Blackburnwith Darwen

Service user network meeting

Date:30th March 2009.

Where: Darwen Resource Centre, Darwen.

Who was there?

Leonard, Robin, Debbie, Mandy, Rhil, Richard, Hilary and James.

Who are React?

James and Richard told everyone who they are and told them about the React project.

React are from Preston and have been asked to support the service user

network for the next few meetings and

at the next partnership board meeting

in May.

Who are you?

James asked everyone to say their name and what they liked about where they live.

  • Len likes the train service in Darwen. He can catch a train toManchester
  • Robin likes his own flat
  • Debbie likes learning maths and doing art
  • Rhil likes walking and shopping
  • Mandy likes her family living close to her
  • James lives near a park
  • Hilary likes the country walks she can go on

Hate crime what is it?

James asked everyone if they knew what hate crime is. Some people knew, but some people didn’t know. People said:

  • Don’t like going out at night
  • Kids in gangs
  • Travelling on buses
  • Feeling someone might hurt you

Len feels safe where he lives. He has lived there for 30 years and has good friends who look out for him and make sure he is safe.

It would be good if everyone felt like this where they live.

James told everyone what hate crime is and that the local police should listen to people more about hate crime.

What’s your doctor like?

We talked about what our doctors are like. Most people knew the name of their doctor and where their local surgery was.

They thought their own doctor was OK and it was good that their doctor was a female doctor if you are female and the same for the men.

James said that hopefully most doctors willstart offering a yearly health check for people with a learning disability who live in Blackburn with Darwen.

React is helping the community nurse team to teach doctors about these health checks and wants other people in Blackburnwith Darwen to help with the training.

Dream jobs

We talked about what people’s dream job would be.

  • Len said a football referee
  • Mandy wants to work in a café
  • Robin wants a job as a film director
  • Debbie wants to work at Jubilee House.
  • Rhil want a job looking after people
  • Richard wants to sell newspapers from a kiosk

What day to have our meetings

Our next meeting is going to be on a Tuesday but some people cannot come on Tuesdays. So our meeting in May will be on a Monday and start at 10.30am. This will give people more time to get to the meetings.

Our next meeting will be
Tuesday 28th April at
Darwen Resource Centre.