the calderdale voice issue 2 dec - jan 2013
DESCRIPTION
Healthwatch, Calderdale, Health, Social CareTRANSCRIPT
Keeping warm over the winter months can help prevent
colds, flu or more serious health conditions such as heart
attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression.
www.nhs.uk/keepwarmkeepwell
Well, it is easy to tell we are in Winter!
The temperature has definitely dropped
and out come the hats, scarves and
gloves! The Healthwatch Calderdale
team wants you all to keep warm this
winter and has information about the
Safe and Warm project on page 12.
As the celebrations are about to begin,
make sure you have a look at the tips to
keep safe during the festivities on page
16. A big thank you to Halifax Street
Angels for all the advice!
Hope you all have a wonderful time
filled with mince pies, presents and
tinsel! Not forgetting, have a happy
new year!
Emma Worsley, The Calderdale Voice Editor
Every 36 hours the lining of a human’s
stomach is replaced.
Ten inches of snow melts down to one
inch of water.
Healthwatch is the new Consumer Champion, or Watchdog, for health and social care.
The aim of local Healthwatch will be to give citizens and communities a stronger voice
to influence and challenge how health and social care services are provided locally.
Healthwatch Calderdale is an independent body that will raise your views and
opinions on Health & Social Care in Calderdale and to help make your voices heard.
What we aim to:
Enable local voices to influence the delivery and design of local health and
social care services
Use local volunteers to gather views and information from local people and
communities
Involve and engage local people, putting you at the heart of Health and
Social Care service decision making
Enable local people to make informed choices about their own and family’s
health and social care needs
Influence the way services are designed and delivered
Have a strong relationship with Health and Social Care
providers as a critical friend using community views to
influence and improve planning and delivery of services
Provide information, advice and support about local health
and social care services
Refer people to make a complaint via the Advocacy Service
Healthwatch Calderdale is a Health and
Social Care watchdog. We want to hear
from local residents about their
experiences, concerns, praises of
Calderdale Health and Social Care
services.
The feedback we receive from local
residents allows us to understand where
the issues are from the people that use
the services. Your views will help us
identify areas that need to be looked
into.
Please get in touch by calling 01422
431099 or you can email us on
The Healthwatch Calderdale Programme
Board is made up of 11 individuals from all
over Calderdale. The Board operate along
the same lines as a management committee/
Board of Trustees of a not-for-profit
organisation. It has a specific budget to
spend and monitor and will also be required
to develop and monitor a work plan for
Healthwatch Calderdale.
The Healthwatch Calderdale Programme
Board meet once a month and their
meetings are open to the public.
The next meeting is:
Monday 13th January
Venue TBC (Central Halifax)
Teas and Coffees from 5.30pm for a 6pm start
If you would like to attend the Programme
Board meeting, please email to be kept up to
date of the venue:
Fingernails grow almost four times
as fast as toenails
Healthwatch Calderdale is recruiting
volunteers to undertake Enter and View
visits. Enter and View Representatives can
visit certain health and social care service
settings to see how they are run, and to
gather feedback and highlight best
practice.
Enter & View is about promoting and
supporting the involvement of people in the
commissioning and provision of local health
and social care services and how they are
scrutinized. Enter and View Visitors will
have specialised skills to bring to this role.
Healthwatch Calderdale will be running
Enter & View training on Tuesday 21st
January 2014 9.30am - 4pm.
For more information or to register your
interest in becoming an E&V volunteer,
please email
Healthwatch Calderdale is a membership
organisation. We make sure that all our
members are kept up to date with
everything related to Health and Social
Care at both a local and national level.
Becoming a member is free of charge and
is open to anyone who lives in Calderdale
and/or receives substantial health and
social care services from any provider
within Calderdale. It is also open to
voluntary and community groups who
supports users of health and social care
services.
To become a member, please email
Every day, your heart will beat around
100,000 times.
The Healthwatch Calderdale website offers a number of different services:
Send us your feedback using the ‘Talk to Us’ page
Sign up to be a member of Healthwatch Calderdale
Find out about our volunteering opportunities
Search for local Health & Social Care services
Keep up to date with news from Healthwatch
Find out where your nearest Healthwatch drop in session is
Watch videos from Healthwatch England
See our Healthwatch Calderdale Twitter feed
Read the Healthwatch Calderdale Pledge
Find out about Healthwatch Calderdale local meetings
www.healthwatchcalderdale.co.uk
Twitter @hwcalderdale
Facebook Healthwatch Calderdale
The brain operates on about the same
amount of power needed to light a 10-watt light bulb!
Learn new skills
Add to your CV
Meet
new
people
Be part of a
team
Purple Patch Arts exists to improve the
lives and life chances of people with
learning disabilities.
Their Feel Good Workshops feature gentle
exercise delivered at a level which suits
the individuals that attend, alongside art
activity which promotes relaxation,
positive thinking and self reflection. All
workshops are lead by movement
therapists and trained workshop leaders.
Purple Patch Art’s Halifax workshops take
place on Tuesday at the Orangebox,
Thomas Street.
Joining Purple Patch Arts is very easy. All
you need to do is get in touch by phoning
07725 041 801 or emailing:
Choice is a Supported Volunteering Project
which aims to help people who would like to
volunteer but may need extra support to do
so. Anyone with additional support needs
who feels unable to volunteer independently
can use the service.
Choice involves, encourages and supports
volunteers to take full advantage of the
volunteering opportunities available whilst
promoting equality and diversity.
The Choice Supported Volunteering Project
supports volunteers and is committed to
removing barriers and making volunteering
accessible to people of all abilities and
backgrounds.
The project can help individuals with
additional support needs find a suitable
opportunity, contact the organisations,
filling in forms and travel arrangements.
Choice can provide a support assistant to
support and befriend a new volunteer.
To find out more please ring 01422 438727
or email [email protected]
Many parents are all too aware of that
feeling that comes with caring for young
children of never having a moment to
yourself and how it can sometimes be
overwhelming coping with the demands of
parenthood.
The Mum Time sessions are an opportunity
for mums struggling with the day to day
demands of babies and very young children,
to come together and have some time for
themselves.
A free crèche is available for women
attending the session, but should book with
Healthy Minds prior to the session.
Mum Time meets on the 1st and 3rd
Wednesday of the month, 1pm - 2.30pm at:
The Women Centre, 23 Silver St, Halifax
For more information about Mum Time or
Healthy Minds, please call 01422 438722 or
visit the website:
www.healthymindscalderdale.co.uk
The five ways to wellbeing are a set of
realistic, achievable actions we can
incorporate into our day-to-day activities
to feel happier and more content with
our lives. The five ways include:
Connect e.g. Smile at someone
Take Notice e.g. Keep a diary
Be Active e.g. Join a local gym
Keep Learning e.g. Ask questions
Give e.g. Hold the door for someone
For more information, please email
This support group is for Asian women
only and is organised by Calderdale
Carers Project. You can come along to
meet other carers, to make friends and
find people to talk to, to share
information and experiences. The group
gives you a chance to relax and a break
from caring. There is also a bilingual
translator available at the group.
The group meets at Calderdale Carers
Project at Rimani House, Hall Street
Halifax on the 3rd Tuesday of every
month. The next meeting is December
17th.
For more information, please ring 01422
369101 or email:
Calder Valley Club offers modern day care
for adults with diverse physical disabilities
and stroke survivors. The centre has
wonderful home cooked food with an
extensive choice of menu and a unique
social setting. Calder Valley Club covers the
entire Calderdale area.
Calder Valley Club offers an exciting
package of activities including Seaside
visits, trips to markets (Bury is a favourite),
trips on a wheelchair accessible barge,
restaurant and shopping trips to name a
few!
In the Calder Valley Club centre, holistic
therapy treatments are now available in the
brand new therapy room. Reiki, Indian Head
Massage, Reflexology, Manicures and Hair
Dressing are just an example of what is on
offer.
If you would like to find out more, please
ring on 01422 885098 or email:
High Five is a community group based in
Pellon, Halifax. They have been going for
three years and run a programme of fun
and healthy activities throughout the
week.
All are welcome to come and join in.
You’ll make new friends, try new things,
get fitter and most importantly of all,
have fun!
Activities include Gentle Exercise Classes,
Tai Chi, Indoor Kurling and many more!
To find out more, please visit the website
www.pellonhighfive.wordpress.com
The Campaign to End Loneliness aims to
maintain and create connections in older age
and combat loneliness. They are asking
people to reach out to older neighbours or
family who might be isolated or lonely over
Christmas
Loneliness is a bigger problem than simply an
emotional experience. Research shows that
loneliness and social isolation are harmful to
our health.
Laura Ferguson, Director of the Campaign to
End Loneliness said:
“Keeping in touch with older neighbours and
family could help them overcome the extra
emotional pressures of Christmas. Memories
of past friends and Christmases can make the
festive season particularly painful for older
people who are isolated and lonely.
Simply sending a Christmas card, giving a gift
to or spending time with an older neighbour
or family member might help lift them out of
their isolation and loneliness.”
For more information, please visit
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org
Singing for the Brain is a programme
developed by Alzheimer’s Society for
people with memory problems. The
programme promotes communication
through singing which can help with
articulation, concentration & motivation.
Facilitators deliver a varied programme of
vocal, rhythmic and gentle exercise and
dance, along with songs from different
eras and styles which are chosen by the
people who attend the group.
The sessions are now in Halifax, Hebden
Bridge and Rastrick. The new singing
groups are added to a programme of
dementia cafes, living with dementia
groups and carers groups which currently
take place in Calderdale.
To find out more about Singing for the
Brain please ring 01422 352789 or visit
www.alzheimers.org.uk
Halifax Street Angels was set up in
November 2005. The Street Angels team
dedicate their time to supporting and caring
for those who have become vulnerable at
night, and promoting safety in Halifax Town
Centre. Within their 1st year, there was a
42% decrease in violent crimes in Halifax on
a Friday and Saturday night.
Halifax Street Angels have received several
awards, including local Charity of the Year
2012, Big Society Award 2012. With the
help of the Street Angels team, Halifax
received the Purple Flag Award and is now
recognised as a clean and safe place for
people to come and enjoy the nightlife.
Street Angels also offer HxSA:Training which
aims to provide low cost but high quality
first aid training to businesses, charities and
organisations locally and nationally.
Check out the Street Angel’s tips for
keeping safe this Christmas on page 16.
For more information, please visit
www.halifaxstreetangels.org.uk
Dimensions, an organisation supporting
services for people with Autism, offer
Autism friendly film screenings at cinemas
across the UK.
Autism Friendly Screenings are mainstream
films shown in a sensory friendly
environment:
Lights are on low
Sound is turned down
Trailers are not shown
People can bring their own food, make
noise and move around the cinema as
they feel comfortable.
VUE Cinema at Broad Street Plaza, Halifax,
have an Autism friendly screening on the
last Sunday of the month. Entrance into the
film is £1.75 each and carers accompanying
people have free entry.
The next screening is:
Rise of the Guardians
Sunday 29th December 2013
10am
Safe and Warm is designed to protect
vulnerable people from the effects of
sever winter weather due to cold housing
and reduce the number of deaths over
winter by providing items like electric
blankets, portable heating and clothing.
In this instance, vulnerable individuals
and communities are defined as "those
with limited means and elderly, disabled,
households with children under 5 or
vulnerably housed".
The Safe and Warm project is by referral
only and a list of referring agents is
available on the website:
www.cvac.org.uk
January is Love Your Liver Month. Every
January the Love Your Liver campaign
embarks on a national tour of the UK,
offering pop-up liver health clinics to get
your liver health assessed.
The aim is to get the nation taking Three
Simple Steps to good liver health:
1) Take 2-3 days off alcohol every week
and drink safely when you do
2) Cut down on sugary and fatty foods
3) Get regular exercise
The Love your Liver Roadshow will be at:
Thursday 16th January 10am - 4pm
Morrison Supermarket,
Hunslet Store,
Leeds LS10 2AP
For more information, please visit:
www.loveyourliver.org.uk
A hair-raising charity campaign is getting
hundreds of people across the country to
grow beards this December. Decembeard is
now in its third year, all in aid of the charity
Beating Bowel Cancer.
Decembeard is encouraging people to
become a ‘Beardy’ to help increase
awareness of bowel cancer and break down
the stigma of talking about the disease. This
Decembeard, the charity wants to sign up
more than 1,000 people with the aim of
raising £145,000.
Men can grow their facial furniture for the
month to raise funds and vital awareness for
the UK’s second biggest cancer killer. Over a
hundred people are diagnosed with bowel
cancer every day, yet over 90% of cases can
be treated successfully if caught early.
It’s not just men getting involved with the
campaign, women and the follically-
challenged can join in too by making,
faking, crafting or baking a beard.
To take part in Decembeard, please visit
www.beatingbowelcancer.org/decembeard
Stress is an issue which affects us all at
one time or another, but January can be
a time when the strains of Christmas and
the pressures of New Year’s resolutions
intensify its symptoms.
That's why, the Mental Health
Foundation launched a campaign to help
everyone cope better with the physical
and emotional effects of stress around
the New Year. Their pocket guide has key
facts and 101 tips to help reduce the
symptoms, sourced from mental health
professionals as well as the general
public.
The booklet ‘How to manage and reduce
stress’ is available to download on the
Mental Health Foundation website:
www.mentalhealth.org.uk
While the nation writes their Christmas lists
and wait with anticipation at what Santa
might bring, there are many people who
can’t wait. Their must-have gift is something
far more vital than the latest gadget or toy –
it’s blood. NHS Blood and Transplant is
calling for people to step forward and donate
so patients whose lives depend on blood or
platelet transfusions get what they need over
the festive period.
From now until the New Year is typically a
challenging time for blood stocks. Hospitals
will need up to half a million units of blood
to see them through the period. However,
the festive season means taking the time to
donate can slip off people’s to-do list,
putting pressure on blood stocks.
Claire, who’s daughter has Sickle Cell
Anaemia said:
‘You wouldn’t forget to get your kids or
members of your family a present so please
don’t forget to donate blood.’
If you’re 17 and over and in general good
health, visit www.blood.co.uk or call 0300
123 23 23 to find a session in England or
North Wales near you to go and give blood.
Chionophobia is a fear of snow.
If you are out celebrating this Winter, make
sure you wrap up warm!
December and January are a big part of our
social Calendar. The festive season includes Work Parties, Mulled Wine and Celebrating
a New Year. We can all overindulge at this time of year and Street Angels have a few
tips on how to keep safe when you are out celebrating.
Keeping Safe during the Festive Season
Plenty sense. Plenty water. Plenty friends. Never leave your drinks around.
• Always stay with your friends, don’t go off alone, have their contact information
on you somewhere other than your phone.
• Always eat before a night out – never drink on an empty stomach.
• Know your drink and know your limit. Know what you are drinking so you know
how much you have had.
• Keep your taxi money in another part of your handbag/wallet so you don’t
spend it. Always sit in the back of a taxi if you’re travelling by yourself.
• Pick a venue right for you – if you feel out of place, leave! Most fights start over
something minor – someone might knock you, spill your drink – apologise! Don’t get
involved in breaking up a fight – that’s the job of the door-staff!
Halifax Street Angels are on hand from 9pm-3am Friday and Saturdays nights to
help. They can be found either out on the streets or at the Angels rest café on
Crossley Street (next to the YMCA).
The café is open for you! Don’t hesitate to drop by if you need to get home, some
basic first aid or just a warm/safe place to wait for a taxi come along.
‘Have a safe and Merry Christmas!’ – From everyone at Halifax Street Angels.
