INKSPIRATIONS BOOK LAUNCH EVENT

The morning of Wednesday 25 November marked the launch of A Gallimaufry of Poems and Short Stories at the North West Resource Centre in Dumfries.

Gallimaufry is a collection of short stories, poems and lyrical ramblings produced by six members of Inkspirations, a writing group started by NHS Dumfries and Galloway’s Building Healthy Communities team.

Juanita McNeish from Inkspirations said: “I have always been interested in writing but I never had the nerve to show people what I wrote. When I heard about Inkspirations I thought it would be a great opportunity to see what I could do. I can’t believe we have managed to produce a book of our work." Building Healthy Communities Manager, Sheila Campbell, is delighted that the group have produced their own publication. She said: “I am very impressed by the quality of the writing; this is a seriously talented bunch of people. It’s great that Building Healthy Communities has been able to give them the chance to work together to express their creativity.”

Building Healthy Communities in Dumfries and Galloway is a region wide programme based on the Healthy Living Centre concept and is a partnership of public, community and voluntary organisations that has been working together since 2001. The programme is designed to improve the health and wellbeing and quality of life for all individuals, particularly those who are encountering difficult circumstances and personal issues.
The Inkspirations group meets every Wednesday at the North West Resource Centre. For further information about the group or how you can join in please contact Carolyn Watson, Community Health Support Worker on Dumfries 279279 or email carolynwatson@nhs.net
The book is on sale for £2.50 from North West Resource Centre.

Volunteering Opportunity

We have been contacted by Sheila Doak who is a volunteer within the Tea Bar at HM Prison in Dumfries.  They are looking for a couple of volunteers to help out with the visitors.  A police check would also be required - assuming they would be providing this.

If any of you are interested, or know someone who is, could you please contact her on the following

shieladoak@tiscali.co.uk 

VOLUNTEER CELEBRATION

Building Healthy Communities held a Volunteer Celebration Day on Thursday 3 December at the North West Resource Centre in Dumfries.

The event aimed to give volunteers the opportunity to showcase the wide variety of activities they enjoy and to share the positive effect taking part in them has had on their lives.

Building Healthy Communities Manager, Sheila Campbell, heads up the team of dedicated staff who support and advise the volunteers.  She said:  “It’s great to be part of a project that helps people discover and develop their creativity.  There is so much undiscovered talent out there and this project encourages people to find theirs. 

“We held this event to celebrate the passion and commitment of the volunteers who generously give their time to support others.”

Bill Howat has been volunteering through Building Healthy Communities for nine years.  He said:  “While I have been a volunteer I have listened to others and shared my own experiences.  I hope that the time and knowledge I have contributed have been useful and that I have helped in some way.”

To find out more about volunteering opportunities with Building Healthy Communities please contact Carolyn Watson, Community Health Support Worker on Dumfries 279 279 or email carolynwatson@nhs.net.

Strategic Plan for Health and Social Care Integration Consultation 2016 - 2019

(click on pic to view)

Share your views and help shape health and care services in Dumfries and Galloway.

In preparation for the Integration of Health and Social Care in Dumfries and Galloway, (The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014), we are required to develop a Strategic Plan for health and social care that sets out how we will plan and deliver care and support services for the region.

To help do this, a consultation document for a strategic plan has been prepared by integration partners. The consultation on this document is from Monday 22 June to Friday 28 August 2015 and we are very keen to hear the views and comments of as many people as possible.

This document sets out the case for change, key challenges for health and social care and how we plan to address these. It has been developed by listening to local people, people who use health and social care services, families and Carers, partner organisations and staff. There are questions at the back of the document that we would ask you to consider.  

To view the full consultation document, also shown on the website, click HERE. or on the logo on the left hand side of the blog.

If you require the Consultation Document in other formats or hard copies, these are available by emailing dg.integration@nhs.net or tel: 01387 272749. 

You can submit your comments using the questionnaire at the back of the consultation document.

Below is a timetable of consultation dates and venues for Dumfries and Galloway.

Also available are information leaflets about the Strategic Plan:

For the main version click Here

For the easy read version click Here

Dumfries & Lower Nithsdale Activities - June 2015

Please click on images to enlarge

Our Place invites you to come along to influence how money will be spent in your community.

Please click here for more details

Joan Stroud
Senior Tai Chi Volunteer

"Hi my name is Joan and I have been involved with the Tai Chi for about 6 years, as a student and as a volunteer.  I now lead my own class for the Project.  It has been of enormous value to me and I can strongly recommend it to others"

BHC TAI CHI GROUPS

If you want to get fit in a gentle way,

And you’re looking for something to do today,

If you want to relax mind, body and soul,

To do Tai Chi should be your goal.

If you want great balance and low BP,

Tai Chi is where you need to be.

Strong muscles and flexible joints for you,

Tai Chi is what you need to do.

Whatever health problems you have to bear,

At your own level, it will get you there.

You don’t need to be super-fit you know,

So come along and give it a go.

Our classes are made especially for those

Who need to get up and on their toes,

To help with their various aches and pain,

We can have fun in the sun and the rain.

If you want to come new friends to make,

At the North West it’s a piece of cake.

And however hard your life may be

You will get help from doing Tai Chi.

To help each other is our aim,

So Tai Chi is the name of the game,

And if you really take to it,

It will make you strong and fit.

When you are getting pretty good,

And doing the Tai Chi as you should,

BHC will train you how to run

A class of your own, now that is fun.

  

So if you’re looking for somewhere to be,

Just come along and try Tai Chi,

It is a really great thing to do,

And we are here waiting to welcome you!

JOAN STROUD, OCTOBER 2014. (COPY-RIGHT.)

Tai Chi for Health & Well-being

You could almost hear a pin drop

BHC in Dumfries & Lower Nithsdale over the last few months has been supporting the Tai Chi for Health and Well-being volunteers and also members of the Ann Downing Tai Chi Group by providing training and development which was delivered by members of the Dr Paul Lam team.

The training involved updates for those who have been volunteering for some time and also an opportunity to welcome new volunteers into our Tai Chi initiative.  All who attended received certification which included Arthritis, Diabetes and Seated Tai Chi forms.  

And breathe.......

Well done folks!!

Heart and Soul

A Building Healthy Communities and Dumfries and Galloway College Partnership

A new initiative is in the process of being set up by Building Healthy Communities in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway College.  This initiative is aimed at overweight men over the age of 45.

Heart and Soul will comprise a cardio workout and Tai Chi for Health and Wellbeing.  The cardio workout will be personalised for each participant and will take place in the state of the art gym at the college – this group will have exclusive use of the gym for these sessions.  Tai Chi for Health will also be offered as part of this package and this will be led by fully trained Building Healthy Communities’ Tai Chi instructors.

This is a tremendous opportunity and anyone interested should contact me (helenmackintosh1@nhs.net) as soon as possible to secure a place as spaces are limited.

Please note that this service is offered completely free of charge.

A brief outline of what will be offered by PVG checked 2^nd year HND students: -

• Applied Nutrition and Health Assessment
• Fitness Assessment and Diagnostic Testing
• Applied Exercise Prescription for Special Population Groups
• Plan, Teach and Evaluate a Physical Activity Programme to Meet the Needs of Older Adults

Ideally we are looking to work with clients with at least one of the following conditions:

• Coronary heart disease
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Diabetes (Type I or II)
• Osteoporosis
• Hypertension
• High cholesterol
• Food allergies and/or intoleerances

The course will consist of: -

• Introductory meetings to get to know the client
• Detailed health and lifestyle assessment 
• Static and dymanic fitness tests suitable to the client 
• Health related fitness tests
• Written feedback and comparison of results to normative data
• Plan to carry out a nutritional assessment with the client
• Complete a week long food diary
• Analyse the results and interpret nutritional feedback to the client
• Prescribe nutritional advice to clients
• Prepare and deliver an exercise session suitibler for the client
• The aim for 2015/2016 is to prepare and deliver a 12 week exercise programme for a selected individual

CREATIVE COMMUNITY

A partnership art and literacy project between Community Learning and Development and Building Healthy Communities whereby eight people will work together with the ultimate goal of their work being displayed publicly. 

This project aims to: -

• To produce individual pieces of art which will be transferred onto boards for display in rooms within the North West Resource Centre and possibly the exterior of the building
• To produce a short piece of creative writing to accompany the art
• To produce an amalgamation of the boards this can be used for publicity purposes
• To celebrate the completed works through an exhibition

This will all take place over a 16 week period and will comprise: -

• Start with Art for the first 6 weeks
• Creative Writing for 4 weeks
• Working on Art piece for 6 weeks

The places for this particular initiative have all been filled; however, opportunities do exist for participation in other BHC led art and creative writing sessions.  Please see and complete our current note of interest to be considered for a place.

Dumfries and Galloway Mirco-markets project

To view the project leaflet please click here.

Dumfries and Galloway Wellness & Recovery College