Hello Everyone

       

So highlights for this and next week…. 

This week we have our monthly Carers Forum on Wednesday 16th February 11am to 1pm 

Thank you to all who attended the Carers Forum and we value your wonderful insights and contributions to our first discussion on the Council’s new Suicide Prevention Strategy, as usual really good suggestions, feedback which will be passed on to the borough and how they can include a better carer perspective.

We were then joined by Charlie who conducted a little demo on the merits of armchair Hip Hop which went down a storm, we will be having a taster session as part of our Wellbeing programme in May 2022, so look out for it and join

This Weeks Activities

REMINDER – YOU CAN CHECK THE CCTH CALENDAR – 

If you want to know what activities are on each day at the centre then check out the CCTH Calendar – https://ccth.org.uk/new/calendar/?cid=mc-03c4653fb809aa02e303ae7a3bb5520a&month=9&yr=2021

Then email me tony@cth.org.uk to book your place.

We have exciting news! Real is recruiting an entry-level Advocate to join the team. 

We are looking for someone who is passionate about helping disabled people achieve equality and fairness in the way that they are treated. Advocates help people with a wide range of problems, including issues with social care, housing, transport, employment and using a range of services.

We are holding two informal tester sessions where we will explain what the role entails and answer any questions you may have. If you are curious about becoming an Advocate for Real, please have a look at the application materials on our website and join one of the tester sessions to find out more.

The online tester sessions are held on:

• Thursday, 17 February, 12:00 – 13:00 
• Tuesday, 22 February, 14:00-15:00

To sign up, email rowan.earle@real.org.uk. If neither of the dates above work for you, please get in touch with Rowan anyway and we can set up a time that suits you. 

If you have any access needs for online meetings, please let us know as soon as possible. We want to include everyone.

Application deadline for the role is Thursday, 3 March at 9:30.

Please feel free to share this opportunity with anyone who might be interested.

You can also find out about other ways to get involved at Real here or by emailing hello@real.org.uk.

Learn new recipes and reduce food waste

Join us on Thursday 24 February from 11am – 12:30pm at the Teviot Centre for a practical and fun workshop on reducing food waste.

We will show you how to prepare our favourite recipes that use up common leftovers but don’t compromise on taste. We will also share simple tips on how to minimise waste, by considering how we plan, buy, store and throw away food.

Sign up >

Invitation: Community Access Scheme online talk

‘Suffragettes at the palaces’

Thursday 24 February, 13:00-14:00

Microsoft Teams: Click here to join the talk

Join curator Polly Putnam for this talk about suffragettes who lived and stood up for women’s rights at the palaces.

This talk is inspired by International Women’s Day (8 March 2022), a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

Please contact Kim if you have any queries: kim.klug@hrp.org.uk

Historic Royal Palaces is a registered charity (No 1068852), correspondence details, Hampton Court Palace, Surrey KT8 9AU Historic Royal Palaces Enterprises Ltd, a company registered in England (No 3418583) registered office Hampton Court Palace, Surrey KT8 9AU.

Poplar’s ‘Female Husband’: Sources at Tower Hamlets Archives
Wednesday 23 February,
5.30pm-7pm
FREE
Online via zoom
Room opens 5.30 for a 5.45pm start

A queer scandal which took place in 18th century Poplar has become world famous in LGBTQ+ history. But did you know that the local borough archive holds unique records which provide tangible evidence of the East End’s oldest queer pioneer?

Join Tower Hamlets Heritage Manager Tamsin Bookey in conversation with Francis Ray White and Ceara Holness-Crone to explore the story of James Howe, an upstanding local citizen who was exposed by blackmailers to have been born Mary East.

ELOP’s LGBT+ Groups
Join our fun, friendly and non-judgemental safe space to meet new people and discuss LGBT+ topics!

LGBT+ Over 50 Social Group 
Every Monday 1.00 – 2.30pm, online 

LGBT+ Social Support Group 
Every Tuesday 7.00 – 8.30pm, online 

LGBT History Month Topics: 

(LGBT) Gays the Word – Creating and sharing our personal stories for LGBT History Month
Valentine’s Survival Guide – Sharing tips for surviving valentine’s for LGBT single’s / couples
Art & Politics in LGBT British History – Discuss and share our favourite art/artists and figures that influence LGBT British History / our favourite LGBT icons and allies from around the world
Queer Museum: What artefacts would you like to see displayed in the museum? – Discuss your ideas and share any artefacts that you would share in the museum.

Check out a new free course that has just been launched that focuses on carer wellbeing. It is called ‘Physical activity for health and wellbeing in the caring role’ and has been kindly endorsed by the Carers Trust. The course is 6 hours in length and learners can achieve a ‘badge’ on completion of the end quiz, and this can be added on a CV to evidence their learning/continuous professional development. We hope that it will be helpful to those working with carers, including carer centre staff, those supporting carers less formally and importantly carers themselves!

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/physical-activity-health-and-wellbeing-the-caring-role/content-section-overview?active-tab=description-tab

Did You Know we have a weekly Shared Reading Group?

How does it work?

A group of carers, one of them a trained Reader Leader, reads a great novel, short story or poem aloud. We stop and talk about what we have read. There is no need for carers to read aloud or speak – it’s fine to just listen. The idea is to create a space where people feel at ease.

Reading the literature aloud in real-time, means that everyone is involved in a shared, live experience. Carers are encouraged by the Reader Leader to respond personally, sharing feelings, thoughts and memories provoked by the reading.

Everyone experiences the text in their own way, but the literature provides a shared language that can help us to understand ourselves – and others – better.

It can even help with your ESOL needs.

If this is for you then email tony@ccth.org.uk

WALKING ALONE? REMEMBER THESE 10 TIPS

1) Plan Your Route

Make sure you plan your route ahead of time. If you are walking in an area you are not familiar with, this can help keep you from getting lost. You will be able to walk with confidence. If you do get lost, don’t wander aimlessly, find a gas station, supermarket, or fast-food restaurant where you can ask for directions.

2) Make Sure Someone Else Knows Your Plans

Don’t go out when it is dark without telling someone, even if you are just taking the dogs out for a walk around your neighbourhood or walking home from a friend’s house nearby. It may seem paranoid, but in fact, knowing someone knows where you are can be reassuring and help you feel safe. If you fall and hurt yourself or run into trouble, and someone knows where you are, they can send help if you don’t arrive at your destination on time.

3) Always Carry Your Phone with You

Always carry your phone, but not for music or to make social calls as your walk. Your phone can be a lifeline if you see something suspicious or worse if something happens to you. Download a safety app on your phone, so you’ll be able to discreetly alert the authorities if you feel threatened or see something suspicious.

4) Avoid Suspicious People and Areas

Areas that are dark, deserted, or out-of-the-way, such as an alley or a parking lot, can be riskier than a well-lit area full of people. Stick to busy, lighted paths, to minimize the risks. Also, walk mainly in familiar places where you are known. That way, if you feel like a suspicious person is following you, you can always duck into a store you know or knock on a neighbour’s door. Avoid empty streets and pathways with thick shrubbery.

5) Keep Your Hands Free

Except for a flashlight and one of the items discussed below, keep your hands free. If you are carrying anything, put it all in one bag or backpack. This will make it easier for you to react if you notice someone following you. In a dangerous situation, carrying too many bags can keep you from moving as quickly as you can if your hands are free or if you only have one bag.

6) Carry a Non-Violent Deterrent

In addition to a flashlight, carry a non-violent deterrent such as a whistle, mace, or pepper spray. A whistle will help you alert others and call them to aid you if something is wrong. The loud noise may put off attackers, and they’ll move on to find someone else. Mace or pepper spray can give you enough time to evade a potential attacker, and in a pinch, a flashlight can be used as a weapon. Make sure you know how to use the mace or pepper spray to get its full effect.

7) Wear Reflective Clothing to Prevent Accidents

When it comes to personal safety, it’s not just about suspicious people. Areas with low visibility can be prone to accidents. Reflective clothing allows bikers and cars to see you as you walk along. A flashlight or headlight can also help drivers see you if there are dark stretches of road on your route.

8) Take a Self-Defence Class

When fighting off something as an assault, the element of surprise can work in your favour. If you regularly walk alone, take a self-defence class. You don’t have to become a black belt. In fact, it’s probably better to learn something like Krav Maga, which has been popular for self-defence. The idea is to disable your attacker enough for you to get to safety, and a class focused on self-defence will help give you those survival skills.

9) Remove Any Distractions

Keep your phone in your hand in case you need to hit the panic button on your safety app, but don’t let it distract you. When walking alone at night for exercise, music can be motivating and energizing but also distracting. You may not hear someone driving or walking up behind you. Avoid wearing headphones or talking on your phone as you walk.

10) Trust Your Gut

When walking alone at night, trust your gut. If you feel like an area or situation may be dangerous, don’t wait around to find out. Stop and scan your surroundings if you think someone is following you. If you are being followed, walk as quickly as you can to a well-lit public place. You can wait until you feel safe, or call a friend, a taxi, or an Uber to help you get safely get home at night.

Following these personal safety tips will help keep you stay safe when walking alone. Always be aware of where you are and alert to suspicious activity.

REMINDER TO CARERS

If you still need PPE for you and your loved one then Tower Hamlets are still providing PPE for Carers.

Collection and delivery is on Wednesday only from Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, E14 2BG. Carers can call or email Ayeda directly 0n 07366977103 or ayeda@ccth.org.uk to order.