Hello Newsletter
North East
Autumn, 2016
We are a charity that helps people living with sight loss and a range of other disabilities to achieve their ambitions and go beyond expectations.
Henshaws, Room 25, Heaton Complex, Trewhitt Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 5DY.
Welcometo the Autumnedition of ‘Hello’ Newsletter.
It’s been a busy summer here at Henshaws and we have welcomed lots of newstaff membersto the Community Services Team since the last edition.
Our Big Lottery funded ‘Pathway to Wellbeing’ project has got off to a great start in Manchester, Trafford and Salford so please do pop along to say hello to our Community Enablement Officers in your area.They would love to meet you, be it for a spot of gentle exercise or just a cup of tea and a chat.
On the 16th June, we held our Henshaws Awards, a trulyinspiring afternoon at The Lowry celebrating the fantastic achievements of our service users, volunteers, staff and supporters.The event was so successful that we will be running it again next year so watch this space for further information on how to nominate.
From jumping out of an aeroplane to helping run one of our Friendship Matters Groups, there are lots of ways to get involved with Henshaws and help make an impact on people’s lives, so we hope you feel inspired.
Happy reading!
Robert Cooper, Director of Services,
North West and North East
Contents:
Page 2Welcome
Page 3Fundraising
Page 3 Community Services Staff News
Page 4Football
Page 5Other Activity and Participation Events
Page6New Academic Year & Activities Programme
Page 8Henshaws Awards
Page 9Useful Addresses & Contacts
FUNDRAISING
Great North Run
Thank you so much to our fantastic supporters at this year’s Great North Run! It has been another great year for Henshaws runners and if you are interested in signing up for next year, please contact Rachael Pratt on .
Thanks again – you are all amazing!
COMMUNITY SERVICES STAFF NEWS
So long …
As we revolve and steadily grow here in the North East we have had a change of management with Eamon Dunne moving on to continue his career elsewhere. Wishing him all the best in the future and thanking him for all of his dedication to Henshaws. He will be surely missed.
With this departure comes a new arrival so we can now welcome Philip Bithell to the North East team. Philip who is taking on a new role as the Community Services Development Manager for the North East Team and also has the added responsibility of growing community services in Yorkshire.
Also Leaving the North East Team is Ted Clarke our IT and Modern Technology teacher. Like Eamon, Ted has decided it is time to move on so we also wish him all the best.
In the coming weeks we will have an Admin Apprentice starting in our North East office. This is a sign of the times as our North East services continue to grow.
FOOTBALL
Henshaws United have had a very successful 2015/2016 season starting by picking up a Fair Play award in a tournament, this was a great honour and shows how well our members play the game and the respect other teams have for Henshaws United.
Throughout the season the team picked up a further two cup competition trophies in the North East College Disability League as well as reaching the semi finals and a fourth place league position, in the Newcastle Development League.
The season then finished on a high with the team travelling to Belfast, Northern Ireland in June to participate in the George Best Community Cup. After a great first day in Belfast the team progressed through to the second day after winning five of their seven games.
The second day saw the team start off with two hard draws in the group stage but they then went on to top the group after winning the next five games putting them into the semi finals with the other group winners. A 3 – 1 semi final victory over Charlton Athletic Disability put them in the final against a team from Wales.
Two early goals in the final put Henshaws quickly in front and the team then played well before notching a third which was enough to see them lift the trophy and bring it back to the North East.
All of these leagues and competitions are Pan Disability competitions meaning that the team play against a mixture of other disabilities which makes their achievements even greater.
If you have any interest in visually impaired football and would like to give it a go then just get in contact with our North East Office.
OTHER ACTIVITIES AND PARTICIPATION EVENTS
As well as our football,our‘Fit for Life’ project continues to grow and over the Summer we have added in our walking group. This group travels around the North East for various walks. The group has been a huge success and is enjoyed by all who attend.
On top of this our other groups; archery, gym and fitness are still going well and the people who come along are reaping the benefits. In the past week service user members have completed the Great North Run, a gruelling half marathon, in fantastic times whilst raising a large sum of money for Henshaws.
Previous to this a group of service users put themselves through a challenge of Gung Ho. A five kilometre course with giant inflatable obstacles made even more challenging by the torrential rain. They may have been drenched on the outside by they did not let it dampen their spirits and all of Team Henshaws completed the course with smiles on their faces, while again raising money for Henshaws.
NEW ACADEMIC YEAR
September sees the start of a new academic year with beginners and advanced levels in; IT and ipad and numeracy and literacy, courses.
If you would like to get involved in any of these please contact our Newcastle office.
PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES
Mondays:Beginners IT, Heaton Office 10:00 – 12:00
(Term time only)
Football Fitness, Walker Activity Dome 13:00 – 15:00
Tuesdays:
Ipad drop in, Heaton Office 10:00 –12:00
Gym session, WAD 13:00 – 15:00
Archery, WAD 14:00 – 15:15
Wednesdays:
ipad course (beginners), NSBP, Mea House 13:00 – 14:15
Advanced ipad course, NSBP, Mea House 14:30 – 15:15
Junior Football, WAD 17:30 – 18:30
(Term time only)
Thursdays:
Numeracy & Literacy, Heaton Office 10:00 – 12:00
(Term time only)
Adult Football, WAD 13:00 – 14:00
Junior Football South Tyneside, Sight Service Gateshead (bill Quay) 17:30 – 18:30
(Term time only)
Fridays:
Advanced IT, Heaton Office 10:00–12:00
Walking Group, Various Locations 12:30 – 16:00
Saturdays:
Newcastle Development League, Goals Centre Gosforth Park 9:00 – 12:30
(One Sdate per month to be confirmed)
To find out more and to express an interest in any of these activities, please contact our Heaton Office on 0191 2653031.
Henshaws Awards
On Thursday 16th June, we held an awards event at The Lowry Theatre in Manchester to celebrate the achievements of some of our fantastic service users and volunteers. Henshaws North East was well represented andit was a wonderful afternoon that included performances from opera singer, Denise Leigh accompanied by Stefan Andrusyschyn and our very own Guitar Group, who performed some rock classics.
Many congratulations to everyone who was nominated and received a certificate. The judges found it very hard to pick a winner in each category.
And the winners were ...
Friendship Matters Award – Alan Montgomery, Newcastle
IT Award – Avril Brown, Manchester
Volunteer of the Year Award – Rob Lawley, Manchester
VI Friendly Business – Walker Activity Dome, Newcastle
Young Person of the Year – Faye Wylie, Liverpool
Gillian Lawrence Award – Abdi Ahmed, Manchester
Thank you to everyone who took the trouble to nominate a fellow group member, volunteer or local business. It is a wonderful way to say thank you or recognise someone who has gone beyond expectations. We will be running the event again next year and further information on how to nominate will be in our next newsletter.
Once you have read or listened to our newsletter, please pass it on to a friend or family member, or you could enquire at your local community centre, doctor’s surgery, church or library to see if you could leave it there for others to read or listen to. We also have leaflets and posters, explaining who we are and what we do – maybe you could ask about leaving some of these as well as the newsletter; you can get a supply of these by calling us on 0191 265 3031
Remember, the more people know about us and support us, the more support we can offer visually impaired people, so please do all you can to help us get the word out.
Disclaimer
Although every attempt is made to ensure that the information contained within this newsletter is timely and accurate,
Henshaws Society cannot be held responsible for any information herein. This newsletter is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be either legally binding or contractual in nature
USEFULL ADDRESSES & PHONE NUMBERS
Henshaws North East
Heaton Office, Room 25, Heaton Complex, Trewhitt Road, Heaton, Newcastle NE6 5DY
Tel: 0191 2653031
email:
Walker Activity Dome
Wharrier Street, Walker, Newcastle NE6 3BR
Tel: 0191 2782800
Mea House
Ellison Place, Newcastle NE1 8XS
Tel: 0191 2303305
Goals Soccer Centre
High Gosforth Park, Newcastle NE3 5HP
Tel: 0191 2173040
Gateshead Sight Service
The Bradbury Centre, Gateshead NE10 0HW
Tel: 0191 4705959
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