Read more about our 'good news' case studies:
A Couple in Care - Ben and Nikki Brown’s story at White House Care Home
This has been particularly challenging in the care home environment, where residents have had to self-isolate in their room, go for long periods without seeing family members and generally change their daily routine.
However, one Stockton couple - along with their team - have been ensuring that the care home blues have been completely banished by providing innovative ideas to keep their residents energised, motivated and smiling during the pandemic.
Nikki and Ben Brown from the White House Care Home in Hartburn were determined to do everything they could to ensure that life was as normal as possible for residents and their families, and that any worries were put to bed.
Stockton’s Covid-19 Community Champions team
The role of Stockton’s Community Champions is to provide advice to the community, collate feedback and ease worries connected to myths that crop up relating to the vaccine, and the pandemic in general. They then feed back to a project team who collate all of the information and intelligence provided.
This is then fed back to a team at Public Health, who discuss the matters at hand and produce key messages to provide factual and accurate information to community residents.
Caring for those returning from hospital
We recently spoke to Hannah Hammond, from the The Five Lamps charity organisation in Thornaby.
Hannah works for their ‘Home from Hospital’ team (Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund), which is designed to help local residents over 50 settle back into their home after a hospital visit.
Hannah and her colleagues at Five Lamps do everything from shopping and cleaning to picking up prescriptions and taking clients to medical appointments, but she says whatever the task, the team are up for it.
New community hub with Yarm Wellness
An exciting new community hub is coming to Yarm this September!
Yarm Wellness, which is located under the famous viaduct bridge behind the High Street, will host ongoing activities for a variety of ages and abilities.
Planned sessions include a men’s shed project, well-being and fitness classes, dementia friendly gatherings, mother and baby bonding and even partnership work with local businesses, who will provide skill workshops for local residents.
There will also be a drop in café for people to make new friends in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
Dementia help for Thornaby residents
Recently we spoke to Peter Otter, Manager at the LiveWell Dementia Hub in Thornaby.
Peter talked to us about what the centre offers, the organisations and delivery partners based there, the challenges of COVID and why knowing more about dementia - whatever your age - is important.
The LiveWell Dementia Hub, which is run by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, provides an informal and welcoming setting and offers people a first point of contact for information about dementia and what support is available across Stockton-on-Tees.
Alongside information and advice, the venue also hosts a range of activities, delivered by partners from the NHS and voluntary sector. This includes social events, cognitive stimulation therapy, carers courses and one-to-one appointments with a range of professionals.
The power of youth in Stockton-on-Tees
During the pandemic, 80% of young people identified that their mental health had deteriorated. Many others also suffered from anxiety and stress – meaning they found it hard to cope with months in isolation.
However, one Stockton-based project has been helping local children overcome times of uncertainty by giving them a platform to express their feelings and suggest coping mechanisms while at home.
Bright Minds Big Futures (BMBF), which is managed by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, worked with representatives from Public Health to tackle topics like anxiety and depression, so that the young group could give a professional insight in to how their peers could manage emotional wellbeing.
Stockton charity worker receives Royal accolade
A Stockton man has recently been awarded the Royal British Empire Medal for his outstanding achievements to charity work across the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brian Jones (above left), who is the Chief Executive Officer and linchpin behind local charity The Moses Project, showed passion and commitment to his community by providing food boxes to both his service beneficiaries and local residents throughout 2020.
Volunteers gathered at their base at Alma Street almost daily, working long hours to ensure that essentials were packed for shielding residents and others in need… and it wasn’t long before word spread about the initiative.
Red Balloons mental health and wellbeing support in Stockton
We spoke to Leigh Trimble, volunteer and Project Manager of Stockton’s Red Balloons charity. Set up in 2017, the organisation helps those with mental health issues by encouraging them to chat and expand on their feelings.
They also like to promote exercise and fitness to help people with their emotional wellbeing.
Earlier this year, they were given fully fledged charity status and funding from the National Lottery to progress their offer, and it’s hoped that more and more people will benefit from their services as a result.
There’s always A Way Out
We spoke to Sarah McManus, CEO of Teesside-based charity, A Way Out. The organisation helps local women, families and young people who are at risk of harm or face multiple disadvantages such as poverty, homelessness or poor mental health.
A Way Out all started back in 2002, with local girl Jessie Joe Jacobs at the helm. She wanted to ensure that local on street sex workers were kept safe, and given the advice, education and support they needed during potentially harmful situations late at night.
Since then, they have come on leaps and bounds, with many local women and families benefiting from their excellent services.
We want to tell people YOUR story of what it has been like living through the pandemic and what you have done that has helped you to get through it.
As well as helping others and lifting spirits, as we all like to hear good news stories especially now, it will give you a chance to promote your service or organisation.
If you would like to share your story, get in touch.