Headway Dorset Spring 2012 Newsletter

No matter how long the Winter, Spring is sure to follow

Here at Headway Dorset, we have plenty of plans and lots of news for the Spring Issue of our newsletter. We have lots of events going on over the next few months, a chance for you to get more involved in fundraising, another story from one of our Befriending group and news on the progress of Marks entry to the London Kayakathon. We can also introduce Headway Dorset Care, our new domiciliary care agency. Finally, we were sorry to say goodbye to Judi Thompson, our Family and Carer Support Worker, although we wont miss her too much, as she will be returning to help with Headway Dorset Care!

Welcome to the Spring 2012 Newsletter from Headway Dorset! We have lots of Easter and Spring Events planned, and the chance for you to get involved, offer your support and help promote Headway Dorset during Action for Brain Injury Week 2012

Join us now on Facebook and Twitter!!

Inside this issue:

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Introduction Spring Events Kayakathon 2012, Charity of the week/month More Spring Events/Get involved with Fundraising Introducing Headway Dorset Care My Story by Lyndsay Vater Thank-yous, Coffee Morning, Easter Eggs Volunteer Vacancies, Contact us

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Spring 2012 Volume 1, Issue 2 Headway Dorset (01202) 606560

Mirror Image Fashion Show and Clothes Sale! Part of

All models will be from the Mirror Image group!

With clothes available from many major quality high street stores such as Next, Gap, M&S and New Look with hugely discounted prices, and also on offer labels such as Firetrap, Miss Sixty and DKNY, also with vast reductions, this event is not to be missed! Just in time for the longer days and brighter weather, there will be steals galore, with a percentage of everything sold and all other proceeds going to Headway Dorset. So whether you are looking for the perfect present or looking to treat yourself, look no further!

Anyone who came to the amazing fashion show last year will know the bargains that can be found! And if you havent tried it yet then come and find out for yourselves! As well as some amazing bargains that can be tried on and taken away on the night, there will be stalls and beauty/relaxation treatments available and some absolutely incredible raffle prizes. The event will be held at: Glenmoor School for Girls Beswick Avenue Bournemouth Dorset BH10 4EX Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 7.30pm Tickets are 5 and can be bought from Headway Dorset, or on the door on the night.

Following the success of the Fashion show held in December, raising over 900 for Headway Dorset, The Mirror Image womens group will be holding another fashion show and clothes sale in conjunction with Travelling Trends on 17th May. The show will be held during action for brain injury week 2012, giving us a chance to improve awareness of brain injury, whilst raising money and having fun!!

Other Spring Events (Continued on page 4)

During National Gardening Week, 16th 22nd of April, Holten Lee will be holding an Open Gardens Event. Holten Lee is a local charity set on 350 acres that Headway Dorset works closely with with our gardening group, made up of adults that have suffered an acquired brain injury. The event will be held on the 21st April from 2 4pm, and is a great opportunity for people to find out what the Headway Gardening Group has been up to for the past 6 months. They have managed to turn a scrap of overgrown land into an accessible garden for all, using reclaimed materials from the site. The work that they have done is incredible and their accessible garden will be opened officially on the day, so come on down and show them your support. For more information on Holton Lee, visit their website http://www.holtonlee.co.uk/home And to see a video of Vic, one of our gardening group members, talking about how they have been getting on and what it has meant to him, visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/headwaydorset#!/h eadwaydorset

http://www.justgiving.com/Mark-Jaine-Kayakathon-for-Headway

Our Entry to the London Kayakathon 2012!!

Mark Bardsley has found a partner for his third entry to the London Kayakathon in April, and training is underway to get Jaine Logan ready for their epic 26.2 mile paddle up the Thames. The Kayakathon will take place on the 22nd of April on the same day as the London Marathon and the pair are hoping to raise as much as they can for Headway Dorset in a two-man sea kayak. They have currently managed to raise over 1300 so if you havent sponsored them yet then please help support their efforts!!

We have been named as Charity Matters Charity of the Week

For the week of 5th May 11th May, we have been named as Charity of the Week by Charity Matters. Thanks to this organisation, that promotes charities in the UK and aims to help make a positive difference to charity awareness and encourage support for charities in the UK!

It couldnt be easier to sponsor them: Visit their justgiving pages at: www.justgiving.com/Mark-Jaine-Kayakathon-for-Headway www.justgiving.com/Jaine-Logan
We are also pleased to

Text KAYK12 5 to 70070 to donate 5 There are sponsorship forms at reception. If you feel you might be able to generate some more sponsors, from individuals or businesses, please contact fundraiser@headwaydorset.org.uk or ring Headway Dorset on 01202 606560 and we can arrange for a sponsorship form to be sent to you. Money raised by Mark and Jaine will go towards keeping our valuable Befriending Scheme running, please dig deep! Anyone interested in travelling to London to support them please contact fundraiser@headwaydorset.org.uk
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have been selected as one of the charities supported by Waitrose in Ashley Road, Poole for this month. So if you need any bits and bobs you know where to go! Dont forget to select Headway Dorset as your chosen charity at the checkout!

Spring 2012 Volume 1, Issue 2 Headway Dorset (01202) 606560

Bollywood Night!! Date to be confirmed Join us for a night of Bollywood music, dancing and food. Auction Games Indian head massage Details in Summer newsletter or contact fundraiser@headwaydorset.o rg.uk to register your interest in tickets

Would you like to get involved with Fundraising?

We are currently in the process of setting up a Fundraising Committee and a Fundraising Team, with the intention of involving interested service users, volunteers, supporters and donators in our fundraising efforts at Headway Dorset. This is an excellent opportunity for you to share your ideas and have your opinions heard, as well as being part of an important resource to help Headway Dorset to continue offering the high levels of support that it does now. In the current climate, Headway Dorset must raise as much money towards keeping ourselves running as possible. But it doesnt have to be boring in fact ideas being bounced around at the moment are an Its a Knockout style event, a Bollywood night and sponsored abseiling. Sounds like a lot of fun to get involved with! Anyone who may be interested in some fundraising training and / or becoming a member of the Committee, please contact Kerry at fundraiser@headwaydorset.org.uk

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Spring 2012 Volume 1, Issue 2 Headway Dorset (01202) 606560

Unit 22 Albany Park Cabot Lane Poole Dorset. BH17 7BX

HEADWAY DORSET CARE

Wishes to announce
A new Domiciliary Care Agency for adults with Acquired Brain Injury based on many years of specialised provision of rehabilitation in the community.

Available from April 2012

Individualised packages of care to clients in their own homes to include a wide range of services. For further information or to discuss your requirements please phone Headway Dorset Care on : 01202 659394 or email care@headwaydorset.org.uk

My Story Lyndsay Vater

When I was born I had to be different and had 7 out of the 8 major congenital heart defects - most babies only have one or two!! As a result of these problems, by the time I was 4 I had had 4 lots of open hearts surgery and 1 bypass operation. I had the tendency to 'die on the operation table' which properly started of my epilepsy. However, I wouldn't eat on my own and had to be tube fed all the time. When I was 7 or 8 months old I suddenly grabbed my mum's fork when she was eating dinner and ate two forkfuls of very garlicky Bolognese! For the next 9 months I was still being tube fed but was eating 10mls on my own!! At this time mum had to take my older brother to a hospital in London for some tests (he had other to me) but because I would only eat for my mum I had to go to! Whilst at the hospital mum had an accident whilst carrying me and we both ended up with fractured skulls! After years of trying to get the medical people to check me out due to 'Switching off' and not being able to remember my mum and dad finally got told that I was 'a brain injury patient', 17 years after the event!!!

Headway has brought out my artistic side out of me, not that I didn't have it too begin with. Before going to Headway I didn't really know anything about it. But now that I've been going there I have got to know some other people like me. And it has been a blast knowing that I have someone to speak to if I need to. They've all been kind and helpful towards me. To be honest I never know what it is I'm going to be doing there from one week to the next, it's all a bit of a mystery. But since going there it's helped me with both my social interactive skills and I am now slightly more confident, with myself and therefore not so panic stricken with my epilepsy.

Caption describing picture or grapLyndsay and Kirsty at the Befriending Group in Corfe Mullen

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Spring 2012 Volume 1, Issue 2 Headway Dorset (01202) 606560

Thank you!!
Big thankyou to the following: Befriending group for their efforts raising nearly 400 over Christmas by running a coffee morning and a quiz Mark and Jaine for their continuing efforts towards the Kayakathon Nigel Walters at Troika for their 500 sponsorship of Mark and Jaine for the London Kayakathon 2012. Pauline Potter and Diane Eason for donating their time and knitting lots of Easter Chickens to raise funds for Befriending All our volunteers and family members who donate their time and energy to us and without whom we could not deliver such a level of services. Does anyone have poems, artwork or stories that they would like to submit to the next newsletter? Talk to Kerry or email them to her on fundraiser@headwaydorset.org.uk

Bollywood Night Date to be confirmed Join us for a night of Bollywood music, dancing and food. Auction Games Indian head massage Details in Summer newsletter or contact fundraiser@headwaydorset.org.uk to register your interest in tickets

LOOKING FOR A GOOD HOME!!

Handmade Easter Chicks Small ones containing Crme eggs 1.20 Large ones containing Smartie and Button eggs 2.50. A lovely gift for loved ones at Easter, contact Lynn on 01202 606560 or buddy@headwaydorset.org.uk Will be on sale at Easter Coffee morning and Easter Quiz.

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Spring 2012 Volume 1, Issue 2 Headway Dorset (01202) 606560

Volunteers needed
We currently have plenty of opportunities for anyone who wants to volunteer some of their spare time. Volunteering can be a rewarding experience, a useful addition to your CV and helps Headway Dorset to keep running the high level of services that our service users deserve. Current vacancies Drivers Befrienders Gardening group Mirror Image group Possible future vacancies Mens group Charity shop (various positions) If you think you might be interested in any of these vacancies or would like more information then please get in touch with Headway Dorset 01202 606560 or email buddy@headwaydorset.org.uk

Contact Us

Headway Dorset Unit 22 Albany Park Cabot Lane Poole Dorset BH17 7EX

Headway Dorset (West) Whitfield Rural Activity Centre Poundbury Road Dorchester Dorset DT1 1SF

Telephone: 01202 606560/01305 257990 Email: office@headwaydorset.org.uk Or westdorset@headwaydorset.org.uk Website: www.headwaydorset.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook/headwaydorset Twitter: www.twitter.com/#!/HeadwayDorset Do you have any news? If you would like to let the Headway community know what you have been up to, achievements that you are proud of or anything else, then get in touch with Kerry fundraiser@headwaydorset.org.uk and you may see yourself featured in the next newsletter!

Join us now on

Dont miss our next newsletter coming in June/July to find out all of our news and summer events. You can sign up to receive an electronic newsletter and other updates by following the link on our website at www.headwaydorset.org.uk

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Spring 2012 Volume 1, Issue 2 Headway Dorset (01202) 606560