6 minute read
Health & Family
The forgotten manifesto
POLITICALhistory is littered with the forgotten manifestoes of failed candidates. Rummaging through my memory box to prepare for the Edinburgh Fringe, I came across my manifesto for the 2019 general election (you know, the one where I said I’d By DrPHIL stand against Jacob Rees Mogg, was sacked HAMMOND by the BBC and then couldn’t persuade the opposition to unite around a single candidate so I gave up and lost my job for no reason.)
Anyway, the North East Somerset constituency may well be chopped up and farmed out elsewhere in the next election and I’m hoping the opposition will have learned how to collaborate without my help. However, they are welcome to my manifesto, which wouldn’t have prevented the pandemic but we might have coped better with it…
DR PHIL’S MANIFESTO
HEALTH AND WELLBEING FOR ALL MUST BE OUR PARAMOUNT POLITICAL CONSIDERATION
1. We must try to live under an umbrella of Intelligent Kindness. For all our proposed actions think a. Is it intelligent? b. Is it kind? 2. Tax Pride. We should be proud to pay for a decent society. Use Wealth Tax for individuals and corporations to fund Education, Sure Start and Social Care (the bookends of life). 3. Use the Cancer Drugs Fund to fund decent End of Life Care for all. 4. The best we can hope for is a decent life and a decent death. #BeWellDoWellDieWell 5. Our Health is Our Fitness for Purpose/Bounce-Back Ability/Collective Compassion. 6. We must try to replenish our Seed and our Soil. Health is determined by environment, social conditions and relationships far more than drugs and doctors. Rekindle our communities. Think Planet. How can we fairly sustain eight billion large primates with appetites and egos to feed, and effluents to dispose of?
Be Well – #CLANGERS4ALL Each day I will try to . . . CONNECT –like myself and reach out to others LEARN –keep my curiosity and interests alive be ACTIVE –do activities I enjoy that move my mind and body NOTICE –be still and relish the beauty around me GIVE BACK –widen my circle of compassion to those most in need EAT WELL –grow, prepare and enjoy food that is both nutritious and delicious RELAX –wind down and relive the high points of each day SLEEP –get around eight hours sleep each night … and not feel guilty if I don’t succeed.
Do Well – Does your soil support #CLANGERS4ALL? The central ethical dilemma in life is the responsible and compassionate use of power.
I Will Try To...
Use my power kindly and responsibly, and stand up to those who don’t: Proudly pay for public services and protect my planet Help those less fortunate with their daily CLANGERS Rekindle my home, community and workplace, and make them CLANGERS-friendly Think critically and demand evidence Work in a spirit of constructive collaboration Pleasure myself in a safe and sustainable way Choose kindness over cruelty Not beat myself up when I err or fail, but own it and learn from it
Die Well – No-one Gets Out of Here Alive Shit happens, but we can adjust the level. A decent death is a great success. I will listen to people when they’re dying (they tell the best stories) I will talk about how much medical intervention I want near to death and I will talk about where I want to die I reserve the right to change my mind I reserve the right to have the really good end of life drugs I will hold anyone’s hand when they’re dying
Dr Phil is doing two shows at the Edinburgh Fringe – August 13th and 27th and bringing them to Ubley on October 22nd (tickets via Valley Arts).
Regain The Brain
Tim Richens is an articulate brain injury guest speaker that can inform, educate and entertain about living with a brain injury. Whether you are:
l Someone suffering from brain injury l A family member of a brain injury victim l A colleague l A healthcare worker l A Legal professional dealing with brain injury victims l GP Practice
All can benefit from hearing Tim’s story. To arrange Tim to present at your event, training day or conference please email tim.richens@icloud.com
Regain the Brain
TIMRichens describes himself as “just a dad and husband” until February 2013 when his life was changed forever. A horrendous car accident left him fighting for his life and subsequently living with a brain injury.
More than nine years later recovery is on-going and will probably continue for the rest of his life. Remarkably though, if you meet Tim you have no idea of the trauma he has suffered. He said: “That’s great, but it can also be a hindrance as it means that people sometimes struggle to understand what is going on inside my head. It’s easy when people see you with a cast on your leg, it’s self-evident what the issue is. I’m one of the lucky ones. For the large part I’ve recovered from my injuries and lead a full and active life. However there are occasions when my injury still dictates my mood and demeanour.”
It’s those occasions that prompted Tim to embark on a series of talks to share his experience of living with a brain injury, providing an insight and better understanding to others.
Tim’s inaugural talk was at The Almshouse in Axbridge and gave a fascinating insight in to life living with a brain injury. Among the people in attendance were healthcare experts from Axbridge Surgery.
Details: www.regainthebrain.co.uk or his Facebook page Tim Richens
All the world’s their playground
Lucy, from Lori Hopkins Puppetry, tells the story about Laika the Space Dog
FAMILIES enjoyed a free theatre and circus festival in Shepton Mallet, organised by Make The Sunshine CIC.
Called All the World’s Our Playground, events were held in the town centre, the library, Art Bank Café and St Paul’s School.
Festival directors (l:r) Joao Diniz Sanches (secretary), Martin Bax, David Chedgy and Mick Yates (chair)
Celebration of photography is a big success
ORGANISERS of Photo|Frome photography festival say that they are both humbled and excited by the hugely positive public response to the inaugural event. Over the course of threeand-a-half weeks, there were 6,000 visitors to the exhibitions, talks, workshops and portfolio reviews, twice the number forecast, and people came from across the UK to attend.
There were solo shows from world-class photographers and four group events. A total of 75 photographers exhibited in seven venues, two of which had not held exhibitions before. Plans are already underway for a festival next year.
Time to enter moat races
CITY of Wells Lions Club has opened entries for the 2022 Moat Races.
The club is also appealing for volunteers to come forward to help on the day, Bank Holiday Monday, August 29th.
It says joining a race will be on a first come, first served basis, so the quicker entry forms can be completed and submitted the better. The maximum team size is six and the minimum age for competitors is 13 on the day of the race.
To enter a team email cityofwellslions@gmail.com or visit: www.lions105sw.org.uk/cityofwells/
Festival time in Hutton
THEparish of Hutton in North Somerset will be holding its annual festival week from Wednesday, August 31st to Sunday, September 4th.
Events start on the Wednesday with the “Taste of Somerset”, which showcases some of the local food, drink, craft, local charities and musical talents in the area.
The show will take place in the show marquee at St Mary’s Field, Hutton, starting at 11am. The marquee will then host various other events. On Thursday there will be a charity “horse racing” night, with the annual horticultural show on Saturday followed by a quiz night.
St Mary’s Church, Hutton will conduct a “songs of praise service” in the marquee on Sunday from 10am. The week ends with the Annual Proms Concert on Sunday evening with Weston Brass and local solo singers.
