• your news and views from the millennium centre in st helens • published quarterly • issue 4: summer 2012 •TIMES

millennium

in this issue...

in the lounge: Action for Blind

Wellbeing Week embraced

make retirement more enjoyable

supporting people with visual impairments

report & pictures from a fun-packed week

proving that you’re never too old to learn

MILLENNIUMNEWS BOARD

Warm welcome to the latest groups to use our facilities

Four more charitable organisations have started to use our

facilities since the last issue of Millennium Times...

• Caterpillar Club helps parents with disabled children

• Hargreaves Dementia Trust is the former Mayor’s new charity

to support those affected by dementia• Milestone Transformation Education CIC provides support to

families with LGBT members in them• Views Group is a social and activity group for people with a

disability

Blast from the past...

This is the site on which the Millennium Centre now stands, formerly the old Rivoli Cinema. This picture was taken in the late 1990s from the Bus Station off Hall Street.

DID YOU KNOW...?The Dream sculpture is built upon the old Sutton Manor Colliery. One of the old mining shafts there extended to a depth of just over 2,300 feet - that’s over four times the height of Blackpool Tower!

OPENING TIMESMonday 7am - 10pmTuesday 7am - 10pmWednesday 7am - 10pmThursday 7am - 10pmFriday 7am - 10pmSaturday 7am - 10pmSunday 9am - 10pm

Looking for information about health and social

care provision in St Helens?

We can point you in the right direction!

StHelensGatewayisanindependent,confidential

and free service provided by the Millennium Centre;

available online, by phone, via email or face-to-face.

charitable organisations that havebenefittedfromthe

Millennium Centre’s facilities

70

Focus on..U3A

University of the Third Age groups are self-help, self-managed

lifelong learning co-operatives for older people who

are no longer in full time employment to pursue learning; not

for qualifications, but for fun. The St Helens group was formed in

2010.

t: 01744 817 127w: www.u3asites.org.

uk/st-helens

every issue we take a look at the work of a charity or voluntary group that use the Millennium Centre’s facilities

Retirement can be something to look forward to in later life - the freedom would certainly appeal to most. However,

retirement can also bring a feeling that life is passing you by, and you may miss the friendships and social aspects that a working life brings.

However, U3A (University of the Third Age) can provide opportunities for retired or semi-retired people to learn new things and meet like minded people of a similar age, through a variety of interest groups taking place every day of the week in St Helens.

Interest groups include a wide range of physical exercises, educational learning, socially based and skill based groups.

You don’t have to have any experience or qualifications to join the groups - participation is purely for enjoyment and pleasure. U3A groups allow people to make friends and challenge themselves to something new, which can improve the mind and body.

Groups are designed to be informal and are led by group members with a passion or interest in a particular area. Sessions are held across the

town centre in accessible venues, such as in the Millennium Centre.

Marion Rowland, a U3A member and club leader, likes to remind people of an old adage, “You’re never to old to learn something new. It is a well known fact that the more we connect with others, the happier and healthier we feel...so what are you waiting for?! There are dozens of groups to choose from, so you will have no problem in finding something that is your ‘cup of tea’. All new members are made to feel very welcome at all of our groups.”

In addition to the interest groups, monthly excursions are also arranged for members of U3A - for example in June a barge has been hired for an enjoyable day out on the canal.

The St Helens U3A group holds a drop-in session for new members on the first Tuesday of every month at the United Reformed Church, and they also hold a monthly General Meeting in the Town Hall too.

A full list of all interest groups can also be found on their website, most easily found by entering “St Helens U3A” in to a search engine.

table tennis

scrabble group

ladies choir

dining club

U3A GROUPS

INCLUDE...

Arts and crafts

Badminton

ChoirCoach trips

Computer club

CyclingDanceDiningDiscussion

Gardening

HistoryLanguages

Poetry and reading

ScienceScrabble

Swimming

Tai ChiTennis & table-tennis

TheatreWalking

french group at the Millennium Centre

We can point you inthe right direction.

St Helens Gateway is a community hub of information; bringing together all health, social

care and wellbeing information and services into one central place.

Looking for information about healthand social care provision in the borough

of St Helens?

www.sthelensgateway.infoRegistered Charity no. 1089878

Provided by:

Ask Dan...

Q: What support is available in St Helens for people with a drug or alcohol addiction?

A: Support for people available in St Helens has recently changed with the national charity Addaction stepping in to take over a lot of the old services provided by the likes of DIP, Lifestyles Team and ARCH Initiatives.

Addaction (01744 610555) provide a wide range of tailored individual and group treatments for people with a substance misuse problem. Alcoholics Anonymous (01744 675620) and Narcotics Anonymous (0300 999 1212) provide helplines and also run group meetings here at the Millennium Centre. Also, the Hope Centre (01744 26414) is a local charity that provides a recovery programme and a range of activities for those aiming towards abstinence.

There’s also help available for those affected by someone else’s substance misuse - Footsteps (01744 808 212) and Parents Against Drug Users (01744 22555) provide local services that might be able to help.

For the full answer to this question please visit www.sthelensgateway.infoDo you have any questions for Dan? Send them in via our contact details below

You can also access St Helens Gateway...• by email via contact@sthelensgateway.info

• over the phone on 01744 675 137

• face to face at the Millennium Centre reception

www.twitter.com/sthelensgatewaySearch:St Helens Gatewaywww.youtube.com/sthelensgateway

In this edition of ‘Q and A’ we talk to staff from Action for Blind People, who provide help and support to people at any point in their sight loss journey (whether registered blind or not), and also to their family members and Carers. We catch up with Jenna Clancy (Counsellor), Stuart Dean (Independent Living Coordinator) and Maria Pikulski (Eye Clinic Liaison Officer) in the drop-in lounge to talk about common questions and problems that they can help people with.

What advice would you give to someone whose eye-sight is deteriorating?SD: The first port of call is to see an Optician.MP: An Optician or GP can refer you to the Eye Clinic at St Helens Hospital; they can provide a full assessment and determine the support available.

How can I carry out everyday tasks like making a cup of tea or reading the paper?SD: The important thing to realise is that your eye condition shouldn’t stop you doing things for yourself, you just need to adapt and re-learn to do things a different way. Our team can organise a low-vision assessment that can recommend equipment to help you carry out everyday tasks.

How do I register as visually impaired and what are the benefits of doing so?MP: The Consultant at the Eye Clinic will determine if you can be registered as visually impaired based on certain criteria. Registering makes it easier to claim benefits as you have proof of your disability, and you may also be entitled to a bus/rail card and discounts on your TV licence. You can’t be registered if you only have sight loss in one eye, but we still offer services to help these people too.SD: There are no specific benefit entitlements for people with a sight impairment, but we can help you fill out your benefit forms.

What emotional support is available to people with a visual impairment?JC: We offer a series of confidential counselling sessions for people to talk about whatever they like - it doesn’t have to be about a visual impairment e.g. it could be about relationships, work or daily life. Sessions focus on how you are feeling, coping and how Action for Blind People can help.MP: We offer emotional support right from the point of diagnosis. I’m classed as severly sight impaired

myself, so people can relate to me and sometimes they really open their heart and get their feelings off their chest. But if people find it hard to move forward then that’s where our Counsellors, like Jenna, can offer ongoing emotional support.

What advice would you give to a Carer or family member of someone with a sight problem?JC: Try to help the visually impaired person keep some of their independence, but make sure you keep your independence too - find time to do things to help you relax, talk to each other about your feelings and acknowledge that things are different between you.SD: The whole thing can fall apart without the Carer being in a position to care, so it’s important to recognise and share your feelings.JC: We can offer counselling sessions for Carers or family members too.

Where can I find further help?MP: The main thing is to get help - at the point of diagnosis or at any stage whenever you would like to talk about things. For example, people might feel a ‘loss’ and struggle to come to terms with sight-loss, but there is plenty of support out there for you.JC: Even if you don’t have a diagnosis we can still help you, so please get in touch with usSD: Our team can help with the practical side of daily life, and there’s regular support and activity groups taking place in the Millennium Centre too.

Action for Blind People can be contacted by calling 0151 702 5700.

Q and Ain the lounge

with...

St Helens’ inaugural Wellbeing Week (14th-20th May 2012) went down a storm as people flocked to free events, from art to zumba and local history to Ju-Jitsu; Wellbeing Week consisted of over 70 free events aimed at improving St Helens’ wellbeing by encouraging people to try new things, learn new skills and meet new people.

Wellbeing Week started with a bang when the Wellbeing Carnival rolled in to Church Square, attracting over a thousand visitors; there were demonstrations of tai chi, belly dancing and zumba, along with free health checks, hand massages and representatives from local charities giving information on a range of health and wellbeing topics.

On Wednesday over 30 people braved the blustery weather for a ‘Picnic in the Park’ at Victoria Park, joining in with belly dancing, circuit training, a walk around the park and not forgetting the picnic! Over in Newton-le-Willows, more than a hundred people and local schools and colleges turned out for the open day at Selwyn Jones Sports Centre; there were gym demonstrations, information stalls and some interesting abilities revealed within the hidden talent corner!

Around forty people attended the two wellbeing walks on Thursday, with people coming from as far as Chester to take the tour of the Dream sculpture. Towards the end of the week the annual Healthy in St Helens event provided free health checks and information for hundreds of people. Throughout the week local people learnt new skills such as IT, floristry and arts, and there were also information sessions, health checks and sports clubs sessions.

Tony Richards MBE, Executive Chairman of the Millennium Centre, was delighted with Wellbeing Week, “It was great to see so many people attending the variety of events that were planned throughout the week, and now we’re looking to make Wellbeing Week 2013 an even bigger success!”

Wellbeing Week was initiated and developed by the Millennium Centre, and delivered in partnership with over 35 local organisations. This initiative helped to reaffirm the Millennium Centre’s charitable objectives of supporting the local ‘third sector’, whilst also helping the local community.

Did you attend any events? Did it have an impact on your health and wellbeing? Please write in to us and let us know!

St Helens embraces Wellbeing Week

Millennium Centre, Corporation Street, St Helens, WA10 1HJt: 01744 675 131 | f: 01744 675 138 e: contact@tmcsh.org.uk | w: www.tmcsh.org.ukRegistered Charity No. 1089878

The Millennium Centre (St Helens) Ltd is a registered charity based in the heart of St Helens. We support the local community, the third sector and statutory organisations by:

• offering meeting room facilities free of charge to charitable organisations• providing a central point of access for health and social care information• housing vital community services to assist the people of St Helens

All information printed in this newsletter was accurate at the time of printing (June 2012). If you have any comments or suggestions about Millennium Times then please contact us via the details below.

Targetingdomestic violence

View from a few...

About the Millennium Centre

• a selection of quotes from charitable organisations who use the Millennium Centre’s meeting room facilities •

Gill NealSt Helens ADHD Support Group Joan Pilkington-Burrows

Age UK Mid Mersey

1 in 4 women will be a victim of

domestic violence in their lifetime.

If it’s happening to you or anyone

you know, there is help.

Are you the apple of his eye?

Or is your relationship

showing signs of damage?

Supporting

Call the Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA)

on 01744 743 200

www.safersthelens.org.uk

domesticviolence@sthelens.gov.uk

Research has shown that there can be up to 35 incidents of domestic violence before a victim calls the Police - it is worrying that a significant number of people, for whatever reason, do not seek help. St Helens Council is working together with Merseyside Police and other agencies to target offenders and provide support for victims of domestic violence or abuse.

Would you recognise abusive behaviour in a relationship? Domestic abuse isn’t just physical, it can also be psychological, sexual, emotional or even financial. It involves a wide range of abusive and controlling behaviour and can take the form of threats, harrassment, physical attacks, financial control and emotional abuse.

IDVA is a confidential service that provides support to victims, and has no links to the Police or Social Services. For help and support with domestic violence please contact 01744 743 200 or visit www.safersthelens.org.uk