Happening this week!!!

Dear Friends,

Please find one last reminder and details for our forthcoming Outsiders Poetry, happening in the Southern Grove Community Centre, Southern Grove E3 4PX, Sunday the 3rd of August, 2-5pm.

This is only 5 minute walking from Mile End tube station; pay attention to the clear Shuffle Festival signposts that have been distributed around the area to find the site with ease.

Our event was initially planned to happen in a tent, within the cemetery park grounds. However considering the mobility issues some of our members face and the distress some people experience in finding new locations, we considered ideal having the event in a more accessible location instead, with accessible toilets and so on.

Southern Grove Community Centre will be open all day 12pm-10pm, with a programme of activities and film projections aimed to engage the deaf community, but obviously open to everyone. On the day we will be providing ear plugs to the hearing audience, in order to let you experience the event in a more visual way, and give a rest to your ears. We look forward to the feedback.

PROGRAMME PREVIEW -
Sunday 3rd of August 12pm -10pm

12pm: We start the day with a Gong Bath to awaken and balance all senses. Make sure you find a comfortable position, seated or lying down ready to start by 12pm sharp. Sit back and relax and get ready to be immersed by the healing frequencies and vibrations that aim to set mind and body free. Very curious to hear Deaf peoples feed back to this. Courtesy of Otto Sound Therapy www.ottosoundtherapy.com/

The lucky ones that arrive nice and early to the festival will get the chance to book a free taster session of either Indian head massage or Acupuncture, with one of our five therapists, between 12-2pm ONLY. First comes first served.

1pm: Following Deafinitely Theatre successful sell out " Midsummer Night's Dream" in British Sign Language at the Shakespeare Globe last June, come along to watch "Shakespeare: Found in Translation". The documentary that tells all about the making of the play, during the research and rehearsals time.

1.30 pm: Join us for an intimate performance by Sign Song Diva Caroline Parker, MBE www.simplesite.com/carosparks/

2pm - 5pm: Outsiders Poetry. Following the successful participation at the Summer Shuffle 2013, local well know artists and mental health survivors will be sharing some of their work. Music, poetry and performance will be assisted by BSL interpreting and captioning. Some front seats will be reserved to visually impaired and less mobile people, let us know if you require one, pls. Come along to see Jazzman John Clarke leading the afternnon that will see among others performances by David Kessel, Frank Bangay, Eamer O'Keeffe, Stephen Watts, Cristina Viti, Graham Jones, David Amery, John Zammit, John Stiles, Max Love.

5 pm: "Film "Together" (1956) A black and white film telling the story of two deaf friends, filmed around our very Mile End area, post WW2. Is that BSL that they are using to communicate?

6 pm: Tête-à-tête with Deaf Director Ted Evans, multi awards winner maker of the drama "The End".

7 pm- 10 pm: "Best of Deaf" projecting a selection of award winning British Deaf short films and popular comedies.

The Shuffle Festival opened yesterday with a large feast offered to the community: it will be offering films, events and activities to suit the whole family, giving the chance to experience the beauty of this (forgotten-to-some) oasis of peace. We take the chance to wish the very best to volunteers and organisers for their hard work in making this happen.

Please note that mental health films will be projected as part of the festival on Saturday 2 August from 4.30pm in the Southern Grove Centre. The event is free of charge and can be booked online to secure a seat or just turn up for Shuffle your Mind www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/16499/chk/8012

Check the full programme on www.shufflefestival.com/programme/

Get out and about during this beautiful Summer!

Latest News

Dear Friends,

It's with great trepidation that we can announce that Arts Council England has now granted some funds for our Outsiders Poetry on Sunday the 3rd of August, 2-5pm. This allows us to make the event fully accessible to the deaf, deafened and hard of hearing audience, thanks to the provision of BSL interpreters and live captioning. Apparently captioning are also very beneficial to people affected by autism ( thanks Adrian W. for the info).

Please do join us at next week meeting, on Monday the 21st at LARC, 62 Fieldgate St, Whitechapel as the programme for the day-long event can be finalised. Also do get in touch if willing to offer some help during the day of mixed activities. See leaflets attached for our FREE Poetry and Deaf films and entertainment taking place now in the Southern Grove Community Hall ( new flyers attached - full programmes available soon). More informations about the 5 days long Shuffle festival can be found online www.shufflefestival.com/programme/

West London disability and mental health activists Joe Kelly has sent an invitation for the next London Unite Community Activists meeting: happening tomorrow, Thursday 17th July at 7pm at 33-37 Moreland Street, Education room 1, London EC1V 8BB

For info: Pilgrim.Tucker@unitetheunion.org Ph. 07970 126249. See letter attached.

The Survivors History Group meeting is also due on Wednesday 30th of July 1-5pm at Together, 12 Old Street, London, EC1V 9BE

Stay engaged and motivated.

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE OUR SURGERIES

Show your support by joining the march on SATURDAY 5TH JULY  at 2pm from Altab Ali Park, Aldgate East to London Fields Lido for a rally at 3.45

This demonstration is in support of surgeries in Tower Hamlets as well as Newham and Hackney that are facing budget cuts and as a result they may be forced to close soon.

You can also show your support by signing the online petition, please click on the following link: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-inner-city-gp-surgeries

 THE PROBLEM:

Due to Government changes in the way that General Practice is funded some inner city and rural practices in England will suffer big budget cuts from April 2014. Minimum Practice Income Guarantee (MPIG) was brought in 2004 to ensure that practices in deprived areas with a high turnover of patients were adequately funded to deliver high quality General Practice services.

All of the evidence shows that one of the biggest factors affecting health outcomes is deprivation. However, the Government are phasing MPIG out over the next seven years. Less weight will be given to deprivation and more to age. This means that Tower Hamlets, which is one of the most deprived areas of the country, loses out to more affluent areas with a greater proportion of elderly patients, even though the high levels of deprivation in Tower Hamlets means that more people here have serious long term illnesses at a much younger age.

Cuts in funding to General Practice will mean cuts in the services that your surgery is able to offer you and your family.

For example, Jubilee Street Practice is a large, award winning practice on Commercial Road. They have some of the best outcomes in the country for many chronic diseases and patient satisfaction levels of over 90%. Due to the phasing out of MPIG they have calculated that they will lose nearly £1 million over the next seven years. This means that services will get cut and the surgery is at risk of closure.

THIS CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN! A THREAT TO ONE IS A THREAT TO ALL!

There are 98 GP practices in England that are as badly affected by MPIG as Jubilee Street, many of these are in London and five are in Tower Hamlets. Other practices in the borough are also feeling the strain. If five practices are forced to cutback or close there will inevitably be more pressure on the rest, risking collapse of the whole system and opening up the possibility that our GP services will be taken over by private providers such as Virgin or Care UK.

This comes amidst a climate of huge cuts to the whole of NHS funding and creeping privatization of NHS services. Privatization leads to poorly paid staff and services cut to the bone in order to make a profit for shareholders.

The NHS is the best loved institution in Britain, even more so than the monarchy. Despite what we are told, the NHS is one of the most cost effective health care services in the developed world and there is plenty of money in society to pay for it. It is the envy of other nations. Since 1948 it has been there for all of us when we have needed it, regardless of ability to pay, from the cradle to the grave

July Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Please find details of forthcoming dates and events for your diary.

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE OUR SURGERIES

Show your support by joining the march on SATURDAY 5TH JULY at 2pm from Altab Ali Park, Aldgate East to London Fields Lido for a rally at 3.45. This demonstration is in support of surgeries in Tower Hamlets as well as Newham and Hackney that are facing budget cuts and as a result they may be forced to close soon.

You can also show your support by signing the online petition, please click on the following link: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-inner-city-gp-surgeries


Friends of St Clements General meeting is adjourned to next Monday the 7th of July, 4.30pm. Please come along to the c/o Outpatients Department, Burdett House, Mental Health Unit, Mile End Hospital, Bancroft Road, E1 4DG.

SolidariTea was officially launched in Southwark by the Mental Health Resistance Network this week. The drop in centre will now be offering practical support to people seeking help in regards to the WCA and benefits issues, or simply a cuppa and a chat, every Monday between 2pm and 4.15pm at 97 Dawes House, Orb St, Walworth, London, SE17 1RD. Info:solidariteasouthwark@gmail.com
Ph. 07966180429

Healthwatch Tower Hamlets Mental Health Task Group is being relaunched since Community Options has been chosen to manage the project. Ange Jones has been allocated as Project Coordinator for the running and facilitation of the group.

The group will be re-launched on Wednesday, 16th July 2014 11.30-2pm at Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, Bethnal Green, London E2 6HG Ange.Jones@community-options.org.uk

Healthline has launched a video campaign for bipolar disorder called "You've Got This" where bipolar patients can record a short video to give hope and inspiration to those recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Visit the homepage and check out videos from the campaign www.healthline.com/health/bipolar-disorder/youve-got-this

The Outsiders Open Mic will take place on the closing day of the Shuffle Festival on Sunday the 3rd of August, 4-7pm, in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, Southern Grove, MIle End E3 4PX. Get your swimming gear ready to experience a deep in the pool being dug for the festival www.shufflefestival.com/location/

Come along to our monthly F.E.E.L. meeting to help finalising the plans for our contribuition to the festival and discuss further issues on Monday the 21st of July at LARC 62, Fieldgate Street E1, 6.30-8.30pm.

Enjoy the weather and please remember to keep hydrated!