Recovery through social positive networks

Supermarkets and Restaurants such as Tesco, M&S, Bella Italia, Morrisons, yo! Sushi is doing an offer for free school meals for this February half term.

Tesco is doing kids eat free with any purchase in a Tesco cafe with a Clubcard and kids can choose a sandwich, a drink, fruit and two snacks when an adult makes a purchase. Marks and spencers the kids eat free in the cafe when you spend over £5 the kids will get one free meal this is going to be running until 25th Feb for Tesco and Mark and spencers. Bella Italia is doing kids can eat £1 with any adult main when downloading online code on the website. This deal includes three-course and fruit water that will be running until 27th February and available noon Monday and Sunday excluding Saturday. Yo! Sushi is doing kids under 10 eat free from the kid’s meal deal menu with a £10 adult spend this also running until the 25th February 2022. Morrisons is doing kids eat free all day, every day in the cafe nationwide the offer applies with each adult meal ordered over £4.50 This is all good because adults don’t need to think about what to give their kids for lunch during the holiday especially when you have fussy kids but If I was a kid I would go to Bella Italia just so I can get a threecourse meal and enjoy my dessert. However, this helps adults not to think about buying food for the kids all week. I’m sure the restaurant will have a different menu each day to make it enjoyable for the kids to eat and to love their food.

RECOVERY THROUGH POSITIVE SOCIAL NETWORKS By Raveena Harghun

Recovery through positive social networks, whatever recovery means to you. It should be universally acknowledged that recovery is a journey and by creating positive social networks it can make us feel supported and confident on our way to a positive well-being. To recover means to find hope, developing self esteem and resilience.

Discovering your purpose and meaning in life, becoming independent and finally, building healthy relationships. Our relationships in life can make a huge impact, to be in a safe and secure one can improve our health. What does a healthy relationship look like when we are going through recovery?

Communication | Respect | Boundaries | Support | Trust

When entering a new relationship it is vital to have nurtured foundations and to trust in your independence. The ways in which we are less developed emotionally, perhaps due to trauma, affect the reasons and intentions for having a relationship. ‘’Healing our inner teenager’’. Our inner teenager may be guarded, more focused on being chosen, seeking approval, not truly knowing what you want but demanding for something. But once we mature into an adult who understands and knows ourselves can mean we are able to make healthy self loving choices that are guided by our core values. Starting with boundaries is a beneficial foundation to set when building new healthy relationships, tuning in with yourself and recognising your personal boundaries, this assures that you won’t be giving too much or too little of yourself when you are recovering, finding the balance and being able to find someone who gives back. This self awareness and willingness may turn our triggers into teachers. Asking directly for what you want and need rather than waiting for your partner to guess. Maturing into a self-loving being can be taking responsibility for your reality and inviting others to meet you there. Respect is about admiration and consideration for each other, it must be reciprocated for a conscious relationship. Making daily efforts to appreciate who your partner is and how they are feeling, treating them as an ever-evolving, ever-changing being and making them feel regarded. Engaging emotionally with your partner means you can check if they do understand you, and if you understand them? This falls into good communication too - responsive to each other’s needs. Mutual willingness might make you feel vulnerable at first however if the relationship is conscious and healthy, you will feel a balance rather than the narrative you are being taken advantage of. You are both unique individuals and time apart, community connections and friendships separate from your relationship can strengthen your romance. Knowing what you want is direction! And whatever connections you already have are opportunities to make more.

HOW DO SIKHS CELEBRATE THEIR WEDDING?

By Raveena Hargun

A Sikh wedding ceremony, it begins with Roka or Thaka. Once the family’s bride and groom the groom agree and is happy for the couple. Their families get close. The groom family and his close family members will go and visit the bride’s family. This represents that the couple is engaged and will accept no further marriage. Within 4 weeks, you started of engagement which is kumari and chunni and when the boy will wear surma which the girl’s family will do. on and the girl will wear the suit that mother in law gives which shows the bride is welcomed into the family. If you do this in the gurdwara you sit for two hours doing a path then it will be a chunni and kurmai. the Kurmai is on the boy and is done by the girl’s family. The Chunni focuses on the girl and is done by the boy’s family. Both ceremonies have been giving a blessing to the couple to be married. This can be either done in the temple or in a hall but most people do it in the gurdwara (temple) this event can be done separately Traditionally maiyan is conducted three times starting two days or a week before your wedding. Boy and Girl will do this separately. In the first and Maiyan in the morning, you do Tumeric/ Haldi this is called a venta ceremony it to purify the bride and groom their family and friends will the venta on all over the body such as arms, legs feet and face which takes place in their homes both bride and groom can’t leave their house or changed their clothes but today you can have a shower straight after. This is done for the security and safety of the bride and groom to be Second Maiyan It begins with a rangoli or maiyan, which is made in the garden or veranda of the wedding home, which is made with coloured powder, flour and rice. The design could be as intricate or adventurous as you like only the boys and girls sisters and cousin sisters do this. What is a Jago? It’s Often meaning “staying awake”, the Jago ritual involves the relatives of the groom and bride, in their respective abodes, to stay up all night. The idea is to celebrate the wedding and make merry by dancing and partying. The aunt of the bride and groom takes an earthen pot (Jago) filled with candles (lights), places it on her head and dances. The pot is further passed on to other family members and friends as well. You also have chajja which you smashed with one or two sticks. Choora/bangles Ceremony is where the bride’s maternal uncles/mama gift the bride with a set of red and white bangles or choora which is dipped in milk before the bride’s mama/uncle put them on her. After this, some of the bride’s family will put kalires which is golden ornaments that are tied onto one of the bangles. Before the wedding starts the groom’s turban is tied

w v for him by his father and the groom will be given his sword/ kirpan which is carried throughout the wedding ceremony. The sister of the groom will tie the Sehra which is made of golden ribbon, flowers or a string of pearls around the groom’s turban which is covering his face. The bhabi/ sister in law will put Surma which is Khol onto the side of his forehead. However, the groom’s sister will tie a piece of jewellery onto his turban. Then everyone will leave the house will be a dance around the groom’s car then go to the gurdwara the baraat will be welcome and the gate of the gurdwara We do the milini boys and the girl’s side you normally do the parents, grandparents, siblings, older and younger uncles and aunties. After this has been done we will go into the langar hall and have tea, samosa and pokara Anand Karaj means is the blissful union, this takes place at the gurdwara. The wedding ceremony is centred around the Guru Granth Sahib (Holy book) The groom will enter the ceremony hall first then once the bride arrives they will sit next to each other on the floor, the bride will sit on the left side of the groom and facing the Guru Granth sahib. The couple will bow down before the Guru Granth Sahib, the father of the bride will place the palla/ red scarf on the groom shoulder give the other end to the bride. This symbolised that they are joined and ready to take the lava. This is a four Lavan or stanza from the Guru Granth Sahib, the reading of the first stanza the couple will walk slowly round the Guru Granth sahib in a clockwise direction the groom will be leading the bride. Raagis sing the lavan in the background while the couple performs the phras. The raagis sing the hymns of the Anand sahib and then it will be the ardass is offered as an indication the wedding ceremony is over and prassad will be distributed to everyone among the congregation. A reception party is hosted by the groom’s family to honour the newlywed couple. They invite family and friends to join in to dance and we will party away until the mains course is served in this time the bride and groom will get served their roti it signifies the bride first meal as a married woman her father in law will cover the platter with a cloth and present it to the bride alongside with some money. The bride will share the meal with the groom. Everyone will be dancing or eating the mains course after this everyone will go back onto the dance floor and party away until the finishes. The doil celebration marks the bride’s final departure from her paternal home the bride will throw rice grains over her shoulders and her mother will try and catch it wishing her parents eternal prosperity family and friends will say goodbyes and sent her off to her new home.

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH

By Raveena Hargun

The community Participatory action Research showcase event which was on Monday the 4th of April 2022 from 9:30 am to 1 pm at the Museum of English Rural life was hosted by Esther Oenga to give us a welcome introduction and to end the showcase event.

Maternal services and digital inclusion which were presented by Eva Karanja There are overload leaflets for mothers which means they get too much information and makes them panic. Mothers are not getting listened to which is very hard because a lot of mothers go through the same thing and staff at the NHS can and cannot offer support because to overcrowd and put pressure on them. There is a lack of time for mothers, should have at least a day to themselves. Classes are not even offered as much to mothers so they can’t go to class and meet new mothers or mothers to be. During covid-19 partners were not allowed in birth labour and the child group was closed some mothers felt lonely and isolated being away from partners during birth. C- section was for 24 hours only and there were 3 days when someone couldn’t see her child for three days because of her c- section there needs to be more done Women and Health care services were presented by Hema Sundararajan and Donna Ma. They need to be awareness of healthcare services and need to be more done for people who have language barriers and services. Research method and Quantity and analyse. There needs to be staff who can translate for other people such as Arabic, Punjabi, Hindi and other languages. Booking appointments was hard for people such as 61% of people suffer from anxiety and 21% of physical health had worsted 53% challenges reaching out to healthcare. 26% discourage from support. In Research reflections, they need to be more medical care and to summarise the challenges experienced by our respondents. Men’s and Mental health which was presented by Tariq gomma. During covid, 19 people are depressed that they had to stay home for a year. Some people don’t even have access to the internet, mobile phones, and computer so it’s hard for them to communicate. Men don’t show the emotions they find hard to express on their feelings, Men don’t cry but pretend to be happy about a lot of things and don’t tell anyone. This is in important because men’s mental health can lead to suicide, smoking aggression, drugs and alcohol. Some people have to wait up to 6 months for an appointment. However, there are not many health services. The only hospital that mainly deals with mental health is the prospect hospital and there is a need be more clinic around because there is not enough. All of the mental health services are online on and it’s hard for people to communicate and is unwanted as a community and men trying to hide it because they don’t trust anyone. People need help especially children because they are getting bullied at school there needs to be more respect. More help needs to be done as a community and people need to ask someone to talk to even if friends sometimes help especially when they are away from family members. There was this one person who wasn’t well and written a note or did something else had he committed suicide. A case has risen in men’s mental health espically when it is due to suicide. We need to work together as a community and sleek help to the people who need it the most. Even though is a negative role on media but Celebrities and influencers help people to raise awareness for men and are encouraging people to talk and speak to someone or even to them. There needs to be more help for mental health everyone deserves to be happy and to be supported by NHS, physiatrists and therapy. Impact of covid-19 on the Nepalese community Krishna Neupane. Online zoom meeting there was one interview said they had a lot of zoom meetings were struggling to speak English said that their English wasn’t good. Around 8000 thousand of the Nepalese population had struggled in the Reading area but we have mixed groups in different areas of reading, spouses, children and grandparents were struggling to see each other. Students and refugees were struggling to do communicate with teachers and other people because of their language barrier, especially during the pandemic they found it very hard to communicate with staff and other members of the community and NHS Staff. The Nepalese community found it very difficult because of their living conditions they couldn’t contact people from back home because of wifi and other problems they might have been facing and some families got separated from their homes because of the live condition or kept getting moved by the government into houses or hotels. Children had struggling on Zoom for school because of the language barrier and found it very difficult to communicate with people in their class and teachers and got extra support from other teachers. They also found it hard to connect With Gp and other medical advice they need because they need to find someone who can speak in their language and need certain forms for the members of the public. A guest speaker who is called Professor Adrian bell, Research Dean for prosperity and resilience at the University of Reading. Adrian Bell said the why loves researching is because he loves researching and finding out information. He loves to Research mainly on medieval history, economic history and football.

The reason why he loves football is because it engaged people. The University of Reading is very engaged. Adrian and Sally are both going to research more into the reading university to build more research and to find loads of information. Will go back to the funders and see what amazing work everyone has done in this research today. Mr Bell said recently he

saw something to do with NHS staff and newborn mums, for example,” his niece recently had a baby and she asked one of the staff members for a pillow but she had got told my the a staff member who

do you think you are this NHS” she was shocked. This why as a community we need to do more and speak out also to talk about people experienced or experiences and we all should be treated equally as a community. Afterwards this Adrian bell had hand out amazing certificates to the Research that presented their topics. Member of the public had asked question saying all of the questions is going to be put in a report whats going to happen with this report? In all of the research that is presented today, we all have to commit to this one report and the researcher’s voices will be heard and it will have an influence. There are also a lot of volunteers and community who work with each other and need their voice to be heard as well as everybody else, there definitely needs a response and influence out of this community. Reading borough council is interested in this report and wants to help people’s well-being and support what we have to say as a community. University is doing as much as they can to get our research and other people from the reading community to see and hear the report and hopefully, the report gets seen nationally so people can see and hear what we have to say. Researchers are willing to use their voice and raise awareness using their platforms to get those voices heard and they are many different sectors and volunteers that are willing to help to get our voices heard because this is important, in addition to this a lot of the Reading community want to know what is happening and how powerful this showcase action research event needs to be heard by other people. As a group collectively we more forward as a south east region in Reading. Not a single Research event has not to be heard but needs to be heard and the researcher’s presentations need to be heard and the empowerment to success and to get the government to hear our community’s voices. This is important to the Reading community and to the researchers because we want to help and support people who need it the most. We going to show to the report to the rest of Reading community because we couldn’t have the many people in the event due to covid - 19 that is why more of our voices will be heard. This has to link to our community because we need the trust, empowerment and success to move forwards. Another question is what happens within the service and how can we will to do more? The service needs more help and we need more clinics around espically in the mental health aspect and more maternal service. We hope all of this action Research works and helps other people. Esther had asked Raveena, Kesia and Annie who was the youngest member in the event who work with Eva, Victor and Tqriq in Acre and Mojatu. what do we think of this Action Research? Raveena, Kesia and Annie had all replied thank you so much for us, the research was very powerful, engaging and empowerment to us especially because we going to be the next generation and our voice to be heard more now than ever and to use our voice next time and to use our generation to support us in the near future. However, after these questions had ended it we all got to have lunch together the lunch was provided and funded by Global Development Research Division so thank you so much for our lovely lunch. Everyone who was at the event got to meet each other and talk about what our job roles are and how we can help each other as a community.

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ART THERAPY - By Chloe Jones

Every first Tuesday of the month I host an art therapy session at Oxford Road Community Centre. A space where you can express yourself creatively and freely. Guided meditation and sensory activities are run too. During these sessions I’ve realised how everyone (artist or not) was so self critical and self conscious of their art. However during the session, all activities seemed to be enjoyed, when boundaries and realism do not matter. Trying to understand what it is they fear.

I wrote a series of questions to ask artists, to understand how people check in with their art, to see if it was created authentically? If it had been created depending on how it would be perceived? Art is unrestrictive and unconventional, exploring different mediums to find what allows us to express and feel the most free. Looking into expression through music is fascinating for me, perhaps because it’s not a form I use. A language I don’t particularly understand. From my original perspective, I assumed it was easier to fall down the rabbit hole of making it for other people, and easily losing yourself during the process, worrying what will be popular or not. I think this perspective comes purely from only using/listening to music to enjoy as opposed to creating music to express. I also assumed that an enriched music career seems more within arms reach than a ‘’successful’,’ ‘’famous’’ 2D artists’ career. To understand it from an experimental musician’s perspective I interviewed musician Michael West.

What does rebellion mean to you?

West responded saying ‘’There’s a rebellious nature that exists in your youth, resentful to listen to grown ups and being told what to do, as you get older, rebellion changes, it’s not the authority you want to ignore, it’s more about going against the mainstream’’

The desire to create, is it to do with expression? And do you think part of rebelling means you suffer consequences for it?

He went on to say, ‘’When I was younger, I lived in a commune in Amsterdam, the whole of the band lived there, and I suppose our band/lifestyle was rebellious. Going against the mainstream. However I got a bit carried away with making sure I wasn’t mainstream, perhaps turning slightly facist in my ways of seeing everything and everyone in boxes and trying so hard not to be a ‘’type’’ of person.

I lacked sympathy and compassion, trying to be perceived as rebellious and untamable, blurred my moral compass. It becomes difficult to know if you are making mindful creative choices or whether you’re trying too hard to attach your identity to the art to be perceived the way you want to be. I remember constantly receiving noise complaints from a neighbour. I believed I was rebelling by not compromising, and I often thought, why should the higher ground be the person who can’t handle loud music?!’’ ‘’I never personally rebelled to get a reaction, it was all about not fitting in. That was always my scene. Creative people need an outlet, releasing whatever is pent up.’’

Do you think you make authentic art now?

Fairly confident I make authentic art.

How do you know the difference between creating authentically and creating something, with other people’s perceptions considered?

It’s more of a feeling, you just know when your heart is in it, most of my creative projects are true to myself. I know what it’s like to do something with other perceptions in mind. And perhaps it’s a matter of differentiating between art made from the brain or the heart.

-Do you attach your identity to your art?

I’ve always had different alter ego’s for different music projects. I believe ‘’successful’’ artists do attach their identity to their art. And it’s those who feel insecure about their creations that double down on it. Make it funny, but serious. This makes any negative criticism weightless, this defence mechanism definitely changes the outcome of what you create.

-Do you believe that by attaching identity to it, and worrying about criticism,being defensive, creates a hierarchy in the artist world?

Well, I’m not sure. How do you compare? Is it happiness? Or money? Making enough from it to live comfortably, or does the success begin as soon as you choose to do

it. To sit and listen back to my music helps me understand if I’ve strayed from purity. I want to touch hearts, connect people, no compromise, to not focus on the outcome.

How would you tell someone how to make something from the heart?

Advising someone to create out of love as opposed to fear, trust your instinct and live the process. I stepped away from this conversation still processing what had been discussed, however being invited into such a personal part of his story/growth, about once feeling facist in his ways of avoiding anything mainstream and feeling frustrated at other people not being able to handle his loud statement music. It seems as he grew older and his creativity/rebellion matured, Michael became more focussed on creating out of love, with the intention of it touching hearts and bringing people together. Perhaps this form of creating for other people is not so detrimental to the artistic process. I then went on to interview an artist who states they haven’t found their favourite or most refined form, however creativity in general has always been a prominent trait in their personality.

How do you express yourself?

‘’Painting sometimes, writing, anger, singing, moving and meaningful conversations with compassionate people.’’

What does rebellion mean to you

‘’Going against the grain, fighting the system. Standing up for what you believe in and nonconforming. Using art as self expression is rebellious. But some forms are more than others. When I paint watercolour with my nan, this is a learning experience and I set goals and aspire for a realistic and complete outcome. When I do graffiti, this feels rebellious, the adrenaline and illegality drives me. My painting sessions with Nan are about connection between us and learning new technical skills. The outcome might not go to plan but I feel happy when I complete it.’’

Does judgement affect your art process

‘’The judgement to me is always positive, it’s a process of loving it then hating it.’’

Is there a correlation between how you feel emotionally and how you perceive your work?

‘’I don’t believe how I feel affects how I perceive. Other perceptions don’t shape my art when I’m doing it, but when I’ve finished and I criticise it, I have others’ perceptions in mind. ‘’ After speaking with this artist, it really solidified the importance of experimenting with many different outlets, and how each one can bring you a whole new experience and motive. Using different forms of art for different purposes and therapy. I urge people to keep trying, push themselves creatively and trust the process, despite hearing in this interview that they loved, hated and loved their work again, it can be a practice of just trusting it will turn out exactly how it needed to. I found it interesting that they stated the process is entirely for them, however analysing it after, it was hard to separate other perceptions from their own. Does this alter how they view their work? And do you ever find yourself doing the same thing? Moving with love, as opposed to fear, always being honest and trusting yourself and continuously checking your intentions for doing something are beneficial practices for getting the most out of a creative and artistic process!

FASHION RUNWAY By Raveena Hargun

Do you know what a fashion runway is? Well, I’m going to tell you. It’s a fashion show event which is run by high fashion designers which they showcase their clothing and accessories which are during Fashion week. Fashion week is normally Being held in the capital of four big countries which are London, Paris, Milan and New York.Fashion week happens twice a year the first one is in February and second one is in September in addition to this there is also an order of where fashion week starts and it goes from New York, London,Milan and ends with Paris being the last capital to finish. Did you know that the fashion runway started in the 1860s where ‘’Charles Fredrick used models instead of mannequins to present his creation in Paris’’ this explains how fashion parades started to spread to London and New York and how it changed. It changed from world war two when the doors were open to the audience for the first. By the 1960s that fashion runway started when Models started to walk down the stage and that was when they introduced lighting and sound. Some of fashion designers Coco Chanel, Stella Mcartney, Tom ford And Donatella Versace for men fashion designers are Prada, Fendi, Moschino and Dolce and Gabbana everyone loves their design of clothes because their designs are very detailed and the quality of clothes are really good . Versace uses ortoton, chiffon bubble crepe polyester, knit. Dolce and Gabbana lace, tulle, chiffon, net and Billowing silhouettes are some of fabrics that the designers use. They use these fabrics because they last longer and that is why some fabrics are expensive. Therefore when you buy clothes, designer clothes are also expensive. There are quite a few well known celebrities that are runway models for example Kendall Jenner, Cara Delevingne, Romeo Beckham and Harry styles they all have to be a certain height and weight. The measurement you have to be to become a runway model is 34 inch around the bust and 23 inches around the waist and 34 inch around the hips. You need to be 5,4 tall to be a runway model. There are a number of boundaries for plus size runway models. However they have more opportunities for catalog and commercial models. In addition to this runway models have to walk a certain way because the designer’s products and accessories should catch people and the audience’s eyes and get them talking about the designer’s work and also tell other people about their work. This image has very decorative detail with a nice slit which shows off the woman’s legs and beautiful figure. The way here posture as well will catch the audience or people’s attention will get them talking about the designer’s dress. What is the point of a fashion runway? This shows how people would look in different styles, with different presence. As already stated this represents new clothes which are launched in the fashion marketing industry which gets people to buy the clothes and sometimes change their style and go with the trend. Even though Fashion Runway is very popular, fashion designers show their style and identity and so do other people’s fashion show identity and their personality too. This is why fashion shows are key to most people. Designers sometimes can get celebrities or influencers to be brand ambassadors for the clothes and give them discount codes to promote the show and clothes to their followers to keep the public and help them to get high profit. For example Kendall Jenners does Fashion Runway all the time for big designers and promotes them on her instagram which gets people talking because she shows the clothes in a very specific way and her figure everyone loves and plus she is very popular in fashion because kendall loves fashion, which shows her identity and personality. Some want to be like her or take into her footpath and her amazing career. In mens fashion they love to look good and they love their jackets and shoes more but its how they wear it and how it looks good on them for example romeo beckham he’s quite younger and is showing the younger generation a good representation.