News

 

Quick links:

October events

Click here for a listing of events for October (PDF)

 

Hallowe'en Party

Hallowe'en party flyer (PDF)

Hallowe'en party details (PDF)

 

Back to top

Drop-In update

In May, as promised, Drop-In moved from the old premises to new facilities which are far more suitable for us. We have an outdoor area for fresh air and a dedicated children's play room. Most regular visitors plus invited guests attended the opening day. A buffet was provided to save us cooking and enable us to join in the festivities!

 

Speeches were made thanking everyone that has helped to get Tagadere to where it is today. A presentation was made to Joy Rushton in thanks for all of her work and support through some very difficult times, without which there would have been no Drop-In to move. Among the invited guests were representatives from Nottingham CVS, City Councillor Commissioner, Notts. Self Help, Faith in People (Leicester), Derby Positive Support and the team from Terrence Higgins Trust.

 

The Drop-In continues to go from strength to strength. More volunteers are needed to help in various tasks running the Wednesday meetings: setting up the chairs and tables, cooking, kitchen duties, tidying away etc. to enable Drop-In to be a comfortable place for people to visit and chat over a meal, discuss problems, access the Care Team, MST for housing support and also the Hardship Fund.

 

There are already some welcome changes to Drop-In. There is a register (held by Morgan) for people to request to see Sue, the clinical nurse specialist. This will help to prove the need for her to be in attendance and also allow her management to claim for her client support done away from the hospital campus.

 

The Craft workshops resumed in August and are to be held on the second Wednesday of each month. THT are arranging a programme of talks which will be held regularly. If you have any suggestions of subjects please speak to Mick at the THT offices in Barker Gate.

 

The Working Party has been busy organising excursions. The fIrst one was a gentle cruise along the Ashby canal in August. The weather was fine and we had a full turn out. Everyone on board thoroughly enjoyed this relaxing Summer day. The next day out is planned for a visit to Crich Tramway Village in Derbyshire. Days out are to be planned for the penultimate Thursday in the month. If you have any suggestions, please speak to the Working Party.

 

We now have had the laptop with internet access at Drop-In for over a year. It has proved a runaway success and we will be adding printing facilities soon. The much-discussed Code of Conduct is in place which will make the Drop-In a safer and more inclusive place to be. The Working Party will be discussing complaints procedures which go with the Code of Conduct. If someone is behaving badly, please don't wait for one of the Working Party or Care Team to step in, say something. Remember that good behaviour is everyone's responsibility and we need to pull together to maintain its success.

 

We have noticed that some clients who visit Drop-In to see service providers (Social Worker, Housing Advisor, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Dietician or the Tagadere Working Party) are arriving at lunchtime which makes it difficult to provide a good service. If you wish to speak to any of the service providers available, please try to arrive outside the lunchtime slot of 12.30 - 1.30 as it will make things easier for everyone. Even the service providers have to eat!

 

Back to top

Group update

On the 23rd March the group working party held a meeting at Self Help Nottingham. The purpose of the meeting was so the CEO of Self Help could outline plans for support of the group during the period of 2008-9 & 2009-10. We also discussed the working day out to Derby Positive Support, plans for the move to a new Drop-In, criminal records board checks and governance training. There was also a meeting arranged with THT on 27th March to discuss the way the two agencies would work together, the meeting is to be attended by the group working party and Mike Mason of THT.

 

On the 7th of April the group held a special general meeting at Self Help Nottingham. It was attended by six people. The meeting was called for the purpose of adopting a revised constitution, the Election of new officers and the adoption of Equal opportunities policy and Vulnerable Adults policies and procedures. From that date John becomes the Chair, Simon the secretary and Morgan the treasurer. In future the minutes of all meetings will be posted on this website.

 

Back to top

Charitable Status

On the same day we moved to the new Drop-In, I arrived home to find a letter on the mat from the charity commissioners saying our application to become a charity had been approved. So the 6th of May should be remembered for a momentous day.

 

Back to top

Working Group

On the 30th May the working group met at Derby Positive Support for a working day lead very kindly by John Moore. We discussed the groups future and how to consolidate the capacity building work that has already been done, how to carry on building for the future and how we would fund that work. It was a long hard day, everyone came away with a clearer idea of where we go from here, and of course we had the wonderful Susan from self help guiding us.

 

Back to top

Working with Self Help Nottingham

Over the past few months we have been working with Self Help Nottingham on a capacity building exercise. This work continues unabated.

 

This has included:

  • The updating of all the group policies in line with any up-to-date changes in legislation, guided by Nottinghamshire C.V.S.
  • Under the guidance of CVS Nottingham we gained charitable status on 6/5/09
  • Identifying the skills we need to move forward
  • Working on group governance
  • Visiting other similar groups working in the East Midlands area to see how they work and how they built their organisations up. Many thanks for invaluable support and time given by - Derby Positive Support, Shield (Sheffield), Faith in people with HIV (Leicestershire)
  • Learning more about funding and how to use it effectively
  • The website as you see is up and running
  • Public liability insurance has been acquired

Thanks to funding from the A.S.G. through Nottingham City Council we have acquired a lap-top with Internet access for use at the HIV Drop-In. We've now had the lap-top for a year, very good use has been made of having internet access at the Drop-In.

 

Back to top

Terence Higgins Trust

THT have moved into their new premises on Barker Gate, which now boasts a comfortable lounge area, well equipped office space, clinic/counselling room, well appointed loos (disabled access) and a kitchen area. There are steps to access the front of the building, and ramp access around the rear. Various new services are being launched from the new premises, including womens group, complimentary therapies (see calendar). Yvette has joined THT as Children and Families Worker. Speak to Mick about the many other services being provided by THT.

 

The address is THT Nottingham 23 Barker Gate tel 0115 8820121. For those who don't know the city too well, it's on the edge of the Lace Market at the back of the Trent FM arena.

 

Back to top

Commissioning (Nottingham City)

Kate Whitaker has retired from her position as HIV commissioner for the City Council and is moving to a job with the County Council. Best of luck to Kate in her new job, and many thanks for all her hard work over the last few years, supporting Tagadere, HIV services and her attendance on the user/carer group. Kate is yet to be replaced.

 

Back to top

Walking for Life

The Hardship Fund held their 10th annual Walking For Life ramble on Saturday 22nd August. Over a dozen walkers and their dogs went along to ramble around Attenborough Nature Reserve, clocking in a grand distance of four miles. The walkers were blessed with extremely good weather and rested for a lovely picnic lunch mid-walk. The general consensus was that this year’s event was a great success. As well as a pleasant day out, monies were raised for The Hardship Fund, but the main point was that everyone had a great day. Many thanks to Armorel for her hard work in organising and promoting the event.

 

Walking for Life flyer (PDF)

 

Back to top

Swine Flu Information (H1N1 Virus)

WHO WILL GET INFECTED

  • In past flu pandemics some individuals in the community escape infection entirely, some get infected and do not develop any symptoms and some do get symptoms
  • For the UK as a whole the Chief Medical Officer has suggested that up to 30% of the population will get symptoms, another 30% will be infected but not have symptoms and the remaining percentage not get infected at all.
  • Pandemics come in waves, if you didn't get infected in the last flu wave it doesn't mean you won't get hit by this one.

HOW SEVERE WILL SYMPTOMS BE?

  • Again there is a range.
  • Some HIV patients will have very few symptoms and some potentially could become quite unwell, just as with the general population.
  • Those with a low CD4 count are potentially more vulnerable.
  • Infection of the nose and throat with high fever (38.9 - 40.0C) usually lasting for three to four days. Headaches, chills and a dry cough are also common as are general muscle aches and pains. All these symptoms tend to be severe.
  • A bigger concern with HIV patients, especially those with low CD4, is with influenza infection getting down into the chest and causing a direct viral pneumonia or secondary bacterial infection. With these, shortness of breath develops and also a deeper cough with phlegm from deep down, rather than from the throat.

WILL TAMIFLU HELP?

  • There are actually two drugs used to combat flu. One is Tamiflu given as a tablet, the other is Relenza given as an inhaler. The second is used for pregnant women or people with kidney failure.
  • These drugs do not kill the virus like an antibiotic, they limit the spread of the virus from cell to cell in the lining of the nose and throat.
  • If someone is already getting better there is little point in starting Tamiflu.
  • If someone has a very mild illness you are more likely to get side-effects from Tamiflu than any benefits (nausea and vomiting can occur).
  • Those who really benefit from Tamiflu are those who have a definite fever or feverish symptom and commence treatment within 48 hours of symptoms.

HOW DO I GET HOLD OF TAMIFLU IF I NEED IT?

  • Tamiflu is not available at City Hospital as the campus has only supplies for inpatients
  • Therefore it is not available from any outpatient clinic. You must either:
  • Ring the National Flu Line on 0800 1513 100
  • For the hard of hearing or those with a speech impediment ring 0800 1513 200
  • Go online and follow the link to the Dept. of Health: www.direct.gov.uk
  • If you are unsure about using any of the above or do not want to reveal your status (a must if you are going to get the correct treatment) contact your GP, get advice from G.U.M. or I.D. clinics, or speak to someone at Tagadere.
  • You have to give an accurate account of your symptoms.
  • The threshold for treatment will be different if you are HIV positive and being open about this is important.
  • You should not go to collect the Tamiflu from your local collection point yourself, but get a friend to do it for you.

WILL TAMIFlU OR RELENZA INTERFERE WITH MY HIV MEDICATION?

  • The information we have to date says that it will not interfere with a full range of HIV drugs.
  • There is always the concern that if Tamiflu causes vomiting it may interrupt the intake of your HIV combination.

SHOULD I BE VACCINATED?

  • The ordinary flu vaccine does not protect against Swine Flu.
  • As it is probable that ordinary flu will rear its ugly head again this Winter those eligible (this includes HIV patients) should request the ordinary flu vaccine this year.
  • There is no vaccine for Swine Flu as yet. When it becomes available HIV patients will be eligible.
  • It is also worth checking that if your CD4 is over 200 get your pneumoccal vaccine up to date, this will help protect against a bacterial infection which might settle on the chest.

SHOULD I WEAR A FACEMASK?

  • For those who are well, when mixing with other people who are well, there is no need to wear a facemask. Life must go on as normal.
  • If someone has symptoms they should stay at home, rather than go out wearing a facemask.

SHOULD I KEEP MY CLINIC APPOINTMENT IF I AM UNWELL?

  • It is essential that you do not come into clinic and cough and sneeze over others. This goes for attending the Drop-In or any other gathering.
  • Instead phone to change your appointment If you need specialist advice phone up and discuss matters on the phone.
  • If staff deem it necessary for you to come to hospital for assessment you will be asked to wear a facemask in the presence of others and may have to sit separately in a side room.

MANY THANKS TO DR P. VENKATESAN FOR THE ABOVE ADVICE ON SWINE FLU.

 

Back to top

Tagadere Women’s Group

October 2009 – we are currently in the stages of organising a Tagadere Women’s Group. The Working Party have had numerous requests and suggestions from a few of our female Drop-In visitors and we glad to be progressing with the ideas which will offer a safe, women-only meeting group.

 

Back to top

MST heating advice session

Nicola, Jean and Jon, the team from Metropolitan Support Trust held a very informative group talk on reducing fuel bills, provided energy saving advice and gave tips on keeping warm on 7th October. The meeting was well attended and we hope to be repeating this session in the future.

 

Staying warm on a budget (PDF)

 

Back to top