Apr - Jun 2016
Trainspotting
and other pursuits
A Day In The Life Of A Support Worker
New 1st
Homecare
website
~o green and
save energy in
10 simple steps
Welcome
Welcome to the April - June edition of Real News. Our regular magazine is your opportunity to
contribute and find out more about what is going on around Real Life Options.
This issue gives you an exclusive insight into a day in the life of a Support Worker, plus you can learn how
to go green in ten simple steps and read all about the great things that have been going on in the past few
months, including birthdays galore, exciting trips out and Sport Relief fun.
As always, please do let me know your wonderful stories for future issues.
Plus, if you’re a person we support who would like to get involved in Real News
I’d love to hear from you - so please do get in touch!
I hope you enjoy your read.
What’s 1st Homecare:
New? All Together Now
Real Life Options subsidiary home care companies Alpha & Lowland Care
and Senior Service are now all together in 1st Homecare
1st Homecare is the main subsidiary company
of Real Life Options delivering personalised care
at home and support services in Scotland. From
1st April 2016 1st Homecare absorbed Alpha,
Lowland and Senior Service.
Sam Goodwin, Editor
“The 1st Homecare brand will help us
present a unified offer with consistent
information and standards of service.”
In this Issue
12. 1st Homecare: All Together Now
16. Super Times At The SNP Conference
12. New 1st Homecare Website To Launch
18. Cool Activities In Coventry
13. Super At 60 (Eddie and Sandra)
18. My Life, My Way Support Plans Revamped
14. Easter Eggstravaganza
19. Oh We Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside
15. A Day In The Life Of A Support Worker
19. Family Forum Fun Times
17. Meet Non-Executive Director Rob Hendry
20. Discover The Mental Health Benefits Of Gardening
18. Off To See The Wizard Of Oz
21. Anjum’s Fantastic 40th
19. Meet Our Stars (James and Peter)
21. Joyful Days Ahead For Judy
11. On Your Marks, Get Set...Go! (Sport Relief)
22. The Big Interview: Andrew Furber
12. Fantastic Football Night
23. A Fond Farewell To Trevor
12. Have A Break, Have A Stay At Bisley Drive
24. Walk This Way (Michael’s Charity Walk)
13. Spotlight On Saving Energy
25. Nice To Meet You (Alan and Shonagh)
15. Lovely Ladies Night (Maureen)
26. Real Life Entertainment
15. Go Purple For Epilepsy
27. Competition Time
Stay up to date
Keep up with all the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and our website.
/RealLifeOptions
[email protected]
@RealLifeOptions
01977 781385
www.reallifeoptions.org
1
Got news? Get in touch!
The move to consolidate the other companies into
1st Homecare will benefit the people we support
and staff, as it will mean easier sharing of best
practice on personalised care at home, as well as
being more cost effective. The transition has been
very smooth, with no impact on services to people
we support, which have continued to be delivered
to the same person-centred standards as usual.
Staff from Alpha, Lowland and Senior Service
have now moved to 1st Homecare, with new
uniforms, staff handbooks on personalised
support and a single induction process for all new
staff to promote person-centred thinking.
John McDonald, Executive Director said: “The
move to a single homecare service organisation in
1st Homecare is an important part of our journey to
improve quality of service for the people we support.
Staff and managers work hard to ensure we focus
on ensuring the best support we can deliver. The
revised structure helps us to support that effort in a
more co-ordinated way. The 1st Homecare brand
will help us present a unified offer with consistent
information and standards of service.”
“I’d like to welcome the new Managing Director
George Lang and thank Jean Lind for all her hard
work and wish her all the best in her future job.”
New 1st Homecare
website to launch
1st Homecare are due to launch a brand
new website in June which will provide
a wealth of information about the range
of services provided and how best to
access these.
The new website will be easier to use
and will be brighter and more interactive,
providing more informative, accessible
details about our work.
You’ll be able to check it out for yourself at:
www.1sthomecare.co.uk
2
What’s
New?
Azra Kirkby appointed as
Interim Chief Executive
Following Brian Hutchinson’s departure from Real Life Options for
pastures new, Azra Kirkby has been appointed by the Board as the
Interim Chief Executive, supported by the Executive Director team.
AZRA KIRKBY
Interim Chief
Executive
Azra has worked as the Deputy Chief Executive for Real Life Options
for 2 years and has worked in the health and social care charity sector
for over twelve years. She would like to extend a warm welcome to
everyone across the organisation and looks forward to meeting you
and working with you in the near future (if she hasn’t already!)
Super at 60
Eddie and Sandra celebrate the big 6-0
There have been 60th birthday celebrations galore
up in Scotland over the past few months. Eddie, a
person we support from Robertson Road, recently
turned 60 and Real Life Options staff organised a
great party for him at his local bowling club. Eddie
was super excited for his big party and relished
the opportunity to go shopping for a new outfit and
to buy decorations for the hall. Staff arranged a
catering company to provide a scrumptious buffet
and booked a disco as well. All Eddie’s family and
friends attended his party which made the event
even more special for him and Eddie was lucky
is
Eddie and h
party
Mum at his
3
enough to receive
lots of nice gifts
which he took great
joy in opening. As
Eddie loves fishing,
his birthday cake
just had to be a fishing design with a wee fisher
man in a boat!
Meanwhile Sandra Reid, Service Manager for
Robertson Road and Lorimer Gardens, also got
to enjoy some celebrations of her own when
staff and people we support from both services
organised an exciting surprise party at the
Dunfermline office. Amazingly
they managed to plan the
party, decorate the room and
sneak in a buffet whilst Sandra
was in a managers meeting
and knew nothing about it! She
was then led into the training
room where everyone was
waiting to surprise her and was
Sandra receiv
presented
with some lovely gifts,
es her cake fr
om
previous Man
flowers and a delicious cake.
ager Isobel
Easter Eggxtravaganza
Oodles of eggxcellent painted eggs and eggxciting Easter bonnets
Easter marks a great time to celebrate and people
across Real Life Options were enjoying getting
into the spirit. But as well as enjoying the Easter
bank holiday weekend and indulging in some
scrumptious chocolate eggs, there was a whole
load of delightful artistic talent on display!
Real News received lots of entries to the Easter
Egg painting competition which provided an
eggxcellent eggxcuse to crack out some paint
and get creative. Fighting off tough competition
Liam from Elsdon Mews was declared the overall
winner with his marvellous Avengers eggs
featuring Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America and
Thor hatching a plan against a New York skyline.
Other notable entries, also from Elsdon Mews,
included Sonia’s classic Humpty Dumpty,
Edward’s inspired Finding Nemo, Lesley’s lovely
lamb and Alison’s pond life frog and bird.
1st
Liam’s Winning Avengers Eggs
Helen, Vicky and Sheila’s Easter bonnets
2nd
1st
3rd
Meanwhile over in Newcastle, there was some
cracking good fun at the recent service user
forum with an Easter Bonnet Making competition.
Jill Hicks, Learning and Development Manager
was the judge and awarded Vicky first place
for her eggxceptional Blackpool beach bonnet.
Helen won second place for her pastel pink
bonnet adorned with bunnies and flowers and
Sheila won third place for her yellow bonnet
decorated with lambs, chicks and eggs.
Alison’s Po
nd Life
ty
p
m
u
D
pty
Sonia’s Hum
ing Nemo
Edward’s Find
Lesley’s Lovely
Lamb
4
A day in the life of
a support worker
Real News spends the day with Support Worker Paul Marshall in Leeds
“There’s no such thing as a typical day,” says
Paul Marshall, a Support Worker for outreach
services in Leeds. “All the people we support
are individuals with different needs, so the job’s
really varied and different every day.”
Paul has worked for Real Life Options (RLO)
for over six years and recently was promoted to
Team Co-ordinator, a role he is about to start.
Previously he worked as a Financial Advisor
for 25 years but was inspired by his wife who
has worked in the care sector for decades, and
since joining RLO Paul has never looked back.
“Being a Support Worker is certainly one of the
most rewarding jobs in the world,” said Paul.
“You know instantly if the job’s for you when you
start working. There’s no stress involved, you
spend so much time laughing and getting paid
for having fun!”
“There’s no such thing as a typical day,
it’s really varied and different.”
On this particular day Paul is supporting a
gentleman called Irfan from Leeds, who is a
cheeky character with a winning smile and it’s
clear from the outset that Irfan and Paul have
a great relationship with lots of high fives and
fist-bumping initiated by Irfan.
The day starts with Paul meeting Irfan at
his home in Leeds where he lives with his
brother who is also supported by RLO,
his sister and the wider family. Paul is
on hand to help out with a scrumptious
breakfast of crumpets and peanut butter,
followed by personal care as Irfan has a
shower, a shave and brushes his teeth.
As the sun was shining, the pair then set
out walking to Hillside Day Centre to enjoy
a cup of tea and socialise with the other
5
people there. A small group then made a brief
excursion by mini-bus to the nearby ‘The Bridge
Holbeck Community Day Centre’ where Irfan
independently got involved in a lot of stimulating
activities, including a team Botchi ball game and
taking on Paul at a game of pool.
“The best quality for a Support Worker to
have is a sense of humour, you have to be
able to laugh at yourself!”
After that it was time for a packed lunch back
at the Hillside Day Centre, although Irfan and
Paul did pop into The Feel Good Café enroute so Irfan could choose a drink to buy and
interact paying the cashier himself. Even though
Irfan could be described as ‘non-verbal’, it was
immediately obvious that he had a lot to say and
clearly communicated well throughout the day
with a variety of Makaton signs, gestures and
words. As he loves trains he was quite animated
about going to see the ‘choo-choo’ trains so
the next stop was a bus to Leeds City Centre,
at which point Paul gave Irfan freedom to point
out directions of where he wanted to go. Irfan
expertly navigated around Leeds, guiding us
to the market so he could buy a neon orange
keyring from his favourite key stall before
enjoying trainspotting at the station.
bus ride
Enjoying the
Shopping
at Leeds
Market
entre
ge Community C
rid
B
he
T
at
ol
po
Playing
“Irfan gets involved in a lot of activities, from
football and boxercise to music groups”
explained Paul. “But from his recent behaviour
we do think he’s getting a bit bored with his
current routine so we are planning to shake
it up a bit – we’re investigating a new Animal
Awareness course or possibly a walking group
as he likes being outside.”
“He is very clever, he knows what he wants,”
continued Paul. “When I first started this role
my wife said to me that ‘the people you’ll be
working with have learning disabilities, but don’t
for one minute think that they’re stupid, because
they’re definitely not.”
Irfan thoroughly enjoyed whistling and waving at
the trains and even high-fiving some policemen!
The day finished with a final trip back to Hillside
Day Centre for a refreshing cup of tea (Irfan’s
favourite) and a bus ride and walk back to
the family home, when Paul completed the
communication log and updated Irfan’s sister.
“I’d say the best quality for a Support Worker to
have is a sense of humour, you have to be able
to laugh at yourself!” shared Paul. “You do have
to be patient too and you need to be flexible
as you have to be able to react to different
situations. You do need to be emotionally ready
for the job – it can be challenging at times,
especially when people get frustrated, but I
take it all in my stride. I really enjoy being part
of a team, but I do value my independence so it
suits me to take the day as it comes. It can be
lonely occasionally, but I’ve always found the
management team to be very approachable
whenever I’ve raised any concerns.”
Trainspotting at Le
eds Station
“Being a Support Worker is most rewarding is
when you can tangibly see the difference you
have made in someone’s life, like Irfan. Another
man I support, Luke, in the past couldn’t cross
a road by himself as he had no awareness
of danger, whereas now 6 years later he is
independently travelling to college by himself
and looking for a job. It’s great to see the effort
you put in can pay off and it reminds you to
never give up on anyone.”
Paul’s Support Worker Diary
Tuesday 3rd May 2016
7.00 - Meet Irfan at his home
7.30 - Breakfast and personal care
9.00 - Walk to Hillside Day Centre
9.45 - Bus to Holbeck Day Centre
10.00 - Botchi ball game & Pool
11.30 - Bus back to Hillside Day Centre
11.45 - Visit the Feel Good cafe
12.00 - Packed Lunch with Irfan’s friends
12.40 - Bus into Leeds City Centre
1.00 - Walk around town & Leeds Market
2.30 - Trainspotting at Train Station
3.15 - Bus back to Hillside Day Centre
3.45 - Travel back to Irfan’s home
4.00 - Handover & Communication Log
6
New Non-Executive Director Rob
Hendry joins Real Life Options
Real News meets Rob Hendry; the
newest member of the Real Life
Options Board, who joined last October
Creative Arts and Thinking Group turn Prop Masters
In a nutshell what does your role as a
Non-Executive Director involve?
It is essentially like being a ‘critical friend’
of the Executive Directors, so that involves
working with them and effectively holding them
to account, making sure they’re doing what
they say they plan to do. My job is essentially
to make sure that all the directors are acting
honestly and in the best interest of the charity
whilst helping them out with my own experience.
What is your other job that you have as well
as working for Real Life Options?
My day job is Medical Director of Medical
Protection Society which is an organisation
that provides professional indemnity around
the world for doctors, dentists and healthcare
workers. It employs over 1,000 people who
provide support, advice and representation.
You can find out more at www.mps.org.uk
What are your hobbies/interests?
I play golf – with more enthusiasm than skill! In
winter I love to go skiing which is great fun.
What’s your favourite film, music artist/
group and book?
It’s hard to choose just one film! Some Like It
Hot is a classic comedy which is very funny,
The Big Lebowski is another favourite and I also
enjoy gangster films such as Goodfellas and
Casino. One of my all time favourite books is
The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley that got turned
into a brilliant movie starring Julie Christie.
I enjoy a wide variety of music – I like to go and
see live music, my last concert was Deacon
Blue and the next in line is Billy Ocean.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever
been given?
Don’t worry about things you can’t change.
7
Off to see the
Wizard of Oz!
ROB HENDRY
Non-Executive Director
What do you hope to achieve in your new
role on the Board at Real Life Options?
I would like to better understand the work the
organisation does as I believe it is so worthwhile
and important. I’d like to bring my skills and
experience to the organisation to help it develop.
If I achieve that my time on the Board will have
been well spent.
What do people like and admire about you?
I’ve been told I have a good sense of humour
and I’m optimistic and approachable. I’m also
pragmatic, reflective and I stay calm in a crisis.
What’s important to you?
Life - living it to the full and enjoying it! I enjoy
learning from new experiences and working with
other people to solve problems. My family and
friends are obviously very important to me and I
like having fun and resolving conflict.
How best can you be supported?
Talk to me and tell it like it is and don’t be afraid
to share your ideas. Help me to understand if
something is worrying you and make me part of
a productive team. Please do avoid jargon too!
A dedicated team of skilled people recently helped
to decorate props and design scenery for a local
theatre show. The Real Life Options Creative
Arts and Thinking Group based in the North East
headed up the prop department for the Stockton
Stage Society production of The Wizard of Oz.
Carol from Darlington Road and Support Worker
Joy Sudron were two of the people in charge of
creating a vast range of important props as well as
designing the scenery for the stage. Assisted by
Support Worker Justin Flewelling, the group play a
crucial part in making the show happen and offer
annual support in helping out with props.
Service Manager
Bryan Cutter
Carol gets decorating
The people we support and staff alike got an extra
treat when they set off down the yellow brick road
to see the show, as not only did they get to see
their props and set designs brought to life but they
also got to enjoy watching Service Manager Bryan
Cutter tread the boards playing the Cowardly Lion
in the production. “It’s a lot of fun,” said Bryan.
“Every year the show plays to audiences of over
400 during the run and it’s great to have the
Arts Group providing annual support as well as
enjoying the show too!”
Carol and Joy de
sign
props
It’s Safe to Speak Out!
0800 032 7333
Your Confidential Whistle Blowing
Hotline is a safe way for you to
report any examples of poor
practice or misconduct.
It’s Safe To
Speak Out!
8
Meet our
Real Life Stars...
The theme of our Annual Review this year is ‘The
Real Life Excellence Factor’ celebrating some of our
real life stars from across the organisation. Check
out James and Peter’s stories below and reserve
your copy of the Annual Review to read more.
Improving confidence with college
James always pushes the boundaries
to learn and develop new skills
James, a person we support from Wales, has
progressed leaps and bounds since signing
up to numerous college courses. Always
keen to further his knowledge, James has
been passionate about attending Oxford
House Risca College in Newport for the past
three years. During that time James has
been committed to trying a diverse range of
interesting courses, including arts and crafts,
cookery, animal welfare and computer literacy.
“James’ progress is outstanding. He has
mastered some fantastic new skills.”
“James’ progress is outstanding,” said Gail
Sherrard, Service Manager. “He has grown
incredibly in confidence and is much better at
social interaction. Going to college has also
really helped to reduce his anxiety levels and
he has mastered some fantastic new skills,
such as helping prepare cooked meals and
writing his own CV for his quest to get back
into the workplace.”
“I’ve
learnt
new
skills”
James at one
of his
college cours
es
James’ residential service in Wales is
currently in a transition programme to convert
to a supported living establishment and
Gail couldn’t be prouder of his involvement
in the process. “James is really thrilled
about his new home and is looking forward
to decorating it. It will have much more
of a community feel and there are more
opportunities for social inclusion as it’s less
remote. It’s closer to the college too, which
is great for
James. We’re
very excited
about what the
future holds.”
An inspiration to us all
Peter takes charge of his fantastic
personal development
No challenge is too great for self-motivated
Peter, a person we support at Orchard Care
in Coventry. Over the last few years Peter
has impressed everyone around him with
his constant commitment and dedication to
his own personal development. Whereas
in the past he had anger issues and was
consequently prescribed a lot of medication,
now he is completely prescription-free after
successfully developing a number of strategies
to keep himself calm. After committing to
anger management courses and weekly art
therapy Peter has developed his own coping
mechanisms for controlling his temper and
is confident in walking away from
demanding situations.
“I really enjoy working at the shop.”
Nowadays Peter is taking great pride in
contributing to his local community and for over
three years has been faithfully working at a
Coventry Mind charity shop supporting better
mental health. “I really enjoy working at the
shop,” said Peter speaking about his job role.
He has also stepped out in faith at his local
“I inspire
others”
Committed Peter
church and confidently delivered bible readings
standing in front of the whole congregation.
In addition, he’s been getting active, taking up
regular swimming and weekly walks with his
mother. After helping out in the kitchen, he’s
now keen to develop his culinary skills and
plans to learn how to cook and bake in 2016.
“Peter’s transformation from a few years ago
is outstanding,” said James Dawson, Support
Worker. “He’s like a completely different person.
He’s such a fantastic success story, a great
example of what can be achieved.”
Annual Review
Available Soon!
Reserve your copy of our new Annual Review to read more
excellent stories celebrating some of our very own stars.
You can reserve your copy from Sam Goodwin in Marketing
(simply email [email protected]).
10
On Your Marks, Get Set…Go!
Fantastic Football Night
Sporting superstars emerge in aid of Sport Relief
Christopher, a person we support from Forfar,
writes for Real News about football
Much fun was had across Real Life Options as
people embraced a number of different sporting
activities for Sport Relief. A whole host of events
were on offer at Head Office from old classics,
including darts, hoopla and boules, to digital
games including Wii Sports and Just Dance.
Head Office staff fundraise for Sport Relief
Staff even competed in an old-school traditional
sports day, including the egg and spoon race and
the beanbag on head race. Friendly competition
was rife and everyone had a great time making a
dash for the finish line.
Over £100 was raised for Sport Relief which will
go towards making a difference to a range of good
causes, transforming the lives of people in the UK
and in some of the world’s poorest communities.
In addition to Sport Relief, Real Life Options have
also raised money and awareness in the past
few months for the National Autistic Society and
Headway: The Brain Injury Association.
Charity
Event
Calendar
Emma and Lauren in the
beanbag race
FRIDAY 17TH JUNE - Diabetes Day
Competitions, quiz & dress down day
FRIDAY 29TH JULY - Epilepsy Day
Quiz, training and dress down day
FRIDAY 26TH AUGUST - Dementia Day
Quiz and dress down day
Lauren and Liam in the
egg and spoon race
11
pete
Nicola and Glenn com
ce
in the egg and spoon ra
L-R: George
, Robert, An
drew, Jame
Colin and C
s,
hristopher
The match finished 1-0 to Scotland. It was really
good, it was cold but worth it! We are looking
forward to seeing another game in the near future.
Check out our charity calendar to see what
upcoming events are planned for the coming
months. We’d love for you to get involved!
uren
Natalie and La
irit
get into the sp
Myself and some of my fellow service users
went to see a football match at Hampden Park
in Glasgow. We went to see Scotland take on
Denmark on Tuesday 29th March.
The match was very exciting and everyone really
enjoyed themselves; what was even better………
they won!!!
Guest Writer: Christopher
A person we suppport from Lilywynd, Forfar
Have a Break, Have a
stay at Bisley Drive...
Lots of people with learning disabilities are
supported by their families, but once in a
while it can be refreshing for everyone to
have a break. That’s where Bisley Drive
comes in - a Real Life Options service that
specialises in providing short breaks for
adults with learning disabilities from the
South Tyneside area.
All the Bisley Drive staff aim to make all stays
an enjoyable experience and offer a range
of activities that guests can particpate in,
from day trips, sports and bowling to arts and
crafts, cinema and theatre.
“The people that come to the service
are a great bunch of people. It’s a great
atmosphere here, very relaxed,” said Jane
Taylor, Service Manager. “We have a brilliant
staff team who really are excellent and go
above and beyond on a daily basis. They
really respect the fact that it’s that person’s
holiday and try to make it as special as
possible. After seeing our standard of care
families always say if we were a residential
service they’d like their loved ones to live here
- you can’t get a higher accolade than that!”
Unsuprisingly Bisley Drive are forever
receiving expressions of gratitude from
delighted parents, from numerous thank you
cards to special mentions in local newspapers
for outstanding service and professionalism.
For more details or to book your stay contact
Jane Taylor on 0191 454 4871.
12
Spotlight on Saving Energy
Go Green in 10 simple steps
Save energy, reduce costs and be more environmentally friendly
You may have heard that Real Life Options
(RLO) is certified to the ISO 14001
Environmental Management Standard…
but what does that really mean? Joe Lee,
Health and Safety Manager, who is in charge
of all things environmental at RLO explains:
“More and more companies are starting to take
more care for their environment and Real Life
Options have fully embraced this opportunity
as it allows all staff, people we support and
families to join in and make a real contribution.
Our Environment Policy clearly identifies how we
want to implement our environment objectives
and demonstrate a better way of doing things.”
“Our Environmental Policy clearly
identifies how we want to implement our
environment objectives and demonstrate
a better way of doing things.”
“Your contribution, no matter how small the
involvement may be, will give us all a sense of
pride knowing that we are all having an input
into a better, safer and cleaner environment and
helping to reduce waste and CO2 emissions.
By getting actively involved and positively
contributing to the environment through your
ideas, skills and passion, we can all agree
protecting our future through Real Life Options is
certainly a worthy cause.
As a company we can potentially save a great
deal of natural resourced energy through being
mindful about heating and travel. Addressing
this shows we understand the need to do more
to reduce our usage. Real Life Options gets this
and we choose to do the right thing rather than
the easy thing and by doing this will make the
work environment a happier place to work.”
You can help do your bit and go green in 10
steps in your office, service and home today.
1. Go Digital
4. Get sharing
Does everyone in the office or service need
their own stapler, hole punch, scissors, etc?
Of course not! Save money and unnecessary
manufacture by using less in the first place.
Rather than buying new stationery, see if you
can share or get refills instead.
5. Switch computers off
Both in services and offices make sure
computers are switched off when you’re not
using them rather than just leaving them on
standby – you’d be amazed how much energy
this saves!
6. Recycle
The more you do online, the less you need
paper. Think about if you can send emails
instead of letters or if you need to print files
or if you can save them on your computer (or
SharePoint if you’re based in a RLO office).
Make sure you recycle what you can. Real Life
Options offices have green bins to recyle paper
and most councils will collect recycled materials
such as plastic and cardboard from residential
services so make sure you sort out waste before
throwing it in the bin.
2. Switch lights off
7. Green the commute
One of the simplest ways to reduce energy
consumption is to switch lights off when you
leave a room. If it’s sunny outside open up the
blinds and make the most of natural light instead.
3. Reuse before recycle
Before you get gung-ho about recycling think
about can you reuse items first? Can you
print on both sides of paper or can you reuse as
scrap paper for note taking or shopping lists?
Can you car share, use public transport,
walk or ride a bike instead of jumping in the
car? This often provides a great chance to
integrate with the community or get to know your
colleagues better too!
8. Save water
Only use as much water as you need, saving
both water and the energy needed to heat it
when it comes to cups of tea and baths etc.
Plus did you know you can get dual-flush toilets
or water saving devices for toilet cisterns which
reduce water used per flush.
9. Cut unnecessary
travel
Consider if you can use the Real Life Options
Skype or teleconference facilities instead of
travelling in the first place. Not only is this good
for the environment but also saves you time and
money too!
10. Bring your own lunch
Bringing lunches to work or on days out in
reusable containers is probably the greenest
(and healthiest) way to eat at work. Buying
lunches everyday almost inevitably ends up with
a miniature mountain of packaging waste and is
way more expensive than making your own too!
Did you know...
2˚C
A 2°C increase in office
temperature creates enough CO2
in a year to fill a hot air balloon.
70%
70% less energy is required to
recycle paper compared with
making it from raw materials.
You could heat 1000 cups of
tea from the energy wasted
lighting an office overnight.
14
Lovely Ladies Night
Maureen enjoys a fabulous night of girly fun
Maureen, a person we support from Newcastle,
sure knows how to have a good time. She
recently enjoyed a fabulous night of girly fun at
the Ladies Night at the fancy Lancastrian Suite
in Gateshead. Alongside staff from Newcastle
and Durham including Team Co-ordinator Katie
Murphy and Support Worker Caroline McCone,
Maureen led the way in cutting some shapes on
the dancefloor and had a great time enjoying the
live entertainment. The ladies especially enjoyed
the meet and greet experience on arrival with the
rather gorgeous and cheeky Hunks in Trunks!
“After a tough couple of years of ill health Maureen
is starting to be able to go out more,” explained
Katie. “She loves to dance so this was a perfect
night for her. It was great to see her having such
a wonderful time and me and Caroline thoroughly
enjoyed it too!”
Real Life Options exhibits to talk politics
Maureen...and the Hunk
s in Trunks!
roline
Katie, Maureen and Ca
Go Purple for Epilepsy!
Anthea in action
Did you know that every year
26th March is Purple Day
or Epilepsy Action Day. This
international day was created
in 2008 by Cassidy Megan, a
young girl from Canada, who
has epilepsy and wanted to
raise awareness and assure
people with epilepsy that they
are not alone.
Many people we support at Real Life Options
have epilepsy and it’s important we work hard to
make sure that everyone is aware so that we get
our support right. A report by the charity Autistica
showed that people with a learning disability and
epilepsy don’t always manage to stay well. So a lot
needs to be done.
Many of us in Real Life Options have had training
to make sure that we get it right when we are
supporting people with epilepsy. It would be really
fantastic if we all took a moment to listen to what
15
Super times at the SNP
conference in Scotland
people with epilepsy would like us to know and to
make sure we know how to look after someone
if they have a seizure. Last year my life changed
when I developed epilepsy myself. I am lucky
in many ways; my seizures are fairly infrequent
and it’s looking as if I may be amongst the 70%
of people who can become seizure free with
medication. It would be much more difficult if
I was unable to communicate how I feel after
a seizure, that I needed a rest, or how the side
effects of the tablets are making me feel.
This year on 26th March I ran my usual Park Run
in a purple Easter hat and in an Epilepsy Society
shirt. I’m not sure many other participants would
have been aware of the significance of the date.
During this year I am taking part in a lot of runs
dressed in purple to raise awareness of epilepsy
– including the Leeds half marathon and the
Yorkshire marathon. If you are watching look out
for me and give me a cheer – I’ll be near the back!
Guest Writer: Anthea Sully, Head of Public Policy
The recent Scottish National Party (SNP)
conference attracted a wide assortment of
exhibiting companies, including Real Life Options.
The stand was staffed by Executive Director
John McDonald, Head of Public Policy Anthea
Sully, Area Manager Rona Maclellan and Service
Manager Liz Ashe. The team met many SNP
candidates, MSPs and MPs and jumped at the
chance to talk to them about the important work
Real Life Options does.
Amongst the stand visitors was Minister for Sport,
Health Improvement and Mental Health Jamie
Hepburn MSP who discussed the importance
of Local Authorities passing on funding to
organisations who are directly supporting people.
Everyone was really interested and lots of
important conversations were had, especially
regarding budgets and disability benefits, which
formed a key part of MSP Nicola Sturgeon’s
keynote speech in which she addressed
social care.
East Falkirk MP
ts
Martyn Day mee
Liz Ashe
Rona MacLella
n meets MSP
Jamie Hepbu
rn
ntral
rd, MP for Ce
fo
it
h
W
a
p
p
ili
h
Dr P
the RLO stand
Ayrshire visits
“It was certainly a valuable conference to be a
part of,” said Anthea Sully. “It was great to be
able to talk to such prominent political figures and
have such in-depth conversations.
The Tic Tac Toe
mat proved a really
effective tool for
attracting passersby to the stand and
amusingly as the black
and yellow stools were
SNP colours people
kept trying to walk off
with them!”
MSP Nicola S
turgeon is inte
rviewed with th
RLO stand in
e
the backgroun
d
16
Cool Activities in Coventry
Service User Forum Inspires Social Plans
Up for a challenge and
not afraid of getting wet?
Would you be interested in joining an
‘It’s a Knockout’ tournament team this August?
Teams of 10 people are welcome!
SUNDAY 21ST AUGUST 2016, 10am-4pm
AT JOSEPH ROWNTREE SCHOOL IN YORK
The latest Service User Forum in Coventry
sparked a lively discussion about introducing new
social activities for people to take part in. The
forum, chaired by Leonie, a person we support
from Coventry, was attended by Service Manager
Tarlochan Rathore, people we support from the
local area, their Support Workers and their families.
‘How our services can be developed’ formed a
key part of the meeting, generating a number
of enthusiastic contributions. Leonie suggested
monthly games nights and karaoke evenings,
whilst David was keen to offer his DJ skills as well
as volunteering to help teach sign language which
he knows from conversing with deaf relatives.
Tarlochan revealed he had made contact with a
nie, , Doreen,
Leonie
ny,Leo
thony,
Antho
rk,An
Mark,
Jane,e,Ma
ma, ,Jan
Salma
L-R
L-R: :Sal
han
Tarloc
andhan
e loc
Tar
, Mik
vidand
Dae
er,
, Mik
Pet
vid
ree
er,n,Da
Do
Pet
fitness instructor
to run social ‘Keep
Fit’ sessions.
Meanwhile
Support Worker
Salma suggested
themed evenings
focusing on a
whole range of
different topics,
such as group
David meets hawk Caes
ar
cookery sessions
to learn about
food from different cultures, dance, drama and
beauty sessions to do facials.
David was also keen to share about an upcoming
Safari trip which Peter and Stephen will also be
attending and Leonie spoke about a plan for a
group to go to Drayton Manor Theme Park in the
summer holidays. “It’s always good to socialise
more,” contributed David. Peter’s mother Doreen
added that fun activities such as cooking are great
not only for team building but also developing
important social skills.
“The whole idea of the Real Life Options Group is
to empower people,” said Tarlochan as the forum
drew to a close. “It’s a privilege to support you all
and we’re honoured to be in a position to support
you to achieve your hopes and dreams.”
Come along and join the fun!
My Life, My Way Support Plans revamped
To book your team place or for more information contact Sam on
[email protected] or 01977 781385.
The Wilf Ward Family Trust is a registered charity, no 1140852. Real Life Options is a registered charity,
no: 1156258 (England and Wales) and no: SC045939 (Scotland)
P
U
N !
G W
I
S O
N
A lot of hard work has been going on to revise and
refresh the Real Life Options support planning
process My Life, My Way. The new support plans
and guidance are being distributed and are ready
to be used by all services. The support plan has
been streamlined so that it is simpler and easier to
understand and is much more concise and flexible
than previously.
Clear written guidance has been released and
further hands-on support will be provided by the
Operations and Continuous
Improvement teams in due
course to ensure
everybody is clear about
how to best use the plan.
There will be a review
at the 6 and 12 month stage
to make any further amendments
that often only come to light
when used in services.
18
Oh we do like to be
beside the seaside!
Birmingham team hit the road for an exciting day trip to Blackpool
Derek and Mark, people we support from
Earlswood Road in Birmingham, were thrilled
to visit Blackpool on a recent day trip out.
Accompanied by Support Workers Sarah
Mills and Robert Weston, the group enjoyed a
thoroughly entertaining day, experiencing all the
tourist delights, including visiting Blackpool Tower,
seeing the Pier and having a trip to the seaside.
“It was a fantastic day out,” said Carroll Nichols,
Service Manager. “The guys were really happy
and excited about the trip and they loved telling
everyone all about it afterwards and showing off
their mementos. We have a wonderful, committed
staff team in Birmingham who work tirelessly to
ensure important trips like this happen, which is
great to see.”
Blackpool attra
ctions
Blackpool sea
front
Family Forum Fun Times
After some months of planning the Real Life
Options West Scotland team held their first Family
and Carers forum in April. The forum was initiated
in response to previous feedback from many family
members and carers who had identified the lack
of opportunity for individuals to come together to
share experience and have input into the continual
development of service delivery. They had often
felt out of the loop with regards to what was
happening both at local
and organisational level.
The first forum
concentrated on giving
a comprehensive
overview on where Real
Life Options is just now
and what our future
19
plans are. All present felt that sharing this type
of information created a better understanding
and gave everyone the opportunity to join in and
express their individual views. This all contributed
to a very positive feeling at the end of the day, with
everyone looking forward to the next meeting.
Going forward it was agreed that minutes from
these forums would be circulated to all family
members in the area so that everyone will have
the opportunity to directly link into this forum.
Family members also agreed they would like
to disseminate the minutes of their meetings
to staff teams, so their positive comments and
suggestions for the future could be shared with
the individual teams who currently support their
loved ones.
Discover The Mental Health
Benefits of Gardening
Reduce Stress Lower Anxiety
Gardening is a pastime well renowned for its
therapeutic effects and an increasing number of
people we support are reaping the benefits.
The physical benefits of gardening are plentiful;
whether you are pruning roses or pulling out
weeds, gardening offers many different physical
tasks using muscle groups all over the body.
Unsurprisingly research has shown that gardening
can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, obesity
and a whole host of diseases.
What’s good for the body is also good for the
mind. When we exercise, levels of serotonin and
dopamine rise (hormones that make us feel good)
and levels of cortisol (the ‘stress hormone’) lower.
Indeed, due to the many positive mental health
benefits produced by gardening, a new practice
has come into being; 'Horticultural Therapy.'
This approach is being increasingly used to treat
conditions such as Autism, Depression and ADHD
(Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder).
Gardening has been proven to reduce stress and
tending to flowers and seedlings helps to give a
sense of control - the psychological counter to
stress and anxiety. Being outdoors in nature and
giving attention to other living things can act as a
gentle reminder that we are not the centre of the
universe, which helps reduce self-absorption that
can contribute to depression.
sive garden
Mark’s impres
Improve Wellbeing
Increase Fitness
All of the vegetables grown by the people we
support end up on their own plates, providing
access to the freshest, tastiest and healthiest
produce possible! Naturally this contributes to
a nutritious, healthy diet which greatly improves
physical and mental wellbeing. A huge gardening
space is not required either - a south facing
window can give you all the sunshine you need.
Sowing and tending to a seed right through to
harvest can not only bring peace and enjoyment,
but also a sense of reward and power, improving
self-esteem and empowering people by
developing their skills. This is evident for Mark, a
person we support from Glasgow who developed
woodworking skills to create raised beds and is
now looking forward to a wonderful harvest.
Gardening also provides great opportunities for
social interaction and can help people connect
and interact in the community, reducing feelings of
isolation and providing social opportunities.
With all these health benefits gardening is
rightfully being recognised as an activity of real
value to many people, with a plethora of health
benefits; physical, emotional and mental. Health
is wealth, and green fingered individuals across
Real Life Options are enjoying getting their hands
dirty and reaping the benefits!
Guest Writer: Andrew McGovern
Support Worker, Glasgow
lants
oor beetroot p
Reaping the b
d
In
enefits
Anjum’s Fantastic 40th
Anjum, a person we support from Newcastle,
recently celebrated his 40th birthday in fantastic
style. He enjoyed a great afternoon out with
friends, which ended in going out for a delicious
meal at a Punjabi buffet. As he always enjoys
dressing up smart, Anjum donned a stylish threepiece suit for the occasion and looked very dapper
– and even his ‘shirt and tie’ birthday cake looked
incredibly elegant!
hday party
Anjum’s 40th birt
Anjum was very grateful for all the lovely gifts he
received including his favourites which were some
trendy personalised cufflinks, a personalised
watch and a new waistcoat. Anjum also
celebrated the big 40 with a once in a lifetime trip
to Benidorm, supported by Ian Dobson. Anjum
said, “I really enjoyed the holiday. I liked the hotel,
the evening entertainment, the ice cream and the
shops. My favourite part was lounging the sun.”
The birthday man himself
Ian and Anjum in Benid
orm
Joyful Days Ahead For Judy
Judy looks forward to retirement…and planning her wedding
Continuous Improvement Partner Judy Sansom
will be retiring from Real Life Options after
decades of working in the health and social care
industry. Originally employed as an Area Manager
for the London and South region, Judy went
on to join the new Quality team that was being
established and has been extremely valuable
working with services in Wales and Birmingham.
Shona Beaton, Head of Transformation said: “Judy
has done a huge amount of work whilst she’s
worked here. She has an incredible wealth of
knowledge and experience which has been really
important in helping to shape how we deliver our
services. It will be a real shame to see her go but
we all wish her the very best in her retirement.”
“It feels like I’ve been part of Real Life Options for
ages,” shared Judy. “I’ve really enjoyed everything
that I’ve done here, it’s been really varied and
interesting and it’s been great meeting a range
of different people. The highlight has definitely
21
been being able to improve
the lives of the people we
support – I know it’s a cliché,
but at the heart of all my jobs
in care the people really are
at the centre of everything.
I’d like to say a big thank
you to everyone I’ve had the
opportunity to work with for
really accepting me as part
Judy retires from RLO
of the team.”
“Thinking about retirement certainly brings
a rollercoaster of emotions, but I’m really
looking forward to developing my magistrate
commitments more and spending time in my
garden too. I’m also interested in volunteering so
have been investigating the school ‘Beanstalk’
scheme which help develop language
communication skills or working front of house at
the Royal and Derngate theatre. Plus I’m getting
married in August, so it will be good to have time
to plan that as well!”
THE BIG INTERVIEW
Real News talks to Andrew Furber,
Director of Public Health for Wakefield
What is your job title and where do you work?
I am Director of Public Health for Wakefield district
and President of the Association of Directors of
Public Health which represents Directors of Public
Health throughout the United Kingdom. Directors
of Public Health are responsible for improving the
health of their local population and protecting them
from things which may make their health worse.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I enjoy playing tennis and running. I have just
bought a bike and hope to do more cycling. I try
and spend time in my garden and enjoy growing
chillies in particular. I’ve found the secret to
exercise is to make it fun – do the things you
enjoy doing.
“Think things through, but follow
your heart.”
If you had to take one book and one piece of
music to a desert island what would you take?
My book would be Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy
because it is a very long book and would take me
a while to read. It would also help me remember
an earlier part of my career when I lived and
worked in South Asia. My music would be Penny
Lane by The Beatles. This would remind me of
everyday life in Liverpool where my grandmother
lived. I’m a fan of Liverpool Football Club so it
would remind me of that too.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Think things through, but follow your heart.
Andrew Furber
Who’s your role model and why?
Drs. Raj and Mabelle Arole who set up the
Comprehensive Rural Health Project in Jamkhed,
India. I was lucky enough to meet Raj who, with
his wife, could have easily had careers in big
hospitals in India or abroad. Instead they chose
to improve the health of the poor.
What have you tried?
Recently - riding my new bike. I’ve not done
much cycling since childhood and it’s great fun.
What have you learnt?
I need some cycle shorts with, err, better
padding.
What are you pleased about?
Even after a few rides I’m getting much better.
What are you concerned about?
Will I survive cycling for four days coast-to-coast
from Liverpool to Bridlington?
What will your next steps be?
Get out on my bike at least once a week.
22
A Fond Farewell to Trevor
Trevor, a much loved person we support from
Robertson Road in Scotland, has now left Real
Life Options to move onto Bandrum Nursing
Home. He has been supported by Real Life
Options for over 18 years and during that time
Trevor has been a great character and provided
some great memories which will remain with his
fellow housemates and staff who have worked
with him over the years.
Unfortunately due to a deterioration in his health
Trevor was at a stage where he requires 24 hour
care rather than support so the difficult decision
for him to leave Real Life Options was made to
serve his best interests. Trevor will be greatly
missed by all the men he shared Robertson Road
with as well as all the staff. An emotional farewell
gathering was held before he left which all his
family attended as well as the families of the other
people we support.
Walk This Way
Dearly lov
ed Michae
l
Sponsored charity walk raises important funds
ent
Trevor at his farewell ev
A large, passionate group of people we support
and staff recently donned their walking boots
and set off on a charity walk to raise money for
a memorial fund for the dearly loved Michael
from Hartlepool, who sadly passed away last
December. The committed team are raising
money for a memorial bench close to where
he lived. They embraced the challenge of the
charity walk-a-thon in Michael’s memory, which
set off from the Staincliffe hotel, Seaton Carew
to the Hartlepool Marina and back.
Trevor is presented with
his cake
by his Mum and nephew
Brian
We Need You!
Janet, Rachel, Cheryl, Rachael and daughters
Blustering
winds and chilly
temperatures did
nothing to deter
the team who
were determined to do the whole
walk in high spirits, with smiles on their faces
as they remembered Michael. The walk
culminated in afternoon tea at the hotel as
everyone celebrated the successful event
and shared some delicious food and a cuppa
or two in good company. A huge £382.50
was raised from the walk and the team are
planning a charity night to raise additional
funds for the memorial bench.
a, Carol
Evelyn, Norm
and Alan
Mylene and
Mary
Would you like to contribute to future issues of Real News?
Here at Real News we love to report on all your
wonderful stories and we’d be thrilled if you
would like to contribute to future issues of
Real News.
If you’re a person we support who would like
to get involved we’d love to hear from you.
Whether it’s sharing your artwork, photographs
and recipes or writing poetry, film reviews,
gardening tips or even writing your own article,
nothing is too small! We’d love to see more
contributions from people we support across the
UK to find out what you have been up to in
your city – all ideas are welcome.
So if this is you, or you know someone else who
would be interested, please contact the editor
Sam Goodwin on 01977 781385 or email
[email protected]
net and Kelly Taylo
r, Faith and
Samantha, Ja
Irene
d Irene
Wendy an
and Zoe
Julie, Chris
Evelyn, Carolyne,
Norma
and Sylvia
ne
Shirley and Ire
Keith and R
ichard
Whether it’s a painting you’re particularly proud
of, your best chocolate cake recipe or a film
review, please do get in touch!
23
24
Nice to meet you
Getting to know some of the brilliant people we support across the UK...
Alan from Fraserburgh
What people like and admire about me:
•
•
•
•
Offers different perspectives on life
Wicked sense of humour
Computer skills
Good manners
•
•
•
•
Generous
Honest
Friendly
Intelligent
How best to support me:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hope you enjoy our entertainment section. Answers can be found on the back page.
Wordsearch
See how many Summer words
you can find in our wordsearch.
Words may be horizontal,
vertical or diagonal.
What’s important to me:
• Going out eating to familiar places and
exploring new places like on holidays or theatre
• Being in touch with Ma by phone and meeting
up with her regularly
• Playing on PlayStation3, watching TV and
DVDs and reading my magazines and comics
• I like taking photos with my new camera
• I like chatting about a wide range of topics
• I like music
• Good health, mental and physical wellbeing
Real Life Entertainment
Take an interest in things I’m talking about
Remind me to take my camera!
Sometimes I need reassurance when I worry
I like people to do things with me
Remember I know a lot of things
I like a joke
Assist me to attend health care appointments
Shonagh from Fraserburgh
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
BARBEQUE
BEACH
FLIP FLOPS
HOLIDAY
ICE CREAM
PICNIC
SANDCASTLE
SHORTS
SUMMER
SUNFLOWER
SUNGLASSES
SUNSHINE
SWIMMING
R S A T D M P
I
C N
I
C O B P
B U A N B S U R S H O R T S Y
E N H R A D W P H J P W E A Q
P F F F R O Y
I
I G U S S U N
I
L N T B L M A M H W E T D L
N O Y B E A C H F M E L V C H
S W A Y Q T S A
P E G V U
I
D
I
C E A O
I G U E K W N H S L
G R U B E W H U N K A O G T
I
C R O Y T Q O S H S L F E L D
J S U M M E R E B T H L T E A
F L I P F L O P S U D I P L Y
B A R W N S J Y L E V Y N G X
Z R S U N G L A S S E S A E K
D T A C U S W I
C E C R E A M
What people like and admire about me:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
My great sense of humour
Happy, cheerful and strong willed
My kindness
My hearty laugh
My friendliness towards everyone I meet
My great banter
My knowledge of wildlife
My interest in others
Spot the Difference
Can you spot the nine differences between the two pictures below?
What’s important to me:
•
•
•
•
•
•
My family and friends
My cat named Socks
My flat
My gadgets and magnets
My staff team
Going out in my car
How best to support me:
• If you don’t know something about me and
would like to know...just ask me! I don’t bite!
Would you like to be featured in a future issue? Or do you know someone who would?
Please get in touch with Sam Goodwin on [email protected]
25
26
Competition Time!
Share what Summer means to you to win £50!
Submit your own picture or photograph on the theme of
‘what Summer means to you’ to be in with a chance to win!
What does summer
mean to you?
Win
£50!
Send your photo or picture into the editor Sam Goodwin
(details below) by 12th August 2016 to be in with a
chance of winning £50. Please include your full name and
contact details so we can let you know if you win.
Competition is open to all readers. The winner will be
notified by 26th August 2016 and will receive a
£50 cash prize. The editor’s decision is final.
Congratulations to Liam from Elsdon Mews who
won the egg painting competition in the last issue.
Liam’s Avengers
~ot News? ~et in touch!
To be a part of the next issue or to share your thoughts simply contact the editor Sam Goodwin:
[email protected]
01977 781385
Real Life Entertainment Answers
Registered charity no: 1156258 (England and Wales) and no: SC045939 (Scotland)
Photo Credits: Creative Commons (CC) BY 2.0 / Suketu Gajjar (p3), FreeImages.com / Lotus Head (p4) , FreeImages.com / Krisztian Hoffer
(p12), Helen Birley, Karen Boyes, Duncan Lomax and Mike Tipping (p17), FreeImages.com / Karl Benson (p19), FreeImages.com / Jim Daly (p19),
FreeImages.co.uk (p21), FreeImages.com / Lynsey O’Donnell (p23), FreeImages.com / Bart Groenhuizen (p23), FreeImages.com / Oliver Gruener
(p24), CC BY 2.0 / Patrick Hoesly (p24, 26 & 27), CC BY 2.0 / Ally Costano and Jason Sampson (p26 &27).
RN003
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