Eastleigh Borough and Romsey Mencap Society

Our aim is to protect and enhance the life chances of children and adults with learning disabilities living in Eastleigh and Romsey. We are affiliated to the national Royal Mencap Society.

On this webpage, you can see News, Upcoming Events, For Your Information and What's Been Happening, plus links to our Projects and Services webpages for much more information about what we do.

Links to:

Projects...

  • Jump Start Drama - Exploring Theatre Craft
  • Chinese Cultural Festival - 3 July 2015
  • Limelight Local Theatre in Education Project
  • Previous Limelight Local events

...and Services

  • Active Citizens
  • Active Ability Football
  • Art Club
  • Eastleigh Hot Shots (Basketball Club)
  • Chill Out Club
  • Gardening Club - Open Day with Rosie Yeomans, Saturday 13 August!
  • Walking Group

News

  • Flagship Art Club winners - Marwell Wildlife Zany Zebra competition
  • Eastleigh Borough & Romsey MENCAP Walking Team - Sponsored Walk 12 June
  • Events


Flagship Art Club winners - Marwell Wildlife Zany Zebra competition

We hope you have all been to see our wonderful Zebra at Town Quay
Park in Southampton.

“Zebra Crossings” and the other zebras in the herd will be on show on the Trail until September 25. After this, the zebras will be auctioned off at a Charity Fundraising Auction which takes place at the Hilton at the Ageas Bowl on Tuesday, 18 October 2016. Do you fancy having a zebra in your back garden?

We have inside information that our Zebra will be positioned near God’s House Tower. Do make the trip to Southampton to see the trail and to admire the wonderful design produced by members of our Flagship Art Club.

Flagship Art Club members were delighted to announce that their design for the Zany Zebra competition, run by Marwell Wildlife, was been chosen as a winner!

The group worked hard to put their design on our life size zebra that Marwell Zoo has provided, ensuring it was painted all over and varnished in time for the trail, and on a miniature zebra to be used in the zoo trail.

All the painted zebras can be seen from 16 July - 25 September; these are the official dates of the Marwell's Zany Zebras trails (both in Southampton City Centre and at Marwell Zoo).

We are grateful to Lorica Insurance, our sponsors, for spotting the creative merit of our design.

Eastleigh Borough & Romsey MENCAP Walking Team
Chandlers Ford Rotary Club’s Itchen Walk

Fabulous Walkers!

Maria, Beverley and Michelle completed the sponsored walk on Sunday June 12 and all walked the full ten miles from Kings Worthy back to Chandlers Ford.

Thank you to the Chandlers Ford Rotary Club for organising the event and to every one of our lovely sponsors for supporting us and helping us raise funds to keep our services running. It was a great day!

http://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ebrmencap

Events...

Dates for your Diary...

  • Big Night Out Family Quiz: Saturday evening - September 17, 2016
  • Flagship Art Club - 3rd Annual Exhibition, 3 November

Big Night Out Family Quiz: Saturday evening - September 17, 2016

Bishopstoke Evangelical Church. Fish & Chips supper.  A good time guaranteed! Meet some new people and make friends!

  • Fish & Chips supper – pre-order and pay before 8 September
  • There will be a break in the Quiz when food is served.
  • Hot and cold drinks to buy on the night
  • Make up a team with your family or friends
  • OR just come along on the night and join one of our tables.

Quiz Entry: £4 per person
Call 023 8048 3471 for details

If you came last year, you will know this is a night out not to be missed!

Flagship Art Club - Third Annual Exhibition

  • Thursday, 3 November - 10.00 to 14.30
  • Centenary Hall, Chamberlayne Road, Eastleigh

Our Flagship Art Club artists will be holding a third exhibition of their work this November. There will also be an art workshop, a cafe and an art market, so this could be a great opportunity to buy unique Christmas gifts.

Please come along, view our work and learn more about the Club.

Stop Press

The Chill Out Club Group A returns to 'The Station' on September 5, 2016. (Group B has other arrangements.) More information about 'The Station' below... and summer closing dates. 

For your information...

  • Message from HCC, Adult Services re Connect to Support Hampshire and Carers' Drop In
  • Contacting Adult Services
  • Assured Futures Group
  • Jump Start Drama
  • Litten Tree
  • Royal Mencap - planning for the future - learning disabilities

Your Society needs you! Can you help?

This year some grants that support our work have been withdrawn. We have had to find money elsewhere, we have been holding coin collections at Waitrose, Asda and Tesco, which have generated some much needed funds for our projects and services.

Committee members and our development officer have given up their time to take shifts outside the supermarkets, and I am grateful to them for doing so.


We will run coin collections on a regular basis to raise funds for the Society, but we need more volunteers to join us.


Can you help? Would you be prepared join a rota for future collections?


Each “shift” would be no longer than 2 hours at a supermarket in the Eastleigh borough or Romsey area and all you would have to do is to be friendly and welcoming to any shoppers who wanted to donate. You could do just one collection or join us more regularly: it is your choice!


Our next collection is at Sainsbury’s, Eastleigh on Saturday 1 October. We need more volunteers so that we can have two people per “shift”. Please do get in touch with Michelle if you want to join in. (023 80483 471)


Thank you. Elaine Fish (Chair of Eastleigh Borough & Romsey MENCAP)


Message from Hampshire County Council, Adult Services...


1.   Connect to Support Hampshire

Connect to Support Hampshire (connectsupport.hants.gov.uk) will be a countywide online information and advice guide and directory of services. It is designed for all adults who may search for information regarding care and support. The launch period of the website is during July 2016.

Connect to Support has three main functions:

  • a directory of free or low cost local groups, activities and services within the community,
  • an information and advice section for individuals, carers, personal assistants, service providers, community organisations and health and social care professionals,
  • a directory of care providers (home care agencies and care homes),
We’re looking for volunteers to help us shape and test the Connect to Support Hampshire site. We’re interested in feedback on the functionality and user experience of the site from a range of perspectives. This is via the below online survey and is not a lengthy exercise. The survey will run for a month starting with 4th July – further feedback can be submitted via the Feedback button on the Connect to Support website (bottom right corner).

Please bear in mind the site is still under development and each user feeding back takes it one step closer to completion.

2.   Carers' Drop In - Thursday July 28, 2016

Are you looking after someone or caring for a loved one, family member or neighbour? Please drop in anytime between 10.00 am and 1.00pm

Venue: Hampshire County Council, Ashburton Hall, E11 Court, The Castle, Winchester SO23 8UJ 

Please come along:

  • to give your views on how we can support carers better
  • for information and advice on a variety of local organisations supporting carers
  • to have your say about what is important to you as a carer
  • to put a question to our expert panel who will answer at midday.

Questions must be submitted in advance by email before July 18 to:

madeleine.coates@hants.gov.uk

(Please note if you do not have access to a computer you can call Michelle at the EBR MENCAP office  on 023 8048 3471 and we will submit your question for you. Please leave your name and phone number if you call our office.)

  • Claim forms for travel expenses are available on the day.
  • Tea or coffee will be provided.
  • Please use the train or park and ride car parks if you can.
(At a previous event many carers could not park in Winchester and gave up and went home without attending! Michelle)

Contacting Adult Services

From June 20 all calls to the Adult Services Learning Disabilities Team will be answered by the Contact Centre at Hants Direct. Contact Centre staff are being trained to deal with these calls and will be able to give some direct responses to queries, without you needing to talk to a care manager/social worker.

They would welcome feedback about how this works. Let us know your experience and we will pass it on.

Assured Futures Group

Next meeting: (date to be advised) at Wells Place Centre, 2.00 – 5.00pm. All parents welcome.

Please come along if this interests you, there is no obligation to join the group but many parents have found that they share the same concerns about the future and are pleased to find others with whom they can discuss their ideas.

If you would like more information, contact  Michelle  023 8048 3471. If the phone is not answered leave your name and number, your call will be returned, or just use the Society email, as below. More details...

Jump Start Drama

Jump Start Theatre Company from Winchester University have been running energetic drama games and activities for participants since March.

We also had an evening out together to The Point to see Backstage in Biscuitland. A really thought provoking show about Tourettes Syndrome, which also managed to be very funny! More details...

The Litten Tree - no more!

The Litten Tree pub where we hold the Chill Out Club is to be closed in May for refurbishment and the pub's name will be changed to "The Station". The Chill Out Club is moving temporarily to The Good Companions in Leigh Road where Jane and Bill, the new landlords, are pleased to offer us a temporary home.

Club members are looking forward to seeing The Litten Tree looking slicker after the May refurbishment. The landlords of The Litten Tree have been some of the staunchest supporters of the Club for more than nine years. We greatly value their support and wish the current management and staff success with the new look pub.

More about the Chill Out Club and summer closing dates in 2016...

What's been happening...

  • Newsflash
  • Learning Disabilities Week - June 20-24
  • Summer BBQ - Saturday, July 23
  • Gardening Club Open Day - Saturday, August 13
  • Royal MENCAP Society - Planning for the Future
  • Quiz at the Concorde Club, 19 April 2016
  • Chinese Cultural Festival - 3 July 2015
  • Aladdin Panto Trail 2015
  • Flagship Art Club Exhibition - 22 October 2015
  • EBR Mencap AGM and Party 2015; Welcome to Brian Holley
  • Longstock Water Gardens

Newsflash

Our newsletter, Newsflash, contains information about local and national initiatives, and about our activities.

Download the latest newsletter here (pdf )

Click on the newsletter tab to read previous newsletters.

Please visit the website regularly to read our latest news. If you have any comments on the content, or would like us to include something on the website, please do get in touch with Elaine Fish (Chair).

Learning Disabilities Week - June 20-24

On June 21 we held our Friendship Picnic at the Recreation Ground in the centre of Eastleigh. We were very honoured to have Councillor Des Scott, the Mayor of Eastleigh and his wife, Mrs Veronica Scott  join us for the picnic.
The Mayor of Eastleigh talking about friendship

Lots of people came to this free event and played games, took part in competitions and dressed up for our selfie booth. We were delighted to have a large group join us from Southampton MENCAP.

The theme of our picnic was Friendship, we ran a competition and asked people to tell us why their friends were important to them. These are the winning entries...

  • “My friends are important to me because they are very caring. We are always there for each other and they make me laugh. Jade, Southampton
  • “My friends are important to me because they look out for me, like I would look out for them.” Gary, Eastleigh


Summer BBQ at Royal Victoria Country Park, Saturday, July 23
12.00 noon to 2.00pm at Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley. 

The health walk starts from Netley Railway Station at 11.00am and finishes at the barbecue site at 12.00 when cooking starts. Or you can go direct to the Laurel BBQ site at noon.

  • Adult ticket: £7.50, Child Ticket: £4 (under 12) &
  • Family ticket: £20 (2 adults and 2 children)

Please purchase or book tickets in advance so that we know that we must cater for you and your party.

Call 023 8048 3471 and leave a message with your name, number of tickets to be booked and your phone number. If the event is cancelled due to poor weather, we will be able to let you know.


Gardening Club - Open Day with Rosie Yeomans

From 11.00-2.00pm SATURDAY AUGUST 13 2016

Bring your questions!  Look around the allotment, meet our members and enjoy our home made refreshments.

The Gardening Club is for adults with learning disabilities who want to 'grow their own' and have a real interest in or love of horticulture, meeting twice a week from mid March to mid October, anyone interested in joining the Club in West End might come to the Open Day to find out more. Please call the office for details: 023 8048 3471

More details about the Gardening Club...

Royal MENCAP Society - Planning for the Future

  • Thursday, 3 November 12.30 - 2.30 pm
  • Level.10 Church, Stanmore Lane, Winchester SO22 4BT

How you can financially protect your child with a learning disability

The 2-hour seminar is designed to provide clear and helpful advice and information on how to best safeguard money being left to somebody with a learning disability, and are delivered by solicitors who specialise in this complex area of law.

You can call the team on 2007 696 6925 to book hour place or go to the MENCAP website to book online.

Quiz at the Concorde Club, Eastleigh

Thank you to everyone who came along to our Quiz Night hosted by The Concorde Club.

29 teams battled it out for first place. The curry was amazing, the questions challenging and the raffle was a triumph!

We hope to be able to repeat this collaboration with the Concorde Club as all participants seemed to have a good night out!

Aladdin Pantomime Trail at Hilliers

A group of 24 people went with us to Hilliers Arboretum in December to see the Panto trail that we helped to produce with artists from the Mayflower Theatre. We received a warm welcome from Hilliers staff and enjoyed exploring the trail.

Hilliers tell us that 2,500 people took part in our trail. We are looking forward to running the project again this December.


Having a great day on the Pantomime Trail!

EBR Mencap AGM and Party 2015

What a great time was had by all at our Annual Party and AGM on Saturday 14 November 2015. DJ Ian entertained us throughout the evening, and everyone tried their luck at the Picture Quiz (thanks Janice!), before tucking into their fish and chip suppers.

It was good to see so many of our friends, old and new, and we look  forward to seeing you again at our events, clubs and projects throughout 2016.

Welcome to Brian Holley ….

We are pleased to confirm that Brian Holley is joining us as our Treasurer, having been nominated at our AGM on 14 November. We are grateful to Henry Rau for stepping in to cover the role when our previous Treasurer resigned during 2015.

Chinese Cultural Festival 2015 - a huge success! (To be repeated in October 2016...)

The Chinese Cultural Festival, held on Friday July 3 at the Pavilion in the Park, was a huge success with over 200 people attending. The Mayor of Eastleigh joined us and enjoyed the entertainment which was presented by the staff and students from the Confucius Institute at the University of Southampton, with visiting performers from Goldsmith’s College, London.

The audience watched various dances, including the dramatic Lion Dance, music recitals, a traditional Chinese Wedding ceremony and demonstrations of Tai Chi. There were opportunities for people to try out paper cutting art, playing Mah Jong, lucky knot tying, dressing up in Chinese costumes, learning Mandarin, seeing the tea making ceremony and tasting Chinese food. The staff and students were pleased to talk to everyone about their skills and talents, many participants were keen to join in with the activities and took souvenirs of the day away with them.

See flyer for more details... (pdf  )

Flagship Art Club Exhibition 2015

Thursday October 22, 2015 in The Swan Room, Haskins Garden Centre, West End. Open to the public 10-11.30am &1-3.30pm

The Flagship Art Club started in January this year and our artists have been working hard on their different projects.  If you are free on Oct 22, why not come along and see their work and maybe meet a few of the artists.

We can still welcome new members, people should be serious about their art and want to learn and improve their skills. Flagship Art Club runs on Thursday mornings in West End.

Please contact Michelle on 023 8048 3471 or by email, to book your place. Read more about the Art Club...

Aladdin Pantomime Trail 2015 at Hilliers

A group of 24 people went with us to Hilliers Arboretum in December to see the Panto trail that we helped to produce with artists from the Mayflower Theatre. We received a warm welcome from Hilliers staff and enjoyed exploring the trail. Hilliers tell us that 2,500 people took part in our trail. We are looking forward to running the project again this December.


Having a great day on the Pantomime Trail!

Longstock Park Water Garden

Open by kind permission of the John Lewis Partnership

Longstock Park Water Garden was open to the public on behalf of Eastleigh Borough and Romsey MENCAP on Sunday, 1 June 2015.

What a glorious afternoon! The garden looked stunning in the sunshine, and it was great to see so many of you there, enjoying a relaxing stroll by the water. Thank you for coming along, and for helping us to raise a massive £3300!

Summer BBQ - Saturday, 13 June 2015 

Everyone had a wonderful time at our BBQ on 13 June at Royal Victoria Country Park. The weather was kind to us again this year, and all enjoyed the delicious food and good company. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and we look forward to seeing you all at our Annual Party on 14 November.


Did you know that you can donate to Eastleigh Borough & Romsey MENCAP via Localgiving (http://localgiving.com/charity/ebrmencap)? It's quick and easy, and UK taxpayers can opt to offer Gift Aid too.


EBR MENCAP Wristbands

Have you seen the latest fashion accessory, available from EBR MENCAP? They are a great way to show your support, and only cost £1 each. There are three colours - burgundy, bottle green and white, each sporting a different slogan, PARTICIPATE, RESPECT and ENJOY. Why not get all three so that you can mix and match?

The wristbands are a fundraising idea to help support us financially and will be on sale at all our events and projects in the coming months. Grab them while you can!

Membership

Our members receive a Newsflash nine times a year, either by email or post, and news of all new projects and opportunities. More about becoming a member...

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