infomag - winter/spring ...

8/8/2019 Infomag - Winter/Spring Infomag - Winter/Spring 2010

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Banff Day Services, Colleonard Road, Banff, AB45 1DZ

Telephone: 01261 818281


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Staff at Banff Day Services would like to say a big thank you to everyone involved

in the Garden of Eden project.

The project was severely affected by the harsh winter conditions yet staff perse-

vered outside working hours to ensure the maintenance of the garden. Despite the

valiant efforts of the staff, who went in at weekends to feed the pigs, the weather

eventually became too much for the animals.

Two pigs were taken away as temperatures dropped to minus16. Plants were also

killed off in the harsh frosts. However the whole garden was transformed into a

magical winter wonderland and looked magical.

The project workers are now looking to the spring and have plans for a straw-

berry or fruit fare. A big thank you to all involved in the Garden of Eden project!

Story by Kathleen Brown and Stuart Stephen

Calling all twitchers! A new bird hide is

being built in the beautiful surroundings

of Boyndie.

The new one is being built just off the

path to the wind farm but is a little bit

further up than the original one.

It is a six sided building and the horticulture group and woodwork group

are working on it together.

The birds are fed with natural seeds and sometimes get scraps from the

kitchen.

The hide will be ready mid summer and has wheelchair access, the front is

open and there is natural shaped wood for the bird perches.


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Hello everyone,

My name is Marie and I started coming to Banff day ser-

vices in January. I attend computer class on a Monday and

a Thursday afternoon.

I have a good knowledge of computing and can do several

things including spreadsheets and internet shopping. I enjoy doing touch typing

and I am currently working on the info magazine which is produced quarterly.

I recently typed the letter regarding the Spring Doo which will be sent out to

all service users, and families. Ive also had a bash at designing the ticket

which is something new for me.

I will soon be starting the Dance and Drama class on a Thursday morning and I

am looking forward to that.

On Wednesday, 3rd March 2009 the literacy group visited the

Macduff Marine Aquarium.

The literacy group are looking at tourism in Banff and Macduff.

At 2.00 p.m. the fish were fed by two divers in the tank a per-

son stood at the top of the tank for health and safety reasons.

The divers had a box full of prawns etc.

There was a wolf fish (a catfish) she put her head inside the box

and ate the food herself she enjoyed being close to the diver.

The eels could not stay in the tank because they needed to return

to the sea to breed.

A lady gave us all a talk about the fish and she showed us a her-

mit crab and we held up starfish

Report by Michael Bolster

My name is Linda and I go to Aabidee prints at Boyn-

die on a Monday, and a Tuesday.We make all kinds

of different things. Im knitting a scarf just now to sell in

the Boyndie shop .


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Six travel training certificates were recently awarded after an-

other successful session of independent travel training. The group

of six, Calum MacDonald, Colin Day, Andrew Clark, Paul Wood-

ley, Trevor Cameroon and Wayne McEwan, underwent a re-

fresher and reassessment of the original course and all passed

with flying colours. The course, which is led by Bill Hutcheon and

John Milne, covers a number of objectives. Candidates learn to

identify different forms of public transport, how to use pavements

safely, understand the green cross code and crossings, recognise

situations where extra care may be required and safer travel and

how to travel to work or Banff Day Services in a safer manner.

Any candidates who passed the course three years ago will be

reassessed. Contact Bill or John for further details.

Michael Milne, who works in the Gateway Project in Turriff recently talked to

Jamie Mearns

We have just finished 12 weeks doing lunches for a group called Working

for Families. We made soups and sandwiches for the lunches. Our group is

looking into visiting other B.D.S.projects over the schools easter holidays.

Jamie also spoke to Laura about the project. Every Tuesday afternoon the

group does craft things. We have recently received a new order of easter

crafts card and bracelet and keyring making kits We have been busy mak-

ing things!

The group had a lot of fun trying out the materials.

For any more information on the project contact Mike at Banff Day Services.


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The dates for the 2010 dances are as follows

Friday the 22nd January

Friday the 12th March

Friday the 16 h April

Friday the 10th September

Friday the 8th October

Saturday 20th November (x-mas dance)

InfoMag has recently made new appointments on the magazine. Following

an InfoMag meeting in February the magazine team decided that James

Reid would take up a new post as editor. Alan Gore is the new sub-editor

and Michael Bolster is the new arts-editor. The latest post has recently

been filled by Jenna Wilson and she is the new photo-editor. We would

like to say a big congratulations to all involved.

I sand chairs and tables and I paint butterflies.

I do it every Tuesday at woodwork.

I work with Raymond and Paul and John Milne, who is

in charge of the group.

I enjoy every Tuesday because it is good fun.

This group consists of a small number of service users.

The group has made bird tables and a bird hide for the garden at Boyndie.

New project will include industrial and garden furniture and the group have

to work together to produce theses items. This helps them to work in an effec-

tive manner and add to the service users communication and social skills.

The butterflies are to sell to folk visiting Boyndie. They are for outdour use. I

like painting all the colours be cause I do not have a favounite.

Banff environmental Action Team (BEAT) is a recycling group through Banff Day

Services that recycle cardboard plastics and make the cardboard in to bales

and sell them to local farmers.

Jamie Mearns, one of the workers at BEAT recently went on a trip to Aberdeen

to find out about BEATs new project that is currently in the pipeline. The group

hope to start a project to recycle and sell second hand furniture and goods at

their premises in Macduff.

Mearns said of his trip, I went to Aberdeen with Mark McDermott, the man-

ager of Banff days service and Stuart Ingram my key worker and Debbie

Winfield my boss at B.E.A.T.

We were there to find out about a new line at B.E.A.T. We visited Aberdeen to

see a few recycling projects that recycle office and household furniture. We

then visited the Box Room in Banchory - later the group treated me to lunch.


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When is awareness?

It is on a Wednesday.

Who is a member of community awareness?

Tracy, Paul, Ross, Diane, Maureen and Jacqueline.

On March 3rd the group went on a trip to a coffee shop in Cullen,

called the coffee house it was a nice friendly caf on two levels. The tables

would have been large enough for a wheelchair had Ross been with us on the

trip. There was a disabled toilet.

The staff were very friendly and accommodating.

They had a choice of cakes, scones, pancakes, teas and cans of juice.

Kathleen Brown and Stuart Stephen interviewed Emma Afif-Watt about

her new position in Banff Day Services...

What is your job?

I am a Day care officer for computing and advocacy.

What will you teach in computing?

I will change the emphasis in computing from coursework to being more

creative . I use computers to go online, edit blogs, look at websites, edit

film, look at Facebook and edit photos. We will focus on skills that we can

access everyday in a creative way. We are starting up a digital media

photography class, a website design class and more.

What did you do before you started working here?

I worked as a teacher in China and Java, a small island in Indonesia. I also

taught at language and Montessori schools in London. I also trained for

four years as an acupuncturist and herbalist and worked in a hospital in

North London.

What do you like to learn on the computers?

I like to use computers and develop everyday skills... I

want to make computers more accessible creative and

fun!

Interview with Brenda WardJamie Mearns

Started in 1996 {15 years}

Started as a carer progressed as a day-officer in 2003.

Would like to progress for the future.

Her birthday was the 23rd of February the staff took her out for a drink she told

me it was very good.

Her husband Roger got her a new car a mimi from 25 year old.


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The computing group recently went on a visit to Duff House to see the

exhibition Dance. The exhibition, which centres around two beautiful

studies of ballet dancers by Edgar Degas, documents dance and the

intriguing cultures surrounding it since ancient times. The group of six,

which included Paul Mitchell, Alan Stephen, Stuart Brown and Michael

Bolster, were particularly interested in the photographs of New York

photographer Diane Arbus, the most recent works in the exhibition.

This is because the group will use this exhibition to inspire them with

ideas for a new digital photo project which will meet in the computing

room. There will be another group visiting the exhibition before it

closes on April 11th. Disabled access is available at Duff House.

We sit and play drums.

We listen to music.

Have a break for coffee.

Sometimes we sing songs such as ROW, ROW, ROW YOURBOAT.

Justyne is in charge of the group.

Katie comes too.

We share the drums out.

Justyne tells us when to stop.

We sometimes do actions with our hands and with our feet..Sometimes Justyne isna in so somebody else takes over the group.

Andrew has a carer with him.

Tracy and Paul come in.

We go aboard the bus.

We have a good time.


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What is the advocacy group?

The advocacy group helps people speak up for themselves.

What do you do in the advocacy group?

At the moment we are looking at different issues that affect us all. With

the general election coming up we are looking at politics and how it af-

fects our everyday lives. We are making sure that everyone in the group

is registered to vote. We will look at different issues in the future

When does advocacy run?

We run fortnightly on a Monday morning from 10-12pm. The class will

meet next on April 9th 2010.

Story by Tracy Yates and Helen Kidd

I am Helen Kidd and I am a member of the yoga club. I do yoga on Mon-

day morning in Whitehills. We stop for a 10 minute break and listen to mu-

sic. We go to Whitehills on the bus, and leave Banff Day Services at 10

oclock. I like yoga because it helps me to relax and sleep better at night.

My favourite yoga position is the stork because it helps me feel nice.

Brenda runs the class.

Oh my gawd look at the snow, exclaims a member of the computing group.It is the day before April Fools Day and Banff day Services has been af-

fected yet again by adverse weather conditions. The buses are not running as

normal as many of the country roads are closed due to the snowy spring con-

ditions and severe winds which have left up to 10,000 homes without power in

the North-East. Many of the staff and service users are stranded at home and

services are either suspended or running with small groups. This is typical of

the winter season we have experienced here this year. Indeed the season

started badly with the severe floods in the area. As Michael Bolster reported:

In December 2009 the River Deveron burst its banks and flooded theBanff Golf Course. As a result of the flooding the bridge has been plaguedwith road works and the bridge has been closed on Sundays for repairs.There are traffic signals on the bridge. They are worried about the founda-tions of the bridge and divers have gone down they were also puttingstones into bags and placing them under the

water.Following the floods the area was hit by severe snow fall, the heaviest the

area has experienced in decades. However despite the travel chaos and ad-

verse conditions

during the big freeze, staff have persevered to run the service.

Lets hope we dont have snow next Easter!

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