Download pdf - Liverpool Mencap Newsletter Sept 2012

Members Connect and pledge to Be ActiveDuring the Olympics, we invited our members to discover all the different activities you can see and do in Liverpool for FREE!

Some of these activities included, going along to one of the city’s many beautiful parks, or down to the river Mersey to admire the view. After the meeting we left the offi ce to take in one experience that is right on our doorstep - we visited the Anglican Cathedral.

The cathedral is just one of two magnifi cent cathedrals located near Hope Street, where our offi ce is based. We’ve since been to the Metropolitan Cathedral, which we also recommend a visit to.

At the end of the afternoon, our members each made a pledge, such as:

‘I Jessica Steers, pledge to use the stairs instead of the lift in order to get fi t and healthier as part of Liverpool’s Decade of Health and Wellbeing’.

Mencap Liverpool also made a pledge during the event which was to: ‘Help our members in their fi ve ways to wellbeing, by offering the chance for members to come to the offi ce each Wednesday between 11am - 12.30pm, so they can connect with existing friends, meet new people, learn new skills and fi nd out different ways to get active’.

Phone: 0151 707 8582 Email: [email protected] Mencap Liverpool, Federation House, Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BWRegistered Charity Number 1004262. Company Registered Number 2146838 (England)

In this newsletter, we will be focusing on the fi ve ways to wellbeing...1. Connect - come along to one of our social events so you can meet new people and reconnect with old friends

2. Be Active – take part in a walk with us around town or visit the Mencap Liverpool offi ce and take the stairs instead of the lift!

3. Take notice – visit our website to fi nd out about all the different and interesting things you can do in Liverpool www.mencapliverpool.org.uk

4. Keep Learning - join our weekly workshops where you can learn new skills including: fi rst aid, looking after your money, healthy eating and staying safe in your community

5. Give - befriend a new Mencap Liverpool member or volunteer at one of our fundraising bag packs or bucket collections - you could even take on a challenge such as a bike ride or abseil (if you dare!!)

Mencap Liverpool

September 2012 - Health and Wellbeing Editionwww.mencapliverpool.org.uk

• Our members are learning how to improve their health and well being

Welcome to our Health and Wellbeing Special Edition!

Members make their pledges

Get involved in campaigning!Thomas Butler launched his Campaigning Information Pack at the end of July to a number of special guests, including Cllr Roz Gladden and MP Steve Rotherham.

The pack, written over Thomas’ four month placement with Mencap Liverpool, makes the often complicated topic of campaigning, much easier to understand. Thomas is passionate about campaigning and wanted to make it easier for people with a learning disability to understand so that they can get involved with the issues that matter to them.

The guests, who attended the launch, were also treated to the premier screening of member Sarah Cavanagh’s interview with her local Councillor and MP about current political topics including hate crime.

t: 0151 707 8582 e: [email protected] w: www.mencapliverpool.org.uk

• We are helping young people to get a taste of employment

• The Campaigning Information pack has been launched

• You can download a copy from our website: www.mencapliverpool.org.uk/campaigns

Work place visitsOur summer career workshops ended with a visit to local employer Vitafl o.Vitafl o make food and drink for people with rare dietary requirements. They are based in Liverpool and sell their products all over the world. A group of young Mencap Liverpool members were invited to visit so that we could see what it is like working in different parts of a large company.

Emma explained her favourite part of the day:‘In the customer service department we placed an order for Boots and then we went to the warehouse to help pack the order so it could be sent off’

Thomas Butler Thomas Butler

Mencap Liverpool would like to organise further visits to employers as it is a really good way for our members to increase their aspirations and fi nd out about different job roles.

Our next work place visit is planned for October, to the national Mencap offi ce in central London. Virgin Trains have kindly offered to cover part of the travel and we’ve also received a donation from Essar Oil UK.

If you can help to cover the remaining costs of the trip, we have set up a special website where you can securely make a donation: www.crowdfunder.co.uk.

Can you help?

Don’t look down!!!On a windy Saturday in August, ten brave people including four staff members abseiled down the front of Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral raising over £3,000 for Mencap Liverpool.

Laura who took part in the adventurous event said ‘The view from the top was amazing and it was a really great experience.’

Next year we hope to double the size of our abseil team to 20, if you would like to join us, please get in touch!

• We raised £3,000 for

Mencap Liverpool• We are looking for 20 people

to abseil next year - Do you know anyone brave enough?!


Calling all Cheerleaders!If you would like to support our fundraising events without scaling a tall building, then come along and cheer for the ‘magnifi cent seven’, the team of runners who will be competing in the Liverpool Marathon on Sunday 14th October on behalf of Mencap Liverpool.

You can sponsor the individuals taking part via the Mencap Liverpool website.

Staying Safe - A LegacyIt is an unfortunate fact that nearly everyone who has a learning disability will experience bullying or hate crime at some point in their lives. So we are really pleased to announce that Mencap Liverpool have been awarded funding from Merseyside Police Authority; for a project which will help people at risk of hate crime to stay safe in their neighbourhood. Working with the CitySafe Havens project, we will help Police Community Support Offi cers (PCSO’s) and local shop owners to understand how to help someone with a learning disability if they have a problem, such as feeling intimidated by groups of people or experiencing crime, while they are out and about.

Training will also be provided to people with a learning disability, so that they know what our project is about and are able to identify and report hate crime.

If you would like to know more about our project please contact Lois on 0151 707 8582

• Many people with a learning disability experience hate crime or bullying

• Mencap Liverpool are working CitySafe Havens project to make sure you feel safe in your community

The team where all smiles after The team where all smiles after completing their challenge completing their challenge

Thank youAs we are unable to mention all of our supporters in every newsletter (because there are so many!) we would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who has helped to raise money for us in the last few months.

Thank you for your support!

CongratulationsTo Jan Allen-Brade on the birth of her beautiful baby girl! Ishbel Kathleen Norcroft, born on 16th August.

Also to Neil Parrington, named Greater Merseyside Young Befriender of the Year. Neil impressed judges with his commitment to supporting one of our members, Stuart, during the last two years.

HelloSue Grice joined us in July to cover Jan’s maternity leave as Offi ce Co-ordinator. Sue has settled in well as part of the staff team.

Good luckTo Chloe Harvey, an adopted member of our team since Easter. She is moving onto a new role in the Wirral and we look forward to working with her in the future!

Goodbye We are sad to announce that Mary Fitzpatrick, wife of Mencap’s founding Chairman Jim Fitzpatrick, passed away on 1st March this year.

Mary’s daughter Anne is trying to trace Mary’s friend Doreen McKenzie. Doreen and her husband Maurice were founder members of the old Liverpool Mencap in the 1950s. If you can help trace them please contact us.

Get In Touch! Email: [email protected] Phone: 0151 707 8582Write to us: Mencap Liverpool, 4th Floor, Federation House, Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BWBecome a fan of Mencap Liverpool on Facebook and fi nd out about events and volunteering opportunities fi rst! You can also follow us on Twitter.

Dates for your diary Mencap Liverpool Annual General Meeting 11th October 7pm-9pmThe Neurosupport Centre, Norton Street, L3 8LR. Come along to fi nd out more about all the exciting progress we’ve made in the past year and our plans for the future.

Multisensory LivesMencap Liverpool is hoping to secure funding to deliver Access to Heritage workshops as part of a Culture and Wellbeing Project.

Starting in October, the workshops will help people who have a learning disability to explore their heritage and their hopes for the future, through the senses of: smell, sound, sight, touch and maybe even taste.

Working with sensory artists we hope to create two multisensory resources which can be used by other people, both with and without a learning disability. The resource boxes will help people to appreciate heritage and aspiration through the eyes, ears and noses of people who experience the world in a different way.

If you would like to take part in the workshops, please contact Ticky Lowe [email protected] or ring the offi ce on 0151 707 8582

Mencap Liverpool Social Events and Drop-ins As mentioned earlier in the newsletter, we’ve decided to make a few changes to our social events and drop-ins to better meet the needs of our members

Member Socials: 11am-12.30pm, WednesdaysMember Socials will now happen each week. 11am-12.30pm on a Wednesday. We meet up at Mencap Liverpool Offi ce and sometimes go out and about. Please check our website for updates.

Carers Drop-ins: 11am-12.30pm, Tuesdays Following the feedback from our questionnaire, the Carers Drop-ins will now change to monthly information sessions. These will normally take place on Tuesdays between 11am-12.30pm. The days and location may be subject to change to make it easier for Carers in different parts of the city to attend. Please check our website for updates.

For more information contact Janet Sullivan on 0151 707 8582.


Neil Parrington

Ishbel