Monday 30th January 2017 - Discover Recovery

Posted 11:15pm
This is an important entry, for several reasons.

We attended the Discover Recovery event last Friday, and it proved to be a terrific event.  It was full of many of the services that provide help to users in Islington and Camden who have had mental health issues or substance abuse issues.  There were people from drug and alcohol services, as well as homeless and crime.

I enjoyed chatting with a lot of the people there, and gave out flyers and information.

The most important was a representative from Camden and Islington NHS Trust, and I am very hopeful that we can get an exciting meeting.

I am quite glad January is almost over.  It's been a tough month for us - but it has ended well.

Thursday 26th January 2017 - one step forward, one step back

Posted 12:30am
Another late posting - technically Wednesday night.
Last few days have been ups and downs.

One good meeting with Single Homeless Project - and it appears we will start a program with them in March.  I was going to delay the DAI program by a few weeks because of the lack of money, but instead we will do them both on the same day - well, that is the proposal.  We can do SHP in the morning and DAI in the afternoon.  And it looks like it will be a Thursday (starting 23 March). Exciting, daunting, lots of work - but still no money.  We wont be earning salaries, but we do need incidentals.  A lot riding on my shoulders.

I am feeling the weight of it all at the moment.  I did get to the gym on Monday and Tuesday as I needed to re-energise myself.  So much going through my head at the moment.  The project can bring amazing success, I know it will.

Monday 23rd January 2017 - been a time for reflection

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FOCUS

Posted 2:30am.

Yes, it is early morning. But the last few days have been ones that have involved a great deal of thinking, and soul searching.

We had a fantastic write up for the Izzwalkz and project in Islington Life.

Check out:

http://islingtonlife.london/discover-islington/blog/walking-back-to-work/

But then, as in all times of starting a project, came a few knocks.  We had applied for some funds that we did not get - was not a lot, wouldn't have paid any salary, but would have covered Insurance, Printing, Hardware and Software, and some marketing.  Just a few thousand.  I know we need to get used to these things, but really thought we were going to get this money.

I realise that people reading the Islington Life can look at the blog - so if anyone can offer us a small Sponsorship or Grant it is getting to be vital.

I also thought I had arranged to get the cost of the walk flyers covered, but it appears that maybe I was misunderstood.  It has left me in a financial pickle, which I will solve, but it took away my focus on the project.

Finally, again, it appears I am the ideal candidate to show how following the program works well, but drift away back into bad habits can have a negative impact.  2016 I followed all my advice (well, quite a lot) and was sailing along.  The last four weeks were a mini slump and I have personally gone backwards.  But I have given myself a good talking to over the last few days and from tomorrow I will be focussing back on the project and my own targets with a vengeance.

Starting a business, especially one that is reliant on a funding income, is of course very hard..  There are many hiccups along the way.  But we have a great concept, a fantastic base, good people, and have found organisations that also appreciate the significant benefit the program will bring - now it is just a matter of persuading finance and starting.  I am so so determined that will happen.

However, due to the small funding not coming in, we have had to postpone by at least one month the start of the first programs.  It appears I am now looking at April.

Thanks to everyone who supports me and the project - please follow us.

Thursday 19th January 2017 - diets, walks, progress

Posted 10:00pm

Just finished watching a disturbing program about certain diets, and their claims.  In a day and age where we are constantly being told what to eat, what is bad for us, how certain foods can help us, it can be very difficult to ascertain what is the real truth.

Some people make wild claims - the program just on television claimed that an alkaline diet will help cure cancer - despite there being no scientific base for it.

On our program we will cover nutrition.  But we will provide information, look at myths, review actual research, but also emphasise that being healthy is just controlling the input and portion size of your meals.  "Diet" is a dirty word.  It's all about actually cooking your own food, understanding about proteins, carbs, fats, and sugars.  Still enjoying treats, but also mixing it with adequate exercise. In all honesty, it should be pretty easy for people, but it is ensuring that they can make better choices with informed knowledge.

Our ninth walk went very well, and I am hoping to start in Highbury Fields and Finsbury Park in March.  I am talking to a prospective partner for the FP walk, and want to tie down my HF partner next week.  All great fun though.  We received a magnificent write up by Islington Life.

Check out:  http://islingtonlife.london/discover-islington/blog/walking-back-to-work/

If you copy and paste that link into your browser you will get the full story.  I am so pleased with it - it's a terrific advert for us and what we are trying to achieve.  I am really hoping that it will bring more people out onto the walk - and the subsequent ones.

We are also eager to try and find some sponsorship for the walks - as we need to provide t-shirts to volunteers, marketing materials, plus there is the website (domains, logo, upkeep).  It would not take a lot of money, but anything would be amazing.

Moving forward with the program - we are still in preparations, and a longer blog entry on this will appear at the weekend.  Thanks people - please follow our blog:

Dont forget we have our YouTube channel - please subscribe - still newish but a lot more videos will be uploaded in the next couple of months - that is hmhb2016

Tuesday 17th January 2017 - busy busy busy - nine weeks!!

Posted 3:40pm

I try and get out of the flat during the day as there are too many distractions at home.  We are also trying to get people to be more active on our program, and encouraging this very thing.

I need to start treating every day as if it is a normal work day - and I admit I have not.  It is crucial to build up my own good routine - what is the point of demonstrating the benefits if I do not actually adhere to our own output?  This also goes with every other aspect.  I have to be a model person for the program.  Again, I acknowledge that I have not been doing well.

But with just over nine weeks to our first confirmed program it is vital to get everything fine tuned as quickly as possible.

I have been procrastinating on a couple of personal issues that could have stood in the way of progress, so the last few days I have been dealing with them.  It is something we are going to push on the program anyway.  We all allow different issues to sometimes build up, and then they can become very big, and affect our lives.  So it was important to deal with them head on, and try and get them out of the way.  That is just about done, so now I can concentrate on the project and all that entails. This is why I have not been entering lately.  However, from tomorrow evening everything I can do will have been done.  Thanks everyone for their patience.

The project awaits.

Saturday 14th January 2017 - our first program confirmed

time to celebrate

Posted 1:30am

Yes, it's an early morning posting - so technically Friday night.  And I really should have posted in the last couple of days, so here goes a long posting.

Firstly, and most importantly, after years of preparing we have confirmed out first Ajani program will start with Disability Action Islington on the 23rd March - a nine week program.  Ironically this is around nine weeks away.  I am thrilled.  We may even be able to start another program before then - but maybe we can aim for Single Homeless Porject around the same time, and start both in the same week.  This means we can prepare together.

There is still a lot of work to be done, but this will give us an opportunity to show what we can do, find out what works and what does not work, as well as give us a stronger argument with funders.

A lot does seem to be happening behind the scenes as well.  Our eight Clissold Park Izzwalk yesterday had a participant from Islington Council Media.  We are going to be featured on their website, as well as in the Newsletter that goes to all households.  We have also made some cracking contacts from Twitter - but I am still waiting to see if they are one offs or able to help us in the future. Naturally I will follow everything up.

With nine weeks to go to the start of a nine week program I have decided to restart my diaries and my own targets from Monday - I can then bring nine weeks of completed personal journey papers to the first program on the 23 March, using myself as a good example (I hope).  This gives extra emphasis to sort my own fitness/health which has taken a bit of a hammering in the last two weeks because of other issues.

What a journey we have been on - and hopefully this is the start of another.  It feels a bit like vindication for my persistence.

I am now going to slightly change the tack on the blog and social media - aiming more at the service users we are gong to be taking on.  We will encourage all participants to subscribe to our Youtube channel ( hmhb2016 ): like our Facebook page ( healthymindshealthybods ); like our blog (which is here); follow us on Twitter if they have it ( @hmhb2016 ); and save our website in their favourites.

It is very important we use Social Media to the fullest potential - and I am meeting Kacper, who has designed our website, on Sunday to go over any tweaks that we need to correct or change, as well as demonstrate retrieval of emails etc.

Exciting times!!!!

Tuesday 10th January 2017 - Bootcamp, Length of course - personal

Posted 11:50pm

A late night entry tonight - so just before I retire to blissful sleep (please!) it is time to update our blog.

We met with the DWP today, and I feel we are so close to getting things going.  So much comes down to funding - and anyone trying to set up a business can understand the frustration that we are going through.  We have the concept, we have the need, research shows the outcomes we should achieve.

I am busy adjusting the 13 week program down to a 9 week program, which probably covers the need of the Job Centre better than the long one.  We have got a contact at the Commissioners and we have emailed them directly asking for a meeting - which is probably unusual but what can we lose?

Personally, I have found a local parkrun which I will join on a Saturday.  Timing on that is great because I can then move onto a local bootcamp session in a different venue on the same day.  I preach the benefits of exercise and fitness, but my own lethargy is dragging me down.  I need to push myself as I expect people to push on the course.  Massive part is accountability.  Even on the course it will be easier because people will be following all the participants.  When, as I am at the moment, you are on your own, it can be very easy to fall into not pushing yourself to the maximum.  Or even, sometimes, to do the very minimum.  I need to find a way of being accountable before the programs start.

Sunday 8th January 2017: HNY, Strava, Walks, Twitter, plus 2017

Strava

Posted 8:30pm

Happy New Year everyone:  Yes, I know I am a week late but, as you will see from the content of this entry, it has not been slow.

There is a great saying - there is no point welcoming a new year in, and then just going back to the old year bad habits.  It is so true.  I am not into resolutions per se; but it is a great time to look at how you are doing, and what you can be doing better - hence HMHB, Ajani and Izzwalkz.

Adam has introduced me to an app called Strava - and we will be using this app with our users throughout the year.  It can measure your walk, run, bike ride, showing a digital map of the length of the activity, including total time.  It also means, if you post it in a certain way, that others can also see your activity, making you accountable - which I believe is one of the strongest encouragements of continuing with exercise and health.

First Clissold Walk of 2017

Thursday 5th January

Izzwalkz is also going very well. We had our sixth walk in Clissold Park on the 5th January - pic above.  Next week we will be walking with the Islington media representative, and we are hoping to get a solid mention in their magazine that goes to all properties in Islington.  We have also had some exciting tweets and messages on Twitter, and there could be some thrilling results from that.  More news to follow.

SHP - Clissold House

Friday 6th January 2017

Single Homeless Project, with whom we will be running our first Ajani program, wanted to experience a walk, so they came with me on Friday - and above is a picture of some of them with me in the Clissold House Tea Room.  They were very enthusiastic, and it was lovely to actually show people what we are doing.

I have discovered a Free Group Bootcamp session in Clissold Park every Saturday morning at 10am. The next two Saturdays I am busy but from then on I will be attending myself, and using that as something we can bring clients to, if they choose to take part.  I have contacted the person running it, and they are happy to have us there.

Overall, we can welcome in 2017 with great expectancy and anticipation.  The biggest question is going to be funding, and then making sure we can run enough programs to justify the money.  We are meeting the DWP, and I have followed up on the december presentation with other organisations.  I cant see any problems getting programs, it just the necessary funding for salaries - but we have several irons in the fire.

We are still waiting to hear about our small funding application for a grant from Arsenal in the Community, and I very much hope that can be part of our service.

So, I think 2017 is going to be great. And that is down to being proactive and persistent, and self-belief.  All of these are facets we are promoting within our programs.