Author: Julie White

What a brilliant event to be part of hosted by our Mayor of Derry City & Strabane District Patricia Logue discussing the issue of Vaping and the use of Synthetic drugs with post primary schools from across the City.

The Organisations DEEDS team had a busy week out and about as well as supporting local people during Dementia Action Week 2024.

Attendance at conferences & events & the delivery of our Social group activities the highlights.

If you need any advice, guidance or support for a friend, family member of loved one then please get it touch with a member of the DEEEDS team.

Get involved folks and check out our Timetable in our images.

We have Men’s health, ladies health, Circuits, yoga and many others.

Get in touch, come along and give in a go!

£5610 Raised thanks to a night of music and entertainment! BRILLIANT!
Thank you to @nerve_centre & everyone who came to sing, dance and support our work that we do across the city and district to support people living with Dementia.

@OLTHLC  @TNLComFundNI  DEEDS Project✊?

Hope can be a powerful force. When you know what you hope for most, hold it tight, believe & like magic…It can happen- supporting @dcsdcouncil District of Hope.  “Making Hope Happen” with @RESILIO and @NWCN01
Thank you PEABALL for another AMAZING creation

The Old library trust is doing it bit to support the new and innovative District of Hope initiative.

Keep an eye on our social media for more details.

Days to note are the district of Hope day itself and our programme of hope offered at the healthy living centre.

Health checks, relaxing sound bath and a talk delivered by Glen Hinds alongside giving staff access to the Hive cancer support service desk to help raise awareness and understand symptoms of cancer.

This session was part of the NI executive Office Communities in Transition Project – co ordinated and planned for our hardworking school community staff.

There are so many opportunities in our community to broaden our horizons and look after our own mental health and well being.

We encourage the staff, children and families to continue to engage n community life in to see the range of services available.

The DEEDS team from the Old Library Trust were in the Guildhall this week educating the city and district’s Mayor and local councillors in the Dementia Immersive Experience Tier 1 Programme.

The successful workshop was held to help the councillors “walk in the shoes of someone with dementia” and understand how it affects the person as well as their families and completed the training with information on the services that are available in the Derry and Strabane area.

This was one of many successful DEEDS training events held over the past year which includes training the first-year nurses and paramedics at Ulster University which is held annually.

The Old Library Trust’s DEEDS (Dementia Engaged and Empowered in Derry and Strabane) Programme supports people with dementia within the city and district to live well for longer within their own communities by giving them opportunities to be social, become active and engage in community life. Key projects such as social groups and activity groups help to extend quality of support to those living with and experiencing dementia and their families thanks to support from the National Lottery Community Fund.

Delighted with the success on Monday evening, the Old Library Trust’s Sinead Devine (DEEDS Co-ordinator) described the event as a very successful two-hours ‘experiential workshop’ and said she was delighted with the uptake from so many councillors across the city and district that took time out of their busy schedule to attend.

‘We were absolutely delighted with the turnout. All the councillors were active in their participation of the workshops and followed up with questions looking for more information. Indeed, it was wonderful to see the Mayor Patricia Logue also take part. Last year the council passed a unanimous motion to support dementia awareness training for council staff so it great to see Monday’s event highlighting and reinforcing our Council’s commitment to a Dementia Friendly City and District.’

In a final address to the local councillors at Monday’s event, the DEEDS co-ordinator Sinead Devine stressed that everyone, not just those in attendance, should look for the early signs of dementia among their older family members and loved ones, adding: ‘Maybe you have noticed a loved one with memory issues. Or have a family member with a recent diagnosis and need to know what support is out there. Maybe you are caring for someone with dementia and need support for yourself. I sincerely hope this evening’s event served as an ideal opportunity to see what services are available to you and your loved one. There is help out there. Please don’t feel you’re alone’

Anyone looking for further information should contact Sinead at 02871 373870 during working hours, Monday-Friday.

The Old Library Trust DEEDS project continues its annual training @UlsterUniSoNP with their student nurses.

Our interactive & immersive experiential training feedback is always extremely positive and crucial to the practical learning of the students before they embark on their placements.

Well done everyone!

Thanks to support from the NI Executive Office Communities in Transition project the Old Library Trust in partnership with the Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum was able to create a hive of activity for local people to engage in to help suggest ways in which they can get involved in order to improve their general health and mental wellbeing.

Activities included a large Spinning class showcase under lights, yoga, sound bathing, meditation, breathworks and much more.

Local people had the opportunity to try out some activities and get a sense of what’s involved. This was followed by some health food & refreshments and uplifting music in the Café area encouraging people to get together, catch up, chat and create friendships.

Thank you to everyone that got involved!