Monthly Archives: February 2021

Consultation sessions for family carers of people with learning disabilities.

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Start Date:
25th February 2021

End Date:
7th May 2021

Start Time:
0001

End Time:
1700

Telford & Wrekin Council, along with the Learning Disability Partnership and all the member organisations, are determined to do everything they can to make sure that all people with learning disability in Telford and Wrekin live well and enjoy a full life, with as much independence as possible.

They are proud that there is good support for people in Telford and Wrekin, but know there are many things that could be better so want to make these improvements over the next four years. They have limited resources and cannot do everything at once but the draft Learning Disability Strategy (2021 – 2025) sets out the most important things and they will focus on these.

Telford & Wrekin Council want to hear from adults with learning disabilities, families, carers and staff who care for, or work with them. This will enable them to finalise the Strategy and help us enable people with learning disabilities to live well in Telford and Wrekin. 

This consultation has been extended until the 7 May 2021 at 5pm.

How to get involved:

For Adults with Learning Disabilities

How to let us know your views:

  • Email your views to: LDconsultation@telford.gov.uk. or
  • Or write to us: Consultation Feedback, Freepost RTKJ-KGJA-ASXU, Organisational Delivery & Development, ALD Engagement, Telford & Wrekin Council, Darby House, Lawn Central, Town Centre, Telford, TF3 4JA.

For Family Members and Family Carers (unpaid) 

Take part in one of the planned virtual sessions:

  • Wednesday 17 March 2021 from 9.30am
  • Wednesday 24 March 2021 from 5.30pm
  • Thursday 1 April 2021 from 3.30pm
  • Monday 19 April 2021 from 12noon
  • Wednesday 21 April 2021 from 5.30pm.

How to let us know your views: Email your views to: LDconsultation@telford.gov.uk.

For people who care for, or work with adults with learning disabilities

Complete the questionnaire at this link: Complete the online questionnaire.

Take part in one of the planned virtual sessions:

  • Tuesday 30 March 2021 from 4pm
  • Friday 16 April 2021 from 3.30pm.

How to let us know your views: Email your views to: LDconsultation@telford.gov.uk.

If you would like to request a paper copy of either questionnaire please contact us on LDconsultation@telford.gov.uk.

The deadline for this consultation has been extended to 5 pm on Friday 7th May 2021

SALC Community Survey

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This survey has been developed in partnership by the Shropshire Association of Local Councils (SALC) and the Shropshire Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly (VCSA). This survey is designed to encourage community-based groups and organisations to highlight key local issues. A very similar survey has been designed for town councils, parish councils and parish meetings. SALC hope to use the survey to learn more about:

  • How local communities have responded to the coronavirus pandemic
  • Any concerns or issues currently being faced or identified community concerns for the future
  • Organisational support needs
  • How local partnerships are benefiting local people
  • Examples of good practice
  • Ideas, suggestions and opportunities for the future

Co-operation between community groups and town and parish councils has always been important, but the results local partnerships achieve have been recognised more than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. Understanding this joint working will be important as we work together to overcome future challenges and recover from the impacts of the pandemic.

Shropshire Council’s Feedback and Insight Team will support with survey analysis and they hope the results will help form a baseline for future research. They welcome any feedback groups have, so please use the open space at the end of the survey to add any issues not covered within the survey questions.

Ways to take part in this survey: 

  1. Take part in the online survey by clicking this link:  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SALCCommunitySurvey or 
  2. Email: alc@shropshire.gov.uk or
  3. In writing, via post: Feedback and Insight team, Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shropshire SY2 6ND.

If you would like the survey in an alternative format, please use the email above to request a copy or telephone Shropshire Council’s Customer Services on 0345 678 9000 and explain any support you need to allow you to respond.

This survey ends on Wednesday 31st March 2021

Mind Your Head Campaign – Shropshire Council

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The annual Mind Your Head campaign which is run by Shropshire Council aims to raise awareness of Mental Health in the rural and farming community.

A spokesman from Shropshire Council says: “We know that poor mental health in the farming community has been a growing issue over the past few years and being, but is often seen as a “hidden” problem.”

Furthermore, they said: “The Mind Your Head campaign seeks to address stigma talking about mental health. A schedule of events is planned via the www.yellowwellies.org website including videos, blogs and links to further information”.

Read more by clicking here: Helpful Emotional Wellbeing Resources for farming communities 2021

2021 LGBT and History Festival

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Start Date:
6th February 2021

End Date:
13th March 2021

Start Time:
See content for details

End Time:
See content for details

Event title: 2021 LGBT and History Festival
Venue: On-line
Weblink: https://www.shrewsburylgbthistory.org.uk/
Name: Shrewsbury LGBT
Email: events@shrewsburylgbthistory.org.uk
Telephone: 07966 294323
Event description: To the 6th Shrewsbury LGBT+ History Festival. As always, events are open to LGBT people, friends and allies. Unusually, this year our reach is much wider as 100% of our events are online. 

The production of the festival has been tailored to adhere with current circumstances, so will be held virtually with a range of live streams, film screenings, lectures, discussions, and Q&A’s, from the comfort of your own home. All events are free and can be booked via the Shrewsbury LGBT+ History website, however donations are appreciated to enable this fantastic celebration of the LGBT+ community and its history to continue in the future.  Thanks to the players of the National Lottery, we are delighted to announce that this year the festival is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and we are proudly in partnership with the Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival.

The festival is welcoming both members and non-members of the LGBT+ community to learn about significant issues currently faced by LGBT+ individuals that are important to understand when uniting to create a safer, more inclusive future for society. 

Throughout the duration of the festival there are a diverse range of films being shown, such as ‘The Archivettes’ by Megan Rossman streaming on the 12th of February, which is about The Lesbian Herstory Archives – the world’s largest collection of materials by and about lesbians. The film explores the fascinating origins of the organisation and is a tribute to second-wave feminism and intergenerational connection, as well as an urgent rallying cry for continued activism in a politically charged moment.

On the 7th of February, the festival is proudly hosting a virtual Q&A with Dan Glass, who is an activist, mentor and author of ‘United Queerdom’ – a book focussing on the history of the Gay Liberation Front and its long-lasting legacy for the LGBT+ culture.

Later in the month on the 23rd of February there will be a discussion with Mark Hignett, who during our 2017 festival led a presentation regarding love letters that were exchanged between two servicemen during WW2 that were found inadvertently in a trunk in 2008. These letters demonstrated how the two gentlemen’s love was constrained by the moral and legal circumstances at the time, and this year Mark is back to discuss what happened next.

The festival itinerary also includes a screening of ‘Say My Name’ on the 26th of February, which is brought to you by our partner, the Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival.  This film-documentary highlights the issues faced by two transgender women when trying to change their names and gender on official documents and whilst seeking respect from both their families and society, demonstrating the human right constraints the LGBT+ community are still facing.

Click here to tour the LGBT Exhibition:  https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/en/exhibition/4353116/shrewsbury-lgbt-festival-exhibition

View information about Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival’s 8 selected short films and other events by downloading this flyer: LGBY History Festival 2021

All events are free to attend but donations are welcome. To book your place for all our on-line events click here: https://www.shrewsburylgbthistory.org.uk/home

For further information please email events@shrewsburylgbthistory.org.uk or call 07966 294323

SALC Community Survey

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Start Date:
15th February 2021

End Date:
31st March 2021

Start Time:
0001

End Time:
2359

This survey has been developed in partnership by the Shropshire Association of Local Councils (SALC) and the Shropshire Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly (VCSA). This survey is designed to encourage community-based groups and organisations to highlight key local issues. A very similar survey has been designed for town councils, parish councils and parish meetings. SALC hope to use the survey to learn more about:

  • How local communities have responded to the coronavirus pandemic
  • Any concerns or issues currently being faced or identified community concerns for the future
  • Organisational support needs
  • How local partnerships are benefiting local people
  • Examples of good practice
  • Ideas, suggestions and opportunities for the future

Co-operation between community groups and town and parish councils has always been important, but the results local partnerships achieve have been recognised more than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. Understanding this joint working will be important as we work together to overcome future challenges and recover from the impacts of the pandemic.

Shropshire Council’s Feedback and Insight Team will support with survey analysis and they hope the results will help form a baseline for future research. They welcome any feedback groups have, so please use the open space at the end of the survey to add any issues not covered within the survey questions.

Ways to take part in this survey: 

  1. Take part in the online survey by clicking this link:  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SALCCommunitySurvey or 
  2. Email: alc@shropshire.gov.uk or
  3. In writing, via post: Feedback and Insight team, Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shropshire SY2 6ND.

If you would like the survey in an alternative format, please use the email above to request a copy or telephone Shropshire Council’s Customer Services on 0345 678 9000 and explain any support you need to allow you to respond.

This survey ends on Wednesday 31st March 2021

Hamar Centre for Counselling and Wellbeing

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The Hamar Centre provides counselling services for individuals who have been diagnosed with a life threatening or an acute on-going illness such as cancer or renal failure. Currently the Centre is only providing a telephone counselling service due to COVID19. If you would like to access the counselling services at the Hamar Centre then you can be referred by a healthcare professional or you can self-refer by calling the Hamar Centre on 01743 261035 or email: sath.hamarcentre@nhs.net

Counselling services at the centre are free and are provided by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

Read more by clicking here: hamar-centre-tifold-leaflet-for-patients.pdf

Changes to Carers Support Service in Shropshire

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Last week a new service for unpaid and family carers was launched. 

Shropshire Council’s new Carers Support service will offer support to carers. Crossroads Together, Carer Advice team will be moving into Shropshire Council’s new Carers Support Team and will continue to provide advice and support to adult unpaid and family carers across the county.

The free to access service will offer a wide range of resources designed to improve unpaid carers’ quality of life. These will include:

  • Specialist information, advice and signposting
  • 1:1 support
  • Developing peer support groups
  • Virtual groups
  • Carers Register and identification card
  • Future and emergency planning
  • Supporting and promoting carers events. 

The 2011 Census showed there were around 34,000 known carers in Shropshire. This number did not account for people who do not identify as carers – ‘hidden’ carers, and young carers from 5 up to 18 years of age.

The new service will bring real support to informal carers’ across Shropshire and strengthen the council’s priority for people to stay healthier, happier, independent and active.

Crossroads Together and Shropshire Council are working closely together to ensure a smooth handover, to make sure the support currently being provided to carers moves from one organisation to the other without interruption. The Carer Advisers will continue to work with carers they are currently supporting. Crossroads Together will continue to provide the Carers Pen Pal scheme in Shropshire. 

Unpaid and family carers and professionals looking for information, advice or support can contact the Shropshire Carers Support Team on 01743 341995 or by email  shropshire.carers@shropshire.gov.uk

Access to GPs during the Covid-19 pandemic (since March 2020)

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Start Date:
8th February 2021

End Date:
17th March 2021

Start Time:
0001

End Time:
2359

NHS England and NHS Improvement in the Midlands wants to understand more about patient access to GP services during the Covid-19 pandemic and why fewer people used GP services than had done before. Your GP is your family doctor. 

The online survey can be completed here. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VHLZ9CH The survey closes at 11.59pm on Wednesday 17 March.

The NHS is very keen to hear from people who do not have access to the internet or would prefer to answer questions by telephone. If this is the case, please complete the following registration link and someone from the team will be in touch to arrange a telephone conversation. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NHSPC-GPFeedbackC-19

The Truth about Disability Hate Crime

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Have you or are you the victim of Disability Hate Crime? If so, please report it.

The Truth about Disability Hate Crime was shown on BBC 2 on 20th January 2021. The film which cam be watched for the next 11 months at the link below, reveals the abuse and aggression faced by disabled people in everyday life, from verbal name-calling to violent physical attacks. Made by disabled filmmaker Richard Butchins and featuring a wide range of testimony from survivors themselves, it asks why this happens.

You can watch the film here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000rh4p/ad/targeted-the-truth-about-disability-hate-crime Click on sign language to see the film with BSL.

Shropshire Disability Network does not tolerate Hate Crime of any type, neither should you.

The Facts: 

  • A hate crime is any criminal offence that is motivated by hostility or prejudice based upon the victim’s disability or perceived disability.
  • Disability Hate Crime is massively underreported as many people don’t know who to talk to or how to report incidents. On a national level, hate crimes are under reported; it is estimated that three in five incidents are not reported. West Mercia Police is committed to addressing this issue by giving victims of hate crime the confidence to come forward and report their experience.

Hate Crime could be: 

  • physical attacks such as physical assault, damage to property, offensive graffiti and arson
  • threat of attack including offensive letters, abusive or obscene telephone calls, groups hanging around to intimidate, and unfounded, malicious complaints
  • verbal abuse, insults or harassment – taunting, offensive leaflets and posters, abusive gestures, dumping of rubbish outside homes or through letterboxes, and bullying at school or in the workplace.
  • Disability
  • Transgender
  • Sexual orientation
  • Religion
  • Individual characteristic that makes someone appear different
  • Race (including nationality, national origin, ethnic origin, race and colour)

Any type of crime can be a hate crime. Here are a few examples:

  • Physical attacks, Damage to property, Arson Offensive letters, Offensive language and harassment, Offensive graffiti, Threats of attack, Abusive or obscene telephone calls, Arson, Anti-social behaviour and intimidation.

Have you or someone you know been a victim of a hate crime or hate incident?

It is important that if hate crime happens to you or someone you know, that you report it.

You can find out more about hate crime here via True Vision www.report-it.org.uk/home  This link takes you directly to the hate crime page to report a hate crime  http://www.report-it.org.uk/your_police_force

If you feel you cannot report it yourself, then tell us & Shropshire Disability Network will do it for you. Contact hatecrime@shropshire-disability.net or call 07780 852229

What the Ladybird Heard (Relaxed Performance)-Cancelled

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Start Date:
25th May 2021

End Date:
25th May 2021

Start Time:
1300

End Time:
1400

Event title: What the Ladybird Heard (Relaxed Performance)-Cancelled
Venue: Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst Street, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB
Weblink: https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/what-the-ladybird-heard/
Name: Birmingham Hypperdrome
Email: tickets@birminghamhippodrome.com
Telephone: 0121 689 1060
Event description: About this show:
Two crafty robbers, one tiny ladybird, and a whole farmyard of fun!

Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have a cunning plan to steal the farmer’s fine prize cow. But they reckon without the tiniest, quietest creature of all: the Ladybird has a plan of her own!

Join the woolly sheep, the hairy hog, the fat red hen and the dainty dog in this hit musical adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks‘ colourful farmyard adventure. Direct from the West End with live music, puppetry, plenty of audience participation and lots of laughs!

This show is 55 minutes with no interval.

Relaxed performances are designed to create a more calming atmosphere for audience members with an Autism Spectrum Condition, sensory and communication disorders or a learning disability.

At relaxed performances, we encourage an atmosphere where everyone feels safe and able to react to a show as they wish. Fewer seats are available for sale, providing increased wheelchair capacity and giving audience members more space to make them feel more comfortable. Attendees are welcome to walk in and out of the auditorium and make noise throughout a production. There is also a calm space near to the auditorium that can be accessed throughout the show. All of our front of house staff have specialist training in advance of a relaxed performance.

We encourage family groups, secondary schools and community organisations who would feel safer and more comfortable in a more relaxed setting.

Tickets £11

Bookings must be made through the Access phone line on 0121 689 1060.