News & Developments

The  Dome – now the University’s Buxton campus – was called up as a hospital to care for British, Canadian and ANZAC soldiers injured in the conflict. 

And the BBC has just completed a major film about its most famous nurse – author and feminist Vera Brittain, who trained at the Dome in 1915 when it was the Devonshire Hospital.

As part of National Disability History Month, the University’s Disability Coordinator Olivia Ramsbottom is bringing together organisations who work with disability to look at attitudes from the past and compare them to those of today.

"The centenary of the outbreak of WW1 and the Dome’s role in helping the wounded was an ideal starting point for the day,” said Olivia, who lectures in Business and Management.

Events will include a presentation on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, now recognised as a major issue among veterans, but only beginning to be understood when the Dome was treating soldiers injured at the Front.

Combat Stress, the UK charity which helps military personnel, will open the event, and one of the University’s lecturers will also talk about his work with veterans in the United States. The Grapevine Wellbeing Centre and other local organisations helping people with disabilities are also attending.

The Dome’s patients kept an autograph album during the war, detailing their names, regiments, where they were injured and when they went home. The wounded came from battles including the Somme, Loos and Gallipoli – but one gunner received his injuries in Newcastle-on-Tyne during a Zeppelin raid in 1915.  Comments in the book include a rude ditty about Kaiser Wilhelm, jokes  - and a  poem exhorting patients to "spread a little sunshine.”

Organisations with an interest in helping those with disabilities are being offered the opportunity to demonstrate what they do at the University of Derby’s Disability Month event on November 25 in the Devonshire.  The all-day features A WW1 Theme to mark the centenary of the start of the conflict and the Dome’s role as a hospital during the war. There will be speakers and entertainment, but if you would like a free stall on the Dome floor, contact organizer Olivia Ramsbottom on o.ramsbottom@derby.ac.uk

Date: 20 November 2014

Depart from:  Buxton Market Place 

Time: approximately 9.00am, return 10.30-11.00pm

Cost: £23 - £25 per person 

The plan is to arrive at Oxford Street around 12.30pm allowing you time to do some shopping or take in some of the sights that London has to offer including the Christmas lights, before making your way to the Houses of Parliament for 5pm (when Parliament finishes sitting for the day).  Andrew Bingham will then give you a full tour of the Houses of Parliament including ‘behind the scenes corners’ that the tourist tours don’t cover.  You’ll be back on the coach at 7.30pm and back in Buxton by approximately 11pm.   

Full letter can be seen here.

If you are interested, please book your place by emailing jackie@highpeakcvs.org.uk or call Jackie on 01663 736436 - places will fill up fast, so book soon or you may be disappointed!

Russ Baker believes older people who cannot go online can no longer get a fair deal from society and sometimes not even have proper contact with their families or friends – so he was determined to do something about it.

The success of his weekly "Comfortable with Computers” session which is open to all older people across the High Peak is already attracting interest from government and other agencies. They are interested in how this innovative scheme in Buxton is helping the ageing population and whether it could be replicated elsewhere.

The project, hosted by Fairfield Methodist Church, mirrors work to combat the abuse of the elderly Russ and a local social worker did many years ago which they started from his office in Buxton Police Station. This evolved into the national system of safeguarding which brings under one umbrella all the professionals involved in the protection of vulnerable people.

"Now older people who haven’t got access to the internet and don’t know how to use it safely are not able to get the best deals, or even get in touch with their relatives. Some people who come have already reduced their utility bills by large amounts by going online.", says Russ.

The breakthrough for Russ was the realisation that older people want to use the newest technology, computer tablets. Touch-screen technology demystifies computers, and the way the tablets come to life through Skype or Facetime with talking pictures of their children and grandchildren in far-away countries is a window on the world which would win over any waverers. 

But tablets are expensive, and the £250 from the University, following support from Fairfield Methodist Church, High Peak councillors Rachael Quinn, Caitlin Bisknell and Fiona Sloman, the Bingham Trust, Mellor and Smith Funeral Directors and the Buxton Hall Bank Trust, has enabled Russ to expand the work.

"Everybody comes in at a different level,” he said. "I try to take them to the level they want to go to. It isn’t a class – there is no agenda. Most who have come have no previous knowledge of computers, but are interested and we start from there.”

For more details, see www.fairfieldmethodistchurch.org.uk/comp.html

Chris made a significant contribution to local groups within the High Peak including High Peak CVS. Chris had the unique ability to get to the nub of an issue, cut through to what is important and succinctly lay out the way forward. He was always dedicated, responsive, supportive and jovial. When he passed away, the High Peak voluntary sector lost one of its strongest advocates and supporters.

Through this award, High Peak CVS wants to celebrate and commemorate not only Chris’s contribution, but also his insight into the potential of voluntary activity for personal and community growth.

The award will offer local groups the opportunity to raise their profile and gain recognition for the work they do. Our key assessment criteria will be around acknowledging your achievements and progress. Examples of the types of changes we are looking for maybe around revitalising your group, attracting new members, attracting new funding, developing a new project and or making a significant impact in your local community.

You can apply on behalf of your group, you can be nominated by or nominate another group. A small panel will make the decision.

High Peak CVS will present the Award, a commemorative plaque, framed certificate and cheque for £100 for the group, at its Annual General Meeting in October. The Award is open to all groups, however small or large, newly formed or long established and we encourage everyone to apply. 

There is a simple application form which groups are asked to complete and return to: Jackie Donnelly, High Peak CVS, Dunbar House, 105 Buxton Road, Whaley Bridge, High Peak SK23 7HX. or Email: jackie@highpeakcvs.org.uk or Tel: 01663 736436 

The closing date for applications is Tue 7 Oct 2014.

Do you experience feelings of low mood or worry? Talking Mental Health Derbyshire, a nationally renowned talking therapies service, is running a free half-day workshop on mindfulness in Derby on 11 August. The three-hour workshop, taking place from 1.30pm at Derbyshire Healthcare’s Centre for Research and Development, will be led by an expert therapist who will introduce the concept of mindfulness (a combination of meditation and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and give practical tips on reducing negative feelings and anxiety by paying greater attention to feelings, thoughts and the world around us. It would be suitable for people who may not yet feel ready or able to ask for help, but want to see if this approach could be right for them.

The workshop is free to anyone registered with a GP in Derby or Derbyshire. To book a place, call Talking Mental Health Derbyshire on 0300 123 0542 or email talking@derbyshcft.nhs.uk. A brief telephone assessment will be required before attending the workshop.

The survey will provide a snapshot of progress to date and can be completed in 10-30 minutes depending on how long you spend on each question.

The online survey has a filter with different questions for people affected by dementia and professionals and carers.

Survey closes on 8th September.

Complete the survey at www.dementiaaction.org.uk/impactsurvey

The Voluntary Sector Single Point of Access scheme (VSPA) will link local people at most risk of going in to hospital to a wide range of support services run by voluntary and community organisations.

The service, set up by NDVA (formerly North Derbyshire Voluntary Action) will be used by county council social care staff, health professionals, GPs, community support teams and hospital discharge teams, who will be able to refer people that could benefit. Voluntary organisations will also be able to refer their clients for extra support.

The VSPA currently covers North Derbyshire, Hardwick and Erewash and has been commissioned by NHS North Derbyshire, Hardwick and Erewash Clinical Commissioning Groups.

It holds an up-to-date directory of voluntary and community sector services and when people are referred by health and social care professionals, a specially-trained VSPA liaison worker will search for relevant organisations that could help to support the person to live at home or find services close to their home which could help them.

The service will not only improve access to the voluntary sector for people needing a service and for health and social care professionals, but will also cut down the time it takes to identify a relevant organisation that can provide help.

Through the database, development worker and NDVA knowledge of organisations, VSPA staff will be able to identify which services have the resources to support new clients and also help to identify where there are potential gaps in services.

For more information contact Pete Newby, VSPA Development Worker on: 07508 636242 or email: pete.vspa@ndva.org.uk

The funding is available as part of Think Autism, the update to the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy for England.

The money is split between Innovation Fund projects (£1 million) and national coordination of an awareness and champions network (£200,000).

The Department of Health are specifically seeking a third sector/voluntary organisation or a small consortium to deliver the national co-ordination of the awareness and champions network.

For details see www.gov.uk/government/publications/autism-innovation-fund-apply-for-grants-to-improve-local-services

If you are a natural born leader, a whizz with numbers or super organised and can spare a few hours a week, our roles of Chair, Secretary and Treasurer could be right for you!  We are also looking for general members to attend meetings, bring their ideas and work as part of the dedicated group to raise awareness and funds, so there really is an opportunity for anyone!

They are holding an information meeting on the 12th August at 6.30pm at Buxton Morrisons.  Please get in touch on the contact details below if you would like to attend.  If you are interested, but unable to attend, still feel free to get in touch to discuss the opportunities. 

More information on our fundraising groups can be found at www.mariecurie.org.uk/groups or to discuss the opportunities and register your interest please contact Sarah Phillips-Lord, Derbyshire Community Fundraiser on sarah.phillips-lord@mariecurie.org.uk or call 01332 204221 / 07540 677468. 

Their new address is:

Rural Action Derbyshire, Town Hall, Bank Road, Matlock DE4 3NN

Main switchboard:  0845 313 8800