Supporter emails- January 2022

Hello BDAA supporters, my name is Julia Hammersley and I am just starting in my role as Volunteer Coordinator for BDAA. I will be working for one day a week at BDAA and will be taking over organising and coordinating the work and roles that the volunteers have with us. Tony and Sam have built up an amazing team of supporters and volunteers and I look forward to meeting and talking to you at our events, in the community, or online. If you are thinking about joining our group of volunteers or have any questions about volunteering, then please get in touch with me via email or phone: volunteering@bdaa.org.uk or 07342 881 164 (Monday afternoons). Do check out the Happy Days Café and if you are attending on February 4^th come and introduce yourself to me as I will be there too.

Thank you to Bristol County Conservative Club for choosing us as their charity of the year for 2020 and 2021

Dignity in hospital care
Have you been an inpatient at a Bristol hospital in the last two years?
If you’re aged 65 or over, Healthwatch Bristol would like to hear about your experience of receiving care in hospital. For further information please see this poster.
BOPF MEETUP MORNING – Staying Connected with Friends & Family in Disconnected Times
Wednesday 2nd February 2022, 10:30 – 12:00 hrs
This Meetup Morning discussion will be led by Rosalind Brooks who manages a phone befriending project at WECIL (a leading organisation working with disabled people). She is also a registered Occupational Therapist.
More than ever, during the Covid pandemic, with the constantly changing restrictions, individual circumstances, and anxieties around in person meetings, we are experiencing some real challenges.
So come along and tell us about your experiences of staying in touch with our friends, family and our communities; or to just sit back and absorb.
You will need to register in advance of this meeting by clicking on the link below and completing the short online form. https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYld-qupzkjH9IhkIOplP6mqW9R5g2RRgM- 

Thank you to Carers Support Centre for this information:
We are writing to let you know that we have a couple of free courses for Bristol and S. Glos carers starting in the next couple of months. Carers will be able to acquire new skills and knowledge to help them with their caring role but they will also have the opportunity to stay after each session for an online ‘chat and a cuppa’ to help them meet other people going through similar experiences and socialize a bit, even if it’s online.
This training will be delivered online, over Zoom. Please see details below:
‘Building resilience’ online course
This 4 weeks’ course will help carers to develop self-help practices to build and maintain their resilience in their caring role and life beyond. Carers will have a chance to reflect on what is going on for them, build techniques to ensure they can manage their day to day and establish coping mechanisms to turn to.
This course will be delivered online, via Zoom, over four weeks on Wednesdays 2nd, 9th, 16th and 23rd of March 2022 from 1.30 to 2.30 p.m. Carers will also have the opportunity to stay connected for a ‘chat and a cuppa’ with other carers after each session.
‘Nutrition and dementia’ online workshop
Join this informative and practical session to explore healthy eating options and learn practical tips to help you in your role as a carer of someone with dementia. Once the workshop is finished, carers are welcome to stay online for a ‘chat and a cuppa’.
Date: Wednesday 30^th March
Time: 10.30 to 12.00 p.m. workshop and 12.00 to 12.30 p.m. ‘chat and a cuppa’ (optional)
The session will be delivered online via Zoom.
We would appreciate if you could circulate the information about this training. Alternatively, carers can request a place by contacting us on training@carerssupportcentre.org.uk or by calling us on 0117 958 9988

Disabled Women Take Action
Join us on Wednesday 2^nd February 2pm-4pm to influence practical and policy changes across Bristol
Get in touch for more info:
dwta@bristolwomensvoice.org.uk
https://www.bristolwomensvoice.org.uk/project/together-for-change-disabled-women-take-action/
Please see this flyer for further details.

In the spring, Alive will be hosting a taster session at our dementia-friendly allotment in Brentry, North Bristol, for people living with young-onset dementia. This will hopefully become a permanent fixture. All details here.

Thanks to Alzheimer’s Society for this useful care home visiting information.

St Werburghs Community Centre 50th Anniversary – Activities for over 50’s
Below and attached is information about some activities that St Werburghs Community Centre are offering which you might be interested in. For contact details see below.
Easy PC – Computer classes 
Mondays all day booking essential 
Art Club 
From January 25th Tuesdays 2 – 4pm, drop in 
Chair Yoga
Wednesdays 12.30 – 1pm, drop in 
Golden Oldies – Sing along group
2nd Thursday of every month 11am – 12pm
Raking & Baking – cooking and gardening course 7 weeks
Thursdays 10am – 3pm booking essential 
Tai Chi for over 50’s 
Fridays 2 – 3pm drop in
For further information contact:
Goska Ong, St Werburghs Community Centre
Email: goska@stwerburghs.org.uk
Tel: 0117 955 1351
Web: www.stwerburghs.org.uk
Horley Road, St Werburghs, Bristol, BS2 9TJ

BRACE’s Evening with Alan Titchmarsh sounds good.

Thanks to Trish at Dementia Wellbeing Service for this information:
Do you want to tell other people about
dementia and what it is like?
Do you want to break-down myths about dementia and encourage people to talk
more openly about it?
If so, come and help us make a dementia podcast and reach as many people as possible!
See full flyer and application form here.

Here’s our provisional programme for Happy Days this year

Carers Support Centre is running this online course for carers in Bristol and South Glos  – Caring with Confidence.

These Care for a Cuppa online chats by Carers UK sound good.

This is a great article by BRACE on Reducing your Risk of Dementia  Really useful information.
 Home Instead Bristol North is running an online Dementia Information session for people living in North Bristol. Further information here.

Sadly our Happy Days Panto has been postponed until March but we’re looking forward to it then. Our year is filling up.

All Saints, Clifton’s ‘Friends Together’ restarted on Thursday, 6^th January 10am-12pm and continues on the first Thursday of the month.  Everyone is welcome – and as usual we’ll have a delicious selection of cakes, tea and coffee for you to enjoy – all included!

Thanks to John at HomeInstead for forwarding these lovely cinema events which are going ahead.

Thanks to Bristol Beacon for sharing about their new South Bristol Music Club. Further information here and registration form here.

Here is Alzheimer’s Society’s latest Dementia Voice magazine.

Why not join BRACE and The Sporting Memories Foundationonline, Thursday 17th February, 2 – 3 pm for Sporting Memories and Dementia. The talk will cover how sport can support people living with dementia, provide friendship, laughter and connection

We’ve recently heard about this company Forensiclean that offers a de-cluttering and thorough cleaning service: We specialise in supporting people with vulnerabilities and have worked extensively with agencies in the health, housing and social care sectors.  We can respond quickly to support cases involving self neglect and hoarding. We cover a wide geographical area including Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.
We also have a sister company called Reesycle. We can supply good quality second hand furniture and other items at low cost. This service is useful for people on low incomes, and where unsalvageable furniture/household items have to be replaced following a ‘de-clutter’.
You can read about them here: https://www.forensiclean.co.uk/