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Christmas Tree Festival

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For my local followers just reminding you all to find time to visit St Saviour’s St Albans Xmas Tree Festival which starts Saturday 16th opening at 12.00.

This is a beautiful event held at one of my favourite local churches entrance is free but donations are welcome. From the 16th -23rd there will be a number of events held with something for everyone and all ages. The Cafe is open all week until 4.30 daily. Aside of the various day time activities and craft fair please check for services on their website http://www.ssaviours.org

The wonderful display of trees is all sponsored and decorated by local charities and organisations. This year my own tree (jointly sponsored with Visual Merchandising) is to help raise awareness for Dementia and the Alzheimer’s Society, so if you manage to get along you will find our tree in the Lady chapel.

 

St Saviours Christmas Tree Festival

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St Saviours Church in St Albans are once again holding their Christmas Tree Festival starting 16th of December and running until 23rd.  Entry is free but donations are of course welcome.

Every day there are attractions for all ages including film shows and musical events with a craft fair and cafe open until 4.30 throughout the week. Full details of services are on their website:

http://www.ssaviours.org.

This year my own tree is to help with awareness for Dementia and the Alzheimer’s Society. If you visit please come and see my tree in the Lady Chapel promoting;-

love kindness and understanding.

Kindness and time

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My own mentor and amazing mother always used to say the best gift we can give is our time. As we approach the Christmas period we should be mindful of those that live alone or maybe have lost a loved one with year. The first Christmas may be the hardest the family will have to face.  I have always maintained that Christmas time can place huge pressures on people to be happy when actually they may be feeling sad for many reasons.

What we can all do is to make an effort to give our time when we can spare it and of course show a bit of kindness to those that would really appreciate the sentiment perhaps more so this year.

Speaking this week with a close friend we were both in agreement that those who are bereft need our consideration long after the funeral week…but perhaps we are all guilty of forgetting that at times.

Remember life goes by quickly but kindness on the other hand lasts for ever.

If you are feeling the pain of those who are missing try and remember the happy times you shared or a funny experience and keep their memory alive in a positive way as best you can.

 

World Kindness Day

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So I am reliable informed is World Kindness Day and for most of us this is a daily act and for others they may have to work a bit harder. I often write about kindness and how it is a strength and so easy to apply. If we are kind in our thoughts, deeds and actions, in my experience it is returned back to us.

To have that friend you have to be that friend as one of my favourite gurus once said.

This year I am sponsoring a tree again with Sarah Manning at St Saviours Tree Festival in St Albans with a theme of ‘love, kindness and understanding‘ in support of dementia awareness for the Alzheimers Society. Our tree will be in the Lady Chapel this time and we are thrilled. The festival has something for everyone, entry free but donations are welcome.

The festival starts on Saturday 16th December running daily until 23rd December. Please visit their website http://www.ssaviours.org for full details and carol services.

What’s under the surface?

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A lot of my friends and colleagues have ventured into pastoral type roles the past few years and recognise the importance of the support they give more often than not as a vocation to our struggling teens.

Modern life is a stressful path for our students aside of the stress of exams they have a lot of what many may see as self-imposed pressure via modern media. However, the emotional pain runs deep for many who suffer with various forms of peer pressure, cyber bullying and body conscious issues.

I am reminded today how we cannot always notice the signs as it is difficult to help somebody who is doing everything they can to hide their feelings. The following simple example explains a lot!

Think of a flower and its roots: The flower is things you can see happening  – what people say and do.  The roots are things you can’t see  – what people feel and think!

Delve deeper, ask the questions and give your children the platform to share they are our most precious gift.

To those in education holding the purse strings invest in our youth they are the future! We need more funding in pastoral departments not staff cutbacks.

Love and protect the elderly

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Now I know the world has gone completely mad. I am not one to shy away from technology and as my amazing mother used to say ‘don’t be beaten by man nor machine.‘ But, seriously, my lovely fellow bloggers and followers  do we really want robots looking after our elderly?

I work with clients with dementia and their families with some friends contemplating and facing putting their parents into nursing homes for various health reasons. The idea that they will be put in a room with a robot is crazy if not cruel.

Having visited various nursing homes what the residents need is the personal touch and social interaction to keep their spirits up and help fight loneliness. It is a huge and difficult period of adjustment when somebody leaves their family home to move into a nursing home. I’m sorry but a robot cannot monitor the wellbeing of humans.

These private nursing homes are making a fortune with many paying staff low wages and expecting a lot of the entertainment and other facilities to be met by volunteers. The idea they will save money by investing in robots just shows the mentality of what we are dealing with. It’s obvious a real case of business not personal care!

Many people approaching the age/stage of life to end up in a nursing home will be like me and think of robots as the cybermen from Dr Who or the classic series The Avengers of the 60’s and that is neither funny nor a entertaining thought.

Why can’t we be like other countries who value, respect and provide proper care for the elderly? The generation, in many cases who have fought for their country giving a huge chunk of their early lives in the process. What a great thank you…I am spitting feathers today I kid you not.

 

Dementia support

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For those relatives and carers dealing with loved ones diagnosed with Dementia there is help and support available. Sadly local doctors surgeries cannot possibly display material for every illness condition and there are different kinds of dementia and everyone’s dementia is different too.

The Alzheimer’s Society have a great selection of leaflets which will help you deal with all aspects of change you are having to face and the quality of the content of their publications is excellent. Their leaflets are free to download or receive in hard copy format. Please visit their website http://www.alzheimers.org.uk

**Ebooks are also available visit: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/ebooks

 

Breast Cancer Awareness

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My regular and lovely followers know that I like to help charities and causes with awareness and October as we know is breast awareness month. Today is, I am told,  ‘wear it pink‘ day for the Breast Cancer Now charity. I hear and I obey and I am suitably attired in pink.

For my own family we are very ‘aware’ of breast cancer having lost my maternal Nan and Aunt to this particular cancer and had my own scares. I will say however, that for all of us, every week, month should and must be breast cancer aware and regular examination is crucial – as with many types of cancer the earlier we discover anything untoward the better chance we have of maybe beating the odds.

For anyone caring for a loved one with any type of cancer ensure you get any support that is available for both your loved one and yourself.

Make the most of everyday and make it count.