In our last post, we mentioned that additional funding, which allowed us to expand and develop our services to support service users in more holistic way, during these challenging times. This funding has now ended, and we are back operating our usual days and times. 

We, at the Project, welcomed the easing of restrictions, as this means we have the opportunity of venturing further afield and visiting places of interest. 

As a Project, we will be supporting our service users to deal with the anxieties and challenges they have been facing recently, when getting out and about and socialising.  We will be delivering a range of workshops on Social Reconnecting and our activities will encourage our service users to increase social connections, feel better connected to their local community and reduce feelings of loss, loneliness and isolation.

 

The Project has been running small cluster groups of activities outdoors and these have included foot golf, basketball, baking, arts and crafts, cycling and many more…  As April is Stress Awareness month, we are running informative and practical workshops on how to recognise stress and ways to manage this.

 

                                                                                                                             We also ran an Easter Competition, where we asked our service users to design a boiled egg.

Our winner was Kye with Humpty Dumpty

 

Below are comments that our service users have made in their small clusters……

 

“I was excited to come”

 

“Good laugh”

 

“Good, was weird baking outside, haven’t done that before”

 

“Relaxing”

 

“Really fun”

 

“Good to be back after illness, I missed everyone”

 

“Great company”

 

“Great to speak and form friendships”

          

Perth Six Circle Project recognises that Covid 19 has been hard for everyone and for some it has led to depression, mental health issues and further isolation and a deep sense of loneliness.  Funding and support from the National Lottery has allowed us to continue supporting service users, albeit in a different way.

Thanks to additional funding, including that from The Gannochy Trust, we have been able to increase the days, times and services we currently offer our service users – all whilst adhering to government advice.  Below is just a ‘snap shot’ of the services offered:

• Home Visits – to assess needs…..
• 121 Walk & Talks – within Perth & Kinross and service users own areas including Pitlochry, Cupar Angus…..
• Walk, Talk & Exercise – stretching, breathing exercises, cycling, putting…..
• Practical Support – helping service users get their house back to being a home, shopping…..
• Medical Intervention – medication collection, booking medical appointments and supporting attendance, attending crucial video conference appointments to help relieve anxiety…..
• Wellbeing Calls – to assess needs, ensure stability and sometimes just to remind service users people do care about them…..
• Activities – cycling, pool, basketball, arts & crafts…..

In addition to this, funding through Perth & Kinross Council’s Community Investment Fund has allowed us to ‘Enhancing Community Participation Through Technology’ with service users receiving tuition with:

• Online shopping – help to purchase products…..
• Personal laptops/computer – Guidance through updating systems…..
• Internet Safety – how to keep safe and spot the ‘scammers’…..
• And much more!

To support service users on a more holistic scale we have more recently referred some to external support agencies, some for specific direct support and for others allowing them to get out of the house more often.  These and other agencies have also referred a number of service users to the Project.

Some ex-service users have returned to the Project after living independently for year, as a direct result of the impact of COVID, and although it is sad to see the impact we are pleased they felt they could seek support in a time of need. 

We would never have been able to do this without the funding so….

Thank you from everyone at Perth Six Circle Project

Perth Six Circle Project supports some of the most vulnerable, lonely and isolated people within our community and since the lock down began in March 2020, we are proud to say we have not only remained open but have extended our hours and days across the full week during this very challenging and unprecedented time.  We reassured our service user that we would carry on supporting them and that our aim was to continue applying a person centred approach to address their needs.

We took the “What can we do to help” approach rather than closing our doors.  This meant thinking outside the box and looking for different solutions to any issues that arose during the last 5 months.

• Initially we phoned all of our service users, most daily, so they all had the chance to speak to someone, then where we could, we would FaceTime or WhatsApp those who were able to do this, so that they could see a person and not just hear a voice.
• For some, we took them shopping, delivered shopping and set up online accounts so they could do their shopping.  If they needed prescribed medicines picked up, we helped were we could.
• We provided easy to read and understand guides to staying safe and kept all of our services users up to date with the changes to Government Guidelines on COVID-19
• We delivered or posted activity packs, which included brain teasers, Sudoku, word search to name a few, to their home addresses as well as delivering Jigsaws, games and art equipment to help keep them busy and we continue to replenishes these…

As time went on and government guidelines changed we were able to meet them for Walk and Talks initially on a 1 to 1 basis then onto 2 or more joining, ensuring government guidelines were adhered to, which we regularly monitored. 

We have recently moved to having small clusters, timetabling events such as, socialising (coffee and cake, breakfast and lunches clubs), exercise, walking, garden games, football, basketball, badminton and crafts, again continuing to adhere to government guidelines.

Over the last 6 weeks we have increased our activity frequency Monday through to Friday, which has allowed us to support our services users get out and attend more often.  We have also managed to support referral agencies and invited new service users to join the Project, increasing the number of service users we can help and support.  In addition to this, we have also continued to offer our Crisis Intervention service, which has been well utilised!

There are so many things we have done over the last 5 months, too many to mention. We will continue to work hard and adapt for as long as we need to, to provide this invaluable service to the most vulnerable, lonely and isolated people in our community.

Check out the last couple of months pictures to see some of the things we have been doing.

 

 

 

We are actively providing services during this challenging time!

During this very challenging and unprecedented time, we would like to inform all that the Project is still operating and will continue to do so – ensuring government guidelines are adhered to, which we will regularly monitor. 

We are in the position that we can work from our offices at Aultbea House in relative isolation, due to the nature of our premises. 

Unfortunately, until further notice will not be able to accommodate visitors to the Project to ensure appropriate social distancing for staff and help minimise the spread of COVID-19.

Perth Six Circle Project supports some of the most vulnerable, lonely and isolated people within our community and we feel that during this time it is imperative we continue to do so, especially since many other services, that our service users’ access, have sadly had to close their doors.

We have reassured our service user that we will carry on supporting them and that our aim is to continue applying a person centered approach to address their needs through:

• Providing regular face to face contact through ‘Walk & Talk’
• Meeting those – whom we have asked not to travel by public transport – in their own local/rural area for a ‘Walk & Talk
• Regular contact to ensure they have some form of social contact, particularly for those who have self-isolated – telephone, face to face, Facetime, WhatsApp chats…..
• Educating on ‘Social Distancing’, keeping safe, hygiene…..
• Providing support with shopping –  accompanying them to the supermarket, or setting up an online account…..
• Providing Activity Packs – relaxation techniques, mindfulness instructions, word search, Sudoku, brain teasers, jigsaw…..
• Corona Virus Information and Support Packs – Prevention of spread of infection, useful contact numbers…..  
• And much, much more!

This morning some of the Project staff had a ‘Walk & Talk’ meeting, keeping to the social distancing rule of 2 meters (6 foot) apart at all times – a practice we will adopt across services.  Members of the public acknowledged they were impressed to see people following government guidelines and staff were impressed that other walkers started to mirror this – keeping to the opposite ends of the walkways.  This has given reassurance that it is possible to meet with service users without violation any government guidelines.           

We know how essential social contact is to our service users mental wellbeing and how important it is to encourage them to have some type of physical activity.  As a staff team we are extremely flexible and adaptable and will continue to provide Project services – adapting where and when required, making sure we follow government guidelines at all time, to ensure the health & safety of us all.  Therefore, some aspects of services may change, as government information is updated, and as a result we will inform service users of these changes as swiftly as possible.

So, just to say:-

We are ‘Open for Business’ – not quite as you know it, but with the same drive and enthusiasm as always, to help our service users live healthier, more independent lives and ultimately integrate – somewhat at a distance –  into their local community.

Wishing you all good mental health and wellbeing!

Marlow and the staff team.

Very busy month and lots of different activities, below is some of the activities we done throughout the month and the service comments about these:

St Johnstone six week coaching program

‘Supportive team members’

‘Banter good’

‘Liked the variety of activities’

‘Amazing day- Really improved my moods’

People’s behaviour could have been better; it embarrasses all of us’

‘Brilliant’

 Falkirk Wheel

‘Chance to interact with people I wouldn’t usually’

‘Cultural’

‘Relaxing’

‘Something different’

Swimming

‘Great’

‘Good exercise’

Adventure golf and Cinema

‘Cinema was good’

‘Horrible weather but good day’

‘Loved all having a coffee together’

Cinema

‘Braw’

‘Happy we went to see that movie’

‘Good day been a while since ive been to the movies’

Wellbeing event

‘Nice to look at stalls’

‘Maybe try something’

‘Good range, made contacts’

Cooking and IT

‘Feel like MasterChef’

‘Absolutely brilliant’

‘Sociable’

‘Is my happy face not enough?’

Young at Heart and Piperdam

‘Good working with another group’

‘Great activities’

‘Tiring’

SPS health check

‘Makes you aware of your fitness’

‘Braw’

‘Helps your fitness’