Helen Deeson – Page 3 – Humankind

Author: Helen Deeson

Humankind-made Hep C film comes second in world competition

Helen Deeson

A short film made by Humankind workers in Forward Leeds has come second in an international competition organised by the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination.

“Don’t Live in Doubt” encourages people to get tested and treated for hepatitis C. It uses the testimonies of those who have been cleared of hepatitis C to emphasise how treatment has improved in Leeds and their lives changed.

Humankind Operations Director Lee Wilson said: “To be honoured in a global competition is fantastic. The film is a great way to get across to the public that treatment for hepatitis C now is much faster, simpler and with fewer side effects.

“We are finding our service users are going through to fully complete the treatment and there is now a 90% success rate of clearing hepatitis C. The film gets this over in a really powerful way and it’s great that has been recognised by the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination.”

Humankind Marketing staff came up with the concept for the film and interviewed people about their positive experiences of being treated. The audio clips were then edited with shots of famous Leeds landmarks.

The film was joint second in the category Political and Civil Support alongside films from Uganda, New Zealand and South Africa. The film was originally made as part of a larger campaign created in 2019 to encourage people to get tested for hepatitis C and was made with support from the Leeds City Council, the Hepatitis C Trust and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Councillor Rebecca Charlwood, Leeds City Council Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adults: “We are really proud to have been involved with this short film, which raises awareness of how easy it is to get tested and treated for hepatitis C, in Leeds.

“Prevention, testing and treatment of hepatitis C is an important part of the Leeds Drug and Alcohol Strategy, with the Don’t Live in Doubt campaign also contributing to the wider global effort to eliminate this virus.”

As well as online the film and on social media was shown regularly on the big screen in Millennium Square in Leeds city centre from December 2019 to March 2020.

The improved treatment for hepatitis C is delivered from a range of sites across the city including the three Forward Leeds hubs.

The Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination was launched in July 2019 by the Task Force for Global Health (TFGH). Modelled after other TFGH disease elimination programs, the CGHE provides services to assist the planning, implementation and evaluation of national and sub-national programs to eliminate hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission and disease.

To see more on Hepatitis C at the Forward Leeds site,click here.

To see the film on YouTube, click here.

dotty dinosaur cheering up residents during lockdown revealed as humankind doctor

Helen Deeson

A dotty dinosaur which has gathered a huge following in Bradford during the coronavirus lockdown has been revealed as a local doctor.

The man in the suit of street dancing Dorothy the dinosaur is Paul Bamber, who works as a medical doctor for our charity in its Forward Leeds drug and alcohol recovery service.

Dr Bamber has been swaying, skipping, skating and cycling around Idle and Thackley in North Bradford to bring a lockdown lift to local residents – especially the children.

He said: “It started out as a bit of fun on Easter Saturday after a friend suggested I wore my dinosaur outfit for my daily exercise. I started to notice children giggling in gardens and tapping on windows as I went past, so I would stop, wave and do silly things like a few dance moves.

“The most joyous part of being Dorothy has been interacting with the local children, playing peek-a-boo, doing silly dance and fitness moves and listening to their giggles. It has been an absolute delight to entertain them and the strength and love this has given me has really helped me cope with the challenges at work during this difficult time.

Dr Bamber added: “We are all experiencing disconnection from our friends and family so a welcome and surprising benefit of my daily dino dash is the increased connection I feel with my local community.”

Dr Bamber works as a Senior Clinician at Forward Leeds, the city’s alcohol and drug service, supporting people who have come for treatment for substance misuse issues.

Humankind Medical Director Dr Roya Vaziri said: “We’re all so proud of Paul. He is known for his community spirit. He has a real warmth and is really committed helping the people he works with and supporting his colleagues in Forward Leeds.”

Dorothy has developed a large online following with a Facebook group of over 1300 members who upload photos and videos of sightings of the “Thackley T rex” to the social media site.

The twirling t-rex dons a range of outfits to keep its fans guessing. On VE Day, the delightful dinosaur was bedecked in Union flag bunting as it visited social distancing street parties.

Meanwhile, big hearted Dr Bamber has also been helping out on the NHS 111 coronavirus helpline in the evenings.

In response to requests from the rhumbaing reptile’s many admirers, the good doctor has set up a JustGiving page for the homeless charity Crisis and would be thrilled for any contribution no matter how small.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thackleyt-rex

Dotty on Facebook
For more Dorothy see videos posted here on its public page.

Dorothy dancing in the streets to entertain people getting a takeaway coffee from Banjos near Shipley.

https://www.facebook.com/joannedean.rhodes/videos/3232360326988499/

Dorothy leads some children in an impromptu exercise class.
https://www.facebook.com/claire.dove1/videos/10158809479288623/

Dorothy rollerskating into a VE Day Social Distancing Street Party.

https://www.facebook.com/jennymush/videos/10158590416159187/

Dorothy entertains some children with her Hawaiian hula dancing.
https://www.facebook.com/janine.kelly.330/videos/10158162780794801/

Dorothy spotted cycling along the Leeds-Liverpool canal towpath.
https://www.facebook.com/1041379313/videos/10219161921132491/

Dorothy dressed up and dancing in her heels and feather boa. https://www.facebook.com/100001517053021/videos/3094694607257744/

Dorothy out on a damp night with her multi-coloured umbrella and wearing her wellies.
https://www.facebook.com/donna.reynolds.129357/videos/2983366478556341/

New Executive Director of London and South

Helen Deeson

We are pleased to announce that Manish Nanda will be joining Humankind as the Executive Director of London and the South in June.

Paul Townsley, Humankind CEO, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Manish to the expanding Humankind team. Manish will be bringing over 15 years experience in the health and social care sector, with an extensive background in criminal justice and substance misuse service design and delivery.

Manish is joining at a crucial time for Humankind, the sector and the communities that we support. It is important, now more than ever, that we are making the most of the ground breaking positive changes that the sector has made and harnessing our innovative work.”

Manish said; “I am excited to be joining Humankind and working with the teams across London and EDP in the South West. I am already inspired by the service user-led recruitment process that I was part of and looking forward to getting to know staff and service users over the coming months.

I have a passion for introducing digital innovations to enhance service user experience and enjoy coming up with creative solutions to problems. I am looking forward to working with teams across the organisation to develop our offer at this crucial time.”

A big welcome to EDP and new services in Staffordshire and NE Prisons

Helen Deeson

During these challenging times we are pleased to be able to bring some news of new ventures, with EDP joining us as a subsidiary and two new services starting in Staffordshire and the North East today.

EDP will be a subsidiary of Humankind retaining many of its own processes, systems and brand and will continue to work within the community and inside prisons to improve people’s wellbeing, social connections and employability in the South West.

Paul Townsley, Chief Executive of Humankind said: “Humankind and EDP have worked collaboratively for several years and recognised that we could have a greater impact for service users by bringing together our learning, development and resources.

Joining together is a natural alignment between two organisations which have very similar values and ways of working.”

Also, today, Humankind will begin a new drug and alcohol service, commissioned by Staffordshire County Council. Staffordshire Treatment and Recovery Service (STARS) includes harm reduction, care coordination, clinical interventions, recovery and aftercare.

The new service, commissioned for 5 years, will have bases across the county, including Stafford, Newcastle-Under-Lyme and Burton.

In the North East, from today, we will provide recovery support in seven prisons as part of the new Reconnected to Health service led by Spectrum Community Health CIC. The new integrated partnership, which also includes Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) will cover HMPs Durham, Frankland, Holme House, Low Newton, Northumberland, Kirklevington Grange and Deerbolt. It is commissioned by NHS England.

Paul Townsley,Chief Executive of Humankind, continued: “We are very pleased to be able to support thousands more people across the length of breadth of England from today, from the south coast, through Staffordshire and in the North East. Although these may be difficult times to begin new services, we are committed to extending our support and welcoming new staff and service users to Humankind.”

COVID-19: How we’ll continue to best support you

Helen Deeson

We are making provisions to ensure that people who use our services can continue to receive the best care and support possible during this worrying time.

The health of the people who use our services, our staff and volunteers remains our top priority. To help reduce the spread of the virus, we may need to reduce some of what we offer or carry out appointments remotely where we can. This may vary from service to service – your local team will let you know what that means for you.

We will do our very best to keep our essential services running. Please do not attend services in person if you feel unwell. If you are self-isolating, keep in contact with your service and let us know how we can best support you during this period. We are happy to arrange phone appointments for example.

We’ve pulled together some advice for those who attend our services and for those who use substances. Please take the time to read it, and if you have any questions do get in touch.

We’ll be updating our advice and information as the situation evolves, follow this on our website and social media.

If you need support and are not registered with a service, find your local Humankind service by searching on our homepage: https://humankindcharity.org.uk/ 

What do I do if I think I have COVID-19?

If you develop a new continuous cough or a high temperature, then you need to self-isolate for 7 days and not attend any service.

If you are well but are living with others who have developed symptoms, then you should stay at home from 14 days from the day the first person got symptoms. If you continue to feel unwell or get worse then contact NHS 111 (111.nhs.uk/covid-19).

Our services are on hand to support you during this period; make sure your service has up-to-date contact details.

Please visit the NHS website for more information.

How can I reduce the risk of getting COVID-19?

Wash hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water (or alcohol gel when unavailable). Avoid touching your face and sneeze/cough into your elbow or cover your mouth/nose with a tissue which must be put in the bin straight away. Regularly clean things like your phone that are frequently touched.

If you use drugs you could be more vulnerable, take extra steps to not share drugs or equipment and to keep equipment clean.

I’m worried about receiving my prescriptions.

Check with your service to see if there will be any changes to how you will receive your prescribed medication and check they have up to date contact details for you.

If you have to self-isolate, make sure you let your service know and keep in touch during this time.

If you are unable to pick up your prescription from the pharmacy, you can nominate someone to do this for you. Your service will help organise this for you.

We are working with pharmacies to do everything we can to make sure your prescriptions are not disrupted.

How do I look after my mental wellbeing?

During this worrying time, it is normal to feel concerned or anxious. Make sure you look after your mental wellbeing and health, keep in touch with your family and friends and, if you need to, limit how much you watch the news.

Find out more how you can look after your mental health on the Mind website – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/ .

If you need more urgent help, there are lots of free helplines that can provide support and guidance- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mental-health-helplines/.

Our services mark International Women’s Day

Helen Deeson

Vulnerable women supported by Humankind have met all this week to consider what equality means to them, in the run up to Sunday’s International Women’s Day.

Jenna Wing, of Humankind, said: “This year, the theme is #eachforequal. It’s about fighting bias, broadening perceptions and improving situations for women. It could be the year-round motto at our  Women’s Criminal Justice Service!”

The service holds meetings in church halls and community centres throughout North Yorkshire. Workers provide support to women who are involved in the criminal justice system, with the aim of helping them improve their lives and prevent any further offending.

Jenna said: “We’ve been asking the women who use our service for quotes that mean a lot to them and inspire them. We’ve been pinning these up around the groups and talking about them. It seems to have been really empowering.”

Worker Jess Tile added: “Women deserve our support. They need help not punishment. With a few simple interventions the women can lead happier and more stable lives, this is something everyone’s entitled to.”

The women also made a poster and cakes to celebrate the day.

Jess Tile, with cakes and with fellow worker Zoe Tomlinson.

Why working together is better than going it alone

Helen Deeson

Humankind has always worked in partnership to deliver exceptional services to local people. Our partnerships have allowed Humankind to provide great services across the North of England, including in the North East, North West and Yorkshire and Humberside. These include partnerships with NHS Trusts, charities small and large, community interest companies and service user led organisations. In recent years, we have grown our service profile and range by over twenty percent as a result.

In the last year we have moved from being a Northern charity to becoming a national charity, to have a greater impact and to support local delivery in the following ways:

  1. To work more collaboratively with other regional providers so that our services can continue to offer tailored approaches to the different areas in which we work.
  2. To have a stronger national voice and influence policy through a national presence, including across London.
  3. To continue to develop housing, work and skills, and a range of health and social care services that help vulnerable people to live independently.

Significant cuts in funding have jeopardised lots of charities ability to independently pursue their missions, and have risked their very survival. In addition, a procurement-led market has not encouraged partnerships and has placed a greater value on size and infrastructure rather than local integration and delivery. Of course, there are exceptions to this, and we are proud to have developed thriving partnerships across the areas we work.

We believe it’s critically important that we collaborate with our partners across the areas where we work and support each other in this period of unprecedented budget cuts and chaotic funding arrangements. We need to survive and thrive so that we can continue to fulfil our mission, and to preserve the knowledge, experience and connectivity we all have with the local communities we serve.

Sometimes, when we have worked closely with our partners, this can lead to an alignment of culture, values and mission, meaning that we can think about the possibility of merging. We know there are a lot of pressures on smaller organisations meaning it can be hard to pursue their mission independently, and coming together can help us to cater for local needs with the backing of a wider organisation. It is always important, when thinking through the benefits and costs of this approach for us to have the people we serve front and centre in our minds. One of our aims, is to protect and extend the services which our merger partners deliver, and I am proud that our recent relationships demonstrate this really strongly.

In April last year we merged with London-based Blenheim CDP, allowing both organisations to have a greater impact and advocate and influence on behalf of our beneficiaries on a national level. Over time, it will allow our charity to invest more in service development and delivery, and to learn from each other to improve our services. The Good Merger Index has identified the Blenheim CDP and Humankind merger as the second largest in 2018/19. The report recognised it as an example of a brave, strategic merger, where both organisations are in good shape but felt that coming together would better meet the needs of our beneficiaries.

We are delighted that EDP will be joining us in April 2020. This follows many years of working together and a strong alignment of values and purpose. In this merger, EDP will remain as a subsidiary so that Humankind can support its independence as a regional provider and expert in delivering services in the South West. Simultaneously, we will expand our impact and influence.

Anyone who has worked in partnership knows that it can be hard work and takes effort! It can bring together important skills, expertise and ways of working which complement one another too. We live in a diverse society, and it’s important to cater for different local needs using a blended approach; this could be working in partnership, sharing back office functions, or merging organisations. Tolerance, respect and honouring the history, culture and expertise of each other are some of the fundamentals of our approach, and have stood us in good stead over the last few years.

We very much look forward to the Humankind family developing further.

Paul Townsley, CEO