BY SURVIVORS AND CARERS FOR SURVIVORS AND CARERS

FRANKLY SPEAKING

Have to start with a personal message of sympathy on the sudden death of Jacqueline Magee. Aileen and I have known Jacqui for some 25 years and I first met her when she was part of a group of people with disabilities for whom my company had organised an eight week placement in Pittsburgh, USA. I like to think this trip was of some assistance to Jacqui as she embarked on her career. Tony also knew Jacqui from his days in Newry Technology Centre and so it was a difficult time for our family. It is of course a much more difficult time for her family and our thoughts and prayers are with her family, especially her mother, brother and nephews and nieces. Jacqui was always very supportive of our work in BIF and we will miss her terribly.

January is supposed to be a particularly sad month and I don’t want to add to any gloom but it is very depressing to see car bombs and killings returning to our streets. We had all hoped these days were far behind us and we can only hope that sense will prevail. In the midst of all the stress and uncertainty caused by Brexit we do not need any other pressures.

Of course we are not the only place with troubles. President Trump is still obsessed with his wall and countries like Venezuela and Syria to mention but two are steeped in unrest.

On the plus side we are about to see the start of the Six Nations and by the time you are reading this newsletter let’s hope Ireland has given the English a sound beating.

Also on the plus side the days are definitely getting longer, the snowdrops and daffodils are coming out in BIF’s garden and our 7 new baby fish are all growing very rapidly thanks to Aileen and Hammy’s tender care. And of course we are planning our annual respite trip so lots to look forward to!

FACILITY HIRE

We welcome enquiries especially from voluntary and community groups for the use of our facilities including our small meeting room, large activity room and fully fitted kitchen. Our pub with no beer is also available for hire for small functions, rehearsal space, meetings and so on. Ring us on 30839943 or email management@thebraininjuryfoundation.com

MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES

We welcome membership from anyone over 18 with a brain injury and their carers and family members. Associate membership is also available to anyone with an interest in brain injury. Anyone wanting to discuss membership should call at Open House any Friday evening between 7.30 and 10.30pm or phone Frank on 07740823713 or Aileen on 07596639487at any time for an informal chat or to arrange a home visit.

OFFICE HOURS

Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5pm. Tel 30839943, helpline 07596639487; mobile 07740823713; email: info@thebraininjuryfoundation.com (Frank); management@thebraininjuryfoundation.com (Olive)

STAY INFORMED

If you want to keep up with all the news you can follow us on our Facebook page. It is a good way also for you to keep people informed. You can also follow us on our website, www.thebraininjuryfoundation.com. Finally, this is your newsletter—we welcome any contribution you might wish to make. Email Frank at info@thebraininjuryfoundation.com Please also make sure Aine has your mobile number so she can include you in our texting service.

IF YOU HAVE FINISHED WITH THIS NEWSLETTER WHY NOT LEAVE IT SOMEWHERE WHERE IT MIGHT BE READ BY OTHERS OR PASS IT TO A FRIEND?

BY SURVIVORS AND CARERS FOR SURVIVORS AND CARERS

BRAINBOX

NEWSLETTER OF THE BRAIN INJURY FOUNDATION ISSUE 67 JANUARY 2019

CONTACTS: 30839943 OR 07740823713 OR HELPLINE 07596639487

EMAIL info@thebraininjuryfoundation.com WEBSITE: www.thebraininjuryfoundation.com

OUR HOUSE, 23 Newry Road, Camlough, Newry BT35 7JP

Trusthouse Charitable Foundation

A VERY SAD LOSS We were very shocked and deeply saddened to hear of the sudden death of one of our strongest supporters, Jacqueline Magee, the Public and Patient Involvement Lead for the Health and Social Care Board who was based in the offices of the Board in Armagh.

Jacqui sustained life changing injuries in a traffic accident some 30 years ago but she had incredible determination and courage and never let her disability put limits on her lifestyle.

Jacqui’s task was to involve people and she at all times ensured that this included those on the margins, especially people with disabilities and carers and other disadvantaged groups. Jacqui was instrumental in securing some financial support for us on several occasions and indeed a payment for £2,500 which she had helped to arrange arrived the day before her funeral.

She had a dynamic personality and a very clear vision for the needs of under-represented people. Her sense of humour was legendary as was her determination to challenge those in authority whom she thought were not stepping up to the mark. She had planned to meet us with some of her colleagues a few days after her funeral to discuss some new ideas we were developing. She is a major loss to us and to her colleagues and to many other organisations. May she rest in peace. We send our deepest sympathy to her mother and family circle.

BY SURVIVORS AND CARERS FOR SURVIVORS AND CARERS

WELCOME TO OUR NEW NEIGHBOURS

Beside Our House a building has lain empty since we first moved in and we often wondered what would become of it. When the diggers moved on site a few months ago speculation was rampant and we were delighted to hear eventually from some of our own members, Natasha McShane and Patrick Rooney, who are clients of the new tenants, that the building had been taken over by CRANIAA Neuro Rehabilitation Centre.

CRANIAA is run by Dr Gopalan Sivakumar (Goshi) and his wife Ramya. Dr Goshi is a Senior Neurological Rehabilitation Specialist and Ramya is a Senior Physiotherapist. The practice specialises, among other challenges, in treating acquired brain injury.

Dr Goshi’s father has died during the month in India and we send our sincere sympathy to him and his family circle.

We welcome both Dr Goshi and Ramya to the area and look forward to a long and happy time as neighbours. Some of our members do not have so far to travel now!

RESPITE 2019

As the snow and ice are around it is definitely the time to think of summer and so our team of Martina, Brian, Aileen and Frank headed off at the weekend to look at hotels. They are recommending the four star Diamond Coast Hotel in Enniscrone, a seaside resort just on the border between Sligo and Mayo. Our dates are the last week in June

Patricia Slevin has already started to take savings at our weekly Open House and many members availed of this service last year. We had many compliments about Patricia’s bank with quite a few members saying it made paying for their trip quite painless.

We plan to make a change this year. Due to the increasing number of members with mobility challenges and health and safety issues we will be taking two buses, one specially adapted for wheelchair users.

Numbers are as always limited so you have been given plenty of notice. It is first come first served. Get your names down early. The trip is strictly reserved for paid up members and there are differing rates for full and associate members.

NEW APPOINTMENT

Frank Dolaghan has been selected by the Department of Health as one of a panel of 18 experts from across Northern Ireland which will be reviewing the provision of adult health and social care services in Northern Ireland. The appointment was the result of a competitive selection process. We wish Frank well in this important new task.

BY SURVIVORS AND CARERS FOR SURVIVORS AND CARERS

ORLA’S RECIPE

This recipe I chose is chicken and cashew stir fry. You will need 2 tbsp groundnut oil, 100 g unsalted cashew nuts, 500 g chicken breasts, thinly sliced, 1 onion, thinly sliced, 1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced, 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 150 g sugar snap peas, trimmed, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp caster sugar. Method 1) Heat half of the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. Add the cashews and stir fry for 1 minute until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and sat aside. Stir fry the chicken in the hot wok or pan in two batches for 4 minutes each until golden brown and almost cooked through. Remove and set aside. 2) Add the rest of the oil to the wok or pan and stir fry the pepper and onion for 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the wok or pan with the garlic. Stir fry for 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the cashew nuts and sugar snap peas with the fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar and stir fry for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and serve with steamed rice or boiled noodles. Cooks tip: I love this recipe as it is so handy to make and you can add or take out whatever vegetables you want. It's nice with a little bit of pineapple and sweetcorn but that's my choice as I like most vegetables.

SHELENE’S WISE SAYING

Shelene’s wise saying this month is “May your day be filled with good thoughts, kind people and happy moments”. Is this not what happens in BIF Shelene?

BRAIN TEASERS

Answers to last months brain teasers: What has hands but cannot clap? A clock I do not have any special powers but I can predict the score of any football game before it begins. How? The score is always nil each before the match starts. Give me food and I will live, give me water and I will die. What am I? A fire. Which travels faster, hot or cold? Heat because you can catch cold. What can you hold without ever touching or using your hands? Your breath. First I threw away the outside and cooked the inside. Then I ate the outside and threw away the inside. What did I eat? Corn on the cob.

BY SURVIVORS AND CARERS FOR SURVIVORS AND CARERS

FUNDING

Many thanks to Rooney Coach Hire International who are very loyal supporters for their annual donation and to the Health and Social Care Board for a grant of £2,500 to enable us to develop new ideas. Quite a number of members also returned their home collection boxes and a number of our pink collection boxes were returned or collected. Very many thanks to everyone who contributed and a wee reminder to members who still have boxes at home or who have pink boxes to collect that we would appreciate their return as soon as possible.

Delighted to have been selected by Camlough Cycling Club as their nominated charity for their run on 10th March. If you can help as a marshal that day please let Olive or Aine know.

PR

With the expert assistance of graphic designers Cranny McCabe we have produced two new leaflets which we think will be of interest to potential new survivors and carers.

We are also planning to replenish our stock of BIF fleeces so if anyone needs one can you please advise Olive of your size.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Carers Trust has established a mens support group for male carers and ex-carers. It meets on the first Monday of every month from 10.30am to 12.30am in the Community Room in Tesco at the Boulevard Banbridge. Register by telephoning Michelle Moult on 07702819111 or email mmoult@carers.org

Following on from our successful Living with a Brain Injury course we are holding a new course for carers “Caring for a brain injury survivor”. This will run for four afternoons in March. Members interested are asked to tell Olive or Aine which afternoon they would prefer.

Pleased to say we have our archery tutors lined up to start in March also. Numbers are limited so get your name down as soon as you can.

Our Valentines Night party will be held at our regular Friday night on 15th February—a day late but sure the romance in our members never goes out! To help with catering please advise Olive or Aine if you plan to attend.

The first mystery tour of the year will take place on Sunday 23rd February leaving Tesco at 10.30am returning around 6.00pm. Bookings please as soon as possible to Olive or Aine.

Our next Night on the Town for survivors will be held on Saturday 9th February in a surprise venue at 7.30pm. Bookings please as soon as possible to Olive or Aine.

PR is very, very important for us but the best publicity we can get is the recommendations of our members so we ask members and indeed all our readers to use every

opportunity to tell people about the work we do. The best thing about this of course is that it is free!

BY SURVIVORS AND CARERS FOR SURVIVORS AND CARERS

BUY LOCAL Jack Wilson, son of our member Julie Wilson and his

grandfather, William, are very well known and active

bee-keepers in Loughgall and sell their honey under

their brand, Loughgall Honey, at agricultural shows

and markets as well as direct to the consumer.

Jack says “ Recently we have had a lot of people

asking for honey for hay fever issues and with this

pollen bomb we see your reasoning. It is proven that local honey is especially good for such issues.

Personally, we would recommend getting your daily spoonful started in January for the long term effects but anytime is just as good as any. Then comes the issue of what is local! In our opinion, any pure Irish honey is beneficial as there is no real variation in the pollen throughout the country. That’s not to say you should not buy from your local beekeepers but as long as the honey is pure and locally sourced it should work wonders!” Jack can be contacted on 028 38891678. Don’t think there are discounts for Brainbox readers!!

NETWORKING

We were represented at the January meeting of the Southern Trust’s Brain Injury Forum which was held in the premises of the Cedar Foundation in Armagh. Aine, Olive Hawthorne and Frank attended on our behalf. There was a very big attendance and the Forum is moving on with plans for a conference on Brain Injury to be held in the Seagoe Hotel in May during Brain Injury Week which will be a great opportunity to raise awareness of brain injury.

Frank attended the regular meeting of the Southern Trust’s Carers Reference Group and was also very pleased to attend the launch in Belfast of Brain Injury Matters evaluation report on their Family and young persons programme. We were delighted that the new Chief Executive of Brain Injury Matters, Joe McVey, who is a long time friend of Frank’s and Suzanne Turner, Joe’s col-league who works in their Youth and Adult Service, came to visit us in BIF so they could see what we do and chat about how we might work together. As we do not support children or young people we are happy to refer any enquiries we receive from parents of brain injured children or young people to Brain Injury Matters or indeed to the Children’s Brain Injury Trust.

Olive Hawthorne was invited by our friends in Autism

Families to participate in a suicide awareness training

session PIPS were delivering.

Frank had his annual catch up with Peter Gay,

Vice Chair of Cedar and Frank, Aileen and Diane met

Merissa McGeary and Alison Patterson from the Health

and Social Care Board to discuss new ideas we have

arising from our last meeting of the Board’s Carers

Reference Group. Jacqui Magee was to have attended

this meeting and was very sadly missed.

In February Frank will attend a meeting of the Carers

Strategy Implementation Group in Armagh and a con-ference in Newry to discuss the need for housing in the area where he will lobby for the need for dedicated accommodation for brain injury survivors.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Hard to believe that our administrator Olive Hawthorne has been with us for a full year. From her first day Olive fitted into BIF like a glove and we get many very positive remarks from members about her warm personality and her hard work. She has taken a lot of work off Frank’s shoulders and we look forward to many more years of service.

BY SURVIVORS AND CARERS FOR SURVIVORS AND CARERS

PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES, FEBRUARY

Once you book for an activity you MUST inform Aine if for any reason you are unable to attend.

NEW SERVICES

Jay Rooney, a son of Diane Rooney, has his own financial planning company with offices in Belfast and Manchester and has very generously offered to organise free advice on financial matters to any BIF members. Jay can be contacted on 028 90450123 or email jay@oneandallfinancial.co.uk. Jay’s service is unrelated to BIF and is totally confidential.

Over recent weeks Hammy Robinson has been introducing some members to the skills of picture framing. If members have any certificates or photos they would like framed bring them in on a Friday night to Hammy and he will show you what we offer. A nominal charge will apply.

Friday 1st 7.30pm—9.30pm Pool and darts BIFFERS

Friday 1st 8.00-9.00pm Information session, mindfulness course Our House

Friday 1st 8.30pm—10pm Boccia Our House

Friday 1st 9.30pm—10.15pm Jiving classes BIFFERS

Monday 4th 11.30am—2.00pm Picture framing Our House

Monday 4th 1.00—2.00pm Water aerobics Infinity pool

Tuesday 5th 11am– 3.00pm TTT Club Our House

Wednesday 6th 11.00-1.00pm Art therapy Our House

Wednesday 6th 7.30—10.30pm Pool matches and training BIFFERS

Wednesday 6th 7.30– 9.30pm Committee meeting Our House

Thursday 7th 10.00– 1.00pm Computer classes Our House

Thursday 7th 11.30—1.00pm Art therapy classes Our House

Thursday 7th 1.30—2.30pm Pilates Our House

Friday 8th 7.30pm—9.30pm Pool and darts BIFFERS

Friday 8th 8.30pm—10pm Boccia Our House

Friday 8th 9.30pm—10.15pm Jiving classes BIFFERS

Saturday 9th 7.00pm NIGHT ON TOWN TBA

Monday 11th 11.30 - 2.00pm Picture framing Our House

Monday 11th 1.00pm—2.00pm Water aerobics Infinity pool

Tuesday 12th 11.am- 3.00pm TTT Club Our House

Wednesday 13th 11am– 1.00pm Art therapy class Our House

Wednesday 13th 7.30—10.30pm Pool matches and training BIFFERS

Thursday 14th 10am– 1.00pm Computer classes Our House

Thursday 14th 11.30am-1.00pm Art therapy classes Our House

Thursday 14th 1.30pm –2.30pm Pilates Our House

Friday 15th 7.30pm—10.30pm Valentines party BIFFERS

Monday 18th 11.30am– 2.00pm Picture framing Our House

Monday 18th 1.00pm to 2.00pm Water aerobics Infinity pool

Tuesday 19th 11.am- 3.00pm TTT Club Our House

Wednesday 20th 11am—1.00pm Art therapy classes Our House

Wednesday 20th 7.30—10.30pm Pool matches/training Biffers

Thursday 21st 10am-2.30pm As above Our House

Friday 22nd 7.30pm-10.30pm Open House as above Our House/Biffers

Sunday 23rd 10.30 am Mystery tour ???????

Monday 25th 11.30am– 2.00pm Picture framing Our House

Monday 25th 1.00pm to 2.00pm Water aerobics Infinity pool

Tuesday 26th 11.am- 3.00pm TTT Club Our House

Wednesday 27th 11am—1.00pm Art therapy classes Our House

Wednesday 27th 7.30—10.00pm Pool matches/training Biffers

Thursday 28th As above Our House

BY SURVIVORS AND CARERS FOR SURVIVORS AND CARERS

BIRTHDAYS

We send birthday wishes to members Hammy Robinson and Doreen Shaw who celebrated big birthdays and to Sheila McBride, Jeanie Wilson, Christopher Cunningham, Andrew Smyth and volunteer Denise Cull.

VOLUNTEERS

We can never say thanks often enough for the voluntary work our members do. Here are some working hard at our monthly newsletter distribution. We also have a picture of new volunteer

Ailis McDonnell keeping score at our Friday evening boccia matches. Given the fierce competition this is not an easy job as it just has to be right especially for Messrs McDermott and Robinson!!

TIME FOR YOUR SAY

We will very shortly be sending members our annual satisfaction survey. This is an essential tool which does a number of things. First of all and most importantly the results tell us if we are meeting the real needs of our members and secondly the results provide us with evidence which we can use to demonstrate to funders the impact of the work we are doing.

We know surveys can be a turn off but this one is CRITICAL. You will not be asked to reveal your identity during the survey and it will take just a few minutes of your time to complete so please respond as soon as you receive our letter.

We are really counting on YOU so don’t stick the survey somewhere safe and plan to complete it later. Do it at once!!

Jeanie presents Christopher Cunningham with his birthday cake while Christopher returns the compliment to Jeanie