Swindon and District Branch
Recent news
Update on policies for visiting arrangements in care homes
Guidance from Department of Health and Social Care
In Memory of Branch Member Rod Isherwood
Jan Isherwood contacted me today 13 October with the sad news that her dear husband Rod passed away this week in Niranda House Nursing Home, Wotton Bassett.
Jan told me that Rod had not been well for some time and had passed away due to his Parkinson's, Dementia and a Chest Infection. Rod was 84 and had 7 grandchildren.
Jan has requested we send out and the sad news so that any friends will know of Rod's passing. Rod had attended our Wednesday Balance and Exercises Class and later our Tuesday Special Seated Class and I am sure will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.
I send condolences from all the Branch Committee and I am sure all Branch members to Jan and all Rod's family for their sad loss.
Dave Logan
Branch Chair
Exercise Programme Re-start
Financial Support for our Re-Start of your Exercise Programme and Our Measures Taken to Keep You Safe.
Christmas Lunch 2020
Please be advised that unfortunately due to Coronavirus restrictions we are unable to hold our annual Christmas Lunch.
Parkinson's Adviser Update
Parkinson's Local Adviser Update - September 2020
Vacancies on Swindon & District Branch Committee
The attached document provides details of vacancies on the Branch Committee.
- Branch Chair
- Branch Vice Chair
- General Committee Volunteer
1 & 2 are effective from the AGM in March 2021, but successful candidates will need to shadow current Branch Chair and Vice chair in the meantime. 3 is effective immediately.
The Cricklade Community Award - Vince Mobey
Message for all North Wilts patients & Carers
Dear all North Wilts Parkinson’s patients and Carers.
The North Wiltshire service for Parkinson’s patients started as planned on the 1st April 2020.
Letters were sent to all those patients that were known to the previous Neurology Practitioner in North Wilts. Rachel Gardner, Lead Parkinson’s Nurse at GWH, understands that there are several that were not known to the North Wilts Practitioner and so were never seen.
Rachel explained they are picking these patients up as they go along. Also to please send out the helpline number, 01793 646436 (patient queries only), and just ask those North Wilts patients who did not receive a letter, to say to the person that answers the phone, that they are one of our new Wiltshire patients and then they will then call them back.
The service is the same as that currently being given to the Swindon patients, ie, all over the phone, due to the Coronavirus situation. They will see them face to face eventually she is sure.
With Best Wishes
Dave Logan
Chair
Parkinson’s Swindon
The Good News Show - Swindow 105.5
Shirley Ludford. Ann Perrin. Spo
Local people and positive news mixed with feel-good music.
Recorded: 05/04/20 at 11:00
Shirley has been catching up with script writer Paul Mayhew-Archer. Paul is also a supporter of the Swindon Parkinsons group, as a Parkinsons sufferer himself.
UK Help Line - region information for Branch Members - 13 April 2020
AGM 2020 - Message to our Branch Members
Please help raise £1,000 for your Branch by completing the survey below.
This is explained below and will only take you about 10 minutes. Although we have postponed all our activities, we still have bills to pay and retainers to ensure we still have exercise instructors when things get back to normal.
This agreement between Healthwatch Swindon and Parkinson’s Swindon and District Branch is to undertake some research with the branch membership to record their views of health and social care services in the Swindon & Shrivenham NHC CCG area.
Healthwatch Swindon is a public and patient involvement and engagement organisation. They are independent and collect views from people living in Swindon about their local health and social care services.
They amplify the voice of the public and influence commissioning. They are also a local information point for signposting to health and social care services and we provide an independent NHS complaints advocacy service.
Healthwatch Swindon is working in collaboration with the Branch to reach up to 100 people from whom we otherwise might not hear and whose views may not be taken into account by the commissioners and providers of health and social care services.
Healthwatch Swindon responsibilities under the memorandum of understanding with your Branch is to pay £10 per survey response received for up to 100 completed surveys. Healthwatch Swindon will pay the Branch a sum of up to £1000 on receipt of an invoice. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/9WVJ7ND
Thank you for your support
Dave Logan
Branch Chair
"Compassionate Swindon" launched to help during Coronavirus
“Compassionate Swindon” is a partnership between Voluntary Action Swindon, Swindon Borough Council and the Volunteer Centre Swindon supported by the Sanford House hub charities for individuals wanting to volunteer, for individuals needing help and for charities and community groups needing more volunteers.
See link here
http://vas-swindon.org/coronavirus-help-page/
If any of you need any more volunteers or will do when schools close – please contact Andrea Barrett (Andrea doesn’t work Friday’s but will get back to you next week)
http://vas-swindon.org/coronavirus-im-a-community-group-in-need-of-more-volunteers/
If any of you are aware of clients who may need extra help if normal group activity is suspended – please encourage them to contact the LiveWell hub on 01793 465513 or via Livewell@swindon.gov.uk
http://vas-swindon.org/coronavirus-im-an-individual-looking-for-help/
If any of you have people wishing to help and volunteer they can register here and will be matched to those needing it via the Live Well hub or will be connected with any of you that ask for volunteers.
http://vas-swindon.org/coronavirus-i-want-to-help/
Coronavirus - Message from your Branch Committee 16 March 2020
Community WALX Swindon
The Community WALX Swindon project is an initiative set up by Live Well Swindon (Swindon Borough Council) team in collaboration with Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP) supported through National Lottery funding. This initiative aims to provide low cost peer-led pole walking in green spaces all over Swindon, encouraging the people of Swindon to be more active and improve their health and wellbeing.
300 Plus Club Monthly Draw
From January 2020, the 100 Plus Club will become the 300 Plus Club.
An Investigation into Physiotherapy Referral Rates in People with Parkinson’s Disease a Small-Scale Study
My name is Olivia Gillam and I am a MSc pre-registration physiotherapy student at York St John University undertaking a research project for my dissertation. This project will be overseen by my dissertation supervisor Samantha Yoward. I would like to invite you to take part in this research project. Details here
Online Parkinson's research: King's College London
The study is an entirely online study, run by King’s College London and funded by Parkinson’s UK.
It aims to better understand worry, in order to develop effective psychological treatments to reduce worry and anxiety for people with Parkinson’s. Participants are required to complete short online training sessions at home over the course of three weeks, which involve listening to audio scenarios.
The link to register interest directly to the study is
here
Further details on the Parkinson’s UK website
here
Advertising for Parkinson's study
I am a researcher at the University of Oxford in the Department of Psychiatry. I was wondering if I could advertise my study concerning the pharmacological implications of learning and memory in PD within the Swindon District Branch. Many individuals with PD find that participating in research is a very rewarding experience as it provides a sense of "giving back" and taking action against the disease. I beleive that advertising this opportunity would be just as beneficial for the members of your group. All participation and travel expenses are compensated. I've attached our advertising flyer and the link to our research page on the PUK website. Thank you ! Sara Nahon
Parkinson's Swindon - Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
The Swindon & District Branch of Parkinson’s UK is both pleased and honoured to be a recipient of this prestigious award.
Volunteer Opportunity
Volunteer helper - seated exercise class, Tuesdays 2-3pm, The Grange centre, Stratton St Margaret
Task description:
To be aware of participant welfare, sensitively responding to the needs of participants.
To join in with exercises, keeping an eye out for participants needing assistance, particularly during resistance band work.
Assisting participants in safe and correct use of bands.
To assist with handing out and collecting in resistance bands and other exercise materials.
To relax into the general sense of fun and well-being in the class, a sense of the absurd much appreciated.
The Prospect’s Carers Open Programme – Who Cares for the Carers?
This service is now offered to those affected by Parkinson’s amongst others across Wiltshire. Please take time to read the following documents:
Cycle 4 Health at Swindon's County Ground Athletics Track
An opportunity for people with Parkinson's to cycle safely, including those in wheelchairs.
There is a group called Cycling 4 Health. They encourage people to cycle on the County Ground Athletics Tracks. There are bikes there that people can use. The times they have access to the track is Monday 10-11, Thurs 1-2 and Friday (drop in) 10-12. There is a way that folk in wheelchairs can use the bikes. This would be useful for people that don't feel safe on the roads anymore but would like/need the exercise. There is parking at the County Ground.
This is run by Swindon borough councils, Sports Development and Health Improvement team. They form part of Disibility Sport in Swindon group.
Activities available at the centre
- Sessions are held on the County Ground Athletics track, a smooth surface for riders.
- The centre caters for people from 16 years and above.
- Under 16s can attend sessions on prior arrangement.
- They have a good fleet of adapted cycles to choose from and these include a twister, a side by side tandem, a hand bike, trikes, a pedal propelled quad bike, a recumbent trike and a wheelchair platform carrier.
Opening times
Open: All year
Sessions:
Mondays 10am till 11am
Thursdays 1pm till 2pm
Cost
Please contact the centre for information on cost
Contact details:
Phone Carol Jones on 01793 464902
Tweet from Parkinson's UK (@ParkinsonsUK)
Parkinson's UK (@ParkinsonsUK) tweeted at 10:20 am on Fri, Nov 23, 2018:
Do you often experience #freezing in the same places – particularly at home? Try using floor strips to help you overcome trouble spots. The strips can be useful if you have problems turning or changing direction on patterned flooring:
https://t.co/qrdsCp6UYX https://t.co/J6wG6O3NP1
( https://twitter.com/ParkinsonsUK/status/1065913022852538373?s=09 )
Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download?s=13
Parkinson’s UK Financial Assistance 2019
From January 2019, Parkinson’s UK financial assistance grants will be available across the UK to people with Parkinson’s and their unpaid carers.
Our grants cover a wide range of items and services to help people affected by Parkinson’s feel more in control of their life with Parkinson’s or simply to improve the quality of their everyday life with the condition.
The application form and guidance for applicants can be downloaded from our webpage or mailed to applicants on request. Feedback tells us that the application process is clear and straightforward and applicants are well-supported by our Local Adviser service. Further information here.
Parkinson’s UK Swindon & District Branch - Committee Vacancies
As our Branch membership grows so does the work load for your Branch committee volunteers. Some of the long term committee members have obviously slowed down as their Parkinson’s progresses, so we are now looking for some new committee members to share the load and improve the effectiveness of the committee. Details here
Singing Group
New weekly singing group for people living with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions.
Starts Monday 3rd September 2018. Details here
Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living
I would like to introduce myself, colleague Jen and Wiltshire CIL who now have the contract with Wiltshire Council for User Engagement. I am really keen that we get the word out as widely as possible and enable as many people as possible to be part of this if they wish to. http://www.wiltshirecil.org.uk/user-engagement - a useful link.
Zoё Millington
Development Outreach Worker
0300 1233 442
Imanyo Golf Society Parkinson's Charity Vase 9th May 2018 at El Plantio
This is the fourth year for this popular competition the “Parkinson Vase”. A special thanks goes to Geoff Ham, a Swindon & District Branch member and the competition sponsor, who has Parkinson’s and although no longer able to play golf, specially travelled from the UK to Spain for the competition. A grand total on the day of €285 was raised in aid of the Parkinson’s Branch in Swindon.
Sponsorship Agreement
Thank you Attorney Wills for sponsoring the Bonus Prize in our 300Plus Club Draw.
Dave Logan
Branch Chair
A Message from Parkinson’s UK
Parkinson’s UK are looking for Volunteer self-management facilitators. They need people with Parkinson’s, partners and current carers to volunteer as self-management facilitators. You can use your first-hand experience and skills to provide support in your local area.
For full details please see the links below
A link to the Parkinson’s UK Facebook piece:
https://www.facebook.com/parkinsonsuk/posts/10156345610383856
A link to the Self-Management Programme pages on the Parkinson’s UK website:
https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/self-management-programme
And a link to the Introduction to Volunteering as a Self-Management Facilitator document
If you have any queries regarding this role please contact
Alison Lofas
Self-Management Programme Volunteer Co-ordinator
Direct Dial: 0344 225 3625
Mobile: 07964 393073
Email: alofas@parkinsons.org.uk