The echo FEATURING senior citizens woodworking - A group for older people who are interested in woodwork - Dudley CVS
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the echo
jANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
FEATURING
senior citizens woodworking
A group for older people who are
interested in woodwork.
Brierley Hill Samaritans
Offering a comforting voice at the
end of the phone.
news
special. She said:
“He is not only an inspiration to us all but is also
truly humbling. You would have to really meet him to
IN THIS ISSUE
understand his charisma and unique sense of fun, he
A lifetime of volunteering is truly a one-off and we are so proud that he chooses
Steve Mukanovic [aka Steve Ford]............ 2 to help us. It would be the best thing ever to give him
Discover U...................................................... 3 some of the recognition he truly deserves especially as
Brierley Hill Samaritans............................... 4 he is rather down awaiting further surgery.”
Let’s Live - Caring Hooves.......................... 6 In 2018 Dudley CVS were approached by Midlands
CVT Shared Lives......................................... 7 Art Yard to help them identify 12 local community
Senior Citizens Woodworking Group.........8 volunteers to take part in their Characters Portrait
Keeping older people connected............... 10 Project, where they would be a feature of a unique
Operation Santa 2018................................ 12 piece of artwork.
In Steve’s Character Portraits Project video (https://
AVAILABLE IN LARGE PRINT ON REQUEST bit.ly/2RtUi8i) you will hear him talking about his
passion for volunteering and the joy he got from
A lifetime of volunteering - Steve it. “Volunteering has kept me active physically and
mentally, and hopefully there are 500 children from
Mukanovic [aka Steve Ford] the Dudley area who had their wish come true already.
We were sorry to hear that Steve Ford passed As a volunteer, of course, you don’t get paid for what
away in December 2018. He will be sadly missed. you do not in financial terms. But to see that smile
Steve was a volunteer for 35 years, supporting - how can you put a price on that? Then, of course,
Dudley Hospital Radio and then the Children’s you’ve got the day itself when you meet up and you
Ward at Russells Hall Hospital. He was also a see them lift off in that helicopter, or set off in that car
volunteer for Dudley CVS for many years, driving so you get another smile, and you get a smile from the
our minibuses around the borough offering the family and that’s very fulfilling. It’s very rewarding.”
elderly and disabled an opportunity to enjoy In October 2018 Steve joined the volunteer elves
social activities. His warm personality and sense of supporting Operation Santa Dudley borough and
humour made him very popular with his passengers, spent 6 weeks, sorting and wrapping gifts in the grotto.
who always left the bus with a smile on their face. He also attended the special Christmas party on 17th
In 2016 Steve Mukanovic was awarded the Children December at the Court House carvery in Kingswinford
& Families Main Award at Dudley Volunteer Awards along with the other elves, helping us set up the room
2016, for his outstanding contribution to making and entertaining the 50+ children, and their parents
children’s stays in hospital more pleasant and in who attended.
recognition of making 500+ local children’s dreams Eileen, Dudley CVS, worked with Steve for many
come true. Everything from riding in a helicopter or a years, she said “Steve was just 100 per cent the nicest
Ferrari, to meeting a celebrity or smashing gnomes! man. The outpouring of love for him is incredible. He
His nominator Linda told us just what made him so was an absolute star.”
Based in Wollaston, Discover U is a vibrant James has invested his time learning about safeguarding
and welcoming space providing work-related and what you need to do to keep people safe. Thanks
experience to adults with disabilities. Discover U to James, Discover U is now recognised as a Safe Place
is not a daycare centre, it’s a charity working to to visit in Dudley (https://bit.ly/2CTalXS). Kieran is
support people who face barriers when getting into busy tidying up the cabin shop showing us the variety of
employment. It’s an environment where people products for sale. Darren tells us how he wants to work
can prosper and grow, fulfil their goals and reach as a painter and decorator having learnt painting skills
their potential, a place to learn social, emotional, in the workshop.
functional and employability skills. The people that Discover U members come from a variety of
go there are supported by volunteers to set their backgrounds. Together they are building a vibrant, fun
own goals and are helped to achieve them. and pleasant working environment.
Discover U has a well-equipped wood workshop, Everybody plays an important part, whether it’s in the
garden area, front tea room and upstairs sewing design of a new concept, the manufacture or the sale
room, most of which are busy every day. With of a product at the end. Everybody’s involved in the
materials donated by local businesses, they are able process right from the very start and they take pride in
to turn unwanted pieces of wood, fabrics and bottles what they’re doing.
(some of which donated by the Brierley Hill Civic) In the workshop, they are supervised and learn how
into beautifully handcrafted and saleable items. They to use power tools. When they have passed their food
even have donations of fruit from people in the local hygiene course they can then work in the kitchen and
community which they use to make cakes for the tea serve customers. Operating the till helps them to learn
room. It’s now a community hub where local people about money management, it also helps them to
can pop in for a hot drink, a cake, and look at all the improve their social skills by interacting with customers.
wonderful items for sale. Steve Smith, one of the founders of Discover U, tells
You only have to look around the workshop to see us how for so long they have been told ‘you can’t do it
the passion to learn, the creativity, the enjoyment because…’, at Discover U, volunteers will support people
and sense of pride in the products they have made. to do tasks on their own, build their confidence and tell
Everywhere you look there are beautifully made high- them ‘you can do it!’
quality products, bee hotels, bird boxes, bottle lights, We hope you enjoy the short film we have made to
knitted tea cosies, cushions, chairs, you name it…they spotlight this amazing group in Dudley.
have probably made it! They even made our wooden www.youtube.com/watch?v=18A0_VdU8pE
awards for the Dudley CVS Volunteer Awards last If you would like to find out more about Discover U,
year. visit their website www.discoveru2015.org Or why not
It’s a wonderful hive of activity. Lorna is busy pay them a visit? They are open Mon-Thu from 9.30
drawing up ideas for her next recycled bottle project; until 4, they also have a stall at Kingswinford market
she shows us her sketchbook full of ideas and designs. on most Saturdays during the warmer months.
the echo | 3
news Brierley Hill Samaritans was established by the wife of the local vicar, Elsie Smith, who formed a committee to raise money to construct a branch in Dudley. Construction started in 1971 and the branch opened in 1973 under St. Michael’s Church Hall in Brierley Hill. It was the 137th branch of Samaritans to be set up and their very first call was from Chad Varah, who founded the Samaritan movement. In 1993, the branch moved to its new home in Albion Street, Brierley Hill and was officially opened on the 30th April 1994. Today, there are approximately 60 volunteers at the Brierley Hill branch, people who give their time to support people by offering a comforting voice at the end of the phone. The volunteers come from a variety of different backgrounds, there is an ex-headteacher, a self-employed builder and even a High Court judge. There are retired volunteers and volunteers with disabilities, and their ages range from 20 to 79 years old. Some of the volunteers are studying at university or college and volunteer to gain experience of talking to people with mental health problems. emails from students who are not settling into Maggie has been a volunteer at the Brierley Hill university, worried about coursework or not enjoying Samaritans for over 7 years, she tells me, “People feel their course but can’t tell their parents, they assume safe to call the Samaritans. We don’t know where they that all the other students are having the time of are and we don’t have their contact details – and we their life.” won’t call anyone unless they ask us to. Unless we think When someone calls the Samaritans number they they are vulnerable or being abused by an institution.” are put through to the first available volunteer in Last November Brierley Hill branch received 815 calls, the country. If there is a real concern for a caller, the 100 emails and 200 texts. volunteer will ask if they would like an ambulance to Over the years the concerns of the callers have be called, but will always encourage people to call changed very little but the number of callers continues the service themselves to empower them to get help. to increase. There are many reasons why people call the “With their permission, we can take their number Samaritans, most have mental health problems, poor and ring them back and stay with them until the physical health, or have gone through a relationship ambulance arrives. The ambulance will sometimes breakdown. tell us when they have arrived.” The most important quality of a Samaritans volunteer Brierley Hill branch has connected with is to have resilience. All Samaritans volunteers have had many other local organisations in the borough. training, there are 9 modules and it takes approximately Often people will be signposted to approved 4 weeks to complete. Volunteers usually do 1 shift a week organisations, such as Citizens Advice, or Silverline and the minimum shift is 3 hours. There is always 2 if they are experiencing loneliness. They will again volunteers on the same shift so they can give each other try to empower the caller to seek further help support. They are also allocated a shift leader to talk themselves. If they receive a call from anyone under through any calls that may have troubled them. There is the age of 18 they will be signposted to Childline. a great support system within the Samaritans. At the Brierley Hill office, they have a lovely The most common types of calls are usually around befriending room for visitors who are looking to have mental health. 1 in 4 people will have a mental health a chat and a cup of tea with a friendly volunteer. problem at some point in their lives. Loneliness is a Brierley Hill branch also does a lot of outreach separate category, and affects people of all ages, work. Samaritans visit HM Prison Birmingham “Around about November time we get quite a few and select, train and support prisoners to become the echo | 4
In Kind Direct
news
Listeners. The Listener scheme is a peer support service were pleased to hear that the branch was recently
which aims to reduce suicide and self-harm in prisons. awarded £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund
Listeners provide confidential emotional support to their (now National Lottery Community Fund) for a
fellow inmates who are struggling to cope. Samaritans refurbishment project. They plan to use the money to
volunteers will visit once a fortnight and talk to the buy comfortable chairs for volunteers to sit on during
Listeners about the sorts of issues that they might be their shifts, update desks, cupboards, lighting, and
presented with. (https://bit.ly/2tMwu6N). the kitchen, so that it will become a breakout room
Listeners in prisons have t-shirts and a sign on their where volunteers can debrief at the end of their shift.
cell. There is always a Listener on hand at the new Generally the money will be spent making the space
prisoner’s wing, as they are sometimes quite distressed more comfortable to help retain volunteers.
and need to acclimatise to being in prison. Twinned with Sri Lanka Samaritans, Brierley Hill
The branch is also working in partnership with raises around £400 a year to help keep their branch
Network Rail due to the increase in suicides at stations. going “They have the same problems as us, it’s the
They support stations Dudley Port and Sandwell on same all over the world.”
Brew Monday, an annual campaign to encourage As well as listeners, Brierley Hill Samaritans are also
people to have a cup of tea and chat about things that looking for people to help clean, maintain the garden
may be troubling them (https://bit.ly/2RXUv8S). and do maintenance jobs.
You may have also noticed Samaritans signs on many
station and motorway bridges.
The volunteers also go into schools, colleges and If you would like to get in touch with the Brierley
businesses, especially during Health Awareness Week. Hill Samaritans visit https://bit.ly/2Uz5aDZ
One Samaritan volunteers with Crisis at Christmas in
London to support homeless people. They’ll tell him how
they got on to the streets and get things off their mind,
he’ll support them to think of options for next steps.
All branches are independent and need to raise their
own funds. Brierley Hill Samaritans need £21,000
a year to keep the branch running. Their fundraising
team is always busy finding ways to raise money. We
the echo | 5
news For kind-hearted David Harper, being able when his daughter was younger. He has been riding to support people through difficult times is for over 30 years and was a show jumper at a high very important. In 2017, David formed Caring level. His daughter was a member of the British Junior Hooves, financing days out for young carers to Dressage Squad and later became a professional go horse riding, giving them a break from caring dressage rider, his son in law is a polo player and all responsibilities. David’s grandchildren ride horses. “We’re into horses!” During their day out, young carers will ride, groom, he tells me. and learn how to take care of the horses. Each David knows a lot about the therapeutic effect young person has an experienced volunteer buddy that horses have on people of all walks of life. Riding and are able to relax and enjoy themselves. These horses has been used as a therapy for disabled days out are not just fun, they are therapeutic, a people, ex-servicemen with severe injuries and even chance for young people to get away from the young offenders. reality of life and spend time around the horses. There are many other reasons why this kind of It’s important to David because he understands activity helps young carers. One is that they get the what they may be going through as a family. In chance to chat with other young people in similar 2012 David was diagnosed with prostate cancer, situations as themselves. Many don’t even realise that after years of radiotherapy he was told in early 2017 they are carers. that he had advanced metastatic cancer and he David said, “Learning to ride and care for horses would need palliative care at Mary Stevens Hospice can be a great confidence boost as well as being in Stourbridge. But, this hasn’t slowed him down, he lots of fun. I love to see the joy horses bring to young still devotes most of his time and energy organising carers and want to continue with this for as long as I special days out for young carers, in fact, he’s found can.” it has actually enhanced his life and strengthened his Before starting Caring Hooves David worked as a passion to do something to help other people. cancer advocate for Sandwell Advocacy, where he One young carer who attended said: “I had such supported people with cancer, visiting them at home, an amazing time. It was great to be around the accompanying them to hospital and listening to their horses and to experience something new as I’ve concerns and problems. At the time they had a small never been horse riding before. We all had a lot of young carers division, he financed a trip to take them fun and I’d love to go back.” riding through the summer holidays, which is where After supporting young carers in the Sandwell and the idea for Caring Hooves came from. Worcestershire area, David, who lives in Dudley, is With support and funding from Macmillan, David now looking to support young carers in the Dudley also runs a cancer support group called Let’s Live. borough offering a day of horse riding and activities, The idea for Let’s Live came about from listening including grooming and riding at Warrens Hall to peoples needs as an advocate. It’s a place where Riding Stables. people can go to be together, chat, have a laugh and David developed a love for horses many years ago enjoy each other’s company. the echo | 6
news
He said: “I truly believe that dealing with cancer is in
the mind. We can’t change the hand we’ve been dealt more people to become Shared Lives Carers.
but we can choose our response.” “It seems such a common sense idea to me, that
In response to a media article about Caring Hooves, people who need support can live in ordinary family
a free holiday was donated by local charity Balls To homes, instead of being taken to a care home or
Cancer which enabled two families with young carers to hospital away from everyone they know.”
go on holiday to Burnham on Sea. “I was amazed to find that people who would have
previously been in long-stay hospitals, are enjoying
David would like to offer young carers in the life together with Shared Lives Carers. Some visit their
Dudley borough an opportunity to have a day of Carer’s home overnight and at weekends or just for
horse riding and activities. If you work with young the day, and others live with their Shared Lives Carer
carers and you would like to find out more, or if you and their family for as long as they like.”
would like to donate to Caring Hooves contact David “It’s ideal that people aren’t getting rushed
at letslivecsg@gmail.com 15-minute visits from staff on zero-hour contracts,
or being thrown together, but can choose and form
lasting relationships, which transform their lives.”
Even though Shared Lives happens in ordinary
Shared Lives is sometimes described as ‘foster homes, government inspectors rate it as safer and
care for adults who have additional needs’ but it is better quality than all other types of social care. A
so much more than that. As a Shared Lives Carer, whopping 96% of schemes rated good or outstanding
you are ‘carefully matched’ to support a person from by the Care Quality Commission – topping all
within your own home to develop practical skills, other kinds of social care support. Shared Lives
encourage new social networks, build self-esteem, helps anyone who wants a stable home and needs
confidence and lead the same ordinary domestic life support with anything from daily tasks, personal care,
at the heart of the community. Shared Lives Carers learning new skills or voting for your favourites on
are passionate and dedicated about their work and Strictly Come Dancing.
this is why the model is such a powerful and effective Recent figures suggest there are just under 800
form of care and creates a real sense of belonging people across the West Midlands approved as
for all those involved. Shared Lives Carers, and the number of people being
TV actress, Arabella Weir recently launched a supported, has now reached over 900 people. There
national campaign, “Does my heart look big in this?” are 11 Shared Lives schemes across the region, but
https://youtu.be/a6gGzKm5Mpc which is looking to few people know about it, and fewer benefit from
recruit Shared Lives Carers with big enough hearts to the great lifestyle it can offer, both as a Shared Lives
open up their homes to people with additional needs Carer and a person that needs support.
and who want to share and enjoy family life together. Kate Morgan, Registered Manager for CVT
An invaluable army of thirty-eight Shared Lives Carer Shared Lives, which has recently been awarded
households across Dudley Borough and the wider Black the contract to deliver a service in partnership with
Country are already supporting many people, who Dudley MBC says, “The Shared Lives model has
aren’t related but live together as a family. been around for decades. However, it’s time now to
They are part of a UK network, where schemes such expand the model significantly, so those people who
as CVT Shared Lives help thousands of people who need support across the Black Country, can have
have dementia, mental ill health, young people leaving the opportunity to remain in their own community.
foster care, discharged from hospital, autism, physical Everyone has the right to enjoy Shared Lives, the
health or learning disability, to lead independent, difference that kindness, stable relationships and an
ordinary lives at the heart of the local community with ordinary home life make is amazing. By joining a
their Shared Lives Carer. Shared Lives scheme, caring people can build a paid
Comedian Arabella Weir’s interest piqued when she career from their own home, doing a role they love.”
heard of Shared Lives on national radio earlier this If you have a big heart and a spare room and
year. Surrounded by increasing loneliness in society, interested in becoming a Shared Lives Carer,
getting used to her own empty nest and filming the please ring 01384 441505, visit:
BBC’s latest series of Two Doors Down, a comedy www.cvt.org.uk/sharedlives or follow on twitter:
about a tight knit Glaswegian street, she is inviting @CVTSharedLives
the echo | 7
news ‘Fed up with looking at four walls? Then come and The group acquire offcuts of wood donated by local look at ours instead!’ That’s the motto of the Senior businesses which enables them to build all of the items, Citizens Enterprise Woodwork Group. these materials would otherwise have gone to landfill. The Senior Citizens Enterprise Woodwork Group, They have even rescued supermarket trolleys from the based at the Meadow Road Youth Centre in Dudley canal and used the wheels to make wood replenishing is a group for older people who are interested in trolleys that fit snuggly under the workbenches. woodwork. The wood workshop is fully equipped with Steve is one of the youngest members of the group, modern tools and machinery. It’s a fun and friendly he joined when he was 63 and mainly makes things environment offering older people a place to learn for the family like shelving and benches. He tells me new or develop existing woodworking skills. It’s also a that people like to come to the workshop because they great place to find new friendships. enjoy the camaraderie and they like to have a good The group has 23 members in total. Some members laugh. A couple of members don’t look forward to the live on their own, some are widowers, some just like to get Christmas holidays as it just imposes on them coming out of the house, make something and put their skills to to the workshop! They’ll open up again as soon as good use! The oldest member, Ken, is 93 years old. Boxing Day arrives, as long as there are two people in There isn’t much that the group hasn’t made, and they the workshop, for health and safety reasons, they will are always on the lookout for new projects to keep them happily come in over Christmas! occupied. They have kindly created cosy homes for many Steve contacted Dudley CVS to get support to apply of the animals at Dudley Zoo, a castle hideout for the for a Dudley Community Forum Grant of £550. The zoo’s female guinea pigs, a hotel for rabbits, bird, bat application was successful, helping them to purchase and red panda boxes. They’ve even built penguin boxes sanding disks, belts, saw blades, machine saws and - they tell me that they have successfully bred since, so new router bits. They’ve also received £900 from must have done a good job making them feel at home! Age UK, which they have used to buy a new router Members have also kindly donated their time and skills machine. to build a variety of bird habitats for the Midland Metro Dave is one of the founding members of the group, Alliance which will be installed along the Wednesbury he’s made things including rocking horses and dolls to Brierley Hill route for the Midland Metro. It’s hoped houses. It usually takes him about 3 months to make a that the bird boxes will attract a wide range of nesting rocking horse which is made in blocks, glued together birds, helping to make a real difference to the local and then carved and painted. He’s also carved a shark environment. out of wood, which sits on his fireplace at home. They’ve built a bench for Acorns Children’s Hospice, Chairman Mick, is highly skilled on the woodturning nest boxes for local schools and they’re now looking to lathes, he’s made fruit bowls and pens. He’s even made build Pine Marten boxes for an RSPB site in Shropshire. a beautifully carved walking stick. the echo | 8
news
Dave and Derek have a background in upholstery. decade ago.
Derek recently made an intricate money box. He enjoys The group has recently become a member of UK
coming to the workshop, but doesn’t like Thursdays much, Men’s Sheds Association. Men’s Sheds provides
as that’s when the workshop closes for the weekend! support and guidance to individuals and groups
Ken, the oldest member, is making clocks for his sons across the UK, raising awareness of the social and
out of an old sideboard that belonged to his parents. health benefits of Men’s Sheds in reducing isolation,
Bruce makes detailed wooden toy trains, plains and loneliness and in empowering local communities.
trucks. He finds his inspiration in woodwork books. Men’s Sheds supports individual groups to connect
Bill is 84, he came to the workshop when he was 70, with new members in the community. They also
he started out as Chairman. He likes to make clocks and provide advice and guidance on starting up and
other things. He remembers the days when they used to running a shed providing practical information
walk around timber yards asking for offcuts of wood. He guides, example documents and toolkits on topics
said “Coming here is good, we can discuss things over such as registering as a charity, insurance, funding,
lunch, at our age, we don’t see anybody, pubs are too sourcing equipment and venues, and volunteer
expensive and not good for you!’ recruitment.
George, the treasurer, likes to make boats with sails. To anyone who might be interested to join, they
He keeps them in his large shed, apparently, you have to would say, “Come in, do your own thing, we’ve got
go in sideways because of the number fabulous boats, heating, toilets and cups of tea to keep us nice
lifeboats and submarines he has made. and warm! What more could you want?”
All members are extremely skilled and talented. Some To find out more about the group visit
had skills before, some hadn’t, many have learnt skills https://bit.ly/2WxNlHd
from each other. All of their items are beautifully made
and finished to a high standard.
The group originally started in the early 2000s when
a few people were faced with redundancy from local
businesses. It was suggested they go on other courses to
re-skill, one of those was a woodwork course at Dudley
College. When that closed down the group moved to
Mons Hill in Dudley, then amalgamated with another
group from Brierley Hill, it was then that they moved
to Meadow Road Youth Centre where they have been
based for over a decade now. They still have the original
machinery that was donated by Dudley College over a
news
Feedback from members of these groups strongly
Supporting work that keeps older people
suggested that they played a crucial role in keeping
connected and well people connected, in combating loneliness and
isolation and in building resilience, for example:
Since May, Dudley CVS has been working with Age
UK Dudley to support the small, local groups that news
help to keep older people socially connected and well. “During the break, I got to chat with some of
We wanted to understand what small scale things the ladies. I found out that all but one of them
are happening very locally and the impact of this hadn’t sung in a choir before, but that they didn’t
activity on the people that access it, as well as provide feel stressed or daunted by being in the choir.
financial and non-financial support to these small, One member remarked that she liked that they
volunteer-led groups to keep their work going. don’t get told off if they get it wrong, which shows
In the first few weeks, we contacted 11 local groups how welcoming the choir is to all sorts of abilities.
based on our experience of working with groups that Some of the members knew each other before
involve older people, topped up by the knowledge of our they joined Wall Heath Ladies Choir, though all
Healthwatch Dudley and Integrated Plus teams. We also of them said that they’d made new friends by
put out an open call to groups to share and celebrate the joining. I was also told that coming to the choir is
small, local activities that they do to help older people to good fun, a pick me up after a difficult day and
stay connected (https://bit.ly/2Hbfr28). a place where you can forget your stresses. One
8 of the 11 groups we contacted wanted to work with member told me that she hadn’t seen anyone
Becky in a variety of ways. 4 groups have been able else that day until she came to the choir. It seems
to kickstart or expand their activities with the provision pretty clear that the choir is about more than
of small-scale grants of £250 each; Becky has worked
singing, it’s about the fellowship, friendship and
with 2 of the groups to help them become formally
sense of belonging that can have a positive effect
constituted; 2 groups have been supported with
on mental wellbeing.”
identifying funders that might support their activity, with
– Setting up for success: Wall Heath Ladies
successful funding applications topping £4,000; 3 have
been linked to each other and to other organisations for Choir https://bit.ly/2F5vQHL
mutual support. All of this support has been designed
to help them be sustainable and better able to continue “Over the years, the group has been flexible
their activities that mean so much to their participants. to the wishes of its participants. While some
5 groups invited Becky and Helena to their activities carers have brought their loved ones and
so that we could see what they did and speak to people taken advantage of the respite offered, other
that participated in their activities. We learned lots about carers have stayed with their loved ones and
what taking part in social and recreational projects participated in the activities. At the moment,
meant to the participants and we were staggered by the the regular participants are all former carers,
similarities we found. This work has so far helped more
who continue to attend for the companionship
than 100 people to stay or become engaged in their
they have gained over the years; none of the
community.
participants knew each other before they started
attending the group. Some come from as far
as Sedgley because of their shared experiences
of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. As we
all shared our emotional experiences of loving
and losing someone with Alzheimer’s, it did feel
good to take some solace from people who had
experienced it too. I can completely see how the
Alzheimer’s and Friendship Group helps people
to feel less isolated.”
– Building friendships for people with dementia
and their carers in Brierley Hill
https://bit.ly/2QlNsS3
the echo | 10news
“One bowler told us that he used to bowl “Barbara said “I felt like that after losing so many
competitively but had stopped more than a people out of my life in one year. So I started New
decade ago. He wasn’t sure he would be able Friends. Lots of people messaged me, over a thousand
to play after double knee replacement surgery, in 12 hours! 25 came the first night of meetings,
so he started getting fitter by walking around majority stayed, until their confidence grew, and some
the park, the distance of a mile, which took 15 picked up their life and started employment. Others
minutes. It was on one of these walks that he saw just moved on to pastures new.”
the beginners bowlers sessions, so he took the New Friends now has 8 regular attendees who
plunge to see if he could bowl again. Now he play games, share food, do quizzes or just have a
covers more ground by bowling than when he natter. Everyone decides what they would like to
walked a circuit of the park, so he’s much more do; occasionally they go out for meals and they’ve
active now. discussed taking trips together. Whatever they do, they
Another member told us that he’d always been have fun, end up laughing and the hours whiz by!
sporty, and that he enjoys playing bowls because Group members would love more people to join them,
he can’t do high intensity sports like cricket or but they recognise that it’s not just about how many
football anymore. He enjoys playing in 4s and turn up, it’s about the quality of the friendships they’ve
sometimes it can get competitive in a good- made and the impact the friendships have had on their
natured way. He told us that it’s good to meet wellbeing.
new people at these sessions. None of the members knew each other before
A third member told us it was his first week joining the group. Now they’re in touch with each
there, so we asked him the obvious question “Will other not only once a week when they meet, but on
you be back for more?” Of course the answer their Facebook group and chatline, swapping stories,
was a resounding “Yes”. We’re not surprised at guidance and supporting each other. When I chatted
all. What came across to both of us was how to them, every member said they felt the benefits to
welcoming, social and warm everyone was both their wellbeing since joining.
towards us and to each other. Members agreed – about New Friends from The groups making new
that the camaraderie of playing bowls together friends on Wednesdays and Fridays https://bit.
was brilliant for their health and wellbeing.” ly/2uBQRno
– Staying active with Mary Stevens Park Sons
and Daughters of Rest https://bit.ly/2zUNygp
“Members decide exactly what they would like
to do. When I visited, we chatted about each
other’s weeks to help break the ice and we all
took part in a couple of quizzes to get the brain
firing! Once more, the stories of why people
attended were very similar; it was about social
We’re delighted that we can continue to offer financial
contact being important for their emotional
and non-financial support to these groups, gather
wellbeing, getting out of the house and
information from them to inform case studies which will
preventing isolation.”
be published on our website to inspire others. If you feel
– about Friday Friends from The groups
you would like to get involved, please contact Becky on
making new friends on Wednesdays and
01384 573381 or email smallgroups@dudleycvs.org.uk
Fridays (https://bit.ly/2uBQRno)
the echo | 11Making magic happen!
What another amazing Operation Santa 2018 was! 13075 This year we had 51 lists of children and
donations was our final figure for 2018. We had more young people who needed our support to
support than ever from members of the public, statutory provide a gift when otherwise they would get
partners and businesses, with some phenomenal donations. nothing. These lists came from people from the
voluntary, community, faith and statutory sector
[this included schools, social workers, children’s
centres and housing support], who support
children and families in need. We have had
more organisations and groups than ever before
through the Operation Santa Grotto this year!
In addition to that 11 Christmas parties have
taken place, some of which provided a full
Christmas lunch and grotto presents for parties.
You can read about all the wonderful
supporters on the blog: https://bit.ly/2DNJChr
We are organising another fundraising event
on 23rd May, so please help us spread the
word and raise lots of funds for this year’s
Operation Santa. We are hoping to raise
£1000 to pay for hot Christmas meals for
children and families across the borough, who
may otherwise not get a hot meal.
Would you like to hear more about news and events from Dudley CVS? Why not subscribe to our e-bulletin:
www.interests.me/org/dudleycvs. If you would like to share your good news stories, successful collaborations or
upcoming activities, we would love to hear from you, please contact our Communications Officer at
comms@dudleycvs.org.uk
This echo was brought to you by...
Dudley CVS TEAM MEMBERS: Dudley CVS Office:
Helena Norman, Communications officer 7 Albion Street, Brierley Hill, DY5 3EE
Becky Pickin, Small groups development officer T: 01384 573381 W: www.dudleycvs.org.uk
Eileen Fielding, Volunteer centre development officer
@DudleyCVS facebook.com/cvsdudley
DY1 :
Stafford Street, Dudley, DY1 1RT
To hire the venue, call Dale on 01384 573381
@dy1venue
BRIERLEY HILL CIVIC haLL:
Bank Street, Brierley Hill, DY5 3DH
To hire the venue, call James on 07801 710807
@bhillcivic facebook.com/bhillcivic w: bhillcivic.co.uk
Dudley CVS is a registered charity and company Contact
limited by guarantee Telephone: 01384 573381
Place of registration: England Email: dale@dudleycvs.org.uk
Company number: 1998105 Charity number: 517766You can also read
