CONTENTSSurvey highlights................1Christmas Party...................230th Anniversary................. 3A start to 2019......................4Activities..............................5Co-Production Themes.......6Pro-Active Update...............7Valentine’s Party..................8Forum and Media Club........9Calendar Dates .................10

Survey ResultsWe recently asked the people we support, relatives and carers for feedback on the service Active Prospects provides. You all gave great feedback, so thank you for your time. Take a look at some of the key highlights, but the full survey has been enclosed.

ProactiveNewsletterCelebrating the lives of the people Active Prospects supports

February 2019

94%of the people we support feel that their support staff are caring.*

100%of the people we support said that staff help them to do things they want to do.*

97%of relatives and carers thought that

communication was outstanding or good.*

98%of the people we support feel they are treated with dignity and respect.*

* Statistics from internal Active Prospects survey 2018

Proactive

The Pro-Active Christmas Party The Pro-Active Committee hosted their annual Christmas party on Thursday 6th December at the Holiday Inn, London Gatwick. Everyone who went along had a brilliant time, with some excellent food and dancing until late. People we support certainly know how to party. Thank you to all those staff who joined the party and supported those attending. It was a great night!

Celebrating the lives of the people Active Prospects supports

30th Anniversary PlansThis year we celebrate our 30th Anniversary as Active Prospects. We have achieved some fantastic things over our current 30 years and we look forward to supporting more people to lead full and aspiring lives for many years to come. Keep an eye out for a 30th Anniversary Exhibition, a Summer Sports Event and tonnes more.

Proactive

A Great Start to 2019 The people we support have embraced January’s co-production theme of a fresh start by being active, enjoying the outdoors, taking up a sport or visiting somewhere new.

Proactive

Activity Time!We have a host of activities this year for everyone to enjoy. In keeping with the New Year, the people we support have been taking part in different activities, such as Boccia and Tennis, or going outside.

Proactive

Co-Production Themes 2019

Month Theme IdeasFebruary New relationships

and making friendsJoin in with Time to Talk Coffee Morning events at HO/Charity Shop Valentine’s Day celebrations Love Heart Party. Pancake Tuesday.

March Embracing Spring Enjoying the outdoors and going to the allotment.

April Arts and Drama Start up the card making group again. Trips to local markets and independent shops.

May Gardening Bird watching or making bird boxes.

June Seaside / Water Theme

Swimming, hydration challenge, going on water pedal boats.

July Picnic outside, games and festivals

Painting outdoors, paint the scenery or nature.

August Outdoor cooking / summer

Create a cookery book for summer salads and BBQ.

September Celebrating fruit and vegetables

Bring and share unusual fruits and vegetables. Add recipes to the cook book for Autumn recipes.

October Learning about cultures

Have a section in the cook book for recipes from other countries.

November Getting to know Active Prospects

Staff to spend some time (ideally on shift) at another service to get to know another area of the organisation or staff to support people we support at another service.

December Giving back to the community

Raise money for a local Children’s Hospital, Secret Santa – but with gift or donation to charity rather than each other, a sponsored walk, or jumble sale to raise money for charity. Christmas Jumper Competition – a prize for the winner goes to their chosen charity.

Celebrating the lives of the people Active Prospects supports

Month Theme IdeasFebruary New relationships

and making friendsJoin in with Time to Talk Coffee Morning events at HO/Charity Shop Valentine’s Day celebrations Love Heart Party. Pancake Tuesday.

March Embracing Spring Enjoying the outdoors and going to the allotment.

April Arts and Drama Start up the card making group again. Trips to local markets and independent shops.

May Gardening Bird watching or making bird boxes.

June Seaside / Water Theme

Swimming, hydration challenge, going on water pedal boats.

July Picnic outside, games and festivals

Painting outdoors, paint the scenery or nature.

August Outdoor cooking / summer

Create a cookery book for summer salads and BBQ.

September Celebrating fruit and vegetables

Bring and share unusual fruits and vegetables. Add recipes to the cook book for Autumn recipes.

October Learning about cultures

Have a section in the cook book for recipes from other countries.

November Getting to know Active Prospects

Staff to spend some time (ideally on shift) at another service to get to know another area of the organisation or staff to support people we support at another service.

December Giving back to the community

Raise money for a local Children’s Hospital, Secret Santa – but with gift or donation to charity rather than each other, a sponsored walk, or jumble sale to raise money for charity. Christmas Jumper Competition – a prize for the winner goes to their chosen charity.

Pro-Active Committee Update

The Pro-Active Committee have been very busy over the last couple of months, from organising the annual conference in November, the Christmas Party in December, representing Active Prospects at co-production events, such as the Surrey CCG GP training and organising the recent ‘Love Heart Party’!

At a meeting in the new year, Pro-Active discussed the recently published NHS England 10 year plan and how that might affect people with a learning disability or autism when accessing health services.

They invited Peter Tempest, the Interim Director of Learning Disability at Surrey County Council to attend a meeting in early February. He outlined his new 5 year learning disability strategy that includes an aim for people to have ‘their own front door’; the option of receiving a direct payment to pay for their care in the way they choose; and how funding for activities in residential care services will be reduced. They also heard from Mary Hendricks, Adult Social Care lead, that the decision to abolish ‘Companion Cards’ that allow carers supporting people to travel for free, has been overturned, in response to a campaign that Pro-Active were involved in.

At the Pro-Active Conference, people voted overwhelmingly to expand the impact and reach of the Pro-Active Committee. They have been discussing ways to do this and now aim to have a Surrey-wide network of Pro-Active groups, together forming a ‘Pro-Active Community’. We are currently applying for funding to support this development. The group has ambitions to further expand the Pro-Active Community into a regional, and then national movement, ++with a powerful user-led voice.

The Pro-Active Community, will have a role in co-production, peer-to-peer support, influencing public opinion and strategies for learning disability services and being at the heart of decision making in their own organisations.

The Pro-Active Committee is a separate, constituted group and we aim to have a Pro-Active website and social media presence to raise their profile and inspire others to join. Watch this space as this exciting initiative takes shape.

The Pro-Active Valentine’s PartyThe Pro-Active Committee kicked the 30th Anniversary celebrations off in style with a Valentine’s Love Heart Party in Reigate on the 16th February. The party was a huge success with people we support enjoying the music, food and drinks. Thank you to all those involved and everyone who joined us on the night.

Celebrating the lives of the people Active Prospects supports

Highlights of the Night!• Alex, from Young

Prospects, doing several fantastic sets on the decks. Thank you to Alex and his girlfriend Heather.

• Everyone showing their best moves on the dance floor and getting down for ‘oops upside your head’.

• Some of the people we support getting on the microphone to sing along to the tunes.

Celebrating the lives of the people Active Prospects supports

Media Club - 4th March 2019Head Office 10.45am - 11.30am

Do you want to learn new media skills such as writing features, photography and short film making? If so, come along to our new Media Club launch this March!

Proactive

01737 924084

www.activeprospects.org.uk

info@activeprospects.org.uk

A Community Benefit Society (26618R) with charitable status

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Photo PermissionsRemember, we love to share your news and photos, but we do need permission to do so. If you are happy to give permission for your photograph to be used, please email Rebecca Lordan at rebecca.lordan@activeprospects.org.uk for a permission sheet. Thank you.

Music and Communication

Inclusive music and communication sessions running fortnightly. No musical talent required! The sessions are a mix of upbeat singing, Makaton signing, percussion instruments, ribbons and puppets, so appeals to all abilities. The session is run by Alix, who runs the Include Choir and is an experienced Speech Therapist. Sessions run at Head Office on every other Monday morning from 11am to 12pm starting 25th February.

Boccia

Boccia is a disability sport, similar to Bowls, and involves rolling or throwing a ball at a target. Two teams compete against each other to see who gets closest to the target. It is a lively and fast paced game that can be played by anyone regardless of their disability. A shoot can be used to roll the ball for people with more severe disabilities. There are plans to also include kurling and other disability sports within the session in future.Sessions run at the YMCA Sports and Community Centre in Redhill every other Friday afternoon from the 1st March 1.30pm to 2.30pm.

Active Growth Allotment

Our allotment project runs every week for two hours and is run by one of our handymen Mick. The new site is fully accessible to wheelchair users with parking available very close by. There is a large shed we use for hot drinks and usually stop for a break. We have just installed a polytunnel that is used during wet weather and are doing to start incorporating arts and crafts activities such as painting flower pots and so on.Our allotment is on Princes Road, Redhill (near the YMCA Centre) and session run every Thursday

afternoon from 1-3pm, throughout the year.