Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Fula Kamal S Ghattoraya - Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Councillor Samia Haq - Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Philippa Fisher - Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Lesley Green - Oadby Trinity Methodist Church Outreach

Clare Lawrence Simms - Community Scarf Project

Louise Pettitt - Children and Family Wellbeing Service – LCC

Councillor Jeffrey Kaufman agreed the previous minutes of Tuesday, 17th November, 2020 4.00 pm as a true record of the meeting.

No action list was shared as there were no matters arising.

Community Champion Volunteers, Walking Groups Statistics and Take Up presentation were shared.

Jennifer Mackenzie, Community Health Improvement Officer provided a brief overview of the Walking for Health Programme and the take up of the vaccine programme in the Borough.

The number of vaccinations take in the borough up appears to be the lowest in Leicestershire. Statistics can be quantified by age. The take up of vaccinations is lowest in the 35 to 85 age range. Going forward, the Pop – Up clinic is handling the flow of vaccinations.

Action:1

Following discussion and questioning, it was agreed that that Jennifer Mackenzie obtain further information and clarity from our Health Partners as to the state and numbers of vaccinations taking place in the borough.

Action:2

Circulate the presentation.

Nigel Swan presented on the Helping Hands offer to the residents of the borough and shared the attached presentation.

Helping Hands provide free, independent specialist advice via paid and volunteer staff. Paid and unpaid staff are covered by the AQS standard. Advisers are trained as Active Listeners.

Helping Hands provide services to the socially excludes. On average Helping Hands provide a service to roughly forty-five clients a week. A surgery is provided at Oadby Methodist Church once a week.

Numbers are growing re face-to-face advice and advice support services are provided online and by telephone. Services are provided with input from local solicitors.

Helping Hands is a charity governed by Trustees.

For the past three years Helping Hands has been appointed as the area Advice Providers. The organisation is supported through regional grants. It has a couple of support Workers and is looking to review its funding. It has also focussed on providing support for people away from employment. Helping Hands is a Trust governed by Trustees

Helping Hands will be the main provider of advice funded by the Local Council over the next three years, Helping Hands have received regional grants and employ a couple of support workers. It is working to renew its funding and have focussed on helping people apart from those requiring employment.

Helping Hands is developing its working links closer to the Local Authority. The organisation also provides a service to people with a disability. The advice the service provides is independent of the Council.

The Chair noted that with the loss of AGE UK locally that talks on this service loss is to take place with Rutland Council Friday 30th July, 2021.In relation to the question posed as to whether Helping Hands are seeing more customers coming across from Blaby; advice was not being restricted from such areas.

Action:3

Circulate the shared presentation

Presentation by Julian Harrison.

Mind Apples Mental Health Intervention (Presentation Attached)

Julian Harrison, Mind Apples Group Mental Health and Wellbeing Campaigner presented information on Mind Apples.

Mind Apples has been in existence for the past five years.

It was acknowledged that the UK has been in the midst of a mental health crisis for some years.

It was explained that Mind Apples is about self-help. It exists to support one’s health mental health which we all have. The M Community Champion Volunteers, Walking Groups Statistics and Take Up (Presentation) were shared.

The Mind Apples Group meets every fortnight. Attendees share anecdotes and supports others to cope with their worries and anxieties. It is about how to deal with mindfulness in the moment.

Julian facilitated a Mind Apples exercise with these present. 

The exercise consisted of each person answering one of twenty questions on what things they usually practice to defuse anxiety and worried. The more questions a person answered the stronger their health and wellbeing might.

It was emphasised that other questions could be substituted for the ones asked on the evening. Messages placed in a jar can help uplift one’s sprits a promote mental good health.

Mind Apples can be found on Facebook.

Action:4

The list of twenty questions is to be circulated.

The Community Engagement Officer shared information about the Oadby & Wigston Council Voluntary Community Sector Covid 19 Recovery Funding Scheme Grant link, prior to the meeting.

The VCS COVID-19 Recovery Grant Scheme aims to support local voluntary groups in Oadby, Wigston or South Wigston to help get them back on their feet.

Eight groups applied for the funding. The minimum sum was £150 and the highest sun £300.

The original sum provided by the Council was £4,000. The closing date for applications is 31st December 2021.Once the has run out it will not be topped up. Funding applications are accepted on a first come, first served basis.

Groups have been provided with the link to apply for the funding,

To access the funding click on the following link.

https://myaccount.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/en/service/VCS_Recovery_Grant_Scheme

Action:5

Share the link to the funding grant with everyone.

The number of attendees at the meeting were low.

Action:6

To encourage attendance at future meetings the Chair requested the Community Engagement Officer write to all those who proffered their apologies for non-attendance to; find out why they did not attend and what can be done to encourage future attendance.