1st September 2016 Issue 5

Staffordshire Life Links Richmond Fellowship

Pure and Simple WELCOME TO THE 5TH EDITION—WOOHOO!

Hi there,

We hope you enjoyed last month’s issue. This month we will leaf summer behind in anticipation for a magnificent autumn!

In this issue we have raving reviews, spirited stories and pleasant pictures. Why not try your hand at Sparky’s cryptogram?

We also have a special letter from the boss lady herself! Check out page 3 for some words from Michelle Bennett.

Be good to yourselves,

The Pure and Simple Team

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

From the Edge ......................... 2

Allotment Diaries .................... 2

Special Letter ........................... 3

Available Courses .................... 3

Richmond’s Role ...................... 4

Nick’s Healthy Corner ............. 5

Blooms in the Mist ................... 6

Upcoming groups ................... 7

Useful Contacts…………..……….8

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST

The Llandudno Experience!

News from Management!

Updates and inside information!

Above: Seaside Huts by Alison Bailey

They say that gardeners are some of the most balanced people. Take a look at someone who you know enjoys being outside, tendering and nurturing flowers or vegetables and see if this strikes true. You may find that they tend to exude health and self acceptance, no matter what their age. It's as if they have tapped into some life-force. The natural rhythm of life which can lead to a sense of being content in their skin. It's that moment of finding that you belong somewhere that has ever been waiting patiently for you to show up, and it is simply glad that you are there. There’s a youthfulness to be found in tending the land and having the land give back to you manifold. Being in touch with the elements can have an amazing effect upon the psyche. Not only that, but also on self-esteem and mood. They say that spending just half an hour at an allotment, or a garden, has great benefits for your well being. That is half an hour a few times a week. I'll bet you were thinking that I meant daily. Remember that saying, 'Little and often'; it literally has roots. Having begun to take on such a project myself with a couple of friends, I have to say that I’ve found this too true. It gives you a grounding that seems to have been sometimes forgotten in our modern society, where planting food is no longer a necessity. Except, for well being, it probably is exactly that. You smell the fertility of the earth, and the sap within the plants, and the subtlety of the colours and sounds as they co-exist all around you. With your eye, you brush past grasses as you begin to scan the landscape to understand it more fully, and then a certain magic happens as you tune in to the direction of the wind as it sweeps across the land, from the tops of the trees to you - through you. It’s a wonderful experience to reconnect again. Since getting involved with clearing the allotment of weeds, I’ve found that it doesn’t really matter either what I do there. It's no exaggeration to say that I always go away from it with the feeling that it’s been time well spent. You may think that clearing the ground of years' worth of entangled growth is a chore, and hard work. It certainly can be, but you do a little at a time. Much like one day planting a seed and a few days later noticing it sprout what happens in between is part of the reward. You may not be there to witness it, yet the knowledge that you played a small part in the creation of new life is special, You don't expect it to all happen at once which is what society tends to exhort. There's a realization that there is another way, and it is far more satisfying, The digging has a rhythm to it too. If you dig too quickly, you find yourself tiring. Too slowly and you notice every exertion. When you find the sweet spot of it though, you forget that it can be hard work and it has a momentum that makes you carry on. All that from a small clearing of ground exposed from the wildness, which you turn over and rake and then there is a visible indication of the time you’ve spent. Days begin to have a meaning they never quite had before. The land tells its story, and you are there ready to gather it in; a personal harvest that stays. Matt Clendon

THE ALLOTMENT DIARIES—PART ONE

2

I had just come out of a fairly

abusive relationship and I needed

some light relief to celebrate. I

found an advert on Wednesday

for a Tea Dance on Friday.

Already I was planning my outfit,

and luckily I found a good pair of

wedges in Peacocks. With only 36

hours to “break them in”, it was a

bit risky which appealed to my

slightly adventurous nature!

Fully kitted out; red dress, black

wedges and black chiffon jacket—I

teetered off down the road.

I was late in arriving as there was

a man-made flood by one of the

building sites en-route so I could

not use the pelican crossing—2

inches of water prevented its use!

I arrived and ordered a rosé from

the bar. The dance was lovely, and

people at the table welcomed my

new found single status with a

great gaffaw.

The lady organising the event

waltzed with me. Several line

dances later meant I wasn’t a

complete wall Flower!

The meal was brilliantly cooked;

cold meats and salad, and dessert

was meringue—very suitable for

summer!

The people on my table advised

me of a weekly dance on

Wednesdays so I assumed they

quite liked me. I might take them

up on it, yes, I will!

Jenny Evans

A TRUE STORY FROM THE EDGE

LOOKING AHEAD, POSITIVE CHANGE

It is with regret that we inform all of our current service users that Richmond

Fellowship were unsuccessful in our recent tender to continue to provide

community based services in South Staffordshire. We will continue to provide

services until the end of our contract which is 31/10/2016.

We accept that this an extremely anxious time for some people, as any change can

cause anxiety and fear of the unknown. I would just like to reassure you all that

there will be services available from the new providers, the services will not

disappear, they will just be different. Please try to focus on the changes being

positive, there may be a better range of services and you may get to meet new

people, which has to be good!!! The welfare of our service users remains the most

important issue to the team at Staffordshire Life Links, please discuss any concerns

that you may have with your Link Worker or any of the staff at St Johns House. We

may not have all the answers to your questions but we aim to get as much

information as possible for you from the new providers.

In addition to this we have asked SSNMH (South Staffs Network for Mental Health)

to arrange meetings with service users, Gemma Giles will also be visiting some of

the peer support groups. SSNMH are an independent organisation and can act on

your behalf with a totally independent approach. Gemma will be able to take

feedback from you and can also take questions on your behalf to the new providers.

Please remember that your opinions matter and you can have your say. Should

anyone be unable to attend the group meetings, please advise staff who can arrange

an alternative appointment with Gemma.

Throughout the process we will assist in any way to help the smooth transition from

Richmond Fellowship to the new service. Please also note that Brendon House

(Crisis Service) is not affected by the current changes and can be accessed in the

normal way. For more information please speak to your Link Worker or alternative

Mental Health Professional.

We encourage you all to stay positive and stay well. It has been a pleasure to work

with such a lovely group of people. I would finally like to wish you all the very best in

the future on behalf of the staff and management team at Richmond Fellowship.

As a final farewell we would like to invite you all to a celebration event which will

take place on Thursday 27th October, 2016 1.30pm – 3.00pm at St Johns Church

Hall, Bedford Avenue, Stafford. We will be providing a buffet lunch and light

refreshments. Could I ask that you confirm your place by calling Sue at the Stafford

Office on 01785 227020. We hope to see you on the day!!!

Kind Regards and Very Best Wishes

Michelle and the Life Links Team

AVAILABLE COURSES IN SEPTEMBER

Mondays

Colouring with Kevin

Stafford 11am-1pm

Tuesdays

Peer Support with Iris and Sarah

Codsall 9.30am– Midday

Wednesdays

Knit and Natter with Alison and

Lisa

Stafford 1pm-3pm

Drama Therapy

Stafford 1pm-3pm

Peer Support

Kinver 1pm-3pm

Thursdays

Peer Support with Elaine

Rugeley 9.30am-1.30pm

Peer Support

Stafford 10am-1pm

Peer Support

Stone 11am-2pm

Fridays

Peer Support with Iris

Codsall 9.45am-Midday

Music with Richard and Vicky

Stafford 10am-Midday

Peer Support with Iris

Wombourne 10am-2pm

Peer Support with Denys and Sarah

Cannock 11am-2pm

Saturdays

Peer Support with Sarah and Iris

Wombourne 10am-2pm

3

4

RICHMOND’S ROLE IN MY RECOVERY: HELPING ME TO HELP MYSELF

Living in South Staffs, the geography of Staffordshire means that many mental health

services and events happen in other parts of the county, so unless you can travel it’s easy

to feel a bit left out! However, I am delighted to say that I have been able to access

Richmond Fellowship’s services in Wombourne itself.

Although I’ve accessed mental health services since my late teens, it’s in my mid 30s that

I’ve finally found more stability in my own mental health than at any other time in my

adult life. I’m fortunate to honestly be able to say now that I “live with” rather than

“suffer from” bipolar. So why the change?

I can’t really say that there has been one specific factor or external event that has brought

about that change; I do think that when you live with a mental illness, it is often a

combination of factors that can help bring about recovery. Things that have helped me

include finding the right medication, support and self-help. All these alongside other

helpful factors like taking exercise and having enough positive activity to keep busy but

not over-busy.

However, one massive thing that has helped me is learning that no one else can make me

well on my behalf. I have realised that other people can only help me to help myself

which is something that has been wholeheartedly promoted and encouraged by

Richmond Fellowship both within groups, peer support and on a one to one basis.

So, as opposed to waiting for external events to help to make me feel better, it is actually

an internal one – I have been encouraged to realise for myself that I have the power

within me to help myself. That doesn’t mean I don’t need help from others, indeed I still

access mental health services and will always need medication and probably some level of

support, but I now realise that others cannot make me well for me.

Alongside thanking all at Richmond Fellowship, staff, volunteers and fellow peers, I’d just

like to say a special thank you to Iris; who so ably facilitates our Wombourne peer support

group, for her encouraging words to me alongside her hard work and dedication. Thanks

too to our other volunteer Sarah, as well as every other person involved in our group.

Recovery, as promoted by RF is possible, however, I have realised that for me it is

something I have had to spearhead and be in control of. Taking control of it as opposed to

letting mental illness control me is far from easy but it is possible and is so worth it!

With thanks,

Rachel Butcher (Service User, Wombourne)

“However, one massive thing that has helped me is learning that no one else can make me well on my behalf.”

T—BIRDS

The pavement of the every-

day

is a walk with a familiar feel,

yet the unused kerb

is a sidestep to other

thoughts

while you keep

your T shape balance.

Children know this,

they persist even when told

off

to walk a flagstone to

optimism,

with arms outstretched.

A moment’s warmth

of dreams to in-pocket, like

flints

for when the weather is wet

and small town heels

are watered down.

Strike them up when hope

and life gets a little too dim.

I keep them close by, I do.

Ignite them into life off my

heels,

rebound them to dispel shop

windows,

when all you can buy into

is someone else’s reflection

of promise

and not sometimes your

own.

While the skies fall,

these eyes open up to rains,

and what they can deliver.

How they can take the slide

off immovable mountains,

and leave behind what’s

needed;

flints left in the residue,

those little things that spark.

Matt Clendon

There can be many reasons healthy living can be made difficult. One main

problem is getting the right motivation!

Sometimes we celebrate by going for a meal or a drink. We may often have a ‘take away’ night, or if we just feel really low we crave junk food! So sometimes healthy living just needs a

change of behaviour more so than a

change of food. For example if you’re feeling low and craving a night in with Ben and Jerry, try to stop yourself beforehand and think

about what would be more beneficial to your mind and body. Can you lift your mood by talking to someone about the problem, could you go for a walk or even lose yourself in a good book? These sorts of distractions techniques are key. Make sure you use all your senses—smell the fresh air, pet your dog/cat, view your surroundings.

It’s all about taking yourself out of the situation when you are vulnerable.

C h a l l e n g e

t i m e !

This month try to:

SWAP

A meal for a movie! For example, if you are wanting to see your friends, sug-gest the cinema or something active!

ADD

A list of activities. If you have a list on your fridge, when you feel like cooking (whether to cele-brate or commiserate!) it may deter you as there may be something else you would pre-fer to do but just don’t think of at the time! Nick Reaney and Laura Sadler

NICK’S HEALTHY CORNER

5

FUN FACTS

‘Four’ is the only number

that is spelled with the

same amount of letters as

it’s value!

Stop being afraid of what

could go wrong and start

being excited about what

could go right!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

CRYPTOGRAM

Try to use the numbers to help you spell each word—Hint: Most words are used in this issue! HAVE

FUN!

6

BLOOMS IN THE MIST BY IAN KNOTT

Now I'm not really one for flowers. They have green bits and coloured

bits and several names, the English ones sometimes harder to spell and

pronounce than the Latin ones!!! Anyway, “a rose by any other name....”

and all that. In this case the flowers were the most appealing picture

available from the books and loose sheets sitting on the group table, so I

set to work. I didn't really know what I wanted to do with picture or what

colours to use. As the weeks went on the colours just came to me, I'm

sure they aren't correct or anything as I know nothing of plants and

flowers but authenticity isn't exactly the idea. I used ball points, gel pens

and pencils to create the colour effects; started with the greens of the

stems and leaves.

In another of those colours used as synonyms situations, green, where all

plants start, is the colour used to indicate inexperience. The thing is, we all

start “green” and inexperienced. Just as my picture did we grow, blossom

and bloom and just like the flowers we create the colours of our lives and

share our colour with others. In using the different mediums to add the

colour it came across to me as showing how all the different people in our

lives give us form and how our struggles shape us. The idea of form,

texture and shape making us attractive people to be around is a sort of

reflection of that which makes flowers appeal to people as they watch

their gardens come to life though each spring and summer.

Unfortunately the people in our lives are not always harmonious and just

like colours they can clash. Even inside our own minds there are voices

that argue and clash, just like colours, and just like those insect pests they eat away at us spoiling our joy of life. They cause our blossoming to be

stunted and stop us from blooming into the beautiful people we want to be.

When a mental illness hits you it isn't like the gardener pruning his plants to encourage growth, it is like all those little pests that nibble away at

the plants, hard to eradicate a sometimes hiding unseen under the leaves while they eat away at the colours and sap the life out of the flower.

Therapists can't always see what ails us, WE don't even know all the things that undermine our confidence and well being. Just like insects the

negative thoughts eat away at our psyches causing self doubt, self loathing and depression, while hiding under the leaves and layers of our

personality. Finding the right insecticide for mental maladies however is big problem.

On some occasions the things that eat into us become us to create a sort of symbiotic relationship where the sufferer becomes oblivious to the

problem and dismissive of a cure. Even though there is something ugly growing on the plant the plant itself has no idea it is being killed by this

sickness within itself. We can be like that too. It is no coincidence that therapists say they can't help a person who doesn't accept they have a

problem.

That is where the mist comes in. Photo's of landscapes and gardens seen through a mist hold a real sense of beauty. Quite why isn't easy to

define but for me it is because the mist hides the not so nice bits and it intrigues us with the “what else might be hiding there” idea. This is also

the two sides of mental illnesses and of how the sufferers can see themselves. Usually we try to hide the bad stuff from ourselves, or hide

ourselves from the bad stuff; we loose sight of the idea we can still develop ourselves into something beautiful and the idea that there is still

more wonderful, colourful beauty hiding within us is met with disbelief and even dread.

“There; in the midst of our mists, the blooms of our internal beauty are waiting to be found and enjoyed, by ourselves and those around us."

All throughout this year at the Cannock Group we have had raffles and bingo games to raise a pot of money for a trip out. Each member of the group has brought in prizes for the games, and each game cost 50p to play. The prizes varied in type; from tinned food and sweets to jewellery and toiletries.

We raised enough to hire a 24 seat coach and also pay for a fish and chip lunch. Although the weather wasn't fantastic, a good time was had by all who went!

Our next outing will be at Christmas time for a panto.

It’s amazing what we can do when we work as a team!

Lisa Jones and Sarah Latham

CANNOCK PEER SUPPORT GROUP TRIP TO LLANDUDNO JULY 2016

7

Sarah – “I've never been to Llandudno before and wasn't sure what to expect but I had a very enjoyable day.”

Dee - “It was an enjoyable day!”

Rob -”Fantastic, and it got me out.”

Les – “It was a good day, we did well.”

Lisa – “I spent way too much money but I had a great time doing so!”

I attend the Peer Support Group all through the year. We have been holding

raffles and games of Bingo. We all bring something in to put in as prizes to raise

the money for a day trip to Llandudno. We had our trip on Friday (29th July) and

we even raised enough money for us all to have a meal.

The volunteers made sure we were all taken care of; pop, water, and sweets

were handed around when we needed it.

We are now concentrating on Christmas; we hope to raise enough money to go

to a panto and have a meal! I know that we will reach our goal.

I would like to say a big thank you to Sarah and Lisa for a very enjoyable day out

as a group. So on behalf of all the service users, thank you to the volunteers!!

June and Friends

“LLANDUDNO HERE WE COME!”

UPCOMING EVENTS

Floristry Taster

Tuesday 6th September

1pm-3pm

Holistic Therapy Taster

Wednesday 7th September

10am-12pm

Creative Arts Taster

Wednesday 14th September

10am-12pm

Introduction to Sewing

Friday 9th September

10am-12pm

Photo Montage

Monday 12th September

10am-12pm

All of the above courses will be

situated at the Cannock College.

COMING UP NEXT

MONTH

Staffordshire Life Links

Celebration Event

Thursday 27th October

1.30pm-3pm

USEFUL WEBSITES

www.blurtitout.org

www.mentalhealth.org.uk

www.samaritans.org

www.ssnmentalheallth. btck.co.uk www.richmondfellowship.org.uk www.dalepinnock.com

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

This month’s question comes from an anonymous service user that is

having another common problem.

If you have any questions

or concerns, feel free to

contact us. You can email,

phone or post us your

queries on the details

below! We now have

Twitter and Facebook accounts if social media is more

your thing!

Useful Contacts

Staffordshire Mental Health Helpline

0808 800 2234

CALM Helpline (Men Specific)

0800 58 58 58

Staffordshire Women’s Aid 0870 2700 123

CAHMS (Young People Specific) 01785 221 665

FRANK (Advice on Drugs)

0300 123 6600

Samaritans 116 123

Or

01785 24 33 33 (Stafford Specific

Branch)

South Staffordshire Network for

Mental Health

01543 301139

Staffordshire Life Links

Suite 2 St John’s House

Weston Road Stafford

ST16 3RZ

Phone: 01785 227020 E-mail: Info.StaffsLL@

Richmondfellowship.org.uk

www.twitter.com/RfStaffordshire

www.facebook.com/

RFStaffordshire

Feel free to get in touch! Any story, or true life event. Any questions or queries. Maybe you have done some artwork you are proud of? Get in

touch and we will get it published!

Always try to be open to change, it can sometimes be a good thing as getting too comfortable can lead to boredom.

If things don’t appear to be going the way you would like then remember to ask for support! Link worker, friends or family are there if you need them and will understand if you just need to do a little talking therapy!

Coping with change

I’m worried things will be different and I wont like the way the new things are done.