Monday 17th December 2018 - Why is maintaining so difficult?? Motivation?

This is me - or how i feel. But why?

Posted 2:00pm

I read a very interesting online statement, written by a fantastic guy in the US who we follow. A lot of it is based around fitness, but in reality it can also be a take on life in general.  It was about why we keep failing on our targets; why it is so hard to keep going.

It's a fascinating, and thought provoking, question - and one I have been struggling with myself of late. Ironically, I was talking to one of my friends about it just before I saw the online status. Maybe it is fate!!!!

We all know what is healthy. Better nutrition, more exercise, a confident routine, a growth mind-set. But we can struggle with these. And why is that?

HMHB believes the biggest hurdle is ourselves. Our confidence. Our belief that we can succeed. We appear to trust that everything will go wrong anyway. We will fail. So why put the effort in?

And maybe here is why. Because we live in a world where we are all in a rush. We expect instant communication and results. We are no longer used to being patient, waiting for things to improve gradually, and allow ourselves the comfort of things not always going to plan.

So how do we get around this?

The best way is to set small goals. Be realistic and achievable. A small win can lift confidence. By following that with another and another, and not allowing the odd failure to overwhelm us, we can build and build until winning is the routine.

With our HMHB project, certainly over the last few months, we have hit many obstacles. Naturally, funding is the biggest, but also the opportunity to work with service users, and demonstrate our strengths, is included. This can lead to frustration, disappointment and weariness. I know I can work harder, and we can accomplish some terrific outcomes and succeed, but we also need to know that we can realistically be given that chance. Knowing people trust us is vital.

The same goes with my personal life. I am wanting to lose weight - probably 45lbs. I can do it - I have in the past. But I struggle because part of me thinks I will just fail again and put it on. Silly I know. I look at myself in photos and hate it. So why don't I make the necessary and obvious changes? Only I can do it.

So what is the overall answer for this subject and for us. Using HMHB and myself as an example;

One - Give 100% effort. Push hard. Do all that is possible. If things do not work, then at least we can know we gave everything for it to happen.

Two - Set weekly targets - realistic, but also ones that mean we have to focus and put the time in.

Three - Be accountable to others - so everyone knows what we are doing

Four - Believe - probably the most important - as with that comes energy, determination and fight. We know where we want to be. So let's push.

That is great advice for all - regardless of the target or goal. Push hard. It wont happen if you don't put the time and effort in.

Thursday 13th December 2018 - Better Blogging after months of struggle

Posted 3:55pm

I was surprised to find that we have made more blog entries this month (which is just thirteen days old) than we did in the last four months combined.

An online presence is crucial to growing our project and brand. Even so, I am struggling to work out just why we have been so lax.

Then it came to me - we preach so much about the Growth Mindset, the challenge of dealing with frustrating and difficult situations, but have then allowed the overwhelming problems of finance and business set up to affect our own behaviour.

The last few months have been troublesome to say the least. Cancelled programmes, companies taking ages to communicate, and preparation of paperwork has all added to a delay in the project. Added to that, we have had personal illness (Lazza having surgery), and personal finance problems with the benefit people mucking up UC payments - all of which affect mental health.. Ironic, considering HMHB values and outcomes.

But again, it is being proactive that is getting things done. A new focus and resolve to overcome these problems, with action and positivity. Hence, the desire to make daily blog entries, and the plans being formed for a further increase in social media interaction, and we will be contacting corporate re hopeful sponsorship.

Thursday 13th December 2018 - Thoughts on Exercise on Referral partnership

Posted 3:45pm

When Lazza had a crippling depression around twelve years ago, one of the major factors in his recovery was using the Exercise on Referral (EOR) Scheme in Islington, which at that time was run through Aquaterra, using Islington gyms. especially the Sobell Centre.

It actually helped the original concept of HMHB - but we wanted to try and help people before they got so ill they needed medical referral, on which Exercise On Referral is based. A doctor can refer his patient onto the scheme - but that can take four to eight weeks of waiting.

While we were talking to the Council recently about expanding our Izzwalkz initiative from one walk to five, they mentioned that there were weekly walks on the EOR scheme. This was the first I knew of this, and in fact there is nothing online re this part of the project.

We managed to get a contact. Finally, after eleven weeks of effort we are meeting a representative from the EOR scheme next week.

We would like to see if we can team up on the walks - which can only benefit more and more residents. Also we would like to promote out weekly Saturday Gym session to all EOR service users. It is the sort of collaboration that can get us more noticed.

Wednesday 12th December 2018 - Icope contact and possibilities

Posted 3:45pm

Icope were the first service Lazza used several years ago to help him revover from his mental health issues, and are therefore part of the HMHB journey.  They were the first port of call, referred through his Doctor. They assess your situation and then determine the best help possible for you using local amenities.

Therefore, they are a group we have been trying to partner along, especially with our active groups.

This afternoon, Lazza met with a member of the South Islingto team, Shona, who has a mandate about getting people more physically active. We spoke about our walk, as well as the Saturday fitness session at the Sobell, and they have agreed to promote these within their service, and hopefully we can get some new members.  I will be sending them a couple of promotional posters they can print off.

We also talked about the Ajani programme and how we can do some future sessions that could benefit people in Islington.  All positive.

Wednesday 12th December 2018 - Walking in Islington news shocks HMHB

Posted 12:45pm

As many are aware, we launched our Izzwalkz project just over two years ago. In partnership with Highbury Grange Medical Centre, we started Izzwalkz CP (Clissold Park), and it was meant to be the first of several around Islington.

The benefits of group walking are numerous. Not only is there the exercise part (and we have introduced stretches, gentle exercise, boxercise, yoga poses, etc into our walks) - all these accesible to people of any age and ability, but there is the social inclusion. The walks are fully inclusive, full of chat and laughter (a lot at my expense. lol), and the feedback has been wonderfiul.

Islington Mayor (Una) with us on our 1st Izzwalkz birthday

November 2017

"It was my favourite event as Mayor" she told us this year.

We have been speaking to the council for around a year about how we can expand. I would like to be running at least five a week around the borough - but that comes with a cost. Insurance, First Aid, volunteer costs (it is important it is organised and managed with a walk leader), marketing, etc. But we were told on several occasions that there was Zero money available - zilch. And I understand re cuts etc., but surely this ticks all the boxes on mental health, loneliness, awareness of getting outdoors, etc.

You can therefore imagine my surprise to see Healthwatch Islington issuing a notice re an upcoming workshop being run by Islington Council for people to come forward  to be part of their Ground Force to lead walking tours in the North of Islington in the New Year. I am guessing these would be money raising walks - not healthy ones for residents - with volunteers doing it for nothing??? It isn;t clear.

So it appears, and I have asked for clarification of what is happening, that there is no budget to help with a healthy walk initiative for people living in Islington, but there has to be a budget for this other scheme. I am honestly shocked.

Islington Mayor (Dave) leads our 2nd Izzwalkz bi shocrthday

November 2018

I contacted Healthwatch Islington, who passed me the contact from the Council. I have emailed and rang with no response as yet. Further news on this to follow.

Tuesday 11th December 2018 - Update on GoFundMe

Posted 1:45pm

HMHB is definitely approaching a crossroads. After years of development, creating a terrific foundation, and approaching business set up with professionalism and vigour, like many things in life it now comes down to the money.

Salaries (2) need covering. General business expenses will come up. If we do not find funding in the next six months I fear all our good work will come to nothing.

I find it extraordinary that we can show we have a good product, producing excellent feedback, and therefore we should be able to access suitable funding, that public sector is almost impossible. Grants tend to not cover any salary, and even "core" funding can be frowned upon.

Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson tweeted our GoFundMe page, which was a fantastic thing for her to do. She has been wonderfully supportive. However, no retweets, and no money. How do some people generate their funds?  I will review the wording on the site later, but even so we have videos and feedback on there.

The site is:   www.gofundme.com/hmhb2016

We have tweeted it, facebooked it, and it is on out website. Yes, we are approaching corporate - and I am just waiting for clearance on the email message and proposal we will be sending out. But the whole system is frustrating for start ups like ourselves.

I still hope one day we can get commissioned locally. We are happy to sit down and chat with anyone re out outcomes, and outcomes they are demanding themselves. We can tailor our work to courses, day events, for corrective and preventive results.  We just need a chance - and I think it is becoming harder and harder to see when that will happen.

Monday 10th December 2018 - Peabody update

Posted 2:20pm

I have been in my flat for over nineteen years. Over that period, it has gone through the hands of various Housing Associations. I am now Peabody, after their merger with Family Mosaic recently.

Ironically, I approached FM several times around seven, six, and five years ago with my project. Each time I was told that it looked really good, but they would not have funding for it. Then, after the third time, they took my idea and tried to introduce it themselves. I was not happy.

However, we feel we have now grown the delivery and adapted the programme to such an extent it would be beneficial to tenants of all Housing Associations, so I re-approached Peabody around five weeks ago. Like most HA, they manage an Employability Course for tenants, and we feel we can enhance their work with our own programme. I do hope we will get a chance, especially as FM stole my idea. I know companies can be protective of their work, we are like that too. But networking and partnerships can bring even better outcomes.

Peabody is a huge HA, with thousands of tenants, and it is clearly in their best interests to have tenants with a positive mindset, good health and fitness, and awareness of a healthy lifestyle. I am sure they run projects on this, but our unique delivery, and incredible passion, might give us am opportunity to be involved.  We can wait and see.