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Recent Events / News Congratulations to COS Football !
Through its innovative work in forging a relationship with Millwall Football Club and working to reduce social exclusion, the group was also awarded overall winner on the day. Linkworker Gerald Robinson says "I am extremely pleased for everybody involved in the group". Any enquiries about the group can be forwarded to Alison Cox at COS North (020 8694 6519) Stop Smoking Sessions at COS North For anyone involved in the COS service who is thinking about giving up smoking, there is help at hand at COS North. Arnie Andrews and Beverley Smith have recently gained a Level 2 Stop Smoking qualification from Lewisham Primary Care Trust and are now running information, advice and support sessions for service users wanting to quit the habit. They can discuss a range of issues connected to giving up smoking such as benefits of giving up, useful preparation tips, and nicotine replacement options. For more information, please contact Arnie or Beverley on 020 8694 6519 Congratulations to Keith Ginn, a Member of Staff with COS.
Before this, Keith was involved with the International Voluntary Service, decorating for elderly people and supporting clubs for people with disabilities. He was also a member of the Voluntary Emergency Service - a group of motor cyclists on call to deliver blood and drugs etc., to hospitals. Keith says "I consider the award to be for all the volunteers who have offered their support over the years" ~ Well done Keith - you deserve it! ~
The group are now involved in creating a garden, which they intend to call "The Meadow", for the pleasure of the local community.
The group started two years ago with only two service users working on the site, it has since grown, with approximately ten individuals now regularly taking part.
Well done to all involved See also: Gardening Projects
Congratulations to the Time Out Project (See Time Out Page)
Time out is a service user led volunteer project which provides an extra line of support to mental health service users enabling them to attend social activities, community opportunities and appointments.
Time out recruits and trains service user volunteers who support individuals from their homes to get out and access the community.
You can download the latest edition HERE This is in PDF format and will open in a new window.
Editorial team: Frances Smyth, Victoria Shaw & Peter Robinson.
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In the recent South London & Maudsley NHS Trust Clinical Governance Awards, the COS football group was voted joint winner of the "involving service users and carers" category. The group aims to empower and enable users to positively influence their mental and physical health through playing football, as well as providing opportunities for developing new friendships and other life skills such as teamworking and timekeeping. The group employs a service user link worker to co-facilitate the sessions who acts as a postive role model and motivator.
Keith was recently awarded an MBE in recognition of the many years of work which he has done in his own time for mental health in a voluntary capacity with 'Bridge 86' in Greenwich. He was one of the founder volunteers in 1981 when it was called Abba Care, using the premises of Mind. In 1986 it was renamed Bridge 86.
