Monday 23rd September 2019 - Trying to life energy levels

Posted 2:50pm

It seems strange having to type about confidence and focus and direction and energy.  At HMHB we have the tools to help people lift themselves up, believe in themselves more, and push themselves forward. And we probably understand that more than most because we ourselves have to use those tools on a weekly basis.

It is very easy to knock oneself down. When things do not go your way, when other people step in and prevent you moving forward, and when it feels as if you are just not getting anywhere, the easy option is to just stop.

Yes, a growth mindset mentality, of which we continually promote, would try and look for the challenge, the alternative route, and find a different answer to enable success.  Maybe, though, we also need to prepare ourselves for the chance that things will never happen the way we want.

That is HMHB's biggest fear at the moment.  After such a length of time, is it going to happen? People ridiculed us for talking about preventive intervention, and now it is the talk of the town and people are bypassing us.  We are a small project, mentor/peer led, and are easy to push aside. And it is getting harder and harder to show people we are worth the risk and to give us money.

I think I probably have four months in which to get this off the ground properly. After that I cannot see a future for HMHB, which will be sad.

Friday 20th September 2019 - things to do before October

Posted 1:50pm

We are almost three weeks into September. It has flown by.
August was quiet due to people on holidays, and then we got the bad news on the lottery bid.
This month saw some hope on the lottery, but we need to put some things in place first.
Then it has seen illness (In am 53 and think I am falling apart!!) and frustration with other organisations that seem to take an age to reply or set up meetings.

All that can lead to feelings of "is this ever going to bloody happen?" This obviously has a knock on mental health and confidence.

But then I take a breath, re-focus, and sit down and renegotiate the to-do list.  And that is what I have been doing so I can make sure the urgent stuff is down by the end of this month.

We have our two upcoming interventions with Peabody Kensington and Chelsea, so Luke, Dean and I will be sitting down to discuss making them as fantastic and professional as possible. I already know a couple of new things I want to introduce - more fun around the body and health, but a terrific way to learn and remember.  We cannot wing these. The potential for future work with Peabody and others might rest on just how well we perform here.

This weekend I will finish off our Camden Giving Funding Application for 10 one day events between January 1st and March 31st 2020 in Camden.  Really hopeful that that can happen. Together with our completed and posted Islington Giving Funding Application for 8 one day events in Islington during the same period, that can be productive for us.

Next week I am desperately trying to establish a meeting with Haringey Giving for a further 10 day events in that Borough too. We can then take that information to the lottery to show we have the capacity to do multiple work in multiple boroughs and therefore lower the risk on our bid!!!

I have to get accounts print outs to our Accountant so that we can get last year's accounts printed and online with Companies House. Then we would have two years of accounts!! This is great for future funders.

I have to re-establish our links with Hackney - as I want to do some events with them in the new year too.  People may ask - why are you doing one day events?  Well, we know we have a great ongoing program, and if people want we can actually join up four of the one day events into a program. But we want to demonstrate we can make a difference in one day too. This can boost our opportunities with Corporate clients, and even Job Centres.

I think the last couple of months have been tough. This links to personal too. Illness, not losing the weight I was trying to do (although I have turned a corner and am back doing well). I have had more issues around my eyes, my knees, my hernia, my acid-reflux (I cannot use most medicines due to other pills I take). Others close to HMHB have also gone through situations - thinking of our wonderful friend Rosemary in Scotland, and my own colleague Luke (both have ended up in Accident and Emergency, but both will be totally fine - even if there are scars).

HMHB is the best work thing I have ever done in my life - but the fact we have already changed people's lives means I don't want this to stop. Please someone somewhere, make this happen for us!!

Thursday 19th September 2019 - illness, but we are still here

Posted 3:05pm

Greatest apologies as no entries for a while. Down to illness to our Lazza (me). End of summer cold knocked him for six.

I am currently nicely dosed on cold capsules, cough mixture and anything else I can get my hands on. However, a silver lining, I have found the way to lose weight!! Lol. Now if I could only stay ill for another two-three weeks. (No!!!!).

I am back on the laptop though (where I am typing this) as there is so much to do.

We have two dates lined up in Kensington and Chelsea that are so so so important that we get right. There is a great deal we can achieve from this.

I completed an Islington funding application, and finishing off one for Camden, and have chased Haringey on a further. Waiting to meet with Peabody too.

It's already the 19th Sept - just three months till xmas - and this year cannot finish without major progress.

Finally, today was our walk 148 in Clissold Park (joined by wildlife - pic at top) - I am planning something exciting for our 150 in 2 weeks, and hopefully even bigger for our third birthday.

Thursday 12th September 2019 - Walk is fabulous

Posted 3:30pm

I even enlarged the photo as I was so happy with our weekly walk this morning.

We were joined by Single Homeless Project - Julia and two of her service users - as we had a terrific walk around Clissold Park. I was especially proud of Phylis, Manal and Joan, all of whom had to use sticks to get around. I know they were in a little pain, and it can be a struggle - so to see them navigate the whole hour (with three rests on benches) was truly remarkable.

Our PT Dean took the picture using his selfie stick - and it was great having him along as he normally works on Thursdays so cannot make it. And in the background, in the red cap, we welcomed Ollie, Luke's brother. He has come along several times before.

A mixed group of ages and abilities, brought together for wonderful laughter, chat and an outdoors healthy group walk. It is exactly what I hoped for three years ago. I am so so lucky to have had this opportunity.

Without funding it will finish. Please someone who reads this, who may be able to find a company or individual who can sponsor us, get in touch.

Yay!!!!

Wednesday 11th September 2019 - It's ok to struggle, but it's how you react.

Posted 3:15pm

It's okay to ask for help

It's okay to start anew

It's okay to take a break

It's ok to take a pew

It's okay to think "why am I doing this?"

But it's how we then react

We all experience times of frustration - and anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows just how much HMHB has gone through in the last few years.  Amazing ups and downs, reliant on other people recognising our potential and giving us opportunities.

On our programs, the feedback comments focus on how well the three of us have done in overcoming some pretty awful situations between us, and people see our confidence and passion. And we find that inspires them to push on.

What they do not see is that we are just as vulnerable and fragile as anyone else. It is just we have developed tools that help us to overcome the pressure and stress that continually strikes at us. And it is not easy - which is where the struggle ensues. And obviously, on occasions, it can be really hard.

Lazza, Luke and Dean - although the Healthy Minds, Healthy Bods team - all have separate lives with conflicting situations that can feel overwhelming at times. We try and use our experiences to improve the program, build connections and allow us to provide the best possible intervention.

The reason I put all this follows a tough August, and this brought on feelings of despair and a worry that we are doing all this for nothing. Spending hours and hours establishing ourselves, but without funding - proper funding - it is uphill all the way.

But the best thing is to just say to yourself - it's okay. It really is. Keep going. Nothing happens without effort and belief. Even when it feels as if the whole world is working against you.

I like this quote:

Your goal in life is to find out the people who need you the most, to find out the business that needs you the most, to find the project and the art that needs you the most. There is something out there just for you

Friday 6th September 2019 - Lazza steps up to Better fitness

Posted 2:00pm

Healthy Minds, Healthy Bods is very proud of our Lazza today.

As part of their weight management program in Islington/Camden, Better Gyms run various fitness sessions during the week it is free to attend.  One of these if a walk/exercise session on Highbury Fields on a Friday morning - 10:30am ro 11:30am.  They walk from outside the Highbury Leisure Centre to the football area at the top of the Fields and have an exercise session. It is normally managed by Simon, one of the gym trainers - and he is fantastic can we add.

Lazza recently joined HMHB onto this session as many people who attend it are not actually on the program, and therefore would not be covered by the centre's insurance. But HMHB is very happy to sit back and let the centre do all the work. In fact, HMHB really use it for personal fitness.

However, this morning, with the group waiting outside - normally consisting of the older generation - at 10:30 a lady came out and said the session would not happen today as Simon was ill and they could not get a replacement. It looked as if most were going to go home. Up stepped our Lazza.

He volunteered to run the session, and we explained about our gym sessions in the week. It has to be said people were very reluctant to actually do it. They like Simon - which is understandable. They did not know Lazza really.  No-one went home - but people had to be persuaded.

It could not have gone better. A mixture of using various exercises Simon does in the class, as well as introducing a few easy movements of our own, together with using humour and laughter (mainly taking the mickey out of himself) Lazza had them enthusiastic at the end. HMHB is very very proud of Lazza.

If only funders could see that, maybe we would get money!!!!

Thursday 5th September 2019 - Islington Funding Application

Posted 3:45pm

We have just completed and sent off a funding application to Cripplegate on Islington's Community Chest Funding.  So everything is crossed.

We have applied for £4000 to organise and deliver eight one day Ajani events in Islington from January 2020 to March 2020.

Looking to partner with Single Homeless Project for three of them, and the DWP for five of them, we want to do the following:

January:  SHP, DWP (Finsbury Park)
February:  SHP (DWP Finsbury Park), DWP (Barnsbury)
March:  SHP (DWP Finsbury Park), DWP (Barnsbury)

This would involve for SHP a morning event including lunch - focusing closely on Mind-set, Health and Exercise to improve confidence and energy levels, and look to build awareness of changing a lifestyle.
For the DWP it would be a day event including lunch, focusing on Confidence and providing tools to enable people to avoid falling into an unhealthy lifestyle.. It would also provide opportunities to maintain fitness and exercise with our weekly gym sessions over the three months.

I am really excited to be asking for this money. We have proven great feedback for our program over 4-7 sessions and this can help bolster our credibility.

I am completing other applications at the moment too, and will let people know as I go along

Wednesday 4th September 2019 - Lottery call and update

Posted 12:15pm

As people are aware from recent postings, our lottery proposal was rejected. They were not sure we had the capacity to deliver on the proposal, and the risk factor for an amount covering three salaries was high - so we were told.  I hasten to say at this point that there was no animosity on our behalf on the decision, which was naturally frustrating.

I had spoken with various people attached to HMHB, as well as prospective partners, and the overall response was still positive. What we wanted to do was go back to the lottery and ask what we would have to do to negate those risks, and enable them to have another look at our proposal.

With that in mind, I then contacted our local representative, and this morning we had a good telephone conversation. It went pretty well, and I think the fact we were trying to work with the lottery people and see how we could adjust the proposal went down well. "It is nice to speak to someone who is so reasonable" I was told.

We are going to reduce the amount we are requesting. Lazza needs a full time salary, but we will look for session costs for our Personal Trainer Dean, and need to look elsewhere to pay for Luke.  We would also look carefully at overheads.

We have been told that the proposal itself was good. That we are peer led and looking to help those impoverished, and that we tick a lot of the boxes that the lottery communities fund wishes to actually fund.  Not only that, we have clearly garnered good support from multiple agencies and boroughs, and that was a great sign.

To adjust the proposal we need to really include the following:

• would be good to be able to say the lottery were not our only funder. If we can get even standard amounts from other agencies like CCGs, Public Health, charities, etc. that can boost our proposal.
• explain in more detail how we would gather evidence and publish it - both with partners and our own
• reduce the amount so it does not feel like such a risk
• demonstrate more how it can become sustainable

Yes, even more work to get on with, I am really hoping the Job Centre will continue to allow me to work on this. It is what I want to do for the rest of my life as a career.

Let's hope some funding can come soon.

Monday 2nd September 2019 - New month, new focus, new hopes

Posted 11:30am

August really was a tough month. For many reasons. But September has arrived and there is no time to sit back and be a victim of circumstances - we need to push on and make our own future.

Getting turned down by the lottery was a blow,  but not the end. But if we do not manage to find some bigger funding soon there will be no HMHB. And that would be terrible considering all the effort and time we have put in.

Anyway, let's focus on how we can continue.

Funding applications are being done - and I will add that to a different blog entry later this week to update on all of them.

I will try and arrange as many meetings as possible to see exactly where we stand with partners. I will also push for program opportunities too - with the run up to 2020 we have decided to deliver as many one day or half day interventions. We can show our multi-session programs work, so now let us demonstrate we can make a difference in thought process in just one day.

This month is crucial - especially with the DWP - I am very nervous about being told I need to give up on HMHB and get a paid salaried job - which would stop me working on HMHB. I love what I am doing very much. I am hopeful that can be avoided.
If so, I have four months to show we are worth the money and investment.

I was very lax on social media in August - maybe that was also down to personal mental health issues around funding - the stress is astonishing.  I also fell back on my own weight loss goals - in fact my weight increased. So I have bought a food/exercise diary (the cover is the main picture) and will complete that.

I also did mental health first aid training through Mind in Haringey, which was educational, intense, and worthwhile. I am convinced I have Binge Eating Disorder - which I realise is a self diagnosis - but i ticked every box on this. I think this helps me as I move forward.

All we want is the chance to work with service users and make a difference.  Here is hoping!!!