Autumn 2014
Hope everyone had a lovely Summer and has managed to
spend time outside in the sun! Some of you will have been
to Glenmore in June. The Shared Lives Team had a great
time so we hope you did too. If you missed Glenmore (or
had such a good time you want more!) and are keen to come
away on a Shared Lives weekend away there is information
and a booking form for Parkmore 2014 in November- so get
booking your place now as spaces are limited!
In this issue:
 Brigher Bervie by George
 Sarah’s apprenticeship
 A very special letter from America by Fiona
 Glenmore weekend 2014
 Parkmore weekend 2014
 Say Cheese!
 Learn something new with Shared Lives
 Dates for your diary
 Keeping yourself healthy and well
 Did you know?
 Brighter
Update from
the sponsored walk
Bervie
 Puzzle page
 List of important contacts
Brighter Bervie
Brighter Bervie makes Inverbervie look nicer. They are a group of
people who volunteer their time and do some gardening around
Inverbervie.
Brighter Bervie volunteers meet at the car park near the beach in
Inverbervie. They meet on a Tuesday evening at 7pm and on a
Saturday morning at 10am.
They look after the car park at the beach.
There are train planters filled with
flowers and flower beds to weed and keep
looking nice.
Brighter Bervie have a flower bed at the
entrance to the Co- op car park. There are hedges and poppies
planted there.
In front of the church the volunteers have planted more poppies and
keep the flower beds clear.
They also look after the RNLI flag flower
beds.
Behind the Church Centre Brighter Bervie
are going to create a new garden called the
‘Voyage of Life Garden’.
I have been along to volunteer a few times and
the other people in the group are nice and helpful.
When I have gone along I have been weeding and
planting the poppies. Last week we dead- headed
the plants in the car park. We dead- headed the plants so that new
shoots grow next year.
If you fancy coming along to do some
gardening you can contact Tom on 01561
361350.
By George
George’s Gardening Top Tip
To rid your drive way or patio of weeds:
 Put around 2 tablespoons of cooking
salt in spray bottle.
 Fill up the bottle with warm water
from the tap.
 Shake up the bottle to make sure the
salt has dissolved in the water.
 Spray the soil at the root of the
weeds.
Note: This is only to be used on areas you
do not want to grow any other plants.
Sarah’s apprenticeship
With the support of my Shared Lives Carer Carol I asked my care
manager about getting a job. My care manager referred me to the
employability team.
Myself and Kay (from Employability) found out about the
apprenticeship at Next on their website (careers.next.co.uk). They
have one apprenticeship a year.
I then applied online for the apprenticeship. They asked a lot of
questions which Kay helped me answer. They asked questions like
“why would you like this apprenticeship?” My answer to this was
that I enjoyed retail and had studied this at college.
I then had an interview which Bruce from employability came to with
me. We prepared beforehand looking at interview techniques and
the kind of answers they are looking for. The interviewer told me at
the end of the interview that I had the apprenticeship so I must
have made a good impression!
I had an induction at Next a few weeks later which lasted a few
hours. This included health and safety training. They gave me my
rota after this and then I started properly.
Kay went with me the first time, we got the bus together so I knew
where I was going. Then, when I was ready, I got the bus myself.
I had training on the tills with someone else showing me what
to do and how to work them; I was shown how to pick up
parcels from online orders and I was shown round the
store.
I had a trainer come to see me at Next every 3 weeks. I had a
workbook I had to complete during my apprenticeship and if I had
any problems with this I could chat to the trainer. The workbook
looked at customer service.
My workbook was sent away and I got a certificate through the door
to say I had passed my years apprenticeship!
I was lucky enough to be offered a permanent job at Next at the
end of my apprenticeship. The manager at Next liked how I had
worked hard all year and was keen to keep me on.
I work in the men’s clothing and home department now. My duties
include:
 Working on the tills
 Ordering items for customers
 Collecting online parcels for
customers
 Putting out stock
 Tidy the racks and shelves
 Greeting the customers
 Offering the customers help
I would like to look for a full time job in retail in the future. I like
working in women’s fashion.
This year has made me more confident in a working environment as I
had support from employability at the beginning and throughout. I
used to get the bus to Aberdeen before my apprenticeship but
having to travel to work each day has increased my confidence with
travelling independently.
My Shared Lives Carer, Carol has supported me throughout this year
with my time keeping; she has given me a chance to chat through my
work worries and help me stick to it all year!
Carol says “Sarah has worked well this last year. There have been
some challenges but she has overcome them. Well done Sarah!”
A very special letter from America
I like writing letters to different well
known celebrities and some of
these I have recently written to
include children’s author
Jacqueline Wilson, an Eddie Stobart
driver Mark, football story writer Tom
Palmer and diver Tom Daley. In April
I wrote a letter on my computer to
Elizabeth Singer Hunt who is the
author of the Jack Stalwart
children’s adventure books and
then I posted it by airmail and
waited patiently with crossed
fingers for a response. On Saturday
June 14th I received a lovely official
letter signed by her.
Dear Fiona Thanks so much for writing to me! I’m so sorry its taken
ages to respond sometimes it can take months for me receive
mail and to respond to letters.
Anyway I am so happy to hear you are enjoying the Jack Stalwart
series! And most importantly that its inspired you to write your own
series of books. What a lovely idea to write about Fearless Fiona,
Are you Fearless, Have you been to Disneyland? I hope you keep
up your writing. I bet I’ll see your books in the book shop someday
Have a great Summer !
By Fiona Jones
Glenmore June 2014
Another great year at Glenmore!
What struck us when we were at Glenmore was the great team work
that was going on throughout the weekend. From people helping
others to put away their dishes at mealtimes to those who worked
together to find the flags in orienteering, this weekend has shown
the great relationships Shared Lives helps to develop!
Here are some of the great ‘team work’ photos from the weekend!
Short break near Dufftown 7th- 9th November
2014
Join us at the Parkmore Cottages (near
Dufftown in Moray) for a fun, activity filled weekend!
www.parkmorecottages.com
What can we offer:
 Archery and a fun session (experienced and trained staff with
[email protected]) . By popular request Shiatsu and Joan’s
make up, hand massage and nails, storyt teller, hands on with
reptiles and craft sessions.You choose.
 Comfortable accommodation in four star cottages within lovely,
picturesque surroundings.
 A chance to meet new people and catch up with friends, in a friendly
welcoming atmosphere, share experiences, learn more about Shared
Lives and have all your meals provided- including an indoor barbeque
on Saturday night and enjoy a coffee or glass of wine around the log
fires.
The total cost for this great experience is only £85 per person,
inclusive of all meals, 2 nights accomodation, activities, tea and
coffee. Arrival is after 4pm on Friday and departure is before 10am
on Sunday.
To find out more about the break, or to book a place please
contact:
Sue Mahony:
tel: 07824 837791
email: [email protected]
Short break near Dufftown 7th- 9th November 2014
I would like ______ place(s) for this weekend and enclose
£_______ in full payment.
Cheques only, made payable to “Aberdeenshire Council Shared Lives”.
Name:
Address:
Tel No:
Email details:
Are you:
(please tick)
Shared Lives carer
Family carer
Person supported by Shared Lives
Interested in Shared Lives?
Please make cheques payable to “Aberdeenshire Council Shared Lives”
and send to Sue Mahony, Team Leader
Aberdeenshire Council Shared Lives Scheme
Carlton House
Arduthie Road
Stonehaven, AB39 2DL
Cancellation: - up to six weeks notice, 50% refund.
- less than six weeks, no refund will be given. However, if tickets can
be resold by event organisers, 100% refund will be given.
Say Cheese!!
On the 13th September we are having a
cheese and wine (non-alcoholic) tasting
event!
We are also inviting along Linda Chessor to teach
us all how to look after our smile. Linda will be
giving us all practical advice on how to brush our teeth and tips
for good oral health.
This event is free and will include a lunch of:
Cheeses from around the world
Biscuits and oatcakes
Salad and fruit
Dips and chutneys
Tea, coffee and juice
And a selection of non- alcoholic wines to
sample.
This will all take place at Scolty Day Centre,
Arbeadie Road, Banchory, AB31 4FH between
10am and 1pm.
If you would like to come along please contact Nicola to
book your place.
[email protected]
07826 535 531
Would you like to learn
something new with Shared
Lives? On Saturday the 4th October
we are going to Satrosphere in
Aberdeen, meeting at 11am.
We will be visiting space with their Planetarium
Show, having some fun with bubbles and then
finding out more about health and nutrition in an
interactive workshop!
There will also be time to see around the centre and take
part in the hands on experiments on display.
Lunch will also be provided at Satrosphere in the
Tramshed Coffee House.
The visit and lunch are completely free!!
Satrosphere Science Centre has funding to support the
development of new and relevant adult focused programmes
based on whatever interests they have.
So what are you waiting for? Contact Nicola or Sue to
confirm your attendance at this great opportunity!
Satrosphere’s address is:
179 Constitution Street,
Aberdeen,
AB24 5TU
Dates for your diary
September 10th 2014- Shared Lives Plus Conference in
Dunfermline. We will be taking a people carrier with anyone who
would be interested in attending. Lunch and transport will be
provided for free for the day.
If you are interested in coming to the conference please
contact Sue or Nicola ASAP to book a place in the car.
September 13th 2014- Shared Lives ‘Say Cheese!’ Our cheese
and (non- alcoholic) wine tasting with a session on oral health by
Linda Chessor. See flyer for more details.
October 4th 2014 at 11am- Shared Lives at Satrosphere! See
flyer for more details. Contact Sue or Nicola to book your
place.
November 7th- 9th 2014- Parkmore Weekend. See flyer for
more details.
February 28th 2015 at 10am- Curling taster session at Curl
Aberdeen. The cost is £6.50 per person for an hour on the ice
and supporters are free of charge. To book your place contact
Sue or Nicola.
Keeping yourself Mentally Healthy &
Well
Mental health is about how people feel about themselves and their
life. Just like you can do things to keep physically well, you can also
do things that will help to keep you mentally well. Often the same
things will help you keep physically and mentally well, because it is all
connected.
Ways that you can keep yourself mentally healthy and well:
Eat well. A good balanced diet will make sure you have all the
essential nutrients needed for your body and mind to function
well. For example- try to eat more fruit and vegetables.
Exercise. 30 minutes of exercise at least 3 times a week will
help you feel good about yourself. This could be
walking the dog, going swimming or going putting.
Find time to Relax. This could be listening to music,
reading a book or having some quiet time to yourself.
Do something you are good at and enjoy. We all have talents in
different areas. What are you good at? Are you good at drawing,
baking, playing football?
Get involved with things. Join a club, play sport, go out with a group
of people, socialise or decide to learn something new. You could
come along to some of our Shared Lives events!
Do something for someone else. Helping others can help
you to feel good about yourself. How about you offer to
make someone you live with a cup of tea, or watch their
favourite TV programme with them.
Did you know??
How to help your pets get through Bonfire Night

DO NOT take your dog to Firework or Bonfire
Displays.

Create a den in the quietest part of the house that
they can use as a refuge. Pad it out with blankets etc.
Place their toys, food and water bowls in it so it is a nice comforting
place.

Close your curtains and blinds so they can’t see the flashes of the
fireworks.

Keep all doors and windows closed to minimise the noise.

Have the volume of your TV or radio up loud to drown out the noise.

Do not try to comfort your pet as this will actually reinforce the fact
that there is something to fear.

Try not to react to the fireworks yourself, act calmly.

Make light of the noises if the dog allows and give them a
treat when they go off, or distract with playing a game
with their toys to keep them in a more relaxed state and
allow them to associate the noise with a good experience.

Do not try to stop your dog from running away within the
house as this is a coping mechanism for fear.

If your pet has displayed fear of fireworks in previous years it is best to
start training them now to get used to the noises with a ‘Desensitisation
Program’. The Clixs sounds Cd Pet fireworks Noise Desensitisation can
be bought on line for around £8 which is approved by vets.
From
Kath
Do you need advice about travelling to and from your medical
appointment?
The Transport to Healthcare Information Centre (THInC) can help.
They provide practical transport advice for people who have
difficulty getting to and from medical appointments in Grampian.
The service provides a dedicated telephone service offering
guidance on accessing suitable transport options to get to and from
appointments when they have no means of personal transport. The
centre can provide details of suitable bus or train times, contact
telephone numbers and other services such as local dial-a-bus or
voluntary car schemes. Please note that THInC does not book
transport but can assist with travel advice.
Please call THInC on 01343 567839 between 9am-4pm, Monday to
Friday. Calls are charged at local rate.
Have you always wanted to sing and not had the
confidence? Singing for Joy is led by Fiona and Mark
Hope. Come and discover your own voice by singing songs
from all over the world with this friendly group of new
and old singers. `We don’t do concerts we just have fun.
We learn all the music by ear and everyone is welcome!’
The cost is £20.00 per block or £5.00 per session.
Group runs Tuesday 26th August 2014, 10:00 - Tuesday
7th October 2014 and the Woodend Barn in Banchory. Phone: 01330
825431
Treat the whole family to an enjoyable day out at the Aden Country
Fair in the beautiful surroundings of Aden Country Park in Mintlaw,
Aberdeenshire on 28th September. There will be a wide range of
events and activities on offer including a climbing wall, body zorbing,
bouncy castle and stalls to explore.
Interested in volunteering? Volunteer Centre Aberdeenshire may
be able to help get you started. There are three offices in
Aberdeenshire:
 North (Fraserburgh) 01346 586106
 Central (Inverurie) 01467 626060
 South (Banchory) 01330 825794
Or visit www.vcaberdeenshire.org.uk for more information.
A nice place to go for a walk is St Cyrus Nature Reserve. Nigel was
there recently and said “It was good- it’s a nice walk on the beach.
It has a nice Visitors’ Centre too. I read
that a volcano erupted near Montrose and
the lava formed the cliffs you can see. “ To
visit yourself follow these directions: From
St Cyrus, head south on the A92 coastal
road. St Cyrus NNR is signposted on the left,
immediately before the Northwater Bridge
over the River Esk. Follow the single track
road for 1.5 miles to the car park and Visitor
Centre.
Nigel also went to the Montose Basin Visitors’ Centre and said that
“there is a hide there which was ok- you need to remember your
binoculars. We did see a tern flying above the water”. To visit the
Visitors’ Centre follow the A92 from Montrose and it is signposted
on the right.
If you would like further information on how to keep yourself
mentally well this is available by contacting NHS Grampian
Healthpoint (0500 20 20 30) or you can pop in to one of the
Healthpoints at the following addresses:
Aberdeen Community Health & Care Village 50 Frederick Street
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Concourse Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm.
Do you live in Kincardine and Mearns? There is a new website just
for you. K&M Communities (www.kandmcommunities.com) is a place
where information and community news for the Kincardine and
Mearns area can be found and shared.
On September 7th , 11-5pm Grampians biggest motor cycle show will
be at The Grampian Transport Museum. Grampian Transport
museum closes for the winter on 26th October
Aberdeenshire Shared Lives has been inspected by the Care
Inspectorate for three days starting from 16th July 2014. A huge
thank you to all of you who were able to meet or chat with Lynne
Ellison our Inspector. Our verbal feedback on our grades was "Very
Good" all grade 5's with some bordering on excellence. Once the
written report has been agreed you will all be sent a copy and of
course it will also be able to be found on the Care Inspectorate web
site once completed. Our Annual report will be completed once we
have the inspectors report and a copy will be in the post to you.
Plenty of reading to look forward to!
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/Support-Social-Care/CareInspectorate
The Care Inspectorate Compass House 11 Riverside Drive Dundee
DD1 4NY Tel: 01382 207 100 Lo-call: 0845 603 0890
www.careinspectorate.com
Milton of Crathes Sponsored Walk
Update
We raised £260 from this year’s sponsored walk- thank you
everyone for your hard work getting those sponsors! We are putting
£130 of the money raised towards Shared Lives activities and from
your suggestions the other half of the money raised will be split
between: Findlay’s Fund www.finlaysfund.webeden.co.uk and National
Autistic Society www.autism.org.uk. Findlay and Gayle from NAS
will be at the ‘Say Cheese’ event on the 13th September to
receive their cheques.
Brilliant work everyone!! And hope to see you on the 13 th September!
Puzzle Page
Some of you may have enjoyed the Commonwealth Games in
the Summer. Here is Commonwealth Games themed puzzle
page!
List of important contacts
If you have an article you would like to appear in the next issue of the
Care and Share then please get in touch with Nicola.
Any other enquiries please do not hesitate to contact us on one of the
numbers below!
Sue Mahony:
07824 837791
[email protected]
Pauline Desborough:
07826 535532
[email protected]
Nicola Watson
07826 535531
[email protected]
Website:
www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/sharedlives