We would like to thank Dessie Lynch from Fairytale Wedding Cars Derry for his very kind and generous donation of £1,000.00 towards our DEEDS project. Dessie made the presentation to Sabrina Lynch and Sinead Devine from OLT alongside presentations to Foyle Down Syndrome Trust, Foyle Hospice and Foyle Search and Rescue who also received £1,000.00 for each organisation.
Thank you so much Dessie and all at Fairy tale Wedding Cars Derry. your donation will be put to great use supporting local people and their families experiencing dementia in their lives.
Mickey Doherty had everyone up on the floor for a boogie.
Yesterday DEEDS hosted 77 members living with dementia and their families for a St Patrick’s Celebration with amazing entertainment from the wonderful Mickey Doherty. The event kicked off with our marvelous Mellow DEEDS Choir led by Anna Nolan accompanied by James Anderson on the guitar. Everyone joined in for their rendition of “The Wild Rover!”
Mickey asked Mellow DEEDS member Willy Barrett to entertain us with a couple of songs. His rendition of Town I Loved So Well had us all moved. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Husband Barry is serenaded by wife Sylvia celebrating 52 years of marriage.
Fun was had by all – Gerard enjoying the moment
John and mum Mary enjoying a cuppa and sandwich together
Do the Huckle Buck!
Thank you to all our volunteers for helping to make this such a fantastic event!
Support Worker Wendy thanking the fabulous Marie who volunteers with DEEDS.
Chair of the Old Library Trust, Charlie O’Donnell addressing the attendance at Tuesday’s annual general meeting.Project Director of the Old Library Trust, George McGowan addressing the attendance at Tuesday’s annual general meeting.James Nash, giving the presentation of the annual accounts at the Old Library Trust’s Annual General Meeting on Tuesday afternoon last.Julie White speaking at Tuesday’s OLT annual general meeting.DEEDS Co-Ordinator Sinead Devine.
We took our Step Forward Dander Ball Team over to the Foyle Arena to play against other people living across the city and district presenting with one or more of a combination of long term conditions.
They all played a few mixed group matches. This was a great way to get both groups introduced to each other, to share experiences, talk about solutions and options to manage their condition, socialise and have a bit of craic!
There was some great football played by all teams and a couple of red cards handed out too. The Referee was obviously inexperienced! lol
A Big thanks to Ron McGowan, Rosie O’brien & Sean Hargan for being great hosts. Over to our Pitch Next time ?
Local parents were more disappointed than the kids to finish up taking part in what we called the AMBER club. All have expressed how beneficial and impactful it has been, in regards their child’s ability to now manage big emotions, self regulate and being instrumental in continuing to develop resilience and awareness of mental health.
Here’s a little snapshot of some of the wonderful moments captured and activities they took part in over the last couple months
Creggan Neighbourhood arts association continue to meet at the Old Library Trust on a regular basis and we thought we would take time to showcase some of their amazing talents and artwork over recent times.
The Old Library Trust, as part of their Community in Transition Project hosted an event at Sean Dolans GAC that brought the conversation of addiction to the forefront with established sportsperson, former Gaelic player, Oisin McConville who shared his experience of addiction.
Following on from last year’s successful event in highlighting the impact of addiction, the Old Library Trust aimed this year’s event to connect and raise awareness with the youth and invited the senior pupils of local secondary schools and further education to attend Wednesday’s event.
Both the Old Library Trust and Bogside and Brandywell Health Forum were delighted to see the event received so well, by local schools Foyle College Senior School, St Cecilia’s College, Oak Grove, St Joseph’s Boys Schools, and the Steven Gerrard Academy.
Speaking at event, Project coordinator said, – The importance of these events is that they will provide a safe environment to openly discuss and listen to the impact that poor mental health and addiction can have on an individual’s life and by doing so we can provide an opportunity for people to seek support.
The project, was part of a health and wellbeing initiative led by the Old Library Trust’s Healthy Living Centre in Creggan, partnered, and supported by the Bogside and Brandywell Health Forum and funded by the Executive Office’s ‘Communities in Transition’ project.
The initiative aims to support communities to become more resilient by addressing a key issue associated with poor physical and mental health – Addiction – an issue that has been highlighted within the local area with negative impacts on individuals and families.
Students from the Steven Gerrard Foundation pictured at Wednesday’s Old Library Trust ‘Oisin McConville Tells His Story’ event in Sean Dolan’s GAC, Creggan. On right is Oisin McConville, an Irish former Gaelic footballer. who starred for Armagh. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)Students from the St. Cecilia’s College, Derry, pictured at Wednesday’s Old Library Trust ‘Oisin McConville Tells His Story’ event in Sean Dolan’s GAC, Creggan. On right is Oisin McConville, an Irish former Gaelic footballer. who starred for Armagh. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)Students from Foyle College, Derry, pictured at Wednesday’s Old Library Trust ‘Oisin McConville Tells His Story’ event in Sean Dolan’s GAC, Creggan. On right is Oisin McConville, an Irish former Gaelic footballer. who starred for Armagh.Students from St. Joseph’s Boys School, Derry, pictured at Wednesday’s Old Library Trust ‘Oisin McConville Tells His Story’ event in Sean Dolan’s GAC, Creggan. On right is Oisin McConville, an Irish former Gaelic footballer. who starred for Armagh.Mr. John Harkin, Acting Principal, Oakgrove Integrated College, pictured with some of his students at Wednesday’s Old Library Trust ‘Oisin McConville Tells His Story’ event in Sean Dolan’s GAC, Creggan. On left is Oisin McConville, an Irish former Gaelic footballer. who starred for Armagh, and on right, George McGowan, Project Director, Old Library Trust, event organisers. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)
Well done to our family support coordinator Sharon Doherty who recently took time away to improve her knowledge, understanding and skillset when dealing with issues for families that included trauma, mental health, resilience and hope.
These courses will allow us to continue to provide informed, up to date advice and relevant support to families on issues of Mental Health, Addiction, trauma, resilience and hope
Staff from the Old Library Trust in Creggan have successfully completed their Disability Awareness Training Day at with healthy living centre with facilitators from the @cedarfoundation
Well done everyone & THANK YOU to the Cedar Foundation
This will open up our knowledge & understanding & help us to better support those living within our community that have a disability.
