Summer Events at Headway Dorset 2012 Newsletter Headway Dorset Summer

Welcome to the Summer 2012 Newsletter from Headway Dorset!

Well we are still waiting for the summer to arrive here at Headway Dorset! We have had a good few months, with Mark, Jaine and the Mirror Image group raising nearly 4000 between them, and several events planned for the future. We were sorry to say goodbye to Danni Wiliams, one of our Occupational Therapists this month as she has moved on to bigger things at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability Good luck Danni!

Our new domiciliary care agency is now up and running, led by Gabi, Martina and Judi and doing well. Read on to find out what else has been going on at Headway Dorset!!

Inside this issue:

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Introduction Summer Events New groups for the Summer/Autumn, Charity of the year? Fundraising News My Story by Kim Simmons Bollywood night, Clay Pigeon Kart Club Thank-yous, Poem by Geordie Vic Volunteer Vacancies, Contact us

Join us now on Facebook and Twitter!!

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Summer 2012

Volume 1, Issue 3

Headway Dorset (01202) 606560

Mirror Image Group

Bournemouth Family Festival

We will running a Image pitch at Our latest cycle of be the Mirror Bournemouth Family Festival self esteem and body image group for this th year on Thursday 26 in July from brain injured women will be held 10am our 6pm, so come down and Weymouth to give West Dorset show us some support! members a chance to participate. Places are nearly filled so if you would like to As well as trying to raise the take part then let Kerry know as soon as profile of Headway Dorset and possible educate people about the causes fundraiser@headwaydorset.org.uk and effects of brain injury, we will The group not be until fun activities also bestarting running some September to problems to avoid raise money suchwith as face painting, tombola, rat, Olympic traffic, so plenty of splat time the to get lob the blob, guess the name your name down and come and join in of the teddy and a treasure hunt with the fun! game. We will be amongst 100s of stalls and activities on the day including zorbing, bungee jumping, bouncy castles, go karts and much more so should be a good day out for all the family!

Cream Teas at Whitfields

Our centre at Whitfields in Dorchester will be holding a fundraising cream teas afternoon from 12noon 2.30pm on Thursday 19 th July. Come along and have tea and scones and help raise money for Headway Dorset! We are at Whitfield Rural Activity Centre, Poundbury Road, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 9SL.

New Groups for the Summer/Autumn!

Would you like to get involved with Fundraising?

Kayak Group As the summer seems to be (finally) arriving, we are hoping to have a drop in day as soon as possible for Headway Dorset service users to have a go at kayaking. We have two great coaches, one of whom is also a physio so its an excellent opportunity for you to try it out and find out what the rehabilitative benefits could be for you whilst also having some fun on the water! If there is enough interest we can then set up a weekly session. Please contact Kerry with your details if you would like to Bournemouth Poole and College hairdressers, who did a wonderful job on making our attend ladies look beautiful for their party hair photo shoot, are looking for members of the fundraiser@headwaydorset.org.uk general public to be models for students to achieve their assessments. All aspects of hairdressing; colours, perms, cuts, highlights etc all under supervison. Contact their reception on 01202 205821 if you are interested!

Will we be Talbot Heath Sainsburys Headwayof Dorset Fundraising Team Charity the year?
A big thanks to everyone who filled out their voting forms and put us forward for their support for the three charities that they were considering.

yearit paid off and we were shortlisted to the final

Our fundraising team is up and running, coming up with some brilliant ideas for raising money, and currently working on three fundraising events for the future. Our members Kirsty, Sue, Julie, Sylvie, Darron, Pauline, Kim, Jaine, Alix, Andi and Emma have

An even bigger thanks to David and Amanda Sands been sharing ideas and opinions, helping with research and planning towards our pitch at and Kate Voysey, whoFestival, came with us to present some Bournemouth Family Bollywood night to and a possible collaboration with local army of the who staffcan andhelp share of their experiences before boys us some run an assault course! the decision is made. They all did brilliantly so keep

Anyone whocrossed may be for interested in some fundraising training and / or becoming a member of your fingers us!

the Team, please contact Kerry at fundraiser@headwaydorset.org.uk or come to our next Page 3 meeting which will be at 2pm on 25th June. Summer 2012 Volume 1, Issue 3 Headway Dorset (01202) 606560

My Story Kim Simmons

Mirror Image Fashion Show Well done to all our lovely ladies that modeled for us or helped out at the Fashion show, we raised a total of 964.80 and a good time was had by all! Watch out for another show later on in the year!!

London Kayakathon 2012 A big well done to Mark and Jaine for their efforts! They completed the 26.2 mile paddle in just under 6 hours and were followed all the way by Jaines husband Simon on his bike! The total raised was just under 3000 with gift aid still to be claimed, meaning that the total will beat their target of 3000 raised for Headway Dorset. This made them the highest fundraising team on the day, well done Mark and Jaine! Thanks to all who sponsored them!

After over 7 months in hospital having suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage a stroke and 2 separate sub-Dural haematomas my husband finally came home.

Exhausted but very pleased with themselves!

He had left side neglect with his body and severe cognitive problems. He was only a shadow of the man I knew to look at and converse with. When he led next to me in bed I realised he did not even look the same asleep he did not even lay the same way when he was sleeping. It was like lying next to a stranger. I cried myself to sleep most nights; I did not know what the future held for us both and whether or not our marriage would survive. John could not dress himself or wash and shower alone as he could not get into the bath on his own. He struggled with the simplest of tasks like making a cup of tea. I could not vacuum as he could not cope with the noise. We could not have the radio on as this distracted him. The TV was out of the question he could not follow a programme, particularly if there were ad breaks. He read upside down and could not process what he was reading. He would shave just the right side of his face ignoring the left. Once he got his bike out decided to cycle up the road to visit a mate, I was horrified as he rode on the wrong side of the road. As I ran after him to tell him he swore at me picked up his bike and threw it up the road, he was ranting and raving. Aside from all of these outbursts John could not show any love to me not in any way at all. I did not know this man and grieved for my husband. Two years since his discharge, I now have a husband who funny loves and more honest than he ever was, of course his brain injury means he has fewer inhibitions. I fought for everything for John, he has a P.A. twice a week now, he goes to the Lantern, and has a Headway volunteer once a week a bit of male company, they go sailing of play golf. He also does a college course at Kingston Maurward with his P.A. Finances are a constant struggle, which John cannot deal with. He constantly talks about returning to work and driving again. Both of which he will never do. Although he has moved on considerably and I still do not believe he has plateau in his recovery. But I will never have the man I married. It is so difficult no one understands he looks so well and if you just see him for visits he comes across so well, when he says he is going to return to work people believe him!!!! I am the only one that sees the daily struggle of getting dressed and trying to do things that he used to do around the house. He cannot work out why he cannot put a plug on when he knows he can!! I have lost my soul mate my best friend and my lover, I grieve for that loss. But today I am still glad that I still have him around as he is rather than not at all. I do see a small light at the end of the tunnel, I do believe we have a future all be it different and simplistic compared to our previous life.

Bollywood night
Tickets available soon! Our Bollywood night has been confirmed as on Saturday 17th November, so get the date in your diaries! We still have to confirm a venue, but have confirmed our main entertainment will be The Volatile Agents and that there will be plenty of Bollywood themed dance, food and activities taking place. Further Summer 2012 Volume 1, Issue 3 Headway Dorset (01202) 606560 details will follow soon!

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Thank you!!
Big thankyou to the following: Anne Beale for holding a bingo evening to raise money for Headway Dorset All the lovely people who donated raffle prizes for the Fashion Show

Amanda for her A big ThankSands you to everyone at Clay Pigeon Kart Club, who presented us ongoing support with raffle with prizes a cheque for 1250 and selling tickets earlier this month.

They had made us one of the charities to benefit from their Charity Kart Grand Prix last www.holidaylettings.co. summer. The event had been a 4 hour race following an hours practice, with teams of at uk and Nikki Brooks for least 4 drivers competing for a trophy. Drivers paid an entrance fee and also raised their generous donation of sponsorship. a weeks stay in Portugal as
our top prize in the Fashion Show raffle Chief Lynda Reeves and Our Executive Sueher Mottram was team who did hair and presented with the cheque on a make up for our Mirror rather blowyphoto day by VicFancy and Colin Pook Image shoot from the club, and Robert Eversdon, one All our volunteers and of our service users inwho West Dorset. family members donate their time and Also pictured are drivers Jamie Robertson energy to us and without and 14 year old Andrew Cox, who could be whom we could not deliver one to watch as both Jenson Button and such a level of services. Lewis Hamilton raced at Clay Pigeon Kart INVIGORATING by Dorset Geordie Vic Club in their early days!!

and manning the raffle stall at events!

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We went on a boat trip on the Dolphin last week and it was very invigorating. The crews of volunteers were very friendly and professional. Does anyone have poems, artwork or crew for a I purchased a sea going hat off the stories that they would like to submit fair price to help their funds and I wear it quite to the next newsletter? Talk to Kerry lot. them They gave us light refreshments, ie, tea, or a email to her on coffee for free and were very informative and fundraiser@headwaydorset.org.uk convivial. AllCaption in all it was a very good days describing picture or outing even if the weather could have been a bit better and it was an excellent experience I wouldnt mind repeating, if given another chance, cheers everyone.
Summer 2012

Volume 1, Issue 3

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 Thank you from Danni to Charity shop (various everyone at Headway Dorset, positions) staff and service users, for all their cards, presents and good If you think younew might beShe is wishes for her job. interested inand anywill of these enjoying it be back for a vacancies or would like more visit soon! information then please get in touch with Headway Dorset 01202 606560 or email buddy@headwaydorset.org.uk

Contact Us

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

m ent. Use the Text Box Tools tab to change the

Headway Dorset Unit 22 Albany Park Cabot Lane Poole Dorset BH17 7EX
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Headway Dorset (West) Whitfield Rural Activity Centre Poundbury Road Dorchester Dorset

Summer 2012

Volume 1, Issue 3

Headway Dorset (01202) 606560

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 Facebook and Teacher. Dont Luckily, the our doctor I newsletter coming in miss next saw recognized the symptoms Sept/October to find out all of our news and Twitter!!

autumn 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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Summer 2012

Volume 1, Issue 3

Headway Dorset (01202) 606560