Page 4 - HGS Suburb News 133 - Winter2018
P. 4

Mental Health Awareness and Fundraising                                                                Become a volunteer

      Many Suburb residents maybe
      unaware that the Free Church
      has  recently  been  trying  to
      bring  our  attention  to  the
      subject of our mental health. As
      part of this welcome initiative
      there was an opportunity for us
      to learn more when Professor
      Tim Kendall came to the church
      to give a talk on the subject
      entitled Mental Health: Present
      & Future.
         Ian Tutton, the Minister at
      the church, introduced the                                                                                 Lead advocate, Shailja Kumar, with a volunteer.
      Professor, and told us how there                                                                           Volunteering has so many benefits   transition from private living
      was a serious challenge to                                                                                 whatever your age – it can open   via hospital to a care home can
      society in raising mental health                                                                           up a whole new world and give   be traumatic. Giving up one’s
      awareness, and how important                                                                               you purpose and satisfaction.  home and independence can be
      it was to support local providers.                                                                            Becoming a volunteer helps   a real blow to people’s sense of
      Many readers of this article will                                                                          you to strengthen your ties to   themselves, particularly if they
      have been touched by those                                                                                 your community and meet new   are  on their own.  For people
      with mental health problems,                                                                               people. It is also beneficial to   who are returning to their own
      maybe in the family, in friends                                                                            your mental health as it increases   homes adequate support will
      or the workplace, and perhaps                                                                              your confidence and self-esteem,   prevent avoidable re-admissions
      even in themselves. Recognition                                                                            gives you a sense of accomplish-  and save the NHS money and
      of a problem is the first step to   Ian Tutton introducing the speaker, Professor Tim Kendall              ment and helps you develop a   resources. People sometimes
      finding a solution.           The  Professor  explained   to cope with the speed of   the need to remove the stigma   more positive outlook on life.  leave hospital without important
         Prof Kendall is, among other   that the situation in mental   modern life, and the digital   of mental problems. Problems   Advocacy in Barnet is a small   possessions, like their false teeth
      things, National Clinical Director   health was better than before,  world; treating veterans, and   related to modern living, such   North London charity, which is   or batteries in their hearing aids
      for Mental Health NHS England   but that there were still   others, with PTSD; rising rates   as those caused by the speed of   celebrating 20 years of helping   – a transitions volunteer will
      and Consultant Psychiatrist at   problems to be tackled; among   of suicide, and self-harm.  life or social media would only   people in the London Borough of   help to make sure these items
      the Sheffield NHS Foundation   them the Mental Health Act   The  answers  to  many  really  become  apparent  in  the   Barnet. It offers a free, independent   travel with their owners to reduce
      Trust, and he started his talk by   was a one size fits all approach   problems lay not so much in   next decade, and treatment   and confidential advocacy service   anxiety and ensure wellbeing.
      telling his audience of his early   that limited the capacity for   drugs, but in talking therapies   would develop in tandem.  to people over 50. Advocacy in   A typical recent case was of
      days working in mental health   action, and private provision of   and  the  use  of  psychological   The most important thing for   Barnet has a number of different   an 80 year-old woman who
      in Sheffield explaining how he   facilities for those with severe   well-being practitioners; working   all of us was to raise awareness   projects  designed  to  help  and   lived  alone.  She was awaiting
      felt to understand psychosis you   problems was very costly.  with families, friends and within   in the community of the ubiquity   support people through difficult   discharge to a care home for the
      had to live with those who suffered   Despite the impression that   the workplace; adjusting the   of mental health problems, and   times and is looking for people   first time. As a result of a
      from psychiatric disorders to   one gets from the media coverage   environment around dementia   the ways of getting help without   who have some time to spare and   conversation with one of our
      get a service user perspective.  that there is a constant crisis in   patients; recognising problems   feeling shame. Ian and the Free   wish to give something back to   Volunteer Advocates she indicated
         He explained how treatment   mental health he, without   in A&E and transferring patients   Church congregation deserve   their communities.  that she really wanted to return
      had changed with asylums being   denying that there are problems,  to psychiatric services.  our thanks for trying to bring   Don’t be put off by the word   to her own home. Our Volunteer
      shut  and  community care   remains optimistic about the   Suicide rates, which had been   this subject to our attention.   ‘advocacy’  – we  are  not  legal   Advocate  liaised  with  a  social
      expanded. In the early 1980s   future, which, although surprising,  going down until 2008, had   Suburb News wishes them luck   types, although people with a   worker on the ward and the
      Sheffield, with a population of   was somehow comforting.  risen in every country after the   with their ambition to raise   legal background do make   patient was discharged to her
      half a million had 2,000 mental   A question and answer   crash, but had thankfully now   £15,000 for an outdoor gym for   excellent advocates. Advocacy   own home supported by a
      health beds – now there were 100.  session chaired by Karen Turner,  plateaued.  Apparently  75%  of   inpatients at the mental health   means taking action to help you   package of care that included
         Now the emphasis is on early   Director for Mental Health   suicide cases had never sought   unit of Edgware Hospital.  say what you want, secure your   daily visits from a carer.
      intervention with the intention   England, followed with the   help, a figure which demonstrates   TERRY BROOKS  rights, represent your interests   We also provide a cancer
      of helping patients to get back   proviso  that  it  was  fine  to  be                                     and obtain the services you need.   advocacy service, which provides
      home and into work, often using   political. Ian opened by asking   The Free Church                        Among our team of well-trained   one-to-one support, help and
      treatments such as cognitive-  about the situation for 15 to 25                                            and experienced volunteers we   advocacy for people over 50 living
      behavioural therapy (CBT).  year-olds, who were neither   Mental Health Campaign                           have people from a variety of   with cancer and their families.
         Although mental health care   children nor adults, and whose                                            professions, for example GPs,   If any of our work would be
      is better than it used to be, access   problems became more severe   Over the past year the Free Church   Scott Unit by collecting money   lawyers and teachers.  of interest to you and you have
      is still difficult and despite  the   and difficult to treat when                                              Our newest project is about   around four hours a week to spare,
      provision of additional resources   tackled later in life.  has been raising awareness in   to enrich the ward environment   supporting lone older people   why not call on 020 8201 3415?
                                                            the church community around
                                                                                      beyond that which the NHS
      we were told that, for instance,   Questions followed about   issues of mental illness, health   provides. The church congregation   leaving hospital, whether it is   We  provide  excellent training
      still only one third of children   recognising problems while at   and wellbeing.   has developed contacts within   to a care home or their own   and on-going support and
      get the treatment they require; so   school; the reaction of employers                                     home. Our volunteers provide   would love to hear from you –
                                                               Some one in six adults have
      the public campaign to ensure   when confronted by problems at   either a common mental health   the Unit and initiated various   support  through  all stages  of   change your life and join the
                                                                                      projects – Christmas presents
      politicians understand the need   work; the treatment of an ageing   disorder – usually depression or   for all those on the wards, Easter   the discharge process. The   Advocacy Volunteers.
      for adequate provision continues.  population with dementia; how
                                                            anxiety, or a severe mental illness,  eggs & daffodils in April and
                                                            such as psychosis e.g. schizophrenia   strawberries & cream tea for   Archives Books
                                                            or bipolar disorder. This one in   Wimbledon finals weekend. We
                                                            six figure comes from the most   have now been asked to fund-
                                                            recent survey and paints a   raise to provide outdoor gym   An  interesting  article  from  the   John Atkin: Hampstead Garden
        Brownhill Insurance Group                           particularly worrying picture of   equipment (as you will find in   Archives Trust analysing the   Suburb during the Great War. £10
        have been insuring the                              mental illness in young women   many of the parks in Barnet) to   details from Hampstead Way in   Henrietta Barnett: The Story of the
                                                                                                                                            Growth of Hampstead Garden
                                                                                                                 the 1911 Census has been held
        residents and businesses of                         aged from 18-25, where the rates   encourage physical activity for   over to our next issue due to   Suburb. £5
        Hampstead Garden Suburb                             are higher than any other group.  those who are inpatients.  lack of space.     Handlist of the Hampstead Garden
                                                               Mental  illness  has  a  high
                                                                                         We all know the benefit of
        for over 25 years.                                  cost – to the individual, to those   exercise for our physical and   In  the  meantime  the  Suburb. £1
                                                            around them and to society. It   mental well-being, and at   Archives team would like to   Kitty Slack: Henrietta’s Dream. £5
        Join hundreds of residents and                      can prevent people from enjoying   present, the facilities within the   remind readers that they could   Micky Watkins: Henrietta Barnett,
                                                                                                                                            Social Worker and Community
                                                                                                                 take the opportunity to visit
        businesses by insuring with                         and taking part in life, as well as   outdoor  areas are  bare  and
        Brownhill Insurance Group.                          looking after themselves or others.  hence some basic equipment is   Fellowship  House  and  select  a   Planner. £10
                                                            The links between mental illness   urgently needed. Depending on   book from those listed below to   Micky Watkins: Henrietta Barnett
                                                                                                                 read instead:
                                                                                                                                            in photos. £3
        call us on:                                         and physical health are also   how many pieces of equipment
        020 8353 8907                                       now better understood; some   are placed in the two areas for the
                                                                                      require approximately £15,000.  Welcome to St Jude’s
                                                            long term physical conditions,  three wards, this project would
        visit us online:                                    such as diabetes or severe neuro-
        www.brownhillgroup.co.uk                            logical illnesses, can be hard to   Each piece of equipment costs   Ash Wednesday February 14 Plus the regular:
                                                            manage  which  can  cause  about £1,500 including installation.  9am Imposition of Ashes  Sunday 8am
        email us:                                           depression and anxiety. This in   We are approaching various   Mothering Sunday March 11 Said Eucharist,
        info@brownhillgroup.co.uk                           turn makes the management of   organisations on the Suburb to   8am & 10.30am     Sunday 10.30am
                                                            the condition worse. So a cycle   ask if they would collaborate   Palm Sunday March 25  Sung Eucharist,
                                                            of difficulty emerges.    with us in this project by   10.30am Liturgy of the Palms    Thursday 9am
                                                              The Dennis Scott Unit,  arranging fundraising activities.   (begins at Church Rooms)  Said Eucharist
        For over 25 years we have been serving the          Edgware Hospital, is the inpatient   So far we have organised a   Maundy Thursday March 29
                                                                                                                   8pm Liturgy of the Last Supper
                                                            psychiatric unit that covers the
                                                                                      flower festival, two concerts, a
        community of the Suburb.                            Borough of Barnet. There are   seminar and have raised £2,000.   Good Friday March 30
                                                            three wards with capacity for 62   We did a sponsored walk from   10.30am Liturgy of the Cross
        We understand the uniqueness of this area and       patients, and the wards are   the  Dennis  Scott  Unit  to  our   Holy Saturday March 31
                                                                                                                   8pm The Easter Liturgy
                                                            almost always full. All of us
        therefore can provide the most appropriate          within our local groups will   church on January 20.   Easter Sunday April 1
                                                                                         Please do consider whether
        cover for both residents and businesses.            have knowledge of people who   this is a community activity   8am & 10.30am
                                                            have required the support of   you would like to join in with.   Easter Celebration
                                                            mental health services and may  Any donations that individuals     All Welcome
                                                            even  have  required  admission   would like to give would also be
                                           In partnership with:
                                                            to the Dennis Scott Unit.   gratefully received.        SAINT JUDE-ON-THE-HILL • THE PARISH CHURCH OF HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB
                                                              At the Free Church we have          PENNY TRAFFORD,         www.stjudeonthehill.com
                                                            been supporting the Dennis                IAN TUTTON
      4                                                                                         SUBURB NEWS IS PRODUCED AND DELIVERED TO YOU BY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERS
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