South London & Maudsley, Ladywell Unit are looking for volunteers to join their flourishing creative writing project.
Their groups seek to improve the well-being of patients during their admission. Working on acute mental health and alzheimer wards, they seek to provide an environment where creativity is used as a form of self-expression. If you have some experience in music, arts and craft, dance or working with Alzheimer sufferers they would also like to hear from you.
You will be involved in enabling small groups on an adult acute mental health ward
If you are interested in getting involved, please email fay@volunteercentrelewisham.org.uk for further details. The deadline for applications is Friday, 1 March 2013.
Defend yourselves from having one A&E between 750,000 residents.
As you hopefully know, various services at Lewisham Hospital are under threat due to the recommendations of Matthew Kershaw, the TSA appointed to review the South London Health Trust. The South London Health Trust was created in 2009 to try and solve the problems of the Princess Royal in Orpington, Queen Mary's in Sidcup and the Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich which were losing money. The trust has since accrued debts of more than £150M. The TSA has made a series of recommendations to the Secretary of State for Health on how he would deliver access to safe, high quality, affordable health services and a long-term sustainable health economy for the people of south east London. These incluse closing parts of Lewisham Hospital, selling off land and expecting us to go to King's College Hospital in Camberwell or Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich. We, and many physicians, disagree with his conclusions.
Save Lewisham Hospital is a community campaign fighting against the proposed closure of Lewisham Hospital including its new A&E department, Intensive Care, maternity and children's services. We will be joining them in a demonstration on Saturday 26th January to show Jeremy Hunt that the people of Lewisham are determined to SAVE LEWISHAM HOSPITAL! Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, will make his decision at the start of February.
If you would like to join us, please either meet us at The Capitol (JW Wetherspoon's) on London Road at 10:45am or at Catford Bridge station, where we will be catching the 11:38am Southeastern train service towards Lewisham and London Cannon Street Rail Station. The march will start at Lewisham Roundabout (by the station) at 12 noon on Saturday 26th January and march past the hospital to Mountsfield Park for a rally, music and giant petition (about two miles). If you are planning to travel to the march independently, there are four buses from Forest Hill to Lewisham; routes 122, 185, 75 and P4. However, based on experience from the previous demonstaration, we would recommend either walking from Catford or catching a train to Lewisham as traffic in Lewisham was severly delayed.
Over 10,000 people marched through Lewisham on 24th November 2012 – young, elderly, families and people from every background, so we have allowed for delays in getting to the march. We need a huge turnout, so encourage everyone you know to come and march with us on Saturday 26th January. We will be easy to spot - we will have placards and hi-vis jackets on.
Lewisham PCT contacted us to inform us that they are planning a patient event at the Civic Suite on the afternoon of Thursday 31st January 2013. Lunch from 1 o’clock, with a 1:30pm start.
Last summer they ran a survey with patients across Lewisham and were impressed by the feedback. The information was used to feed into their plans for 2013 – 2015
The afternoon will
They would like it to be as reflective of the population as possible. If you are interested please contact Grainne Bellenie at gbellenie@nhs.net. There is a limit of 60 places for this event.
As has become the custom, we will be celebrating Burns Night for our January social event. Everyone is welcome.
The venue this time will be Canvas & Cream (18 London Road, SE23 3HG) and the cost is £19.99 for the traditional three course meal and a wee dram. A vegetarian option will be available. Come along at 7pm as ceremonies will commence at 7:30.
We are arranging a great evening of entertainment for you. There will be the traditional Address to the Haggis and a chance for people to read some of the Bard's poetry as well as a couple of surprises (if everything works out). Feel free to bring along something to read yourself and don't feel shy!
It would be lovely to have as many people from Forest Hill (and Sydenham!) there as possible, so hope to see many of you, new & old to the area, on the night. The event is open to all (sassenachs, members and non-members alike).
Please book directly with Canvas & Cream at the restaurant or on 020 8699 9589
Please note correction: Correct phone number for Canvas & Cream is 020 8699 9589
