Oxfordshire News Issue 2/2016 EDUCATED! YDUK has been collaborating with Stockport-based EDUCATE - the Early Dementia Users Cooperative Aiming to Educate. They participated in our Tea & Talk event last July and we strengthened our links in March with Celebrate & Educate, an evening of theatre, poetry and talks, followed by an all-day workshop. We plan to visit EDUCATE in Stockport on 28 June for a networking event with groups from the area during the day followed by an evening celebration at the Stockport Plaza. March’s celebration - which also featured a short play by the HALO theatre group - attracted huge praise from those who attended, ‘An amazing evening,’ ‘A wonderful, well organised and stimulating evening – so positive! Superb performances, poetry and memories,’ ‘An inspirational event’. *Stop Press* July 21, 10.30am–12.30pm Sara Wilcox from Pathways through Dementia will be coming to meet members of YDUK to learn about the specific issues facing younger people with dementia in relation to finances and legal issues. If you are interested and able to join us in Oxford, please contact Anna Eden on 01865 794311.
Transcript
Oxfordshire News Issue 2/2016
EDUCATED! YDUK has been collaborating
with Stockport-based EDUCATE
- the Early Dementia Users
Cooperative Aiming to
Educate. They participated in
our Tea & Talk event last July
and we strengthened our links
in March with Celebrate &
Educate, an evening of
theatre, poetry and talks,
followed by an all-day
workshop. We plan to visit
EDUCATE in Stockport on 28
June for a networking event
with groups from the area
during the day followed by an
evening celebration at the
Stockport Plaza.
March’s celebration - which
also featured a short play by
the HALO theatre group -
attracted huge praise from
those who attended,
‘An amazing evening,’
‘A wonderful, well organised
and stimulating evening – so
positive! Superb performances,
poetry and memories,’
‘An inspirational event’.
*Stop Press* July 21, 10.30am–12.30pm
Sara Wilcox from Pathways
through Dementia will be
coming to meet members of
YDUK to learn about the
specific issues facing younger
people with dementia in
relation to finances and legal
issues. If you are interested and
able to join us in Oxford,
please contact Anna Eden
on 01865 794311.
2
Out & About
Tom J and Simon H headed to
Henley River & Rowing Museum
where the photo suggests that
Tom worked harder than Simon!
Tom D went with Chris to see
‘Thriller’ in Aylesbury, which he
really enjoyed - he talked
about it and sang all the
way home.
Paul dislikes crowds and busy
places so usually spends his
support sessions with Simon W
walking the dog. However,
recently they went to Oxford to
buy a birthday present for
Paul’s wife. He enjoyed the trip
and now wants to visit some
other places.
Deborah accompanies Lesley
to a singing group each week
as she loves music, and has
also helped Lesley link in with
Daybreak, a dementia
day club.
Tell us what you’ve been up to
and send in your photos!
What do you do during
your support sessions? A special feature of YDUK’s
individual support sessions is
their variety. They revolve
around your particular interests
and needs, whether that might
be sewing, singing, swimming
or shopping, gardening, golf or
even going to the dentist!
Here’s what some YDUK
members and support workers
have been up to ...
Liz‘s dementia means she can
no longer read so support
worker Liz G introduced her to
audio books and they regularly
visit the library during their
support sessions.
Paula supported Barbara to go
swimming and her confidence
has grown hugely. Recently
Paula took round some knitting
as she knew Barbara used to
knit. They are now considering
if Barbara might join a local
knitting group.
3
Getting together
Roger’s Ramblings Walk & Talks get you out
into the countryside in good
company, with
people you can talk
to because they’re
in a similar situation
to you. We stroll
no more than
three miles.
Our next walk will
be on Wednesday
8 June, beside the
River Thames, on Port
Meadow in Oxford.
On 10 August we’ll be north of
Oxford and there will be two
more walks on 14 September
and 12 October - routes yet to
be decided. Please do join us!
Roger Stammers
Volunteer
The Supper Club They say, ‘Variety is the spice
of life’! So far this year we've
enjoyed a funky jazz night,
we've had Elvis in the
building and celebrated
Easter with lots of chocolate!
We've also toasted some
wonderful fundraising
achievements.
April saw the launch of our
new name 'The Supper Club.'
We think it better reflects what
the evening is all about - good
food, music and great
company - it was never just a
Café! We marked the night
with balloons, Bucks Fizz, a
celebratory buffet and a
special cake kindly made for
us by Mary Clarke. A great
time was had by all!
We've lots more variety and
fun planned for the months
ahead so look out for details in
our monthly event emails or on
our Facebook page. Do join us
- we would love to have your
company at The Supper Club! Sue Smith Socials Coordinator
Save the Date... Friday 8 July, 12.00-3.00pm.
Annual Founders Garden Party Invitations and details will be
sent soon, but be sure to put
the date in your diary now!
4
On the spot
Simon Hutchens -
support worker
since Feb 2016 -
AKA ‘The New Boy’!
I originally trained
as an actor but
moved on to work with people
with learning disabilities for
many years, both within
education and in the
wider community.
Friends describe me as a
‘people person’ and several of
you have already shown me
around your towns, told me
fascinating stories and put up
with me taking photographs at
the drop of a hat.
As you can see I love getting
out and about with those I
support and recording our visits
on film. Tim and I especially
enjoyed this MG exhibit!
Thank you for making me feel
so welcome.
Beyond the Balcony On 8 May we returned to the
Ashmolean Museum for the
launch of our ‘Beyond the
Balcony’ digital art work.
Family and friends joined us to
celebrate our creative work.
The project gave members a
chance to learn skills and
engage with others in
something new, week by week
creating beautiful artwork,
often incorporating pictures
and places with special
personal meanings. As
confidence grew, the group
gelled, shared ideas, formed
friendships, rekindled their love
of art, and had, ‘Lots of fun.’
Anna McNally liked it! Turtle Song’s live performance
‘Music, As You Like It’ crowned
a nine-week singing and song
writing project for people with
dementia. It was inspired by
Shakespeare’s ‘Seven Stages
of Life’ speech. Each song
depicted a distinct stage in life
in the participants’ own words,
accompanied by some superb
music students. The songs were
funny, reflective and uplifting
and the group’s energy was
amazing! The Turtle Song team
hope to be back in 2017.
13 5
Have we got news
for you?
Research request The Memory Research Group, based at the John Radcliffe Hospital
is part of Oxford University‘s Department of Clinical Neuroscience.
Current projects include working with people who experience
changes in their memory due to different types of dementia.
They need people to take part in this research who are between
30-70 years old, in good health, with no diagnosis of psychological
or neurological problems, and who are not taking medication
affecting cognition. For more information contact either
