For many years now there has been a move to include people with learning difficulties in the running and management of the services that are provided to support them.

After all they are the experts!

Here at People First we recognise how important it is to have the right people to represent the views and experiences of people who use services.

This program will offer training and masterclasses with some very experienced leaders… Jill Standard Chief Executive of Cumbria will speak as well as James Cox Director of West House and Keith Fitton to name but a few.

The Leadership Foundation will take place over 1 year and help offer workshops, coaching and support as well as the inspiring master classes.

For more information contact our head office… 01900 607208

The Guides Cover subjects like:

• Healthy Eating
• Personal Hygiene
• Emotional Health
• Sexual Health
• Oral Health

To get a copy of any of the guides please contact your local People First Health Trainer.

Kevin Bell – Allerdale and Copeland

kevin@peoplefirstcumbria.co.uk

Rob Thomson -South Lakes and Barrow

rob@peoplefirstcumbria.co.uk

Sophie Bushell – Carlisle and Eden

sophie@peoplefirstcumbria.co.uk

The work has been carried out by the Housing Sub Group of the Learning Disability Partnership Board and has been made easy read by the People First easy read group.

We hope you find the booklet useful and have copies available at any of our Best Life Buildings across Cumbria.

Place To Live Guide

People First members from North and West Cumbria have taken part in this 8 week course and have learned lots of new practical kitchen skills such as food hygiene, how to handle food and how to cook great tasting meals on a budget.

The group have also learned a lot about the importance of eating a healthy, balanced diet and how to make meals healthier, for example, by using low fat margarine and cheese, by putting lots of different vegetable into dishes and by cutting fat off meat.

We tried out lots of delicious and exiting recipes during the course and some people have even tried these recipes out at home!

The Skinny Turkey Curry with low fat coconut milk was most people’s favourite dish.

We, at People First, would all like to say a big thank you to Pat who facilitated the Healthy Cooking course and who wrote all the tasty recipes with us.

What our members have said about the course:

‘I have gained a lot from the cooking course and it has improved my confidence in cooking’ – Lou

‘It has given me other things to think about and I have tried the recipes at home’ – Lynne

‘I have enjoyed the cooking course and now I know more about food safety and healthy eating’ – Anthony

‘I have enjoyed it and tried new food’ – Malcolm

We hope to start running a healthy cooking for course for our members in South Cumbria very soon!

Our members have pulled together a step by step, easy read cookery book, comming soon…

This award proves that we have systems in place which make sure that the services and support we offer is of the highest quality.

It also shows that we have a strong management team and that we are good at managing our organisation.

Making sure that our customers are happy with our help has never been more important.

We have developed new systems to monitor our work and to check that our customers are happy with the support they are getting.

If you would like more information please get in touch with Anna Bradley or Kevin Bell.

Well done to all People First Directors and Staff….

The bike machine is easy to use and I felt I could go for a new challenge.

This week we visited Watchtree Nature Reserve which is a lovely place near Great Orton, Watchtree offer various activities, from bird watching to bike riding. I had a go at the bike riding!

On the day it was fairly windy and cold and snowing, so all of the boys chickened out, but I wanted to go!

After a journey through winding roads and getting lost, we arrived.

I decided to have a go on a 3 wheeled bike.

I went around the track on the bike but it was a lot harder on a proper bike than the bike machine in the gym.

It was great fun and I was going so fast, Sophie and Rob had to run after me to keep up!

When I got off the bike I could hardly feel my legs. I think my legs will be sore for the Cumbria People First meeting tomorrow.

The bike ride was definitely something I want to do again, I’m even thinking about becoming a member of Watchtree.

Lou Townson,

People First Member – Carlisle

The number of advocacy referrals has increased dramatically since the council started to make changes to social care in Cumbria. We are working hard to help people to understand the changes.

We are also working hard to secure the future of advocacy in Cumbria. The Council have put a new advocacy contract out to tender, this means that lots of organisations can bid for the work.

Its a very worrying time of all of those people who need advocacy support in Cumbria… In the future there will be less advocacy support…

We want to continue to provide advocacy to those people who desperately need it.

What I know for sure is that we have to stay focused on our customers, and not be distracted from our goal… a better life for people living in Cumbria. Here at People First this is what motivates us, We desperately want to see our Advocacy Partners and Members become all that they want to be…

“Everyone needs to be valued. Everyone has the potential to give sometime back” – Diana Princess of Wales

The Best Life Building in Workington offers the same facilities as our Carlisle building, its our head office and has a conference suite, lounge, 2 small meeting rooms and office accommodation.

We are happy to work in partnership with the following organisations all of whom are in the workington building, Addaction, Turning Point, Mind, Croftlands Trust, West House, Shaw Trust and Addiction Dependency Solutions.

We have rooms for hire at very reasonable rates, we are not here to make money, simply cover our costs and support local people. Click on our room hire section for more information.

When: Every Tuesday

Time: 12.30—2.00

Would you like to try something new?

Would you like to keep yourself fit and active in a friendly environment?

Would you like to go to the gym with people you know?

Some People First members go to the gym at the Sands Centre in Carlisle,

every Tuesday from 12.30 – 2.00.

We would really like you to join us.

A fitness instructor will support you to do

exercises that are right for you.

He will show you how to use the gym equipment and create a health plan just for you.

Meet us at the Sands Centre at 12.30.

Don’t forget to bring your gym kit,

a bottle of water,

and £2.00 to get in.

Are you wanting to get back in shape and lose that extra weight???

Then sign up for the People First Health Project!!!

We can provide advice, support on healthy eating and exercise…

We can help you to take them first steps to make a healthier choice…

We can support you to get back in shape and feel healthy again…

We can give you encouragement to help you to achieve your goals…

Our Health Trainers will help you set realistic targets and set out a plan to help you achieve those targets!!!

If your interested, speak to Kevin in the Workington Office on 01900 607208, or Sophie in the Carlisle office on 01228 550696.