Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from€¦ · Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from . I Matter, People Matter, Carers Matter, Staff Matter, Excellent Care Matters Earlier this

Wishing you a very Merry

Christmas from

I Matter, People Matter,

Carers Matter, Staff Matter,

Excellent Care Matters

Earlier this year we launched the iMatter

Awards to recognise the outstanding

contributions made by staff members,

teams and volunteers across

Independence Matters.

The winners of the four categories were

presented with their awards at our AGM

on 16th November, where our Chair,

Karen Hester, also announced the winner

of her ‘Chair’s Choice’ award. This was

awarded to Joanne Carter for her care

and compassion in supporting a customer

with dementia, out of working hours, who

had become confused and lost on the

local high street, ensuring they safely

reached home.

Joanne was unable to attend the AGM

but was presented with her awards at

Rosewood Community Hub by

Stakeholder Director, Sylvia Barrett-

Jones (below).

We would like to thank everyone who

took part in this year’s awards and look

forward to building on their success in

2018.

North PAS TeamCarers Matter

winners

Darren SmithSupport Worker

North PAS Team


winner

Randolph FrancisSupport Worker, East

PAS Team

Staff Matter winner

Joanne CarterSupport Worker

Rosewood Community Hub

People Matter winner

and Chair’s Choice

Team Manager, Corinne Smith

receives the Chair’s Choice

award from Karen Hester on

behalf of Joanne.

Presented by

Stakeholder

Director,

Philip Field.

Presented by

Managing Director,

Sarah Stock.

Presented by Staff

Directors, Julian Brown

and Shaun Houldey.

Congratulationsto our winners

Sarah Stock

Managing Director, Independence Matters

Hello from SarahWelcome to the Winter 2017 edition of News Matters

Great British Care Awards success

Congratulations to support worker

Suzanne Warnes on winning the

Dementia Carer category at the East of

England Regional Finals of the Great

British Care Awards.

A big well done also to Team Manager,

Julie Smith, who was shortlisted as a

finalist in The Dignity Award category.

This is a fantastic achievement for them

both as there were over 4000

nominations. Suzanne goes forward to

the UK-wide finals which take place in

Birmingham on 16th March.

New Staff Director for IM BoardWe welcome new Staff Director Tina Cutting to the

Independence Matters Board. Tina is a Team Manager at Holt

and Benjamin Court Community Hubs and replaces Julian

Brown, who is stepping down. As one of the founding Board

Members we’d like to thank Julian for his contribution over the

last four years. Our photo shows (left right): Julian Brown, Shaun

Houldey and Tina Cutting.

Wow, it’s Christmas time again

and the last 12 months have

flown by.

As I sit and write this I have just

enjoyed a fabulous festive

sing-along with the ‘Village Voices’, and as I looked

around the audience everyone was joining in. There

were lots of smiles and happy faces, and that’s what

reading this edition of News Matters made me do; smile

and feel very happy and proud that we are privileged to

support so many customers at Independence Matters

and make a difference to their lives.

There are some wonderful articles in this edition, and so

many reasons to feel positive and cheerful; from Coral

realising her dream holiday to the joy of THE TAPS

Elvis performance. Welcome back to Eyebrow Arts, it is

so good to be working with them again and it is lovely to

link up with Friend In Deed which is an amazing

intergenerational project to help combat loneliness.

Although there is a lot of joy Christmas can also be a

time of great sadness for many so I wish you all a very

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, please be kind

and look after each other.







Independence Matters was a sponsor

at the Norfolk Care Convention on

15th November which, this year, took

place at the Norfolk Showground.

The event provided us with lots of

opportunities to meet and interact with

customers and local providers from

across the care sector.

Our sponsors stand was a great way

to showcase our brand and was used

to display our Norfolk Industries and

Branching Out products, promote our

services and enable conversations.

Norfolk Care Convention

There was a really positive vibe in the Exhibitors

Hall and we had a steady flow of visitors to our

stand, who all enjoyed the goodies we had on

offer. These included samples of products from

our Brewkery project and cakes and cookies

baked by customers at Dereham Community

Hub.

Customers from the Hub and Norfolk Industries

supported us on the stand and enjoyed the busy

atmosphere, having the opportunity to meet and

chat with so many people as well as visit and

sample the products on other exhibitors’ stands.

Our Managing Director, Sarah Stock, took part

in the live broadcast on Radio Norfolk, although

our customers were disappointed not be able to

meet Nick Conrad! Free entry opened up the

event to more people and it was great to be able

to catch up with friends and contacts from other

groups and organisations. A big thank you to

customers Lewis, Jamie, Heidi and Trevor, who

supported us on the day and helped make our

stand such a success. We are already looking

forward to next year’s event!

2017




Thank you to our customers and staff We’d like to say a special thank you to the fabulous

team of customers and staff at Dereham Community

Hub who baked and decorated cakes and cookies

especially for the event. It looks as if you enjoyed

making them as much as we all did eating them!

Coral’s holiday

of a lifetimeSupported living customer Coral loves boats and has

always dreamed of going on a cruise. Now, thanks to the

energy and determination of the staff team at Badjer

Corner, she has been able to experience the holiday of a

lifetime.

Coral has complex needs and requires 2:1 support, so

the holiday needed meticulous planning to ensure she

would be able to enjoy it to the full and that all her

medication and other needs would be fully covered.

The holiday was booked through Premier Travel in

Norwich, who offer bespoke, accessible holidays for

people who are less mobile or have disabilities.

Coral’s support needs

meant that two staff

members, Tracey and Cher

(pictured above right)

accompanied her, with the

three of them sharing a

specially adapted cabin on

the ship which had medical

care available 24/7. At home Coral has limited mobility and finds

walking difficult, but once abroad she really

blossomed and Cher said “It was like

supporting a different person”.

Described as a Mediterranean Medley, the holiday included trips into

Monaco, Barcelona, Pisa and Nice. Holiday provider Thompson were

really helpful and went out of their way to ensure Coral could visit the

less accessible locations, providing taxis at no additional cost and

extra help to get from the ship to shore.

Staff on the ship treated Coral like a VIP, something she thrived on,

going out of their way to make it a special experience for her. She

celebrated her birthday on board with spa treatments and a visit to

the hairdressers.




Tracey said “Coral suffers from anxiety so this trip was a big step for her. I’m

a real advocate for customers’ independence and supporting them to get the

most out of their lives. Coral’s family are really grateful that she’s been able

to realise her dream and it’s opened the doors of possibility, showing what

can be done with determination and effort.”




Mark is a customer at our Personal

Assistant Service (East) and is supported

during the week by support worker

Matthew, who helps him to get out and

about and lead a more active life.

Together they have been volunteering with

Great Yarmouth Green Gym, an

organisation that encourages people to

help care for green spaces in their local

community. The pair has been helping out

at Beacon Park Woodland on the outskirts

of Gorleston, carrying out woodland

management tasks. The work they have

done has included drilling holes using an

auger, sawing wood, cutting branches with

loppers and removing fences that contain

rotting wood. They’ve also been learning

more about conservation by making wildlife

habitats - including a ‘Bug-ingham Palace’!

Green Gym promotes working outdoors

and tackling physical jobs as a great way

to improve health and wellbeing. Mark says

he enjoys working with Matthew and it has

given him the chance to take part in

activities he wouldn’t have had the

opportunity to do elsewhere.

For Matthew it’s been a real pleasure to

see how much Mark has grown in

confidence and great fun learning and

meeting new people. He is looking forward

to continuing to work alongside Mark at

Green Gym and Mark is excited at having

the opportunity to learn further news skills.

Supporting people with disabilities to get more out of life

Our volunteers come from all walks of life, all

ages and abilities. Every single volunteer

makes a very valuable contribution to the

success of the group and in particular, the

volunteers have created a wonderful green

space for the local community to enjoy as well

as improving the environment for wildlife.”

Sue Holmes, Great Yarmouth Green Gym

co-ordinator

“Above: Matthew and Mark in action with

Green Gym at Beacon Park Woodland.

Mark’s story




Elvis is back in town!Dereham Community Hub’s drama

group, THE TAPS, performed their 16th

show at Northgate High School on

Thursday 26th October. ‘Elvis 40 years,

the legend lives on’ was a remastered

version of their 2004 show, and

celebrated the life of Elvis Presley on the

40th anniversary of his death.

Performing to their biggest audience

ever, and with more than one standing

ovation, the group did Elvis proud. Elvis

was played by both Robbie King and

Justin Hewitt, who were backed by a

strong supporting cast, with the group’s

newest member, Luke Clark, making his

debut. The show included 49 of the

King’s best known songs, including those

from his movies and live performances,

and told the story of Elvis’s life, from his

humble beginnings to becoming the King

of Rock and Roll.

As is traditional, THE TAPS went out for

a post-show meal, funded by the

proceeds of the show, and celebrated

their success with drinks, food and a lot

of laughs. A great way to celebrate

together at the end of a busy year.




How it all startedTHE TAPS was formed in 1998 by staff member

Claire Millman, who each year manages the entire

production from writing the scripts, casting

members, supervising rehearsals and designing

costumes through to directing everyone on the

night.

Claire loves working with THE TAPS and is very

proud of their achievements and hard work. She

says there is never a dull moment and every week

someone makes her feel proud!

About THE TAPSTHE TAPS encourages everyone to get

involved and take part, whatever their

ability, and is a great way for individuals

to develop their communication skills and

gain confidence – learning lines and

working as a team to put on a public

performance.

Everyone involved gets a buzz from

performing on stage (and some nerves

as well!) and are encouraged to take on

more demanding roles the following

year. It’s also an opportunity for people

to showcase and develop their talents

and strengths through music and dance.

Each production takes 12 months to

prepare with twice weekly rehearsals

throughout the year ahead of the

production in October. Next year’s show

is already in the planning stage and will

be a musical based on the TV series

‘Goodnight Sweetheart’ featuring songs

from the 1940s. We look forward to

seeing you there.




Making connections

through play

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed

participating in the interactive,

sensory experiences that provided

the opportunity to explore senses

and emotions. We look forward to

Eyebrow Arts returning in the New

Year.

Rachel Stevenson, Team Manager

We’re delighted to welcome back Eyebrow Arts to Harford

Hill with a new creative art project PLAY.

Building on their experience of working with older people

and those with dementia, their new project provides an

interactive, immersive experience that ‘explores the

relationship between the act of playing and the creative

process’. The sessions are delivered by professional

artists, Dot Howard and Sorrel Muggridge, who combine

singing, props and mime to encourage individuals to

“ Through getting to know

the staff and customers at

Harford Hill, and enabling them

to access our creative

processes (a bit like taking our

art studio to them!), we’re

learning more about how we

can make participatory and live

art accessible to older people.

We’re also having a lot of fun

and it's great to be working with

Independence Matters again.

Dot Howard, founder of Eyebrow

Arts

“

engage and participate in the

sessions, with everyday materials,

such as elastic, helping to create

interactions and connect the group

through movement and music.

Find out more about Eyebrow Arts at: eyebrowarts.tumblr.com

“




‘Little Visitors’ bring big smilesHarford Hill customers recently welcomed a

group of ‘Little Visitors’ to the Hub courtesy of

Friend In Deed, an intergenerational scheme

that promotes kindness and inclusion by

bringing babies and toddlers together with

older people.

Aged from two months upwards, the ‘Little

Visitors’ and their mums lit up the room at

Harford bringing obvious enjoyment to our

customers, providing cuddles, interactions and

a special energy that was wonderful to see.

Customers also enjoyed taking part in the sing-

a-long session, remembering nursery rhymes

and playground songs from their

own childhood.

For more information about

this amazing scheme visit:

www.friendindeed.org.uk

The mums are very proud that their

little ones can create so much happiness.

Kelly Lindsay, Director, Friend In Deed

Ten mothers and babies visited, there

was a wonderful, happy atmosphere with lots

of smiles. The room seemed to be buzzing

and there was a high level of engagement - it

was an extremely successful activity which

we hope to be able to do again.

Rachel Stevenson, Harford Hill Team Manager

“

http://www.friendindeed.org.uk/

The King and I




Swaffham Hub

The theme was collectively

agreed by customers, parent/

carers and staff, with each

production taking five weeks to

prepare and resulting in a

fantastic day of fun activities,

drama, music, costume and

culinary delights.

Each theme day was unique

due to the vast differences in

costume, music and culture of

the individual productions. This

encouraged customer self

expression and improved

confidence levels which was

absolutely wonderful to witness

and be part of.

The benefits to each individual is

immense, from sensory

exploration to improved

communication skills, all round

sense of inclusion and wellbeing.

Gillian Harvey, Support Worker

Meets… The West EndCustomers at Swaffham Community Hub enjoyed another

fantastic 2017, with a new theme that saw them celebrate

a diverse mix of six well known West End musicals.

Staff supported customers to

carry out research for each

production using the internet and

local library and held discussion

groups for customers to express

their views and preferences.

Parent/carers were also actively

involved throughout the year, with

some taking part on the day.

Grease

I can always see the

different characteristics of

the customers in each

display. I love coming to

the Hub and seeing

everything you do.

Suzie, transport driver

I like dressing up and

writing the menu, then I

can take the menu home

and hang it in my

bedroom.

G W, customer

The Wizard of Oz

Joseph and the

Technicolour Dreamcoat

Mamma Mia

The Sound of Music

“

“

“

“

It is always excellent, the

displays, the menus and all the

hard work put into each one.

Mrs Loan, parent

It’s good fun and I enjoy the

different food.

M F, customer“




Norfolk Rocks at Rosewood!Customers at Rosewood Community

Hub in Gorleston have been taking

part in a new craze that’s sweeping

across Norfolk.

Norfolk Rocks encourages people to

paint rocks and hide them for general

public to find. Anyone lucky enough to

find one of the rocks is asked to take

a picture of themselves with it and

post the photo to the Norfolk Rocks

Facebook page. It’s a fun project

which our customers with dementia

have enjoyed taking part. To highlight

our services they decorated the

stones with a mix of Independence

Matters and Dementia Friends

branding.

The finished stones were varnished

and hidden by staff around the

county, so keep a look out – and let

us know if you find one!

We are proud to announce that Alison Pawley,

Team Manager at Holt Community Hub, has passed

her CMI Level 3 Award in First Line Management.

Alison did this on her first submission which is a

fantastic achievement!

Well done Alison and thank you to Julian Hammond

and the team at our local CMI provider, TIPS for

Good Management Ltd, for your support.

Independence Matters is proud to be investing in

talent for the future and believe the CMI awards play

an important role in supporting the development of

frontline managers.

Exam success for Alison

a




Martha, Holt Community Hub

Clifford, Caister HubMargaret, Laburnum Grove

Margaret, Laburnum Grove

Lisa, Benjamin Court

We’d like to thank all the customers and services

who entered our Christmas card competition. We

had a fantastic response with so many lovely

entries.

The judges this year included customers from

Dereham Community Hub, Stakeholder Director,

Sylvia Barrett-Jones and former Board member

Ernie Barnes. They had a really difficult job

selecting just one favourite, but chose Laburnum

Grove customer Margaret Caine’s lanterns (top

right) as their winner.

Laburnum Grove Team Manager, Julie Smith told

us it was lovely for Margaret, who has dementia, to

be able to take part and feel involved and said “Our

customers enjoy entering the competition and put in

entries each year, so it’s lovely to see their hard

work and commitment recognised.”

As always we were spoilt for choice and want to

share with you some of the other fabulous entries

that also caught our eye.

Christmas cardcompetition




Thank you to all our customers for their entries, we

look forward to running the competition again in 2018.

Marilyn, Laburnum Grove

Monica, Laburnum Grove

Albert, Laburnum Grove

Gladys, The Lawns

Sheila, The Lawns

Elizabeth, William Day Centre

Michael, Great Yarmouth Hub

Richard, Benjamin Court

Lisa, Great Yarmouth Hub




Get in touch If you’ve got a story you’d like us to cover,

or would like to give us some feedback on

News Matters, then please get in touch.

Call 07767 212926 or email: [email protected]

Members at Dereham Community Hub are

thrilled to be Norfolk’s new Table Cricket

champions!

Five teams took part in the finals at The Norman

Centre in Norwich, where Independence Matters

Dereham and Sprowston Hubs competed against

teams from The Assist Trust and NANSA.

Each team played each other with ‘Dereham Hub

Hitters’ winning all of their matches to be

crowned champions, narrowly beating ‘Dereham

Independence Batters’ into second place. In their

match against each other, 284 played 250 with

the Hub Hitters winning by 34 runs.

Victory for Dereham Hub at County Table Cricket

A big well done

to everyone

who took part.

The next

competition is

planned for

April when

teams will play

for ‘The Lords

Taverners

Trophy’.

Rosewood remembers Richard Maynard

A memorial plaque has been unveiled at

Rosewood Community Hub in memory of

Richard Maynard, a former customer who

recently passed away.

His wife Pauline, who helped with the

fundraising for the Hub’s new patio, took part in

an unveiling ceremony alongside customers

and staff members who had known Richard.

mailto:[email protected]

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Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from€¦ · Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from . I Matter, People Matter, Carers Matter, Staff Matter, Excellent Care Matters Earlier this