession and experience – all in one room. Organiser Gary Thorpe said: "the market isn’t designed to replace the traditional approach of going to the GP, but to offer the chance to drop in on the last Wednesday of every month for education and advice. It

20

•

Buy less when you shop – then you can eat it all guilt free

•

Change one small thing at a time

•

Write down your reason and stick it to your fridge!

For information on a healthy diet go to nhs.uk

THE BEST WAY TO KEEP TO RESOLUTIONS Only one in 12 people who made resolutions in 2019 will keep them.

Advice from Psychology Today magazine is to chuck out the traditional concept.

Ask yourself is this for me and if so why do I want it?

If it is start with the NOW. What can you do today that will move you to a new place, or more actively start you on your journey?

may lead to someone going to their GP for further investigation if for

Read the full blog at

instance a check showed their blood pressure was on the high side.”

psychologytoday.com

For more on the Life Rooms Wellbeing market go to: liferooms.org

GET HYGGE WITH IT

HAVE A

HEART

Roughly translated, the Danish word ‘hygge’ means cosy, contented, enjoying the simple things of life.

But it’s more than lighting a candle (although Danes burn 13g of candle wax a year per head). Hot drinks, music, tactile cushions and blankets are key. Surround yourself with things that bring back memories of good times. Be ‘social’ – ask people round, go for walks.

NHS Live well has ideas: nhs.uk/live-well

A good heart these days is hard to find… so says the song.

Experts say keeping a good heart is not just so you’ll still be skipping down the road at 90 – it’s about now.

Cardiac nurse Joanne Charles is part of a team in Southport, Merseyside that helps people with heart failure to improve their lives. More and more younger people are coming to them for support. It’s a worrying trend.

Start looking after your heart whilst you’re young says cardiac nurse Joanne Charles.

Know more in a heartbeat...

• NHS: nhs.uk • British Heart Foundation:

bhf.org.uk

• Heart UK: heartuk.org.uk

If you’re concerned about increased breathlessness or swollen ankles or legs ask your GP for a simple blood test to rule out heart failure.

“It can be genetic but often these are young people whose hearts have been affected by alcohol, smoking, not doing exercise and eating badly. Steroid misuse can also play a role as can diabetes when it affects your cardiovascular system.”

IT’S SOBERING – SO WHAT’S THE TEAM’S ADVICE? • Eat your heart out – a low fat, high fibre diet, including five portions of fresh fruit and veg a day, oily fish such as salmon and sardines, lentils, beans, low sugar and salt. There are loads of recipes online and in bookshops – try your local charity shop • Get your blood circulating – walk, swim, dance! They all reduce weight, which lowers your chances of high blood pressure, which puts pressure on your heart • Spread your drinking – heavy drinking can weaken your heart muscle. Don’t go over the limit of 14 units a week and spread them out • No ifs or butts – give up smoking. Most cases of coronary thrombosis are related to smoking.

Get help from the experts – you’ll feel the results almost immediately.

BUTTON UP YOUR

OVERCOAT Take good care of yourself this winter.

Heat your home to at least 180C (650F).

Wear several layers of light clothes – they trap warm air better.

Keep active when indoors. Try not to sit still for more than an hour or so.

Check your medicine cabinet is stocked with medicines for colds, coughs and sore throats.

For more advice go to: nhs.uk 21

STAY WELL FEEL GREAT

COME DINE WITH ME 22

He beat top hotel chefs to win a Food Award.

Now Anthony Wright is bringing rosettes and fine dining to Hugh Baird College’s popular L20 restaurant in Bootle, Merseyside. He shares his secrets so we can all enjoy posh nosh.

BRAISED DAUBE OF BEEF, MASHED POTATO, ONION PUREE AND WATERCRESS SERVES 8 BRAISED BEEF 1 (2kg) beef brisket 1 celery, 2 onions and 2 carrots chopped 10g thyme, 2 cloves garlic 1.2 litre good quality beef stock Water cress for garnishing Portion brisket into eight portions.

Fry till sealed. Place in a casserole dish.

Fry vegetables, garlic and thyme. Cover with beef stock and tin foil and slow cook on 160oC for five hours or until tender.

Strain and keep juices. Slice onions and caramelise in a sauce pan. Add 200ml of beef stock and reduce. Add cooking juices and reduce until sauce is thickened.

ONION PUREE 5 white onions sliced 190g butter 1 sprig thyme 225ml double cream 100ml milk 2g Maldon salt (available in supermarkets) Add sliced onions, butter and thyme to a pan. Cook slowly until caramelised.

Add the cream, bring to the boil, discard thyme and transfer to a blender. Add milk and salt and blitz to a purée. Sieve and refrigerate until required.

MASHED POTATO 4 large peeled and diced potatoes 180g butter 200ml cream or milk Boil potatoes. Heat butter and cream/milk in a pan. Pass potatoes through a masher; add butter and cream/milk mix, a bit at a time. Season to taste.

FINE DINING TIPS You may want to take these with a pinch of salt!

•

Don’t photograph the table –

LEEK ASH AND CARAMELISED ONION Heat oven to 250oC. Cut and shred one large leek. Pat dry and roast till burnt (15 to 20 minutes). Cool and blend to a powder. Halve a medium onion and seal in a hot pan until caramelised. Cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes on 180oC.

it looks desperate

•

Tucking in your napkin is considered the height of vulgarity. Place on your knees

•

Don’t gulp wine. It’s impolite to become drunk in front of guests or hosts. Sip quietly and occasionally

•

Unless you know everyone well, avoid conversations about politics, religion, sex or controversial topics.

BEEF DRIPPING AND PANCETTA BREADCRUMBS 150g beef dripping 100g diced pancetta 450g panko breadcrumbs (available in most supermarkets) Pan fry pancetta. Melt beef dripping and mix with breadcrumbs. Place on a greaseproof paper lined tray and bake on 180oC for 10 minutes. Mix with pancetta.

To serve, place the beef into pan with the finished sauce then plate and glaze. Place mash into piping bag and pipe onto plate.

Dot onion puree around plate. Place caramelised onion onto a dot and sprinkle breadcrumbs on top. Sprinkle leek ash, dress with watercress and a drizzle of sauce to get that shine!

23

STAY WELL FEEL GREAT

BLACK FOREST GATEAU CHOCOLATE PAVE 880g dark chocolate 900g double cream 2 vanilla pods 8 egg yolks 80g butter Line a baking tin (a Swiss roll tin is ideal).

In a heavy based pan heat the cream with the vanilla pod split and seeds scraped on a low heat for 5 minutes then turn up heat to boil then remove the vanilla pod skin. Place chocolate in a large bowl, pour over the boiled cream and whisk. Then whisk in the egg yolk, followed by the butter. Pour into the tin and place in fridge until set.

This trendy take on the 70’s classic features cherry sorbet, whipped cream, chocolate soil and cherry gel. The ‘gateau’ is a chocolate pave on a sponge base.

SPONGE BASE 4 eggs 2 /3 cup (130g) caster sugar 1 /3 cup (42g) plain flour 3 tbsp (22g) cocoa powder Sift flour and cocoa powder. Whisk until combined.

Put to one side. Crack eggs into a heat-proof mixing bowl. Whisk. Add sugar and whisk again. Put the bowl over a pan of simmering water and continue whisking. Then whisk with an electric mixer, first from low speed and then increase speed. Take care not to cook the egg. The water temperature should be below 50oC. Whisk until the egg mixture increases to three times its volume. TIP: When the whisk is lifted, a ribbon should be formed on the surface. Remove from heat and continue beating until cold (for about 3 minutes).

Pour dry ingredients over egg mixture. Carefully fold with a spatula until combined. Pour onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Spread evenly. Bake at 200oC for seven to eight minutes, or until dark brown and springy to the touch. Allow to cool for one hour and portion around the chocolate pave.

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CHERRY GEL 200g cherries soaked in kirsch 50g sugar 50g water 1 tsp Xathan gum (vegan gelatine available in supemarkets) Heat the cherries, sugar and water and blend using a hand blender. Add the Xathan and blend again. Allow to cool then place into a piping bag.

CHERRY ICE CREAM 200g of kirsch soaked cherries 300g vanilla ice cream

WHAT TO DO Blend the cherries in food processor then add the frozen vanilla ice cream. Then place into a tub and freeze.

CHOCOLATE SOIL 210g plain cooking chocolate 300g caster sugar 6 tbsp water

WHAT TO DO Heat the sugar and water in a pan. Cut the chocolate into small pellets about the size of a finger nail. Remove the sugar and water from the heat as soon as the sugar is dissolved and starting to change to a medium brown colour.

Take a whisk, add the chocolate bits and stir in for about two minutes, making sure the sugar coats the chocolate. Empty out the mixture into a container.

Tip: Pouring hot water into the pan and boiling until the mixture starts to dissolve makes it easier to clean.

MEET

GRACE AND

NADIA

THE SELF

ESTEEM TEAM

These two young women are using their own experiences to help other young people in an ever changing world.

By Diane Cooke

25

STAY WELL FEEL GREAT

T

he Self Esteem Team was founded in 2013 by journalist Nadia Mendoza and singer Grace Barrett. Both had been through therapy and wanted to give others the benefit of what they had learned.

Today, the team travels across the UK delivering workshops and classes about body image, mental health and self esteem to schools.

Says Grace: “We have noticed an increase in anxiety over the last five years. People are more open to have the conversation and are willing to disclose their struggles.

But young people are more aware of what is going on around them because of the internet and the world isn’t a particularly nice place at the moment. Many are also very nervous about exams, fearing that if they don’t get into university they won’t be able to find a job to keep afloat. It’s all contributing to this view of a world that doesn’t feel overly secure.”

26

WHEN THERE ARE NO WORDS The team aims to empower young people by providing them with coping strategies. Says Grace: “The advice is always if you’re struggling, talk to someone. But if you’re in a dark place you can’t always do that.

LIFELINE OF HOPE

One way to overcome this is to let those close to you know how you’re feeling in a non-verbal way – with an emoji or number.

“I use a number system which lets people know how I’m feeling – I do it every single day. It takes a weight off your shoulders because you don’t have to find the words to say, ‘I’m not OK’. We advise parents and teachers to do this too,” says Grace.

selfesteemteam.org

If you’re struggling, talk to someone.

But if you’re in a dark place you can’t always do that.

THE LILY-JO FACTOR The singer songwriter on music to combat anxiety – and why we should all see red.

By Diane Cooke

Singer – songwriter and counsellor Lily-Jo believes in the RED approach to combat anxiety – Relaxation, Exercise and Distraction.

Get into your PJs, put on the telly, have a bar of chocolate, anything that makes you relax. For Exercise, run, walk, swim, dance – but find a thing you actually enjoy or you won’t do it. Distraction is whatever takes your mind off your problems, whether it’s listening to music, cooking or chatting to friends.”

If you can discover your purpose in life, you have a reason to live.

Lily-Jo runs the Lily-Jo Project, an online self help site for young people. She trained as a counsellor after seeking help following her parents’ divorce. Now she brings music and song, combined with her clinical expertise, into schools to help youngsters deal with everything from anxiety and bulimia to bullying and self-harm.

“In one of my songs ‘Sway’ I sing about how we shouldn’t be swayed by the things young people see on social media. It’s a lesson about staying true to who you are, to follow your purpose and stay in your own lane.”

Not surprisingly the project is regularly racking up 25,000 hits from around the world on social media.

“If you can discover your purpose in life, you have a reason to live. If you’re at home wallowing in self-pity, it’s not doing anything for your purpose. That’s why the RED approach works,” says Lily-Jo. If you’re looking for distraction, go to Lily-Jo’s Eavesdrop – a new podcast featuring Lily-Jo in conversation with her friends giving tips and advice on mental health. thelilyjoproject.com

27

FEATURE

DIVINE

INSPIRATION

A derelict former church plot in the heart of one of the country’s most socially deprived areas has been turned into a state of the art recovery and wellbeing centre. We talk to the people who have faith in its power to create a better future.

Yana Williams.

28

Yana Williams Principal Hugh Baird College.

I

am always amazed at some of the people I meet in Bootle. They don’t realise how capable they are – they manage limited budgets, they problem solve on a daily basis. But they don’t always believe in themselves. There are generations of worthlessness here.

Some families face daily battles. It could be poverty, substance addiction, violence or abuse, anger issues, bullying, self-belief. It’s not easy to get motivated to study, or even think about studying when that’s your home life. Our communities have many challenges and we are here to help overcome them.

We expect respect at college, but we give people much more freedom to be individuals with whatever that brings.

We want to break down every single barrier that stops them believing in themselves.

They have a university on their doorstep.

We want people to see a neighbour studying and think ‘if he or she can do it so can I’.

That’s why what we’re about to do with the Life Rooms fills me with hope.

We often need help before we know we need it. The Life Rooms will be part of building a culture where people get help early because they’ve started to believe they can go forward and that there’s help to get rid of whatever is stopping them.

I can see why people in Bootle might read this and be sceptical. They’ve had endless short term funded projects – it’s no wonder they might say ‘here we go again’. But this hasn’t happened overnight, it’s been two years in the planning and is here for the long term.

I hope this will transform Bootle within ten years. We could be leading the country to do things a different way.

If we can do it here no one can say it can’t be done.

Ann Hanlon.

THIS IS SOMETHING SPECIAL

It was evident from the start that this is something special. We know from the people we serve that most mental health issues begin in childhood and often emerge between 14 and 24 – right at the time when lives are changing in so many other ways.

H

ow amazing will it be if a college lecturer or staff member who sees a student, or a parent or resident who is in mental distress – perhaps because of financial difficulties, addiction, anxiety, employment, housing – feels completely confident to say ‘go along to the Life Rooms, they’ll help you?’

We’ll also be looking to people who we may first meet as service users to be part of Mersey Care’s future workforce. Their lived experience of mental health issues

gives them the empathy and understanding that could be used to help other people on their journey to recovery – it’s invaluable.

What makes these exciting times is the synergy between Life Rooms and Hugh Baird – that was the very thing that first knitted us together. We share the same core values. Everyone is genuinely excited at the possibilities for making a real difference to this community.

Ann Hanlon Mersey Care senior business development lead.

Michael Crilly director of social inclusion and participation.

The people I meet generally want somewhere to live; something to do and someone to love. In other words – a life!

In doing this they often move forward in leaps and bounds.

Life Rooms, including the new one in the heart of Bootle, responds to that very human need; it’s about welcoming you where you are at right now – not where others think you should be. Then it’s trying to discover your ‘heart’s desire’ and working side by side with you, introducing you to opportunities that might just spark a motivation to try new things.

Being able to manage your own health and wellbeing means you’re less likely to need more formal, clinical services. I also have a real hope that some people will ultimately work within Mersey Care, using the benefits of their own lived experience to bring hope to others.

As people go on a journey of self-discovery we help them past the obstacles to achieving the life they want for themselves – it may be learning, employment, decent housing, social connection or managing finances or debt.

I believe launching a Life Rooms at the heart of the college marks a radical change in how we think about health services; one that may change not only our local landscape but also the national picture. Watch this space!

29

FEATURE

COME ON IN Take a peek at what’s inside the new Bootle Life Rooms. The former church in Oriel Road has been transformed into a state of the art recovery and wellbeing centre, following in the footsteps – and style – of Walton and Southport Life Rooms.

T

he building is spacious bright and welcoming, with plenty of comfortable seating for visitors. The community café provides a social spot for catching up over a drink or lunch. Bi-fold doors lead to a terraced decked area where you can enjoy views of the garden with wild meadow flowerbeds.

The space is all about recovery and feeling well. At our IT suite you can use free internet access to whatever you need. Our Recovery College courses are open to all, with the aim of helping people understand and develop the skills to manage their mental health and general wellbeing.

We offer a wide ranging curriculum, from courses to help you understand anxiety and depression and improve your self-esteem, to yoga and mindfulness. There’s even a comedy course.

If you need help and we can’t help you we’ll know someone who can.

Our welcoming Pathways advisors can link you to support in the community. They’ll refer and signpost you to services that can support you.

Our staff will be here to help you.

It could be that you need housing or benefits support. Or a helping hand to find employment opportunities. We link closely with organisations offering many types of help, from domestic violence services to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) support.

Looking to volunteer or gain work experience? We can help you find the right opportunity.

Come and see us. You’ll be welcome.

For more information visit: liferooms.org Relax in our garden...

Seek advice in complete confidence.

30

Free IT suites for all to use.

Bootle Life Rooms is spacious and bright.

Our partnerships.

A chance to be social at our community café.

Illustration: Ella Byworth

POETIC

JUSTICE

T

hey say you have to walk in someone’s shoes to truly be able to understand them. So does volunteering within the criminal justice system need someone who’s been an offender?

It’s vital, says Sadie Canning-Dossor who runs a programme for Mersey Care’s Liaison and Diversion service that helps ex-offenders to develop skills to support those going through the system.

We find out how recruiting people with often chaotic lives, to support others in the same boat, is proving a lifeline to both.

“We felt we were failing the people we support by not having enough input about our service delivery and development from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system. So we decided to commit to a programme of recruitment of people with lived experience.”

Volunteers are part of the Liaison and Diversion support structure in place for people attending court, providing a listening ear and sharing their own experiences, all with compassion and authenticity to people who may be

highly anxious and distressed by the immense pressure court can bring.

It’s a tough challenge for the volunteer who may be exposed to distressing events, graphic details of crimes and challenging and frustrating elements of the court process. Yet they also know that having someone who has ‘been there’, who knows what you may be feeling, who can listen and share their experience and provide genuine reassurance is invaluable.

Continued page 32.

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Volunteering can spark hope for the future.

Sadie Canning-Dosser

Still finding volunteers hasn’t been easy.

The team has worked tirelessly and since it was launched in 2017 six people have been recruited.

“I think it’s because the people we were targeting have already experienced mental ill health, or have vulnerabilities such as substance use and have been, or are still in the criminal justice system. Their lives are exposed to disorganisation.” says Sadie.

We are lucky to have some inspirational people. In the midst of their own challenges and hardships, they somehow retain the will to continue, to recover and to improve and help others.

Recruiting women is particularly difficult.

They face extra barriers within the criminal justice system and often receive harsher sentences than men for the same offence.

“It’s still very patriarchal. There’s sometimes an attitude of ‘how could a woman offend and do this to her family?’ The drivers for female offending are very specific. A woman will often commit crimes for her family, yet she’s managed in a system designed for men which can result in disproportionate use of custodial

32

LIFE AFTER PRISON... sentences for women. That’s why volunteers like Julie (opposite) are such an asset to the team.”

Volunteers have a range of roles including sitting on the liaison and diversion advisory board to decide how the service should develop. They co-deliver training to police, magistrates and community groups and often share challenging lived experiences with courage and dignity.

Sadie recalls moments of high emotion.

“I’ve seen hard nosed police officers visibly moved when people tell their stories. They begin to see the person behind the label.”

It’s all very laudable, but what’s in it for the volunteer? The team, passionate about developing people for the long haul, has gained funding and developed a new paid role of peer mentor, open to application by volunteers after they’ve gained the skills and experience needed.

Sadie recalls: “We needed a process that trains and equips volunteers to apply for a role with us or elsewhere.

By creating the peer mentor role, we have added to their developmental pathway.

“We invite people to get involved as soon as they come to us. It may not be the right time for the person to join us but it can spark hope for the future. I saw someone recently at court who, despite the fact that he knew he’d likely be sentenced to custody, had the desire to create focus and challenge in his life and the compassion to want to help others. We can help him to do that.”

Julie Roach is an ex offender.

It’s a term she uses to describe a part of her life that has changed beyond recognition.

These days she’s a volunteer with Mersey Care’s criminal justice liaison and diversion service, giving her unique perspective to help women like her choose a different path.

J

ulie lived what many would describe as a perfect life – happily married with three grown up children, a job she’d loved for 25 years, and a pristine home.

But she worried constantly about everyone else, especially her family.

“I couldn’t bear it when anyone was unhappy. I wanted to ‘fix’ things.”

Management changes at work left her feeling ostracised and hurt. Things became untenable; Julie was suffering with severe depression which went unnoticed. She was suspended and eventually dismissed.

Her anxiety and depression became unbearable. Julie had convinced herself the family would be better off without her. A practising catholic she went to her ‘safe place’, Liverpool’s metropolitan cathedral.

REAL LIFE STORY

When you’ve been to prison everyone thinks they know the story… but they don’t.

I THOUGHT I’LL GO TO GOD

I WAS BELOW ROCK BOTTOM

“I thought ‘I’ll go to God’” she recalls.

“I walked around the cathedral balcony looking for concrete, so that when I jumped I couldn’t be saved and be even more of a burden.”

“I refused to let anyone come to the sentencing. I was below rock bottom and wanted to face things alone. When they said my sentence – a maximum of 30 months – I felt nothing. After what I’d been through nothing could make me feel any worse. “When I woke up the next morning in Styal women’s prison I felt strangely relieved, as if the worst was over. Many women had been through far worse than me.

I decided to make the best of it.

Her husband Kevin, a publisher, finally reached Julie by phone, talking while dashing into the city in a cab. But her mental health worsened. She spent time in Clock View Hospital. Family members stuck close, afraid to leave her alone.

Events took an even more dramatic turn.

Part of Julie’s need to ‘fix’ manifested as buying gifts. She’d had control of funds at work and would borrow cash to buy things for her family, repaying the money.

But audits conducted while she was suspended exposed her actions and she was prosecuted. She maintains to this day that she was not guilty of some charges but, under pressure and physically worn down, she pleaded guilty to all.

She volunteered – as a Samaritan Listening Ear and in the restaurant run by a prisoner charity. She taught fellow prisoners to read. She’s eternally grateful for such powerful experiences.

“It’s not easy; you pay for everything and work hard for privileges. But I discovered who I was. That I had something more to give – two years later that feeling is still there.”

“No one asks about your mental health before they take away your rights, yet it was my mental ill health that led me to prison. I’ve got the experience now to help other people. If I can change one person’s life it will have been worth the pain.”

Julie forged strong bonds with fellow prisoners. Sharing struggles had a profound effect on her outlook.

“I realised my issues weren’t that huge – I’d made them huge.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION...

One major change was her response to her younger son being in a same sex relationship.

• The Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) provides support to prisoners, people with convictions, and their families. prisonadvice.org.uk

“When he’d told me I couldn’t handle it – I was vile to him. But after talking to gay women in prison I suddenly understood – if he loved his partner then I did too.”

• NACRO offers support and advice regarding access to employment, housing and education to people with criminal records and professionals working with them. nacro.org.uk

33

A DAY IN THE LIFE...

I spend a lot of time putting people at ease and encouraging them to trust me.

KRISTINA JAGO DENTIST, RIVER ALT CENTRE HUYTON, KNOWSLEY.

T

he first thing most patients say when I first meet them is ‘I hate dentists’. I spend a lot of time putting people at ease and encouraging them to trust me. It can be challenging, but so rewarding when they say afterwards they’re not scared any more.

I do breathing exercises, tell them there’s no hurry and let them regain control before I begin treatment. Before my dental training I did a psychology degree – it’s come in handy many times!

34

I enjoy educating people about oral health.

As well as doing routine treatment I support people with complex dental problems.

Some could have been avoided if they’d got help earlier. One patient was so terrified she tried to pull out her own decayed tooth!

I think the reservations people have are often based on historic experiences. The task is to help them realise things have changed – and that we’re just people like them!

I enjoy educating people about oral health and how important it is for their general health. A patient came to tell me he’d given up smoking on my advice. I love treating children for the first time – I try to get on their level, letting them switch on the light so they see it as fun.

I’m lucky to have great support from colleagues. I graduated in summer, got my ideal job and now I’m telling young graduates coming for interview what to expect. It’s a great job. You go home often drained from concentrating so hard, there’s always more to learn – but what you do can change someone’s perception of dentists forever.

GOVERNOR PROFILE

MEET YOUR NEW GOVERNORS When decisions are being made about your local mental health, learning disabilities, addiction services and community health services, how can we make sure you have your say?

O

ne way is through our Council of Governors, a group of people who are passionate about their local health services and want to use their skills, backgrounds or personal experiences to influence the way our services are run.

Our new governors are:

We have recently elected 10 new governors. Thank you to those who cast their vote.

•

staff representatives: Gie Peneche and Cheryl Barber

•

service user and carer representatives: Julie Dickinson, Matt Copple and Debbie Riozzie

•

public representatives: Paul Smith, Helen Casstles, Susan Martin, Mary Sutton and Alex Till.

JULIE DICKINSON

I’m proud of our membership and our governors; they’re all very different, bringing their unique skills and experiences and acting as ambassadors for the Trust.

Beatrice Fraenkel Chairman

GIE PENECHE

“Carers save the government and health service millions of

“As a physiotherapist I’m passionate about patient care especially

pounds, but they are largely the forgotten army. It’s important

for people with complex long-term conditions. I want to advocate

health services understand the role of carers and recognise

for more proactive care and supporting people who fall through

the need to consult patients’ loved ones.” Julie is a carer to

gaps in the eligibility process for preventative or rehabilitation

husband Phil, who has dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

services.”

COME AND

JOIN US

Our next elections are between January and March 2019. With two members’ events in February and October and our AGM in July.

Our next members event will take place at Princess Royal Suite, Aintree Racecourse on Tuesday 5 February from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

RSVP to membership@merseycare.nhs.uk or call 0151 471 2303.

Find out more about our membership and governors at: Website: merseycare.nhs.uk. Phone: 0151 471 2303 or 0151 473 2778 Email: membership@merseycare.nhs.uk Write to: Alison Bacon, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot, Liverpool L34 1PJ.

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FIND YOUR

PERFECT FIT At Mersey Care we’re recruiting experienced full and part time band 5 and 6 nurses in a range of physical, mental health and learning disability specialities.

You’d be part of one of the largest NHS providers in the region giving you the space, freedom and opportunity to grow and develop.

There are full and part time positions.

Find your perfect fit today Visit: Merseycare.nhs.uk Or email: careers@merseycare.nhs.uk

I am incredibly proud of the work we do here at Mersey Care and I know that experienced nurses who want to develop their career could be too.

Contact details Got some news you’d like to share?

Contact us at the following address.

MerseyCareNHSFoundationTrust

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot, Merseyside L34 1PJ Telephone: 0151 473 0303 Email: communications@merseycare.nhs.uk

@MerseyCareNHSFT

MC MAGAZINE is published by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and produced by the communications team, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot, Merseyside L34 1PJ T: 0151 473 0303 E: communications@merseycare.nhs.uk W: merseycare.nhs.uk. MC MAGAZINE is available in other formats on request. Please pass on for others to read and recycle.