Nov 27, 2020 | ActivGardens, ActivHubs, ActivLives, ActivSinging, ActivSports
Just to let everyone know how ActivLives is managing the lockdowns and Government and Sport’s Bodies restrictions and how we are continuing to support our members and volunteers.
We have been able to keep our Community Gardens in Ipswich and our Sudbury Garden project open safely, with the support of our dedicated teams of volunteers who are helping to maintain the gardens and grow plants and produce for the local community. The volunteers in Sudbury have been working hard to keep Belle Vue Park looking lovely and keeping on top of the weeding and tidying in preparation for the winter months.
The staff and volunteers are also working hard to prepare all sorts of jams, pickles, Honey, fresh produce, bird boxes, garden items, crafts and lots more for the Christmas Market on December 4th at the People’s Community Garden, Halifax Rd from 10am – 1pm. Please come along…
We have also been able to keep various projects running such as ‘Grow Your Future’ which is giving people skills, work experience and support in finding employment as well as building confidence, self-esteem and helping people with anxiety and depression cope through the lockdowns and the pandemic.
ActivSheds has been able to keep open with a limited number of volunteers and with the new outside cover funded by SW Ipswich Area Committee, we now have more space for people to enjoy the Shed and keep socially distanced.
Unfortunately, the Better Balance sessions that we managed to get up and running after the first lockdown had to close again, but for those that could access the internet the instructors have been running live zoom exercise sessions and seated dance and chair-based exercise to keep people moving and connected.
We have established WhatsApp Groups, run zoom socials and sing-a-longs, including our Friday Friends Hub and kept in touch with our members from all our different activities with the Befriending / Welfare calls to help get people through this very difficult and anxious time.
During lockdown 2 our ActivOut and About Project returned to 1-1 ‘walks and talks’, encouraging people living alone to have a walk in the fresh air to help with their physical and mental health.
Check out our Activ@Home page on our Website for exercise / singing videos, quizzes and our themed reminiscence project ‘That Reminds Me’ for things to do at home.
We are now planning to re-open safely again on the 2nd December, so that some of our Better Balance, Inclusive Sports groups and Carers Hubs can meet again before the Christmas and New Year holiday. We hope to get more of our sessions running in the New Year, if we can.
A big thank you again goes out to all our funders who have helped to keep the organisation going through 2020 and the generous donations that people have sent in, even people who don’t use our services – thank you.
Thank you to all the staff, freelance staff and volunteers for your patience, flexibility, creativity and dedication in supporting ActivLives and keeping things going through the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns. Let’s hope 2021 is a better year for all of us.
For any information about any of our services or activities please contact the office on – 01473 345350 or visit www.activlives.org.uk
Oct 2, 2020 | ActivGardens, ActivHubs, ActivLives, ActivSinging, ActivSports
On Monday 23rd March 2020, due to the Covid-19 virus and Government lockdown ActivLives had to close all of our activity sessions, the Sudbury project and limit access to our two community gardens in Ipswich. The office closed at Brightspace and staff worked remotely, attended the gardens and two staff were furloughed for 2 months.
What we achieved through lockdown?
- We contacted 300 of our more vulnerable members and volunteers through regular befriending and welfare calls.
- We developed Activ@Home on our website/Facebook page with exercise videos, weekly quizzes, singing videos and launched our ‘That Reminds Me’ reminiscence, arts and photography project.
- We set up WhatsApp groups, so that our members could keep in touch with each other.
- We held regular zoom social and ActivSinging sessions and organised singing sessions outdoors in people’s gardens and in parks.
- Our two Community Gardens the People’s Community Garden at Maidenhall and Chantry Walled Garden at Chantry Park were closed to the general public, but were maintained by a skeleton team of staff and dedicated volunteers who followed strict social distancing and hygiene guidelines.
- We received thousands of plugs / plants for the IBC parks and our plant sales, which were nurtured by a small team of dedicated volunteers.
- We set up our plant on-line sales and delivery service to enable people to access plants during lockdown and to link with people in the community.
- A dedicated team of volunteers looked after our Bee Hives to ensure our bees survived through lockdown.
- We were able to continue providing healthy fresh produce and flowers for the local community at the People’s Community Garden, to help people through lockdown and keeping in touch with the community.
- The Staff and Trustees met regularly via Zoom sessions and this will continue for the foreseeable future.
- We continued to work on the Bridging the Gap project funded by Ipswich & East Suffolk CCG / Suffolk Community Foundation in partnership with NSFT / Willows Unit and the Recovery College holding regular zoom meetings and working on learning plans for Inclusive sport and Connecting with Nature.
- For those people who didn’t have access to the internet we printed hard copy exercise sheets, quiz booklets, produced a CD and hard copy songbooks which were distributed to members to try and keep them connected.
- We would like to thank all our funders for being very supportive and understanding through this very difficult time particularly the National Lottery, Suffolk Community Foundation, County, Borough, District & Town Councils and Councillors.
Where we are now?
- We are monitoring the Covid-19 situation and Government announcements very closely and following strict guidance on hygiene / cleaning, social distancing and the wearing of face masks.
- We have been working closely with venues on risk assessments to ensure that our members, volunteers and staff are safe and to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
- We have been working on our re-start plan to gradually re-introduce some activity sessions again to help our members improve their physical and mental health and build their confidence, after many of them have had to shield during lockdown.
- The ActivOut and About Project has been operating since July and has focussed on offering Covid-19 compliant outdoor exercise opportunities including chair-based exercise in people’s gardens, walks in local green spaces and badminton and boccia in the park. We are very grateful to Active Suffolk and Sport England for their support for this initiative.
- Inclusive Badminton, Boccia and Badminton sessions are planning to re-start in October / November 20. We are taking a gradual approach to re-opening these sessions, taking into account the myriad of Covid-19 regulations from the venues, sports governing bodies, Sport England and the DCMS.
- We have re-started some of our Step by Step falls prevention and ActivSteps sessions in Ipswich and Felixstowe, with others planned to open in October if we can. A new member of staff has been recruited to develop the Step by Step Falls Prevention projected, funded by Ipswich & East Suffolk CCG and she will be joining us in November.
- The People’s Community Garden, Chantry Walled Garden and the Sudbury Project have welcomed back existing volunteers and new volunteers to all the different projects currently underway at ActivGardens and Chantry Walled Garden is now open to the general public on Thursdays from 10am – 3pm.
- ActivSheds has re-opened on Fridays with a limited number of volunteers at each session and a new specialist session has opened on Thursdays for people with a disability or people living with Dementia and their Carers, which can offer more 1-1 support.
- The Elderflower Carers Hub has re-started at the CRESS Pavilion off Halifax Road with a new rota in place for members and volunteers, so that members, volunteers and staff can have an enjoyable session, whilst being socially distanced and keep people safe in the venue.
- WhatsApp groups, Zoom social and singing sessions will continue so that we can keep in touch with members across Ipswich and East Suffolk.
- We are continuing to develop the Bridging the Gap Project in partnership with NSFT / Willows Unit and the Recovery College and have through September been able to go back on the wards with table top gardening. Hopefully, our Boccia sessions will be able to re-start again soon.
- The Friday Friends Hub at Whitehouse and funded by the North West Ipswich Big Local Trust will hopefully re-start in October / November time. It will be a slightly shorter session with a rota in place for members, Carers and volunteers. We are currently working with the Church to ensure it is a Covid-secure venue and session. The Friday Friends zoom social sessions will continue to ensure we support our members living with Dementia and their carers.
- With the current Government announcements our two lunch clubs at St Mary at Stoke Church & the Ipswich International Church may not open until next year. However, we will be monitoring the guidance carefully and if we can open sooner we certainly will.
- Our Befriending / Welfare calls will also continue with our most vulnerable members to help reduce their anxiety, loneliness and social isolation caused by the lockdown.
We are taking things very slowly to ensure the safety of our staff, volunteers and members. We will continue to open sessions where and when we can and keep in touch with our members to make sure they are OK and inform them of any developments with our activity and social programme.
A big thank you to all our funders and the amazing donations we have received to help the organisation through these unprecedented times and to the staff and volunteers who have gone that extra mile to support our services and each other during lockdown. If you require any further information, please contact us on 01473 345350.
– Julie Stokes CEO
Jun 26, 2020 | ActivLives
Charities from Suffolk are appealing for the support of businesses across the county, in helping elderly and vulnerable people stay connected with crucial lifelines during the pandemic.
Suffolk Family Carers, ACE Anglia and Suffolk User Forum have identified dozens of individuals who are at risk of missing out on key service provision, or losing all family contact, because of a lack of technology and communication devices.
Alongside a number of other charities, the organisations have been battling on a daily basis to help vulnerable groups deal with a lack of tablets, laptops and mobile phones, as well as 4G or broadband – all of which would help individuals stay in touch, order groceries, or request repeat prescriptions.
The lack of technological devices also means such groups are at risk of missing out on key services and resources available in the community, because they are not able to search the internet.
Participation in the government’s new track and trace initiative will also be prohibitive.
Kirsten Alderson, CEO of Suffolk Family Carers, believes local businesses could play a key part in ensuring vulnerable individuals and households were better supported at this challenging time.
She said: “It’s very easy to assume that everyone has access to the internet these days, or that they can be in touch with friends and family via smartphones and tablet devices.
“The reality is, this simply isn’t the case. Every day we’re speaking to families or individuals who are being deprived of resources, or further isolated in their own lives, because of a lack of technology and communication.
“It would make the world of difference if we could encourage businesses within the county to play a part in helping us at this time of need.”
Some of the ways in which businesses might look to support the initiative, include:
- Donate equipment such as smart phones, tablets or laptops for vulnerable users. This could be used, but ideally would be new.
- Provide technical support services to help configure phones to meet specific user needs or a ‘helpdesk’ to walk people through any basic problems
- Prepare training materials for individuals who are learning how to use technology for the first time. This could take the form of a webinar or be face to face via zoom/MS teams etc
- Provide funding to allow the ongoing connection of the devices to mobile or broadband providers
Andrea Clark, of Ace Anglia, commented: “The Suffolk Learning Disability strategy promotes people living a good ordinary life with the right support at the right time.
“Ace Anglia believe that access to, and the use of technology is vital to support people with a learning disability and or Autism ‘to live good ordinary lives’.”
Jayne Stevens, of Suffolk User Forum, added: “We have completely changed the way we provide our support and know how vital regular contact is for the people who we reach out to.
“Whilst many of us are finding this a stressful time, for people living with mental health problems the impact of isolation can be almost unbearable.
We need to remember that many people cannot afford a smartphone, tablet or laptop and these are essential for staying connected with friends, family, professionals and for accessing online resources.
We are concerned that some of the people who need support most, are the ones missing out. That’s where the wider community can help.”
If you or your business can help, please contact Richard Smale on 07976 722629.
May 22, 2020 | ActivGardens, ActivHubs, ActivLives, ActivSinging, ActivSports
The UK Government have recently published their Covid-19 Recovery Strategy, which includes a provisional timetable for changes to the restrictions that we are all experiencing.
You may be wondering what these changes have meant for our services and activities at ActivLives?
The changes that were implemented from 13th May (Step One), have made very little difference to what ActivLives are able to provide on a face to face basis. Although individually, we are now able to leave our home to exercise more often, drive further and even play some sports (such as golf), none of this changes are what ActivLives are able to provide in terms of projects and groups at this moment in time. This is due to the continued implementation of the social distancing rules and the restrictions on permitted social contact.
ActivGardens continue to be closed to the public, although a small team of staff and brilliant volunteers are still working to carry out essential work. We have however, taken this opportunity to launch our new on-line plant and produce sales with ‘ActivGardens Online’ https://activlives.org.uk/activgardens/online/
All other ActivLives projects continue to be suspended until further notice; these include all of our lunch clubs, exercise classes, inclusive sports groups and singing projects.
The next round of proposed changes (Step Two), are due to be implemented on the 1st June, these are also unlikely to change anything that we at ActivLives, are able to provide in terms of face to face services.
We are continuing to develop our on-line services including seated exercise routines, quizzes, a reminiscing project and sing-along sessions, which can all be found on our website at https://activlives.org.uk/activhome/
Be assured that we do plan to return to full operation, just as soon as we are permitted and of course, when it is safe to do so!
We will be working on our own ‘road map’ of how we can re-introduce sessions, in a safe and phased approach, when it is safe for us to do so. So please be patient and keep safe – We will meet again!
ActivLives Trustees
Julie Stokes – ActivLives CEO
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy
Apr 7, 2020 | ActivGardens, ActivHubs, ActivLives, ActivSinging, ActivSports
In light of the UK lockdown, we unfortunately won’t be bringing our usual bright and colourful newsletter to you this quarter.
However, here’s an electronic version with the added benefit of bigger photos!
We’re hoping to bring you our next newsletter in July 2020.
Learners go from strength to strength
Our Grow Your Future learners have made a flying start at ActivGardens.
They have enjoyed a range of activities on Mondays and Fridays, including gardening tasks, environmental conservation and beekeeping, cooking from scratch with fresh ingredients and pizza making on our clay oven.
Unfortunately, the project has been postponed owing to coronavirus lockdown, but we are hoping to finish off training with our first intake of learners online.
When we get back to normal, Eastern Region Roof Training are planning to deliver skills workshops as part of the project and ASDA is offering mock interviews to trainees.
Register your interest and we will let you know when our next FREE course starts…
Grow Your Future will enable you to learn new skills and gain confidence on your way to further opportunities and employment.
The 12-week scheme will include garden maintenance, horticulture and environmental conservation, with a chance to get involved in specialist activities such as woodworking or bee-keeping.
Grow Your Future is for anyone aged 16+ who is unemployed or economically inactive, and encourages people who face barriers to work – such as a disability, health condition, or caring responsibilities.
- Where? The People’s Community Garden, Maidenhall Allotments, Halifax Road, Ipswich IP2 8RE
- When? Next course start date to be confirmed
The programme is funded by the European Social Fund and the Education & Skills funding Agency, and administered by LIFT Community Grants ‘Local Investment in Learning Paths to Work’.
New chapter for school grounds
ActivGardens are busy planning a sensory garden at Stoke High – Ormiston Academy to brighten up the front of the school and encourage students and community library users to enjoy the natural environment and read al fresco!
With the help of contractors from Clarion Futures, who funded the initiative, we are also planning to install raised beds in the library courtyard so older people can join in with gardening activities.
We would like to thank Louisa van den Berg, an RHS flower show winner, who has designed the garden and helped with logistics.
Last term, Lesley was busy in the new vegetable garden, down at the bottom of the playing field, planning and planting with an enthusiastic group of students, who are learning skills and enjoying fresh flavours.
- Once we are able to return to normal, we will be holding a community planting day to get the sensory garden planted up – do email susannah@activlives.org.uk if you’d like to help out.
Community Garden offers learning programme to schools
ActivGardens is launching a new learning and skills programme at the People’s Community Garden to inspire young people and help move them on to the world of work.
Starting whenever we are able to get back to normal (possibly Autumn term 2020), it will consist of half-termly (five-week) programmes, giving young people a chance to learn hands-on in the great outdoors, as well as improving their overall health and wellbeing in a community-embedded project.
The programme will benefit from the expertise of careers professional Bev Baker – project officer at the People’s Community Garden.
The programme will offer a range of activities in gardening and horticulture, nature conservation and beekeeping, woodworking and construction, cooking and crafts.
The scheme will help young people:
- learn practical skills, gain work experience, and take on leadership/ organisational roles
- develop competencies such as working as a team, good communication, and being willing to take on and understand responsibility
- build self-esteem, gain confidence, and feel pride in their achievements
- feel better – both physically and mentally
- develop friendships, form social networks and feel a part of their community.
For more details, please call Fundraising and Development Manager Susannah Robirosa on 07530 407302 or email susannah@activlives.org.uk.
On our last session with young people at Northgate High School in March, budding gardeners took away pumpkin seeds they could plant at home – something to focus on in the challenging weeks ahead, giving them a feeling of hope for the future. In autumn, we hope these young people will be able to bring back their pumpkins to school and celebrate the resumption of normal life together.
Never mind the weather!
Two classes of 30 children from Sprites primary braved the rain to visit our walled garden as part of their topic on the ‘Scented Garden’.
They learned all about how to nurture plants before sowing seeds to take back to their school to look after and plant out.
Huge thanks to Thompson & Morgan for donating the seeds!
It’s bloomin’ lovely in Sudbury
Where once was a bare patch of land was a glowing host of golden daffodils in early Spring – thanks to the work of Sudbury volunteers who planted this forgotten flower bed with bulbs kindly donated by Riverside Bulbs.
- The team usually meets every Thursday morning at 10am Belle Vue Park. To register your interest, please contact project officer Bev Baker on or email beverly@activlives.org.uk . Bev will let you know when the volunteer session is up and running again.
Shedders are shell-shocked
ActivSheds recently received its most unusual commission to date. We have made a mini Suffolk barn, a cat box, and many a hedgehog home… and now we have been asked to make a tortoise hideout!
Although this has had to be put on the back burner for the time being, the shedders will be busy building this and their amazing array of products once they are able to get back to work.
ActivSheds offer not just standard bird boxes – we have whole sparrow terraces to encourage these cheeky chappies (in sad decline) to our gardens and green spaces, alongside bat boxes, bird feeders and bird tables, garden trugs and planters, obelisks to support plants, tool holders so you can keep everything together, bread boards lovingly decorated… and much much more…
- Why not think up your own unusual commission to get the shedders busy thinking during lockdown?
We also renovate and repair, recycle and upcycle – so we’re doing our bit to save resources and give your garden benches a new lease of life.
- Owing to popular demand, we will be launching a new ActivSheds session when we are able to open again… so watch this space….
Keeping our bees buzzing
Our community beekeeping project has sadly had to be put on hold owing to the current situation. But our small team of project beekeepers are keeping our buzzing friends happy and well meanwhile.
To keep yourself connected with nature during this difficult time, watch for signs of spring when you leave home for your exercise each day – have you heard a blackcap or spotted a swallow yet – both arriving from Africa? Try to identify one of the many sorts of bumble bees emerging now. What about trying to name a few spring wildflowers?
- If you would like to help keep our bees buzzing – please sponsor a bee. For £5 you will get a fantastic information pack and contribute to our project. Please email susannah@activlives.org.uk to find out more.
Growing for ‘Eden’
Pacitti Company has enlisted ActivGardens as a growing partner for its SPILL Festival this year.
Luckily, we managed to get the seeds sown before lockdown, and a small team of volunteers is keeping the seedlings watered and well.
They will hopefully form part of an art project ‘Eden’ by Canadian artist Mary Catherine Newcomb, made up of curious creatures, grown from veg with the use of custom-made moulds.
< This one is is a Bride Aubergine ‘Saint’
French garden exchange
ActivGardens has entered into an exchange project with a group of volunteers from a community garden project in Auxi-le-Chateau in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.
They are called ‘Les Popotes Papotent’ – or the ‘chattering pans’, and we have already had long-distance meetings via video-call to get to know each other, swap and share ideas.
Although we have had to put our exchange visits on hold for the time being, we hope the group can eventually come to Ipswich, and that we can visit them too – especially as Ipswich is twinned with the region’s capital of Arras!
ActivLives Badminton Group enjoy success in London SW19!
Members of the ActivLives Inclusive Badminton group had a great day recently representing Suffolk at the Special Olympics Regional Tournament which was held in Wimbledon.
Just up the road from the All England Tennis Club, this singles badminton tournament was held for the very first time in the famous SW19 area of South London.
The ActivLives/Special Olympics Suffolk group consisted of nine players competing for the medals across the various divisions. They were joined by competitors from a variety of Special Olympics groups including Wimbledon, Southampton, Exeter and the Isle of Wight.
“This tournament is a very welcome addition to the Special Olympics calendar”, said Mike McCarthy, from ActivLives, and Coach to the Suffolk group. “It has been brilliant for our players to play at such a prestigious venue, against opponents, many of whom, they hadn’t competed against before”.
The Suffolk team did the county proud by winning a number of medals including two Golds won by Donna Wyatt and Harry Creasey, who both topped their respective divisions.
The team completed a great day by taking part in the Team Relay event, a competition that puts all of the competitors into mixed teams across all of the abilities and groups represented on the day.
If you would like to get involved with Inclusive Special Olympics Badminton in Suffolk (the group is based in Ipswich), please contact Mike McCarthy at mike@activlives.org.uk or call on 01473 345350.
Keeping active whilst in lock down can be challenging but at least we are able to go out once a day.
If you are safe to do so either unaided or with mobility aids try and go for a walk even if it just down the road and back. Please adhere to guidelines and stay 2 metres away from anybody and do it at a quiet time of day. Walking strengthens your lower body and can improve your balance and also whilst the sun is out you can get some Vitamin D as well.
If we do not exercise our muscles weaken which could cause you to lose your balance and put you at risk of falling. The exercises are going to strengthen your lower body to help prevent that from happening. Wear comfortable clothing and sturdy footwear whilst doing the exercises.
1. SIT TO STAND
The ability to stand up from a chair makes a huge difference in everyday life for seniors, it helps with essential activities like getting out of a chair and getting out of bed. That is why the sit to stand exercise is probably the best mobility exercise for seniors. The exercise strengthens legs,core and back and improves balance.
(A) Sit towards the front of a sturdy armless chair with knees bent and feet flat on the floor hip width apart.
(B) Stand up using your legs looking forward and not down until you are standing upright. If needed you can use your arms to push off the chair.
(C) Slowly sit down pushing your hips back so you go bottom first.
Aim for 8 repetitions but only do what you can so that maybe more or less. Control the action in both directions.
2. CALF RAISES
Rest your hands on the back of a chair for stability.
Lift both heels off the floor as far as is comfortable at a controlled speed.
To make this exercise harder perform without support.
As we age, our balance declines if it is not practiced and can cause falls.Try these and see how you get on.
3. HEEL TO TOE
In a standing position,place one hand against the wall to maintain balance.Start walking forwards slowly with your feet moving heel to toe as if you are on a tightrope.Look directly ahead as you walk in a straight line.As you become better at this try it without a point of contact.
4. FLAMINGO STAND
Stand with feet together and arms relaxed at your side.Hold onto a chair for support if needed.
Bend one knee to lift the foot slightly off the ground and balance with your other leg.
Hold for 10 seconds and repeat with other leg.
5. SINGLE LEG STANCE WITH ARM
Stand with feet together and arms relaxed at your side.Hold onto a chair for support if needed.
Raise your left arm overhead and raise your left leg forward and off the floor.
Hold for 10 seconds and repeat with other leg.
With all of the exercises only do what you can manage and a little is better than nothing, and stop immediately if you experience any pain, discomfort, dizziness or feel faint.
