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MAP visits Green Futures

MAP visits Green Futures

Members of the Man Alive Project recently visited Green Futures on Bradley Road, Grimsby as part of their weekly Wednesday meetings. They were welcomed by Carol Prendergast, Chief Executive Officer and the Senior Horticulturist Elaine Atkinson. The visit had a twofold purpose, one to seek guidance and expert information to help Man Alive prepare for projects within the grounds of Centre4, and to find out more about volunteering for Green Futures on their new after school and holiday club projects with Oasis Academy, Nunsthorpe.
Man Alive members, who meet at 10am on Wednesdays at Centre 4 on Wootton Road, are keen to get involved with these exciting new Green Futures projects that include children and wider family members. The projects will encourage communication, personal development, and community spirit with the ultimate aim to enter the ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ awards.
Members of the Man Alive group enjoyed their visit and were surprised to find that the area known as the Willow Woodland has a hide for bird watching.
If you are a man aged over 50 and interested in joining the Man Alive group then contact Positive Activities on 01472 236677 or enquiries@positiveactivities.org or if you want to find out more about the work of Green Futures you can contact them on 01472 870609

Sunday morning archery

Sunday morning archery

We first met young Peter, an 87 year old widower at a Good Neighbours event in Humberston.  Our organisation supported the event by providing an archery taster session free of charge to visitors.

Peter had always wanted to try archery but because he has no sight in 1 eye and only has around 20% sight in the other, he thought it was an activity he could never ever take part in.  Peter spoke to the coaches about his desire to have a go and also about his concerns due to his impairment. The coaches carefully explained that he would be able to take part with some slight adaptions to equipment and technique.  After 15 minutes and about 18 attempts, Peter finally succeeded in hitting the target.  He was ecstatic and carried on to hit the target several more times before he left, thanking our 2 archery coaches for all their assistance.

The coaches told Peter that they had just started some open to all archery sessions which he may wish to join in.  The sessions are held at Centre4, Wootton Road 10 am-12 noon every Sunday regardless of weather as there is an indoor option.  The GHoPA programme and its coaches are delighted to now see Peter regularly attending those sessions. Other visitors attending the session acknowledge the huge changes in Peter as he continues to improve his archery skills despite his disability.

If you would like to try archery come along to our sessions on Sunday mornings 10am-12 noon at Centre4, Wootton Road. To see more details please visit our web page ghopa calendar

Healthwatch AGM

Healthwatch AGM

GHoPA attended the Healthwatch AGM & Funding Fair and  found it a well organised and informative event

A FUNDING fair was held to advise organisations how they can go about submitting successful bids for extra cash.

As part of Healthwatch’s programme of events, a special funding fair was held at The Warehouse in Freeman Street, where local organisations were able to learn more about successfully applying for grants and other money opportunities.

The event was for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to encourage partnerships with Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire.

It forms part of Healthwatch’s Health Action Week, a week of events encouraging residents of North East Lincolnshire to be more active in the health and social services they use.

Partnership co-ordinator Paul Glazebrook said: “We decided to arrange this fair because we have two main concerns. Firstly, North East Lincolnshire often misses out on national funding compared to other areas.

“And secondly, the most successful bids are often by individual organisations, very few are often done by collaborative working. So we want people to hear from the funders themselves and get the message across that partnership is best.”

He added: “We have a mixture of national, regional and local funders here and they are all giving advice on how to improve their bids.”

The funding fair included speakers from organisations including Big Lottery and Comic Relief.

There was also a bid-writing workshop to help organisers understand what funding agencies are looking for and the Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire AGM took place at the same time.

This is where the organisation showcased the work they have been doing over the past year and share some of their plans for the future.

The funding fair was open to anyone who already works in an organisation that relies on funding or anyone who would like to start one.

Healthwatch chairman Michael Bateson said: “The funding fair will enable us to give the community the chance to see what is available from these funders.

“In fact the real thread is that in North East Lincolnshire it is fairly clear to see that we are missing out with funding opportunities. We need to work together better and use our partnerships to ensure we get as much funding as possible.”

One of those organisations to take part was the Gardiner Hill Foundation, who are part of the Grimsby-based local charity Navigo.

Trustee Jo Walker said: “We have all sorts of grants that patients can take advantage of. They can use it for education with college grants, or we even provide housing, too.

“Or if someone is going to an interview and don’t have the appropriate clothes, we can even fund that.”

 

Healthy Outdoor Activities

Healthy Outdoor Activities

A Sport England report confirms what we have been doing and saying for years!

Decreased stress and stronger family relationships are just two of the standout findings from a new report into the outdoor activities sectors by Sport England and the Outdoors Industries Association.

The report, “Getting Active Outdoors” is a study of demography, motivation, participation and provision in outdoor sport and recreation in England and examines the demand and supply of the outdoor activity market.

(GHoPA) Get Hooked on Positive Activities MD Mark Fenty says “the report highlights the type of personal benefits and impacts our type of organisation has been delivering into the community for years”.  Mark says “we must work harder however to identify funding which allows us to develop new programmes to help both the young and the more mature socially isolated people in our community also enjoy outdoor positive activities.  I am hopeful in our region that perhaps some new programmes targeted at specialist groups could even be seed funded by the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) in partnership with other stakeholders such as the local Authority”.

(GHoPA) has two wonderful outdoor facilities. At their rural East Ravendale site, the organisation has two classrooms with disabled access set in 18 acres of beautiful woodland. More locally, the organisation has a new site it is developing in Humberston, which has two fishing lakes, a woodland, and a coppice set in 21 acres.  Mark says “our ever expanding Wild Lincs programmes includes guided walks and talks, bush craft, overnight camping, orienteering, photography in the environment and a whole host of other programmes even including expert guidance of the wonderful world herbs”.

Over 8 years, the organisation has successful engaged with over 6000 local individuals working with many local schools, health agencies, disabled and environmental groups.

Please contact Sean for more details on 01472 236677.

The organisation is also looking for volunteers of any age who are experienced in the outdoor environment and would like work with the GHoPA team to help develop new programmes.

 

For more detailed reading from “Sport England”, please click on the link http://direct.sportengland.org/media-centre/news/2015/june/10/getting-active-outdoors-insight-unveiled/

 

Scheme to share views on health services in N.E. Lincs

Scheme to share views on health services in N.E. Lincs

A NEW scheme will help more people to share their views on local health services in a bid to improve standards of care.

Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire has launched a partner programme, designed to help it reach a wider audience.

Six organisations – Harbour Place, Age UK, Friendship At Home, Foresight, the Alzheimer’s Society and Get Hooked On Positive Activities – have already signed up.

Partnership co-ordinator Paul Glazebrook said: “The idea is to work with local organisations that speak for those whose voices are seldom heard.

“For instance, we have Harbour Place, which works with people who are homeless or struggling with addiction; the Alzheimer’s Society, which works with those with dementia; and Get Hooked On Positive Activities, which works with younger people.”

The partner scheme was announced at Healthwatch’s first annual general meeting, which took place at Tukes, in Brighowgate, Grimsby.

Chair Kathleen Young added: “There are a lot of people already working on health and social care issues in the area and it makes sense for us to work closely with them to gather information from their users, which we can then use in the most appropriate way.

“The partnership scheme will allow us to get out into sectors of the community that we might previously have had difficulty accessing.

“It’s all about sharing intelligence to secure the best possible health and social care outcomes for people in North East Lincolnshire.”

As reported, Healthwatch is an independent organisation which was launched in April 2013 to give local people a voice on health matters.

Residents can share their views – both positive and negative – with Healthwatch and it then liaises with providers, such as Northern Lincolnshire And Goole Hospitals NHS Trust, the Clinical Commissioning Group, Navigo and North East Lincolnshire Council, to get improvements.

It hosts the following drop-in sessions for people to share their views:

Second Tuesday of each month, from 10am to noon, at Grimsby’s Diana, Princess Of Wales Hospital.

Last Friday of each month, from 10am to noon, at Grimsby Library.

First Thursday of each month, from 10am to noon, at Cleethorpes Library.

To find out more, visit www.healthwatchnortheastlincolnshire.co.uk or follow @healthwatchNEL on Twitter.

Heartwell Donation

Heartwell Donation

Heartwell Kindly donated £1000 to the Positive Activities Charity enabling them to purchase a range of new Archery equipment such as a new Hoyt Horizon Bow. The new equipment will help GHoPA the delivery arm of Positive Activities to deliver their new Structured and recreational programmes with many of the local schools, academies, health organisations, VCS (Voluntary Community Sector) and the local authority.

GHoPA Join Partner Programme

GHoPA Join Partner Programme

GHoPA have recently joined the partner programme of the newly established HWNEL (Healthwatch North East Lincolnshire).

HWNEL is here to make sure your views on local health and social care services are heard.

The aim of HWNEL is to be an independent organisation with the ability to influence and be an effective voice for the public, giving citizens and communities a stronger voice to influence and challenge how health and social care services are provided within North East Lincolnshire.

The Partner Programme is a way of securing information sharing and working together that will serve the interests of both the VCS (Voluntary Community Sector) and HWNEL. This will include opportunities to access and listen to the views of local people and to use this to influence the shape and delivery of local services.

Creative Dance – Zumba, Yoga

Creative Dance – Zumba, Yoga

GHoPA has added another very popular engagement and enrichment activity through Sharon Gaffney who is a fully qualified RSA dance instructor.

Sharon has worked on many broadcast TV programmes and a host of major musical productions throughout Europe and the UK.

Creative dance is a form of dance that provides the potential for personal expression and is suitable for all abilities and age groups.

The benefits of creative dance span across mind, body and spirit and benefits include:

  • Enhanced physical / mental fitness.
  • Improved social skills – self-esteem, communication, working with others.
  • Improved wellbeing – reduction of stress / anxiety.

This year the GHoPA creative dance programme has been warmly welcomed in several primary schools, academies and at open community events.

Reduction in crime

Reduction in crime

Humberside crime commissioner Matthew Grove has hailed GHoPA as one of the reasons for less youth related antisocial behaviour.

In an article in the Grimsby Telegraph (Tuesday, January 8, 2013) a reported 60 per cent reduction in youth-related antisocial behaviour was thanks to diversionary activities such as football academies and the Get Hooked on Positive Activities initiative – which includes fishing, Golf and youth club activities.

Although GHoPA cannot take full credit for this 60 per cent drop in antisocial behaviour, we would like to think that we are making a huge difference in the Humberside region.

Click here to see the full story on the official ThisIsGrimsby website. Why not leave a comment, we would love to hear your thoughts on what GHoPA have been doing.