Category Archives: Health & Wellbeing

Together Moments: ‘Thursday’s Online Elevenses to your door….’

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Dear all,

Our online Elevenses group continues to meet every Thursday at 11am. Last week I took the online session to Brenda’s door. Thanks to the kind donation of the winter warmer pack from Seagulls Brenda also got to model her well coordinated winter wellbeing hat, scarf and shawl too.

If you would like to join us online for the weekly get together do get in touch: Email: lisa@caringtogether.org.uk or call  07436 530073 and I can help you get set up.

Shared Moments: ‘Meanwood Valley Urban Farm Stroll’

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We were able to make the most of yet more beautiful sunny days this week with two walks to Meanwood Valley Urban Farm (https://www.mvuf.org.uk/). They opened last week. The cakes and breakfast sandwiches are definitely worth a try, if you have not tried already.

I will be going again in the coming weeks so if you would like to join us then please do get in touch. It is about a mile from our new offices. It is a lovely quiet and peaceful walk. Email: lisa@caringtogether.org.uk or call 07436 530073. We can walk together or you can meet us there.

Stress – Know the signs and tips to cope

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April is stress awareness month.

Stress is something everyone feels at times, and there are all kinds of stressful situations that can be a part of daily life. Low-level stress can even be helpful or motivational.

But too much stress can affect our mood, our body and our relationships – especially when it feels out of our control. It can make us feel anxious and irritable, and affect our self-esteem. According to the Mental Health Foundation, 74% of adults in the UK have felt unable to cope or overwhelmed by stress.

There are plenty of things you can do to help cope with stressful events, and simple steps you can take to deal with feelings of stress or burnout.

The One You/Every Mind Matters website has lots of helpful information on the causes and signs of stress and tips to help you deal with it.  https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/stress/

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Poetry Corner: “The Lion and Albert” by Marriott Edgar (read by Tom O’Bedlam)

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Dear all,
Today’s poem is read by Tom O’Bedlam.
Click on the link below and listen
ps. If it asks you to sign into Youtube, just click on ‘no thanks’ and then click on ‘I agree’, you may also have to watch the start of an advert first, you can skip ad once it shows bottom right
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picture sourced: holyjoe

‘Monday Mind Workout Revisited’ Answers for Monday 19th April 2021

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How did you do?

See the answers below:

1 Pink

2 Spain

3 A beard tax – is it still a tax?

4 Interrobang

5 Laughs

6 Constipation

7 Charlie Chaplin

8 France

9 Frog

10 The Day Watch

11 False

12 England

13 Scoobert Doo

14 San Francisco

15 Zeedonk

Take care from all at Caring Together

‘Monday Mind Workout’ revisited a year on

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Dear all,

Our ‘Monday Monday Mind Workouts’ have been going for one year now. Below is the first one I posted mid April 2020. I never thought for one minute I would still be posting them a year later. I welcome the day we can resume them face to face.

Please find below some questions to ponder whilst having a cuppa. I will post the answers tomorrow.

I will be hosting a weekly ONLINE ‘Monday Mind Workout’ from Monday 20th April@11am. If you wish to be added to the list then please email me: lisa@caringtogether.org.uk and I can go through this with you.

‘Monday Mind Workout’

1 What is the most common colour of toilet paper in France?

2 If you dug a hole through the centre of the earth starting from Wellington in New Zealand, which European country would you end up in?

3 Henry VIII introduced which tax in England in 1535?

4 What is the correct term for a question mark immediately followed by an exclamation mark?

5 The average person does what thirteen times a day?

6 Coprastastaphobia is the fear of what?

7 Who entered a contest to find his own look-alike and came 3rd?

8 In which country are there six villages called Silly, 12 called Billy, and two called Pratt?

9 Native to the Caribbean, what sort of animal is the mountain chicken?

10 What nickname was given to Rembrandt’s The Night Watch after being over-restored in the 1940s?

11 True or false: You can sneeze in your sleep

12 Which country has the most tornadoes by area?

13 What is Scooby Doo’s full name?

14 Where was the fortune cookie invented?

15 What is the cross between a donkey and a zebra known as?

Thanks to Edinburgh Evening News

New test centres added in Leeds for residents to get rapid covid tests

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A major new testing programme has been launched for residents in Leeds in a bid to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Around one in three people with COVID-19 have no symptoms and will spread it without realising.

Now, to stop this risk by finding new cases, Leeds City Council is offering a number of options across the city for residents to take part in community testing.

The new community testing centres, where you can pick up tests are:

City Centre Community Hub, Woodhouse Lane, LS2 8LX

Armley Community Hub & Library, 2 Stocks Hill, Armley, LS12 1UQ

Deacon House Centre, Seacroft Avenue, Leeds, LS14 6JD

Dewsbury Road Community Hub & Library, 190 Dewsbury Road, LS11 6PF

Halton Library, 273 Selby Road, LS15 7JR; The Compton Centre Community Hub & Library, Harehills Lane, Harehills, LS9 7BG

The Reginald Centre, Chapeltown Road, Leeds, LS7 3EX.

Opening hours 10am to 4pm Mon to Fri and 10am to 1pm Saturday except City Centre Community Hub which doesn’t open Saturdays.

These are in addition to the existing community testing options we have previously told you about and which are as follows:

A home ordering service – https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests.

Collection at a local test site during specific test collection time windows – https://www.gov.uk/find-covid-19-lateral-flow-test-site.

Pharmacies offering home test collection – https://maps.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/.

Testing on-site at Leeds Beckett University – City Campus LS1 3HE (Monday to Friday 8.30am to 2pm) Headingley Campus LS6 3QS (Monday to Friday 9am to 2pm).

Residents should have two tests during a week-long period. Please note this community testing is only for people with NO SYMPTOMS. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should self-isolate and book a test.

Public health leaders in the city hope as many residents as possible will take part in the new initiative to protect both themselves and others.

Poetry Corner: ‘I Must Go Down To The Sea Again’ by Spike Milligan

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Dear all,
 
The below poem is shared by Maureen Kershaw, which she says is one of the few poems she remembers of Spike Milligan’s.
 
I must go down to the sea again,
to the lonely sea and the sky;
I left my shoes and socks there –
I wonder if they’re dry?
 
Thank you Maureen, I love this.

Next stage of “lockdown roadmap” – what are the rules from today?

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Today marks the next step in lockdown easing, however government and the health service are all stressing the importance of continuing to be careful and protect ourselves and others. Many restrictions remain in place and, very importantly you must not socialise indoors with anyone you do not live with, unless you have formed a support bubble with them, or another exemption applies, and continue to social distance when meeting people outdoors.

Here’s what changes from today:

  • non-essential retail can reopen
  • personal care services such as hairdressers and nail salons can reopen, including those provided from a mobile setting
  • public buildings such as libraries and community centres can reopen
  • outdoor hospitality venues can reopen, with table service only
  • most outdoor attractions including zoos, theme parks, and drive-in performances (such as cinemas and concerts) can reopen
  • some smaller outdoor events such as fetes, literary fairs, and fairgrounds can take place
  • indoor leisure and sports facilities can reopen for individual exercise, or exercise with your household or support bubble
  • all childcare and supervised activities are allowed indoors (as well as outdoors) for all children. Parent and child groups can take place indoors (as well as outdoors) for up to 15 people (children under 5 will not be counted in this number)
  • weddings, civil partnership ceremonies, wakes and other commemorative events can take place for up to 15 people (anyone working is not included in this limit), including in indoor venues that are permitted to open or where an exemption applies. Wedding receptions can also take place for up to 15 people, but must take place outdoors, not including private gardens
  • self-contained accommodation can stay open for overnight stays in England with your household or support bubble
  • care home residents will be able to nominate two named individuals for regular indoor visits (following a rapid lateral flow test)
  • you should continue to work from home if you can and minimise the amount that you travel where possible

 

Keeping yourself and others safe:

Social distancing is still very important. You should stay 2 metres apart from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings) if you cannot stay 2 metres apart.

You should follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus at all times, including if you have been vaccinated against COVID-19.