10th May 2021

Hello Everyone

I hope you are all doing well.  Sorry there wasn’t a blog on Friday, but I was off sick with Asthma, I have had it since I was two years old and on the whole, I have less problems than I used to.  This is why I was deemed extremely vulnerable during this pandemic.  I hope all the carers and the people they care for are making sure that they continue to safely observe the everchanging rules.

We need you to continue looking after yourselves and making sure you remain safe.  I hope you are taking up the opportunity of the Vaccine, (I have now had my second one), it just means that we are all moving to a better, safer future.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week – so keep well and if you need support with your mental health then please contact the centre where we can signpost you to appropriate support service – Keep Well…

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 Activities to aid your Mental Wellbeing

Mondays – 11am to 12 noon

Shared Reading for Carers – come join our weekly group, take some mental respite, and listen to the spoken word and drift off to far off places and have fun.

Tuesdays – 11am to 1pm

Lights, Camera, Action (A Radio Play) – our weekly group allows to you immerse yourself in another world, we are slowly through games and fun developing our own story for a realised radio play as our end result.

Wednesdays – 1pm to 2pm

Walking Wednesdays – a weekly peer support group where we walk in different parts of the borough with your fellow carer, you can chat, let off steam and relax while getting fitter.

Thursdays 1pm to 2pm

Stretch & Self Massage – come join our group, using mindfulness techniques to help you keep your body supple, improve mobility and balance and learn self-massage techniques.

Fridays – 11am to 12 noon

Shadow Boxing and Meditation – this weekly group helps raise your heartbeat and is for all abilities, you can even do it sitting down!  Learn boxing techniques, followed by a relaxing meditation.

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St. Margaret’s House in Bethnal Green are inviting members from the Carer’s Centre of Tower Hamlets to co-create an exciting new digital art project around the theme of care and caring for others, inspired by the children’s novel ‘The Borrowers’ by Mary Norton.

In partnership with Arts Council England, the wonderful artists Kazuko Hohki and Milou Stella are undertaking research & development for this project and want CCTH members to join them as care and imagination experts. Using story-telling, craft, improvisation, textiles and more, participants will be taking part in the creation of a care-based art project that will be able to travel to different Tower Hamlets communities in the future.

Workshops will mainly take place online through Zoom every Saturday from June 5th to 17th July, 11am-1pm. However we thought it would be great to start the workshop series off in person at the CCTH centre so artists and participants can get to know each other a little better.

tony@ccth.orguk

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Walk-in for your vaccine appointment

Take the advice of our friends Matt, manager at Genesis Cinema, and Rachel, a Covid-19 Champion who suggested this novel outdoor advertising. Get the jab and become a Covid Buster!

Although over 96,000 residents have had their Covid-19 vaccine, there are still more eligible residents yet to come forward.

Remember, our vaccine helpline can support residents with any queries on 020 7364 3030. Please get vaccinated if you are eligible and help keep Tower Hamlets safe.

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Enhanced testing in some parts of Tower Hamlets

A small number of Covid-19 variants of concern have been identified in Tower Hamlets. These variants of concern were first identified in Brazil and South Africa. To help us monitor the situation, we are strongly encouraging everyone aged 11 and over in some areas to get tested, even if they don’t have symptoms.

The areas where people should take a test include parts of Bethnal Green, Stepney Green, St Peters, and St Dunstan’s wards.

To help people in these areas, we have made testing more easily available. You can find out where additional test sites are as well as where to collect home test kits online. This enhanced testing is in place for two weeks.

Check your postcode to see if you are being asked to take a test, and if in doubt take one.

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Trustee Opportunity

Real is recruiting trustees! Real is the user-led Disabled People’s Organisation in Tower Hamlets. This is an exciting opportunity to gain voluntary experience for your CV. It’s also an opportunity to have your say on the future of disability equality in Tower Hamlets. The deadline to apply is 17 May 2021. If you’re concerned about meeting this for any reason let us know.

Elections will be held for trustees on the 19 of June at our AGM. You can find out more in the attached Trustee information.

We’re running a Trustee Workshops on the 13 of May, which you can sign up to here. This is a good opportunity to:

• find out more about what becoming a trustee would involve
• to ask any questions you have about becoming a trustee
• to find out more about Real in general

I’m also happy to answer any questions anyone has. My work mobile number is 07458305634.

Who is Real?

Real is the user-led Disabled People’s Organisation in Tower Hamlets. We’re run by disabled people, for disabled people, and have been around in one form or another for over twenty years.

Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) is on the 19 of June and we will be discussing our projects and looking forward to the future. You can attend even if you’re not a member. It’ll be a good opportunity to find out more about us.

You can also check out our website, or social media @RealDPO.

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