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PODS Christmas Party & Lots More...

PODS Christmas Party 

Sunday 3rd December 2023 from 12:30pm-2pm and 3pm-4:30pm at Sinclair Sports and Social Club, Ketley Dingle TF1 5AD

PLEASE NOTE: The tickets go live on Monday 13th November at 8pm

Come and join us for our PODS children and families Christmas party. There will be a disco, buffet and Santa in his magical grotto.

Tickets are £5 per child (includes a gift from Santa) and £5 per adult

Booking is essential via Ticket Source. Please make any dietary requirements known at the time of booking.

To book your tickets on Monday 13th November at 8pm, please click here: PODS Christmas Party

Hospital Transformation Plans - DISABILITY FOCUS WORKSHOP - Monday 20th November at 12.30pm

Please join us for a workshop to review Hospital Transformation Plans and talk about the needs of our disability community and sensory considerations for the layout.

We are involved in a number of opportunities for feeding experiences and this is an opportunity for you to have an overview and discuss what is important to you. Including accessibility, inpatients, daycare, transport, design and layout of rooms, etc

Free refreshments and parking.

To book, please click here: Hospital Transformation Plans - DISABILITY FOCUS WORKSHOP

NEW! Tourettes Action Telford Group

Friday 24th November 2023 from 10am-12pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

Tourettes Action Group welcomes all families who have a child or young person that may be affected by Tourettes (or tics) in Telford.  We welcome anyone to attend to find out more about this condition and to receive support and share experiences. Our group leader is trained and supported the national 'Tourettes Action' organisation.

Free carparking and refreshments.

To book, please click here: Tourettes Action Telford Group

*NEWSFLASH* - PODS Family Groups Have Been Rebranded 

Following feedback from our members ‘Family Groups’ have been rebranded and will now be referred to as ‘PODS Social Support Groups’.

Everything else will remain unchanged, parents, children, siblings and wider family members are all welcome.

Please look out for the next available one, we look forward to seeing you.

Befriending Scheme & PODS Family Group

Wednesday 15th November 2023 from 10am-11.30am at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

Join us at our Befriending Scheme and the Family Group, at PODS Hub. Along with the usual catch up, you can find out more about the Befriending Scheme, access non-judgemental befriending peer support with fellow parent carers and find out more about the services offered by PODS. 

In this session, we will be doing activities like mindfulness colouring and painting tiles.

Places must be pre-booked. We look forward to seeing you there.

To book, please click here: Befriending Scheme & PODS Family Group

PODS MenSpace

Tuesday 21st November 2023 from 6pm-8pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

A chance to put the world to rights over cake and coffee! 

Join us at the MenSpace group. A group dedicated to male carers.

These groups are guided by you, you can talk about whatever you want, and give us all chance to help each other out. You will also be able to influence how these groups run in the future by feeding back what you want from the group and how we can achieve this. 

To book, please click here: PODS MenSpace

PFA Open Room

Tuesday 21st November 2023 from 12pm-2pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

This group is aimed at those parents/carers of young people aged between 14 and 25 to have a chat and share experiences over tea, coffee, and biscuits.  

Loads of relevant information will be available during the group and I will be available to answer any questions or discuss specific difficulties.   

If you are unable to make it, please feel free to contact me on: matt@podstelford.org

To book, please click here: PFA Open Room

PODS Social - Anime (12-25s)

Wednesday 22nd November 2023 6pm-7.30pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

PODS are hosting a Social Session for young people aged 12 years to 25 years and their siblings. All our Social Sessions have a very relaxed atmosphere but there is always a specific focus. This session is: ANIME.  

All the materials needed will be provided to all the young people booked. Young People are welcome to bring their own anime creations and/or references. 

Parents/carers to stay on the site during the session. All tickets are non-refundable.

To book, please click here: PODS Social - Anime (12-25s)

PODS Stop Motion Video Club

Wednesday 29th November 2023 from 4pm-5pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

Does your child/young person like to make videos? If yes, then PODS is starting an after school Stop Motion Video Club to enable the children and young people make stop motion videos using Lego.

All equipment and items needed will be provided. Contact Uma at uma@podstelford.org for any details.

To book, please click here: PODS Stop Motion Video Club

PODS Code Club

Wednesday 22nd November 2023 from 4pm-5pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

PODS Code Club is running sessions for children from 7-13 years old during Term Time. The children will be learning to code in SCRATCH. Along with learning how to code, the children will also be building upon their skills like problem solving, collaboration and communication. 

Session costs are non-refundable, parent/carer/PA must remain on site for the duration of the session. Please ensure every child/young person attending has a ticket, those attending without a ticket will be turned away. Adult tickets are NOT required.

To book, please click here: PODS Code Club

PODS Blists Hill Family Group

Thursday 30th November 2023 from 10am-12pm at Blists Hill Victorian Town, Telford, TF7 5UD

Come and join us at PODS Family Group in Blists Hill Victorian Town for a chat, relax and meet with friendly faces. Ask us for some advice or just enjoy a walk around the village.

Tickets are available at a subsidised cost of £3 per person. PODS will provide 1 tea/coffee/soft drink to each person booked, however you will have to purchase your own other refreshments if required.

Places are limited and booking is essential, open to all PODS members living in Telford and Wrekin. Please note that the tickets are non-refundable. Children, of any age, are welcome however if they are under 2 years old, no ticket is required.

We will be meeting at the entrance at 10am, please let us know if you will be late or can no longer make it so as the group can enter on time.

To book, please click here: PODS Blists Hill Family Group

The Official Launch! Learning Disability Today Website

Sharing from Learning Disability Today...

"We are delighted to announce the launch of the new Learning Disability Today website from Pavilion Publishing. 

For everyone - News articles and topical content will be available for all to explore on the Learning Disability Today website and on our social media. We want to ensure that everyone can easily stay up-to-date with the latest developments and that Learning Disability Today offers a useful, accessible resource for all. 

For professionals - Learning Disability Today also aims to support the professional development of those who work with people with learning disabilities and autism, to encourage best practice and positive outcomes. The new site also offers detailed analysis, webinar recordings and white papers. This content will be available to those who sign up for Learning Disability Today membership.

To become a member sign up for free here. It will only take a minute."

To view the website, please click here: Learning Disability Today Website

Parent Carer Strategy Survey

Can you help Contact develop their new charity strategy?

Contact needs your help to develop their new strategy for 2024 and beyond. It’s incredibly important to hear from as many parent carers as possible about the support you need from Contact. To help, they are asking parent carers to fill in this short 5-minute survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ContactStrategy2024NNPCF

Thank you – the views of parent carers really matter to us, and we are very grateful for your time in completing this survey.

Press Release: ‘Think Self-Care' to Keep Well this Winter, say Healthcare Leaders across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

Extract...

"This Self-Care Week, healthcare leaders across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are empowering residents to “Think Self-Care” and to take charge of their health and wellbeing by making informed decisions as the dark nights and cold mornings set in. 

Self-Care Week is a national annual event that raises awareness of what we can all do to improve our physical health and mental wellbeing. This year, Self-Care Week runs from Monday 13 to Sunday 19 November 2023 and the theme is ‘Mind and Body’. 

Winter is when we see spikes in colds, flu and even sickness bugs. However, you can help keep yourself and your loved ones well by taking small steps during these colder months such as keeping active, eating well, connecting with others, keeping up-to-date with your vaccinations and having a well-stocked medicine cabinet."

To read the press release in full, please click here: Press Release: ‘Think Self-Care' to Keep Well this Winter, say Healthcare Leaders across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

Update from Jayne, Strategic Co-ordinator

It's Jayne here - I'm responsible for the Parent Carer Forum - and representing you as parent carers across all sorts of services. A quick update on meetings etc that I've been involved in the last couple weeks and some of key areas. Thanks always to my team of parent reps who are out and about in the community. If anyone has got something to say about any of these areas, please do so - email me directly jayne@podstelford.org please - I'd love to hear from you.

• Short Breaks and Activities
• Parent Rep training
• Visits with PODS Charity team to Lightmoor and Crocky Trail - always fab to catch up with families directly and enjoy being out and about in nature!
• Update on our projects that are funded by NHS: Challenges at Home and Preparing for Adulthood Navigator
• SENDIASS with their manager
• Ops meeting (Staff team)
• Employment and support providers presentation
• Donnington Wood Parents Evening
• Paediatrics plans as part of the Hospital Transformation
• Early Help Assessment awareness training

and in-between, planning and responding to emails and picking up key issues for families around BeeU, referrals into other services, short breaks, feeding back and discussing the ice rink and also making arrangements for a visit to the new Stirchley Gym.

Information from Telford & Wrekin Community Champions

Haven Domestic Abuse Awareness Sessions (Online)                             

Haven Refuge are holding some Haven Domestic Abuse Awareness Sessions online on various dates from Wednesday 22nd November to Wednesday 17th June all sessions will be from 9.30am-12.30pm online via Teams.

If you would like to book on, please contact Tracey Secker on Tracey.Secker@havenrefuge.org.uk

Action for Happiness Calendar - New Ways November 2023

Please note the above material is subject to copyright, please contact PODS before sharing any of the information in this PODS Ebulletin.

Thank you for reading our latest Ebulletin, please stay safe & well. 

Kerrie Seagrave, Member Support Co-ordinator

on behalf of PODS Parent Carer Forum.

We hope you enjoyed reading our latest e-bulletin - we hope you continue to find it useful. If you have any suggestions to make it better feel free to let me know.