Our Winter 2021 Newsletter

Our new Winter 2021 Newsletter is now available to read. In this issue our Patron, Joan Walley, talks about how we all relate to music and lyrics and how it can bring hope for the future. 2022 brings about the 50th Anniversary of the Beth Johnson Foundation, of which we are very proud and we will have news of how we will be celebrating that milestone very soon! Please have a read of the newsletter, it shows how our projects are working and the wonderful volunteers we have.  ... Read more

Volunteering

Volunteers make a huge difference to our work.  They help us connect with different parts of our community, they help increase the capacity of our services and they make it possible for us to do so much more! If you’d like to give something back to your community, we would love to hear from you. You can learn new skills and enhance existing ones. We will aim to give you a rewarding volunteering experience with ongoing training and help from a supportive team. We want volunteers from all parts of our diverse community, and we would particularly welcome the support of volunteers from ethnic minorities that are currently under represented within our team. Our services drive towards improving later life for the older members of our community but our volunteers can be adults of any age. This page tells you all about our current volunteering opportunities. If you would like to find out more or just have a general chat about volunteering with us, please email volunteering@bjf.org.uk or call 07770 016978 ... Read more

Christmas Wishes from all at BJF

As Christmas is just around the corner, we just wanted to give thanks for everything that we have achieved this year. 2021 has been a challenging year, where each and every one of us have struggled with the losses associated with the enduring pandemic. Whether we said goodbye to old friends, made new, good friends, confronted new fears, or achieved things we never thought possible, this well illustrates the strength of the human spirit and the resilience that rests within us all. On behalf of our clients, staff, volunteers, trustees and friends, we wish you all a very merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year. A new year full of hope, love, laughter, companionship and good expectations. ... Read more

Learning to live with, and without, dementia: Two personal perspectives

Receiving the news of any life threatening or potentially life limiting condition is likely to impact hugely on individuals, family and friends. A diagnosis of cancer, heart disease, or other serious ill health such as dementia, can be devastating and life changing. This paper catalogues the journeys of two people diagnosed with dementia and explores the impact and uncertainty of two people diagnosed with dementia, only to be informed several years later that they did not have dementia at all. A truly roller coaster ride of emotions indeed. Written by BJF staff, with a conclusion from Ted Bowman, Trainer, Writer, and Educator, ... Read more

Vacancy - Volunteer Development Co-ordinator

The Beth Johnson Foundation is recruiting to its dynamic Team of staff, offering a 36 hours post commencing January 10th - June 20th, 2022. We do expect this post to continue after this date, subject to funding. ... Read more

Good to meet you!

BJF welcomed Councillor's Abi Brown and Ally Simcock from Stoke on Trent City Council this week for a meeting to talk about any plans for the future in the city for services for older people. We discussed our projects; Bereavement Friendship Groups, Carers Support, Dementia Advocacy, Healthy Generations, Social Prescribing and PIER (Haywood Hospital Patient Information Education Resource Centre) to give them an overview of what we do. The discussions were productive and we are grateful for some suggestions we were given. We look forward to more contact in the future. ... Read more

Funders welcomed to Parkfield House

Three RJS Foundation members from RJS Solicitors visited the Beth Johnson Foundation for the first time on the 19th October to talk with members of the Team. RJS have kindly donated a sum of money to help us to update our large meeting room to ensure it is more accessible for older people with sensory, physical and/or cognitive impairments.  The grant has enabled us to purchase a hearing loop and (following consultation with our clients) to update and pilot our internal signage with appropriate use of colour and incorporating images to ensure clearer messaging. Internal doors have been painted in bolder, contrasting colours to ensure that people with visual impairments can distinguish them better.  ... Read more

My Life, My Goals

Two members of our Dementia Advocacy Peer support group have been working with Innovations in Dementia to produce a booklet with information about cognitive rehabilitation. My Life, My Goals was created by and for people with dementia. The guide is full of ideas to help people living with dementia think about their goals with help, step-by-step, to achieve them. Congratulations to our members Dave and Sue alongside the other participants in creating such a valuable resource. The guide can be found on Dementia Advocacy page HERE ... Read more

Daps and Dandies

The Dementia Advocacy Peer Support Group (DAPS) are all living with a diagnosis of dementia - this group is facilitated by advocacy staff at the Beth Johnson Foundation. Dandelion CiC aims to create welcoming spaces for local younger (18+) people to share knowledge, exercise their creativity and build a community together. Hence, Daps and Dandies!  We worked together to design a project that could showcase local knowledge and experience and show that even though we may not meet or speak as we share these spaces, we who live in the six towns have many things in common. After having a virtual afternoon tea together the groups set out with a disposable camera and postcards to take photos of important things and places to them. What was created was the following beautiful photos around Stoke-on-Trent: www.dandelioncic.org ... Read more

A New Guide: Bereavement in the time of Covid-19

A new guide for voluntary organisations who are supporting people who have been bereaved during COVID-19 has been launched by the Campaign to End Loneliness. ‘Bereavement in the time of Covid-19’ includes a range of practical suggestions helping people through their bereavement journey during a pandemic. The report includes a piece about the BJF Bereavement Friendship Groups, highlighting the support being offered by staff and volunteers on this project. Here is the full report:  Bereavement in the time of Covid-19 ... Read more

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