Living Tree News 34
MAY 2021
Dear Living Tree members and friends,
Last month saw our first AGM as a registered charity. Thank you to all who were able to join us. Here is the opening excerpt from our Chair's report:
Chair’s Report for Living Tree AGM 23.4.21
I am writing this year’s report whilst reflecting upon the fact that our last AGM, on the 21st February 2020, happened just before our lives were turned upside down by Covid. Our very last face to face Friday afternoon gathering was on the 13th March, when Macmillan came to offer “meet & greet” training for volunteers. Many of you have since been shielding or self-isolating for much of this last year, & I know how difficult this has been. What I hope to describe now is how The Living Tree has tried to keep going despite lockdown, & has had to adapt rapidly in how we try to reach out to members. Click to read more.
MINUTES & DOCUMENTS FROM THE LIVING TREE AGM 2021
Minutes
Chair's Report
Treasurer's Report
ZOOM DROP-IN SESSIONS
Please email us at thelivingtreedorset@gmail.com to let us know if you would like to join any of the Living Tree Zoom Drop-In sessions this month, and we will email you the link and password to enable you to participate. We will only send you the link if you request it.
Here are the details of our Living Tree meetings this month.
Zoom Meetings
Friday 7th May 2-4pm
Yes To Life
Our very own Jo Millar will be giving us feedback from the ‘Yes to Life’ conference she has recently attended. The Yes to Life charity aims to change attitudes and make integrative cancer care (combining the best of conventional and complementary approaches) readily available so more people have the best chance of reclaiming their health.
This will be a very interesting and informative talk.
Friday 21st May 2-4pm
Landscape Collages
Chris Edwards will be leading us in another of her brilliant creative activity afternoons. If you would like to take part, Chris asks that you please bring with you some or all of the following:
A few magazines with as many images as possible eg, national geographic, travel, environmental mags, images of rocks, mountains, sea landscapes etc.
Textured and patterned images such as the sea, sand, grasses, rocks.
Any Colour Papers, wrapping papers, tissue etc
Any printed textures you have created yourself
A3 paper or A4 sketch book
Watercolours
Scissors
If you have a cutting mat then you could use a scalpel or Stanley knife.
Pencil
Tweezers
PVA glue
Fine paint brush for the glue
PLEASE BRING A LANDSCAPE IMAGE THAT YOU PARTICULARLY LIKE AND WOULD LIKE TO RECREATE IN COLLAGE, OR YOU CAN CREATE YOUR LANDSCAPE FROM IMAGINATION.
ON THE WEB
Have you visited our website?
You'll find latest news, featured posts, the Library booklist and more.
www.thelivingtree.org.uk
FACEBOOK
Sherry is posting daily on The Living Tree Facebook page, with useful information and uplifting responses to the current situation.
Your Photos
Send your photos to the Editor by Monday 24th May in time for next month's newsletter.
Our Allotment
We have begun to have our open drop-in sessions every Wednesday from 10 to 12 and we have had lovely mornings planting, weeding, fixing, talking and drinking tea. We are mindful of keeping our distance so that everyone is kept safe. Next Wednesday 5th May we have David Loders joining us. David is an expert in horticulture and is coming to share his knowledge about growing vegetables and fruits.
Please feel free to come and see what we are doing opposite St Catherine’s School. There will be a Drop in and Sow session every Wednesday morning between 10am and 12 noon. Continued thanks to everyone who has been a part of this fun journey.
Alison Boyland
Amblers Walking Group
Now that Covid restrictions have been lifted a little, the Trustees have agreed to start up the Amblers walking group again. The walks will be in groups of up to six people, as socially distanced as is practicable, and we’ll be bringing our own refreshments for now to reduce contact with as many people as possible. The walks will be weather-dependent and will vary in length and level of difficulty. If you are interested in joining us or would like more information, please contact Rita by email rita.bech.lt@gmail.com or telephone the Living Tree mobile 07341 916976 to leave a message and Rita will get back to you.
Rita Bechervaise
Plant Sales
from Monday 3rd May
at 34 Salway Drive
Salway Drive plant sales are back in action from Monday 3rd May, raising money for The Living Tree. Plants are available 7 days a week from my front garden, priced and labelled. A payment system is in place if I am not about but do pop round the back garden - I could be there.
Plants on the table constantly change as the season progresses and with plants that are donated . I am slowly trying to develop a healing plant table so do keep a look out if interested.
Address 34 Salway Drive. Tel no 01308 488050 for any queries.
Joan Sinnott
A Book of Words
A BOOK OF WORDS
This beautiful collection of writing and artwork (excerpt above) produced by members of The Living Tree is now over 50% off. It is available to buy for just £5 at Good Books on Gundry Lane, The Book Shop on South Street, and also the Tourist Information Centre in Bridport. Also available at Serendipity Book Shop, Lyme Regis and Archway Book Shop, Axminster. All proceeds go to the Living Tree.
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM OUR FRIENDS AT ST MARY'S CHURCH HOUSE:
Saving St Mary's Church House Hall, Bridport
The hall was closed on 23rd March and was shut for a total of 235 days in 2020. At this stage, 2021 is not looking too good.
Finances of the hall have suffered badly and I wanted to let you know that the Hall Trust (C.I.O.) and Committee has started a crowdfunding project with the aim of raising £10,000 to secure the hall's future. We've had a great response so far.
Please consider if you could donate to help us, using the link below to access the project page. Any contribution large or small will be hugely appreciated and can be Gift Aided if you are a tax payer. We would also be grateful if you are able to share the link widely:
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/saving-st-marys-church-house-hall
Thank you.
Monty Crook, Chairman, St Mary's Church House Hall Management Committee
Mindfulness
Friday 14th May 2pm
Friday 28th May 2pm
Mindfulness sessions will run on Zoom.
Please email thelivingtreedorset@gmail.com for the Zoom links. A message about loving kindness and self-compassion - from our regular mindfulness teacher Sue Howse - is included in full at the end of this newsletter.
What's On
Are you a carer of someone who has mental health issues?
Join us for our new confidential monthly support group that aims to focus on you and your own emotional wellbeing in comfortable and safe surroundings.
Date: Every third Tuesday of the month.
Time: 7.00pm – 8.30pm
Venue: The Assembly Rooms, Gundry Lane, Bridport, DT6 3RL
For more information contact: harmonyinfo@harmonydropin.org.uk or telephone Caroline on 07918 486126. Website: harmonydropin.org.uk
Move Dance Feel
Online sessions for women have resumed and will run until 18th June. Dance sessions happen on:
Monday Evenings 6pm - 7.15pm
Friday Mornings 10am - 11.15am
Approx 50 minutes of dance activity followed by an optional social. The dance sessions are for all women affected by cancer - pre, during or post treatment - and also for those supporting someone with cancer (inc. cancer care staff) or bereaved by cancer. No prior dance experience is necessary.
SPLASH CLUB AND TABLE TENNIS CLUB
For those of you wishing to get back to Living Tree sporting activities, we aim to be back at Salway Ash Village Hall and Bridport Leisure Centre to play table tennis by late June.
Splash Club at Highlands End, Eype, may not start until the autumn, but we will keep you posted about any developments concerning a possible earlier start date.
TRIPUDIO
www.tripudiomovement.co.uk
Friday meetings always start with Tripudio, a daily 15 minute lymphatic and cardiovascular exercise regime which can be done in your home, patio or the smallest garden. Karen Forrester-Jones is also offering online 30 minute Tripudio Flow sessions via Zoom. If Living Tree members are interested contact Karen at forresterjones.k@gmail.com for timings and links to the sessions.
STEPPING OUT
www.steppingoutbridport.co.uk
It has been great to see so many of you at Stepping Out classes. Richard and Jo are running classes on Zoom on Monday and Friday mornings for Stepping Out participants. Please contact Jo on j.perfect@bridportleisure.com if you usually attend Stepping Out and haven't already received the information about joining the classes.
Stepping Out has been the lucky choice of Bridport Co-op as one of their Community Fund recipients. Read more on the Co-op fund raising page for Stepping Out and find out how much money has already been raised: https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/43838
We realise there are many worthy causes to donate to, however if you shop in the Co-op but don’t have a Co-op card, please do consider applying for one and nominating Stepping Out as your choice.
New digital support group for bowel cancer patients
Chat Together is a free online support group for people living with and beyond bowel cancer. It’s a welcoming place to talk to other with bowel cancer and to meet new people. It’s a chance to share experiences in a safe, supportive and informal environment.
Chat Together is a chance for you to virtually get together and support each other from the comfort of your own homes at this time of isolation. You just need a smartphone, tablet or computer with an internet connection and somewhere quiet to sit.
Click to get more information - Chat Together
In these long days of lock down Macmillan would like to remind you of the support they can provide to anyone affected by cancer, please share with your contacts and groups:
Our Support Line Service is open 7 days a week 8am to 8pm - call free on 0808 808 00 00
Our Telephone Buddies scheme is back, for more information or to sign up follow this link: Macmillan Telephone Buddies - Macmillan Cancer Support
Our online forum has over 90,000 members and provides a safe place to chat with others affected by cancer, available 24 hours a day. Visit: Macmillan Online Community
For information about Coronavirus and the Vaccine visit: Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Macmillan Cancer Support
BUDDIES & FACE TO FACE MEET-UPS
The trustees would like to extend the Telephone Support Service to include one to one, face to face contacts for anyone who feels they would like some company occasionally, especially those who may just be coming out of isolation/quarantine or who may be new to LT. These ‘meet ups’ would be socially distanced and outside for now to make them as safe as possible. If you would like to volunteer to be such a contact or would like to meet up with somebody from Living Tree, please email Rosemary with your phone number at thelivingtreedorset@gmail.com or phone and leave a message on 07341 916976 with your name and phone number and we will get back to you.
DORSET DIGITAL HOTLINE
A new advice line has been established because we are all relying much more on online technology to keep in touch (like ZOOM). It is available to provide support for people with IT and digital problems of all kinds. Some of their most popular topics are how to set up video to stay in contact with friends and family and how to get online for beginners. Telephone 01305 221000 (option 2).
NATIONAL, REGIONAL and LOCAL RESOURCES
The most up to date national information on COVID-19 is: GOV.uk/coronavirus and for health information NHS.uk/coronavirus.
THE LIVING TREE THERAPIST PARTNERSHIP
The three therapists in Partnership with The Living Tree listed below are able to offer their services by telephone, email or Zoom:Dianne Dowling - coaching for living and working with cancer. Contact: 01460 220587 or diannedowling@btinternet.com
Sue Howse - mindfulness focused support. Contact: 07741 018530 or email howsesp@yahoo.co.uk
Louise Wender – 1:1 counselling & group Worry-Busting Zooms. Contact: 07786 035285 or email louise@louisewender.co.uk. If you feel you would like to use these therapists during this period via the Therapist Partnership please leave a message for Rita on the Living Tree phone 07341 916976 or email: lttherapistpartnership@gmail.com. If you would prefer to see these therapists privately and are able to self-fund your therapy then please contact them directly using the contact details above.
PATHWAYS TO CARE
Hopeful Hampers & Good Neighbours Transport. Good Neighbours are offering transport for LT members to Dorset County Hospital for essential appointments. Phone and leave a message on the Good Books answerphone 01308 420483 and someone will call you back.
LIVING TREE LIBRARY
I have a selection of books from the Living Tree Library that are available to loan to members.
They cover topics such as nutrition, cookery, complementary therapies and cancer specific books. Click here to view the latest list:
https://www.thelivingtree.org.uk/library/
If you would like to borrow any Living Tree books, please contact me, Rose Thorpe, on thelivingtreedorset@gmail.com
and I will get back to you with some suggestions and details of how to borrow them.
MACMILLAN and PENNY BROHN UK RESOURCES
If you have concerns about medical issues concerning your cancer or treatment Macmillan has a number of useful resources and virtual support https://www.macmillan.org.uk/coronavirus. Please note that any urgent issues should still be referred to your Clinical Nurse Specialist.
The Penny Brohn UK Centre www.pennybrohn.org.uk provides online resources, including a series of free online classes from international leaders in health, wellbeing, psychology and lifestyle. They are also running a Helpline 0303 300 0118 and some 1:1 services. Contact bookings@pennybrohn.org.uk.
OTHER EVENTS AND LOCAL SUPPORT GROUPS
AXMINSTER AND LYME CANCER SUPPORT have a beach hut at Lyme.
C’SIDERS WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND CANCER GROUP.
BUTTERFLIES CANCER SUPPORT, Dorchester.
STALBRIDGE CANCER & RECOVERY SUPPORT.
Please contact these groups directly to find out about other kinds of support available.
SINGING
With Jane Silver-Corren. Jane holds a session each Friday on Zoom at 5.00pm. The sessions last one hour and are fun and light-hearted. Donations welcome. If you are interested please email: janesilvercorren@gmail.com and she will send you the Zoom link.
CHARITY AUCTION & RAFFLE
18th July 2021
As with the vast majority of charities or charitable organisations, the Weldmar Hospice has gone through a huge increase in demand. More people need the care they provide, in the hospice itself, in the home and in the community. There are more complex needs, an increase in overnight care, bereavement care, and of course any fundraising events that had been organised, were unable to take place physically. The hospice’s charity shops were shut for most of the year and into 2021, therefore little money came from that source.
The Weldmar can only continue to function, providing a vital service across our county because of the support and goodwill they get from the local community. Please dig deep to support this fundraising event.
Donations to Roz (01308 422650) or Nigel (01308 281203).
‘BARKING MAD' FUNDRAISER
At the Arts Centre, in aid of Harmony and the Bridport Food Bank. Tickets will be available from the TIC and the music shop. Date to be confirmed.
Thank you from Roz Copson
FACE MASKS
Chris Edwards would like to thank everyone for their continued support, buying her masks. She has now raised £270 for The Weldmar and is still making. Below are a few of the more recent fabrics, but other fabrics are still available too, plus plain colours. For those who may not be aware masks cost £5 with £1 from each being donated. They come in S/M, L and now XL. If you would like to see more or place an order feel free to email Chris: chris.edwalt@gmail.com
Mindfulness
Dear All
In practicing Mindfulness. “we are paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, non-judgementally. “ We are training our attention.noticing how the mind so easily gets caught in thoughts ,taking us on a journey that so often ends in a destination we did not want to be at .
How do we pay attention? The quality of it
How we pay attention becomes the shape of our minds: our days, our lives in this moment.“With our attention, we create our world”
Imagine that you allow someone else to fill your fridge ,you eat what someone else has chosen for you not your choice,this is so often what we do with our attention
Focussing our attention is like a searchlight, choosing where we shine the beam.Frequently it is as if someone else is holding the torch and not you.It may be a narrow beam or a wider beam directed towards an inner or outer awareness.
Using our senses we can guide the beam of awareness, bring our attention into the bodily senses . touch, seeing hearing taste
Bringing our attention both to the pleasant and the unpleasant, being curious how you respond to the situation Just noticing the experiences in our bodies
Bringing a sense of playfulness to our attention.Seeing the world with an artist’s eyeNoticing when we lose our attention. What pulls us away?
Bringing our attention to really listen to whoever we are with.
Between the stimulus and the response there is a space to choose and there is freedom in
our power to choose with awareness where we place our attention
Pausing with the The 3-minute breathing space can help us choose
We have a choice of what lens we are going to see through.
Interest. Curiosity. Freshness. Friendliness. Kindness. Self-compassion. Beginner’s mind.
With practice and patience , just like creating a mature garden, it takes time
Maybe this week practice what it looks like to bring attention with the lens of appreciation on a day-to-day basis.
Warm Wishes to you all
Sue
Our Monday Mindfulness & Self-Compassion evenings are open to you all from 7.30 - 8.30 p.m.
A voluntary payment of £3/session is appreciated, but not essential.
Please let me know if you wish to join the group and I will send you more information and the Zoom link.
CONTACT US
Tel 07341 916976. Contact thelivingtreedorset@gmail.com with any mailing list enquires/changes of address, ideas for events or items you would like to include in the next newsletter or on the website. Our newsletter is sent out at the end of each month. The deadline for submissions is one full week before the end of the month.
