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Dear friends This is a letter from Christopher and Katie. We are the co-chairs of the Craven and Harrogate Local Area Group. We hope you are feeling better with lockdown lifting and the good weather. |
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This letter is to help us stay in touch. It tells you about some of the things we have done since our last letter. |
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KeyRing are staying in touch with self-advocates with letters, phone calls and emails.
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We have had lots of self-advocacy meetings online. These help us keep in touch with each other and are lots of fun. We are taking a summer break from our Zoom quiz. It is so much more than a quiz! We have made new friends and learned new skills. |
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Karen retires In May we said goodbye to Karen who has retired from her job as manager at KeyRing. She has been a wonderful supporter of self-advocates and she will be missed by everyone. We wish her well. Kim is doing great work supporting self-advocates in the Craven and Harrogate areas. Thank you Kim! |
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Social prescribing Self-advocates in Craven are working on a project to help social prescribers support more people with a learning disability. Social prescribers are sometimes called community link workers. They help people who want to improve their health and wellbeing by being linked into community activities and groups. |
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Social prescribers can work with you to identify things that are important to you and your health. They will work with you to make a plan that supports you to be healthy.
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Self-advocates have worked with Exclusively Inclusive to make some training for social prescribers. |
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Safeguarding Week 2021 Christopher and Stewart worked with Laura Watson from North Yorkshire County Council to make a video for Safeguarding Week. They talked about what we have been doing differently over the last year and what we can learn from the pandemic. |
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Sam is the self-advocate Keeping Safe Champion. He made a podcast about safeguarding and keeping safe with Laura Watson. You can listen to the podcast by following this link: https://anchor.fm/nyselfadvocates/
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Keeping Safe Guides You can find out more about keeping safe in the easy read booklets that the Partnership Board made. You can look at them by following this link: https://safeguardingadults.co.uk/keeping-safe/easy-read-guides/ If you do not have the internet, you can talk to Kim. |
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Meeting with Richard Webb During the pandemic Christopher, Katie and Mark have been taking part in meetings with Richard Webb. Richard is head of Health and Adult Services at North Yorkshire County Council. The meetings are organised by North Yorkshire Disability Forum. It is good to work together. Christopher, Katie and Mark met with Richard in May. They asked important questions about lockdown lifting. We have our next meeting with Richard in July.
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Annual health checks Christopher has written about his Annual Health Check for the Healthier Lives group with Bradford Talking Media. |
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The Healthier Lives group are working to make health services in our area better for people with a learning disability and autism. It is important to have your annual health check. Contact your GP if you have not had yours. |
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Red Flag Roadshow Health Sessions In June self-advocates went to a Red Flag Roadshow in Skipton. The Roadshow was training about symptoms that could lead to cancer. The Roadshow was run by People First Merseyside staff and self-advocates. Christopher said 'The sessions were fun and interactive. We thought it was brilliant and recommend anyone across our area to attend when they get the chance'. |
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There are more sessions in North Yorkshire and one in Bradford. You can talk to Kim if you want to find out more. |
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Partnership Board updates The Partnership Board has not met because of coronavirus. The Partnership Board has been busy writing an annual report about all the things they did last year. They will put it on the Partnership Board website when it is ready. |
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Self-advocacy celebration Self-advocates made a video and some podcasts to celebrate self-advocacy. They also worked with Laura Watson from North Yorkshire County Council to make a very special poster.
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The poster, podcasts and video remind everyone about the amazing things self-advocates have achieved. You can find them here. |
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If you want to know more about self-advocacy, you can watch this video that self-advocates made or talk to Kim from KeyRing. |
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Sadly, we do not know yet when our Local Area Group can meet up again. We will listen to the Government and follow advice so that everyone can stay safe. Remember to keep following the rules and stay safe. You can ask Kim from KeyRing if you need information.
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If you have any questions about anything in this letter please contact: |
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Kim at KeyRing: call her on 07717 894468 or email kimberley.sanders@keyring.org
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Claire at North Yorkshire County Council: email claire.canavan@northyorks.gov.uk or call her on 07929873638
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Take care and please stay safe! Christopher Porter and Katie Peacock Co-Chairs, Craven and Harrogate Local Area Group |
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