Waterlight Film Project

As a result, Melbourn Hub dedicated the month of March to raising awareness of the support and help available for conditions affecting the brain and the mind and named it ‘Mindful March’.

On 7th March, the Hub hosted a ‘Dementia Friends’ evening which was a collaboration between the Hub and Melbourn villager Davina Biswell who has been personally affected by Alzheimer’s (a form of dementia) within her family. As a result of her experience, Davina along with her friend Steph Trayhurn, have become supporters of Dementia Friends – an Alzheimer’s Society initiative – and was keen to bring this initiative to Melbourn Hub.

Claire Unwins presented the interactive session to the many people who attended from the community, showing a short film and talking about the ways in which dementia affects people and their families and ended the evening with a chance to share experiences, offer advice and to signpost the support available.

On 13th March the Hub hosted a similar style session on Mental Health Awareness led by County Councillor Susan van de Ven, with speakers from North Herts Citizens Advice, Mind Services and Allyance Local Schools Counselling Service.

The well attended session gave people the chance to talk with the professionals both during the session and afterwards and begin identifying areas of support for their particular situations.

The month was rounded off with a sell-out fun quiz at Melbourn Hub which included a raffle to raise money for Alzheimer’s with great prizes donated by our generous community of Hub friends.

To find out more about becoming a Dementia Friend see www.dementiafriends.org.uk or for advice on mental health www.mind.org.uk

For information about further events and activities at Melbourn Hub www.melbournhub.co.uk or 01763 263303 option 1

Forever Active

Strength and balance MOTs can keep you doing the things you enjoy

A local woman has put a spring in her step after joining strength and balance classes that are keeping her doing the things she enjoys.

Rita, aged 77 from Ely joined the fun and sociable class at the local library class having heard about it from a friend after a recent fall. The class featured as part of the successful Stronger for Longer campaign.

For more information on the MOTs go to www. cambridgeshire.gov.uk/strongerforlonger.

Rita said: “The class has helped me with my walking, strength, balance, and posture, along with confidence outside of the class.”

“I can see the difference in myself, I do a lot of walking and since going to classes I am now able to walk that bit longer without any problems – which means I can go out more and enjoy with my friends.”

The film comes to you!

You may have read about this project in previous editions of this magazine. Inspired by the River Mel poet Clare Crossman wrote nine poems about the river. She then linked up with film maker James Murray White to make a film about the river based on her poems. Further filming has been carried out by Nigel Kinnings who has also edited the film. More details about the project can be found at waterlightproject.org.uk.

After a year of capturing memories, interviewing residents, involving Meldreth primary school children and extensively filming, the film is now going to be shown in Melbourn.

You are invited to “AN EVENING WITH THE RIVER MEL” July 25th at 7.30 pm time at the Community Hall behind the church. This will consist of an illustrated talk about the river: its origin, wildlife, history and local memories of involvement with the river. After a break for refreshments the film will be shown, which will probably last for half an hour and we will then invite comments and listen and record for the website any further memories that the film triggers.

Following the local showing it will be shown in Royston and at venues in Cambridge and it is planned to also show it at film festivals around the country.

“Coming to the class will improve your well-being and help you to keep active. You will meet new people and it can be fun.”

Since the launch of the Stronger for Longer campaign back in October, over 100 new people have joined strength and balance classes around the county and are now stronger and steadier. Over 2,300 people have also downloaded our Supersix leaflet, which is helping people to do strength and balance exercises at home at least twice a week.

The nearest strength and balance classes in the district are run by Forever Active. For more information go to www.forever-active.org.uk/ .

The Stronger for Longer campaign involves a range of partners, including Cambridgeshire County Council, Let’s Get Moving Cambridgeshire funded by Cambridgeshire County Council Health Committee, District Councils, local NHS, Living Sport and Forever Active.

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire

Do you have a passion to help local families overcome times of special difficulty?

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire needs more Trustees, and this passion, coupled with common sense, is what links everyone who works to achieve the remarkable successes of this local charity.

Our professional approach enables us to respond to referrals from many other agencies in the local community including health care, education, local authority, and to requests from parents. The range of issues includes: • An isolated single parent with two young children, fleeing domestic abuse • A family with five children, mother unable to leave the house due to anxiety and panic attacks • A child with Autistic Spectrum Condition, mum feeling very isolated and judged unable to leave the house Our statistics show that the weekly support from our well-trained Volunteers helps restore confidence and control, leading to improved health and family relationships.

As an early intervention service, we help families ‘get back on track’, thus often preventing or reducing the need for statutory services or for a child to go into care. We estimate it costs £1500 a year to provide a Volunteer, whereas it costs around £3,000 a week, or £156,000 year, to fund a child in residential care.

Good governance is key to providing this essential service and we provide a comprehensive induction programme for new trustees. We particularly need people with Finance, IT, HR, Social Media and Fundraising expertise; however, whatever your background, if you are keen to help us continue to make a real difference to the lives of local families, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal chat, please contact Maureen Brierley, our Chair of Trustees, on 01763 262262. www.hsrsc.co.uk

Willow is the only national charity working with seriously ill 16 to 40 year olds to fulfil uplifting and unforgettable Special Days.

Each day is a life-affirming experience that can lift spirits, reunify families and be a source of strength when it’s needed most. To date, Willow has provided more than 16,000 Special Days for young adults diagnosed with a life-threatening condition such as cancer, motor neurone disease, cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s disease.

For more information on fundraising for Willow, visit www.willowfoundation.org.uk/support-willow/fundraising.

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we’re looking for you…

can you help us?

We rely on volunteers and need help for any of the following: Each morning cafe set up/move tables 8.30-9am Daily clear down/move tables 3-5pm Weekly monday room set up/move tables 10-10.15 am Saturday afternoon kitchen help 2-4pm Saturday meeting room set up/move tables 4-5pm Daily/general help with following duties: Washing up, loading/unloading dishwasher, clearing tables, wiping tables, wrapping cutlery, taking food to tables, sweeping floors. Contact us: centremanager@melbournhub.co.uk