Isle of Whithorn

7 members attended our very first laptop session with Luke and Samantha at the Isle of Whithorn, Village Hall. Where we are working in partnership with Isle Futures, we would like to thank the Thursday Club members for inviting us to join them for a cup of coffee.

There where many issues covered in our first week such as attaching pictures to emails, how to download apps, broadband speed, downloading photos to social media sites.

Another session is on this week 6^th February. From13th February there will be a four week block of free art class provided by Access Art. Look out for more information coming soon.

Isle of Whithorn events

Jills of all Trades

The Jills in the last two weeks have been trying out the new “Toy” in the workshop. An electric tile cutter which allows for complicated cuts and corners. The results have been very good so far!!!

Confidence Building Course

Building Healthy Communities have been asked to set up and run a Confidence Building Course over the next 4 weeks. This is in conjunction with Community Learning and Development and Employability and Skills.

Courses are running in Newton Stewart, Whithorn and Stranraer.

If there is anyone interested in attending a similar course, then please contact the office. 

Carers' Health and Wellbeing Project

Seeking Carers for Free Health Checks

A new Putting You First project is trying to contact Carers in order to offer them free health checks so they can stay healthy and well for longer.  The Carers’ Health and Wellbeing Project covers the whole of Dumfries and Galloway.

Keep Well Nurse Joanne Hird (pictured above with colleague Keep Well Health Coach Janice Bannister) will carry out the health checks.  She said: “Carers are an invaluable resource and we recognise that their contribution means many people can live independently for longer.   We know many people carrying out a caring role don’t see themselves as Carers and these are the people we are looking for.

“Carers may overlook their own health and wellbeing because their focus is on the person they are caring for.  Our free health checks are designed to help keep Carers as well as possible to enable them to carry on in their caring role. 

“The health check is free and completely confidential.  We look at physical health and wellbeing needs including general health and lifestyle.  We can offer appointments at an arranged clinic or even in people’s own homes, whichever is most convenient. “

Keep Well Health Coach Janice Bannister added: “We want to ensure that Carers in the region know what support and services are available to help them continue to fulfil their very important roles.

“We take a person centred approach and offer professional advice suited to each person.  I’ll be able to provide information on coping strategies to help reduce anxiety or stress as well as offering advice to help people to improve their physical health through healthy eating, exercise and a range of other options.”

If you are, or know of, a Carer living in Dumfries and Galloway and you, or someone else would benefit from a free health check please contact Joanne or Janice by email at dumf-uhb.Keep-Well-Project@nhs.net or by phone on 01387 272 718.

Carers' Health and Wellbeing Project

Seeking Carers for Free Health Checks

A new Putting You First project is trying to contact Carers in order to offer them free health checks so they can stay healthy and well for longer.  The Carers’ Health and Wellbeing Project covers the whole of Dumfries and Galloway.

Keep Well Nurse Joanne Hird (pictured above with colleague Keep Well Health Coach Janice Bannister) will carry out the health checks.  She said: “Carers are an invaluable resource and we recognise that their contribution means many people can live independently for longer.   We know many people carrying out a caring role don’t see themselves as Carers and these are the people we are looking for.

“Carers may overlook their own health and wellbeing because their focus is on the person they are caring for.  Our free health checks are designed to help keep Carers as well as possible to enable them to carry on in their caring role. 

“The health check is free and completely confidential.  We look at physical health and wellbeing needs including general health and lifestyle.  We can offer appointments at an arranged clinic or even in people’s own homes, whichever is most convenient. “

Keep Well Health Coach Janice Bannister added: “We want to ensure that Carers in the region know what support and services are available to help them continue to fulfil their very important roles.

“We take a person centred approach and offer professional advice suited to each person.  I’ll be able to provide information on coping strategies to help reduce anxiety or stress as well as offering advice to help people to improve their physical health through healthy eating, exercise and a range of other options.”

If you are, or know of, a Carer living in Dumfries and Galloway and you, or someone else would benefit from a free health check please contact Joanne or Janice by email at dumf-uhb.Keep-Well-Project@nhs.net or by phone on 01387 272 718.

Laptop Heaven

8 people attended this week’s session with Luke and Dave at the Riverside Centre.

There were many ongoing issues were resolved this week. The issues covered this week included: Downloading kindle books, setting up and testing printers, social network privacy settings, introduction to the internet, copying and saving photos from device to device.

New members always welcome , contact the Riverside Centre on 01671 402010

Monday Club

18 of us attended this week’s Monday Club, including 1 new member and after a cuppa and a natter, we were introduced to Dave Groves from Building Healthy Communities (BHC) who was leading today’s session entitled “Winter Warmers and Chillin Chinese”

Dave started the session by preparing a large pot of warming parsnip soup from scratch (ably assisted by Luke, BHC Volunteer) and whilst this was bubbling away on the stove, introduced the concept of cooking on a budget and not wasting food by demonstrating how to use all parts of a chicken, without waste. He did this by showing the group the best way to de-bone a whole chicken, using the breasts and thighs for a quick Chinese meal, freezing the drumsticks and wings for later use and suggesting boiling the carcass to use as stock and any remaining chicken taken off the bones. This could be used for soup or could be fed to your pets. Thus getting real value!!

The parsnip soup was now ready and was served to all and proved to be very tasty!!

Some of us were then invited to cook 2 very quick Chinese style meals, Lemon Chilli Chicken and Chilli Chicken with Noodles. These were all tasted by the group and although having a bit of a kick, were well appreciated. Recipes for various warming soups were handed out as well as the recipes for the Chinese meals.

The session concluded with 9 members expressing an interest in a course of Healthy Cooking which would help them with their specific diets and would be delivered by the Let’s Cook Project, from the Wigtownshire Health Improvement Team.

Our next meeting will on Monday 3^rd February with a talk from the D & G See Hear Project followed by exercise with Pam.

If you would like further information on the Monday Club, please contact BHC on 01988 501111 

Monday Club 3 Month Programme of Activities

Click on the images below to make them bigger.

Ethel Brolls' Knitting Appeal Newsletter

To view the newsletter please click here

Carers Information and Support

If you are interested in accessing support or information as a carer please the following link here which will direct you to the necessary form that you can print off.

Carers information and support

If you are interested in accessing support or information as a carer please the following link here which will direct you to the necessary form that you can print off.

1:1 Support in the Machars

At Building Healthy Communities in the Machars, we provide for volunteers and service users, support in a number of areas. This could be whilst attending a group, but is also available on a 1:1 basis, because no two people have the same health or life issues.

We strive, in a confidential manner, to assist the individual in achieving their goals, whether they are focussed on improving healthy lifestyles or receiving support and advice on difficulties that are occurring on a day to day basis. One of our experienced staff members can be available to guide you through a difficult time and hopefully assist you in refocusing and taking a more positive outlook and approach to your situation.

For further details, please talk to one of the staff at the office.

1:1 Support in the Machars

At Building Healthy Communities in the Machars, we provide for volunteers and service users, support in a number of areas. This could be whilst attending a group, but is also available on a 1:1 basis, because no two people have the same health or life issues.

We strive, in a confidential manner, to assist the individual in achieving their goals, whether they are focussed on improving healthy lifestyles or receiving support and advice on difficulties that are occurring on a day to day basis. One of our experienced staff members can be available to guide you through a difficult time and hopefully assist you in refocusing and taking a more positive outlook and approach to your situation.

For further details, please talk to one of the staff at the office.

Laptop Heaven

WOW!!  11 people turned up for the first session of 2014 making it the busiest session since the start of the group some 2 years ago.

Help was at hand to all and some members were peer supporting. Next week is the re-scheduled i-pad session, but laptop support will also be available.

Wigtownshire Adult Learning Needs Survey

Happy New Year Everyone.

Please take a look at the Adult Learning Needs survey at the link below.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5HBGMHL

All those completing the survey can enter a prize draw for a £25 Argos voucher!!

Thanks

Monday Club

Despite the weather, 18 members were present for our first meeting of the New Year 2014.  After being welcomed, we were informed that volunteer Jo Chambers had decided to step away from the Monday Club but hoped the group would grow from strength to strength.  Jo’s dedication and commitment to the club’s set up and development over the last 12 months was acknowledged and everyone agreed she will be sorely missed.

The guest speakers this week were Eleanor Fenton, Pharmacist and Manager of the Creebridge Mill Pharmacy and Jane Markwell, Assistant Manager.  Eleanor gave an overview of the many services available within the Pharmacy, for example the NHS Minor Ailments Service where you can get advice and treatment for minor illnesses. there were loads of other services available and  more information is available on the Creebridge Mill Pharmacy Facebook page.

 After the presentation, there was an exercise where we were taken through the process of all the checks a pharmacist has to follow when preparing a prescription.  This proved to be a real eye opener for everyone and certainly showed how thorough and vital the process of issuing and dispensing prescriptions is.

Both Eleanor and Jane were thanked for their most interesting presentation and whilst some members continued chatting with them, others joined Pam for some light exercise.

For more information on the Monday Club please contact Building Healthy Communities on 01988 501111.