Centre 404404 Camden RoadIslingtonLondonN7 0SJ020 7607 8762

www.centre404.org.uk For people with learning disabilities and their families

Registered charity no. 299889

Summer NewsletterIn this edition...

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Learning Disability Awareness Week

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Learning and Leisure Feedback

UKIED

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Recruitment Open Day

A tribute to Tracey

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AGM and Summer Party

Easter Playscheme

Produced by:

Centre 404

404 Camden Road

Islington

London

N7 0SJ

020 7697 1325

general@centre404.org.uk

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback about Centre 404 newsletters, please contact us using the details above.

Centre 404 newsletter Summer 2015

Learning Disability Week: 15th - 21st June

In celebration of Learning Disability Week 2015, Centre 404 housing service users are putting on a party complete with food, music and good times on Thursday 18th June. If you are a Centre 404 housing service user and would like to be involved, get in touch!

We will also be hosting stalls at the Whittington and University College Hospitals on the 15th and 17th June respectively. We aim to raise people’s awareness of learning disabilities and how the needs of people with a learning disability can be accommodated more around the hospital and in general. Staff and service users will be sharing examples of hospital passports, and how important these can be in getting needs met effectively and efficiently.

If you’ve got plans for Learning Disability Week, let us know! There are lots of things you can do to get involved, fundraise or raise awareness. Visit Mencap’s website, www.mencap.org.uk/get-involved/learning-disability-week for posters, leaflets and campaigning materials.

Whispers

I’m sitting in a class, maybe Geography, When the whispers to my left begin to speak of me.

The things they say aren’t exactly nice, But a death glare used to turn their blood to ice.

Now, not even a teacher can quell it sometimes, And the whispers go unpunished for their crimes.

They mock, ‘quip’, exchange cruel barbs, They kill, revive, break me into shards, I plead with my eyes; they exhale foul words, Most of my pleading prayers go unheard.

Charlotte Hill, 13

Some of Centre 404’s garden volunteers on a trip to Kew Gardens

Keeping our services fit with feedback

Equality and Diversity

In May 2013 Centre 404 was awarded the UK investing in equality and diversity (UKIED) quality mark. This means that as an organisation, we are committed to ensuring:

• Staff and service users are aware of and sensitive to quality and diversity issues• Policies and procedures are in place and good practice is monitored and evaluated• That we promote and manage equality and diversity

Since last year we have made some changes in relation to this – for example all staff now receive equality and diversity training, which volunteers can also attend if they choose to, and staff have helped improve existing policies on areas such as whistleblowing and recruitment. After reassessment, new objectives for the year will be set out and discussed in staff team meetings.

If you have any questions or suggestions for improving equality and diversity, contact email Amy Curtis: amyc@centre404.org.uk.

In addition to our usual termly feedback from service users and parents, we asked a sample of our children and our staff team what they think a successful year for the Learning & Leisure team looks like. A clear theme that emerged is the desire for more sports activities. So this term we got moving!

Our after school groups have now tried table tennis at St Luke’s Community Centre, trampolining at the Sobell Centre, yoga, self-defence, tennis and cricket with Middlesex CC. We’re hoping to try out basketball with GLL and dance sessions soon, and our Young Adults Group for 18-25 year olds are also planning to try the open gym near Talacre Sports Centre.

Wheelchair ice skating sessions are proving increasingly popular and regularly attract 12 people or more. This year we plan to do more activities on weeks when the rink is closed; we have already had a multi-sports session at the Sobell Centre and an arts session delivered by Artbox London and we’re thinking about other sessions for the future. Our Day Service users continue to benefit from a range of sports sessions including wheelchair ice skating, trampolining, Pedal Power adapted cycling, tennis sessions, football and line dancing!

If you’ve got feedback for the learning and leisure team, contact Liz on liza@centre404.org.uk or 0207 697 1323

We would love to expand our collection of sports and gym equipment, so if your New Year’s resolutions are a distant memory and your rowing machine, exercise bike or hand weights are now cluttering up your living room then we can offer them a happy home.

Equally if you have outgrown swimwear that would fit children aged 8 or above then please do donate it, as we often need spares for children caught short!

Sports equipment needed!

Claire gets to work on her swingball skills

A Tribute to Tracey

Recruitment Open Day

Earlier this year, Tracy Stirling, a remarkable character and a much-loved member of Centre 404 passed away. Here Marianne, her housing manager, pays tribute.

“Tracy was a lady who valued her independence very highly and would not let barriers get in her way. If she wanted something she would go out and get it! Tracy was a member of many organisations, from working at the British Heart Foundation, to attending the ‘Drop in’ session and Power and Control, through both Elfrida and Power and Control. Her family and staff team meant the world to her, and she would always make sure everyone was ok, had a nice weekend and were being looked after in their personal lives. She was proud of her Irish background and always celebrated St Patrick’s day, with a lager shandy in hand!

Tracy will be missed by a great many people, her infectious laugh, lovely smile and her constant reminder of “don’t do anything I wouldn’t do love”. The courage and strength she showed through her illness was remarkable and admirable. Tracy lived life to the full and stuck by her principles and beliefs until the end. Her legacy will live on for a long time to come.”

Come and join us for a free information session about becoming a support worker:Wednesday 22nd July 2015, 1pm

We are looking for positive people to work with us to improve the lives and choices of people with a learning disability.

The session will start with an informal talk to provide information and advice on:

• Centre 404 services and what we do• The role of the support worker• What makes a good support worker• Current support work vacancies• Guidance on how to complete an application form

There will then be a chance for you to ask us any questions and have a chat with our staff. Leaflets and application packs will be available to take away with you and refreshments provided. To book your free place, please contact our reception using the details below and provide your name and contact details.

Tel: 0207 607 8762 Email: general@centre404.org.uk Web: www.centre404.org.uk

Centre 404 would also like to take this opportunity to say thank you to Tracey’s staff team for supporting her to live life to the full. Tracey had a full and busy life and in the final few months, still managed to host parties to remember her past friends and fulfil her dream of getting married. It needs to be acknowledged how hard it is to work alongside someone who you know is coming to the end of their life, but the team stayed positive and were determined to support Tracey live the life she wanted. A big thank you to the team for being there every step of the way with Tracey. Tracey with her husband Steven

An Invitation

Where is that Easter Bunny?

As the summer holidays approach, we’re taking a quick look back at last holiday playscheme we ran. This year’s Easter Scheme saw some new faces and great ti mes as we went on the hunt for the Easter Bunny…

The fi rst search was conducted at Toff ee Park Adventure playground. We could not fi nd him so played tag instead. Of course, then we remembered the Easter bunny is a huge Arsenal fan - to Emirates stadium it was! We searched through the diamond lounge, the players change rooms and the pitch to fi nd him, but sti ll no luck!

The next day the plan was to lure the bunny out with some delicious chocolate nests. That didn’t work, so we went to the cinema to see Home. On the third day of the hunt we decided no bunny can resist a good party, so Easter Arts and craft s were made and Easter games were played, but sti ll the bunny was a no-show. On the fi nal day, it dawned on us! Of course he is hiding at the Quasar Elite in Enfi eld. The group searched through the dark corners with their lasers try to fi nd him, although the group did get a litt le distracted from the search - when there is a high score to defend you tend to lose focus of other things.

When there was no sighti ng the group moved to Freightliners Farm - of course the bunny would be there. We searched among the goats, chickens and other rabbits but the bunny was nowhere to be found...there’s always next year!

A huge thank you to everyone who voted for our holiday playschemes in the Aviva Community Fund

Once a year we throw a party for everyone to celebrate the achievements of the past year and look forward to the next. All staff , volunteers, families and members are very welcome. There

will be music, refreshments and a crèche for children.

Hope to see you there!

Thursday 9th July, from 5pmCentre 404, 404 Camden Road, N7 0SJ

Please RSVP on 0207 607 8762 or email general@centre404.org.uk

Centre 404’s Summer Party and AGM

No bunny at the Emirates Stadium!