Hello Everyone – Looking after yourself and your loved ones

So over the last few weeks my Mum’s nursing home has been under lockdown due to patients getting Covid and after the first wave of Covid and the awful impact nursing homes had they are very cautious and rightly so.  Before the lockdown, myself and my father had to do a Covid test and take it with us on the Saturday’s we go, any visitor has to do the same to prove they are Covid negative.  So after being ill and not being able to  go see me Mum for a couple of weeks, I am looking forward to picking up my Dad and seeing my Mum in person.

This got me thinking that ‘do you regularly test yourselves’?  If you live in a different property to your cared for and you visit to undertake your caring role tasks, do you test yourself?

I ask this as I am promoting wellbeing for all and wanted to get you thinking about personal safety and for your loved ones.  I still urge everyone to be vaccinated and boostered but in the meantime we have a lot of boxes of Covid tests and careres are welcome to come and get a box for free.

If this is something then please email tony@ccth.org.uk to reserve your box.

 

Arts, Crafts & Conversation – Thursday 28th April – 11am to 1pm

Our weekly creative group continues to go from strength to strength with great attendance.  This group allows carers to come and pursue in peace a craft of their choosing such as knitting, painting and you can learn new crafts such as card making as well as chat to your peers/carers.  Carers have reported that being able to chat and relax away from their caring role has increased their physical and mental wellbeing.  So come a long and get creative.

Check out the  https://ccth.org.uk/new/calendar/      as this will let you know our weekly activities’ and then email tony@ccth.org.uk

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The Carers Wellbeing Academy is looking to recruit a Support Worker

Do you want to be part of a team where you can support unpaid carers to better mental and physical wellbeing?

Do you have skills that can help a diverse community of carers to think about themselves, encourage them to get involved with a range of wellbeing activities such as exercise, Therapeutic treatments, counselling as well as creative activities?

Are you able to communicate with a broad range of people either written, verbally and face to face, and sometimes in a community language, are you able to keep excellent records, encourage participants to feedback their experiences and keep up to date records via our database?

Can you bring an ability to manage a variety of groups, make sure they have good attendance, encourage participants to attend on a regular basis and promote the activities to a variety of partner organisations?

We want you to uphold our policies and procedures, be part of our team and attend team meetings and contribute your thoughts, as well as be able to work flexibly both at the centre and in outreach settings.

You will be supported, line managed and supervised by the Carers Wellbeing Academy Manager and you can contribute to the direction and aims of the academy.

Please inform us if you need any reasonable adjustment when undertaking this recruitment process.

If this sounds like you then please click the link to apply and a Job Description and application form is available via the link 

https://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/carers-wellbeing-academy-support-worker/825420?tsId=8

 

The job has gone live with a closing date of the 12 May 2022.

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Altab Ali and the Fight For Equality

Altab Ali was the young Bengali man whose brutal murder in Whitechapel in1978 mobilised the Bangladeshi and wider community to take a stand against racial intolerance. 

To keep alive the important messages about community cohesion and standing united against racism, it was announced in October 2015 that the London Borough of Tower Hamlets would host Altab Ali commemoration day annually on 4 May.

In 2021, we marked this important day with a screening of Altab Ali and the Battle of Brick Lane and a panel discussion and live Q&A with those who were involved in making this film.  The film is now available to watch online. 

The Fight for Equality, a fantastic new online education resource, and the short film, Altab Ali and the Battle of Brick Lane, pay tribute to the anti-racist cause for which Altab Ali has become an important symbol. 

In 1998 St. Mary’s Park in Whitechapel was renamed Altab Ali Park in his honour.  

Altab Ali Day 2022

There will be a commemorative event in Altab Ali Park on Wednesday 4 May at 6pm with wreath-laying speeches, and poetry readings in tribute to Altab Ali and the anti-racism movement which became his legacy. This will be followed by a Talk, The Right to Rally at the Kobi Nazrul Centre and an exhibition – Underexposure: Brick Lane ’78, which opens on 5^th May and documents powerful images of protest from 1978 onwards.

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Ramadan Timetable [London]

 

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A carers guide to home fire safety

A new video resource has been launched on the London Fire Brigade website to help carers learn how to keep people that receive care safe from fire.

Sadly, around one third of those here who die or are severely injured by fire are in receipt of some form of care or support. If you are a formal (domiciliary care worker, support worker or clinician) or informal carer (family member, friend or neighbour) and are caring for someone in their own home, this new resource will help you identify fire risks and show you what you can do to reduce them. There is also more information available on the website around fire safety and prevention.

Watch the video >

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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 

Stonewall – https://www.stonewall.org.uk/ 

LONDON Friend – https://londonfriend.org.uk/

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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.

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