Bromley Mencap

When: Thursday 21^st June 2012 from 9am till 2:30pm

Where: Bassetts Resource Centre

Learning Disability Bromley have been collecting information to find out how good health services are for people with learning disabilities in Bromley.

They will be holding a Big Health Check Day to:

• Tell you about what is happening within the NHS
• To let you know what they have found out from the information they have been collecting through the ‘Getting Ready Meetings’
• Decide together how well they think they are doing
• Decide what are the most important things that they need to work on in the future

Everyone is welcome. This day is for people with learning disabilities, their family members and their relatives, carers and anybody else that has a role in supporting people with learning disabilities.

If you are interested in attending this event or would like any further information. Please click here

The latest issue of the Bulletin is now available. Please click here to view

As part of the SEN & Disability Pathfinder, Bromley Parent Voice is currently seeking parent representatives to join a number of workstreams that have been set up by the Local Authority to take the Pathfinder project forward.  Details of each role can be found by clicking the links below.

• Transition
• Early Support & Keyworking
• Personal Budgets

The Local Authority is committed to seeking the views of parent carers in this process.  As a parent representative parents will be expected to represent the views of all parents of children and young people with a disability in the London Borough of Bromley.

The request for the Personal Budgets workstream is to joint lead this workstream with the Commissioner. The Early Support & Keyworking Workstream are seeking two parents:

• Pre-school or primary school age
• School year 9 and above

Parent representatives engaged in Pathfinder activity will be remunerated for their time in accordance with Bromley Parent Voice’s Remuneration and Reward Policy.  Childcare and travel expenses will also be met. The time commitment will vary depending on the workstream involved. The Pathfinder is due to end on 31st March 2013.

We anticipate the workstreams will start from May 2012.  If any parents are interested in these positions contact:

Kay Moore, Parent Representative & Participation Officer
Tel: 020 8776 3170 Mob: 07908 206894 by 30th April 2012. 

Selections will be made shortly after this date and parents may be asked to meet with the workstream leads as part of this process.

A resource guide to transition and transition planning in Bromley for children with learning disabilities has been produced. The booklet covers key areas in the young person’s life including education, employment, day services, transport, health and housing. There is also a list of local organisations, including Bromley Mencap, who can provide support. To view the booklet click here

You are warmly invited to Experts By Experience (X by X) next Open Meeting on Tuesday 27th March 2012, 10.15am – 12.15pm at Bromley Civic Centre.

 An advertising poster can be found here. This is a great opportunity to learn more about disability hate crime and share any experiences you may have.

 Please contact Joanna Frizelle, Administrator, 0844 330 4578 or info@xbyxbromley.com for more details about communication support, transport and parking arrangements etc. Travel details for the Civic Centre venue can be found here.

Bromley Mencap has opened nominations for its 2012 Awards. The Awards celebrate the achievements of disabled people and businesses in Bromley. Winners will be announced at an Awards Dinner on 26^th June which will be hosted by global entrepreneur Graham Webb MBE.
There are 4 Award categories for disabled people:

• achievement in art, music or drama
• sporting achievement
• achievement in employment
• personal achievement

A 5th award will be presented to an employer who has made the most significant contribution towards offering volunteering opportunities, training or employment for disabled people in Bromley.

The closing date for nomination forms (attached) is 13^th April

Direct Payment Support Group Meetings are a place to:

•  Share information and experiences
•  Keep up-to-date with things the government  and Bromley Council are doing that affect our Direct Payments
• Work together to speak up for our rights and help improve the services by giving feed back to Bromley Council and service providers.

For more information please click here

Wayne McCarthy and Jane Andrews with their winners medals

Sixteen skiers, with a learning disability and from the Bromley based Special Olympics GB South East Skiing squad had a successful time in Pila, Italy at the Special Olympics GB National Alpine Skiing Championships.  The team came home with 8 Gold, 4 Silver and 5 Bronze medals .  Jane Andrews from Southborough and Biggin Hill’s Wayne McCarthy were the stars winning 3 Gold medals each and were undefeated in the 3 competitions in which they took part.  Hannah Dempsey and Ayesha Franks also struck Gold and three others won 2 medals each: Corinna Beckett, Mark Cullen and Andrew Martineau, also from Biggin Hill.  Lissadell Lynch also came away with a medal. These 16 were part of a delegation of 73 skiers with learning disabilities and 59 coaches and volunteers.

The Special Olympics GB’s National Alpine Ski Championships were held in Pila, Italy, 15-22 January 2012. The team was joined by five time Olympic skier, eight-time British Champion and BBC TV presenter Graham Bell (Ski Sunday and High Altitude), please click here to watch video footage from the BBC. To download the full article, please click here

Come along to an important coffee morning/meeting on 10^th January at Burgess Autistic Trust, 129 Southlands Road, Bromley BR2 9QT, at 10am.  Michael Watts (Senior Partnerships and Planning Officer, London Borough of Bromley) is coming along to talk about the Daft Children’s Strategy for 2012 to 2015 and gain parental feedback on the proposals and priorities for Children’s Services.

The three “areas of focus” for the Draft Strategy are:

- Improving the emotional health of all children and young people;

- Improving the life chances of children in care;

- Improving the transition of young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to adult services.

Some of you may have already responded to the consultation as the deadline for doing so is 20^th January. However, it is really important that the Borough gets as much parental input as possible so please come along if you can.

Please email  WendyWarne@burgessautistictrust.org.uk or telephone 020 8464 2897 to reserve a place

You can find out more about the Children’s Strategy by visiting www.childrenstrust.bromleypartnerships.org.

Last night Bromley Mencap won the Guardian Public Services Award for Carers, Families and Communities.  

The article on Bromley Mencap’s Award features in today’s Guardian Society supplement and can be found here

All the winners appear in today’s Guardian newspaper and can be found on-line here

 For the full Press Release click here

Bromley Experts by Experience, a new user led organisation for Deaf and Disabled People and Carers in Bromley, is having an official launch.

Date: 9th December 2011

Time: 11am – 3pm (Sign in from 10:30am)

Location: Council Chamber, Civic Centre, 1 Stockwell Close, Bromley, BR1 3UH

Bromley Experts by Experience (X by X) is a user-led organisation which aims to speak up for the rights of Deaf and disabled people and carers and to increase awareness about disability equality and the social model of disability. X by X provides peer information, support and training. Speakers at the launch include Richard Watts, Disabled People’s Organisations National Ambassador, and Geraldine O’Hallaran from regional Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation, Inclusion London.

The launch will be useful for people who want to find out more about X by X and for anyone interested in user led organisations and their role within the future of personalisation.

Details of how to book a place can be found here

Membership to this organisation is free and all Deaf and disabled people and carers living or working or studying in the London Borough of Bromley can join as a member by filling in the form here.

The latest issue of the Bulletin is now available. If you can’t wait another minute to read it, then go to the blue bar above, click on “About”, then “Bulletin” and you’ll see the link to open the September/October 2011 Bulletin.

There are also links there to previous issues.

Enjoy.