Direct Payments Support Service Newsletter

Issue 11 - Summer 2006 [on-line version]

Also available in large print, on tape or computer disc, on paper, or in other formats by request

Some Positive Thoughts from a Direct Payments user
DAD Summer Beach Party
Darlington Direct Payments Peer Support Group
Problems phoning the Support Service?
The Disability Equality Duty
Darlington Direct Payments User Involvement Forum
Darlington Direct Payments Local Implementation Group
Contact us

Your contributions for this newsletter

We have run several articles in this newsletter in the past, asking for contributions for the newsletter from Direct Payments users. We are delighted to have received the following lines and positive thoughts from Victoria Kingsley.

We would like to receive contributions from more Direct Payments users. Please, please, please send any articles, comments, poems, stories, pictures, jokes, cartoons, or anything else you would like to see in the newsletter, to Simon at the Support Service (phone 360524, email simon@darlingtondisability, or write to Pease House).

And many thanks to Victoria for her helpful comments, positive thinking and humorous contributions.

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A few words from a Direct Payments user:

I would like to thank Simon for this newsletter. It not only keeps us informed in the disability field, it also gives us a chance for our voices to be heard. So let us use it to share our experiences and grow together as a happy healthy part of community. Perhaps you may wonder about coming to one of the meetings that are on offer, I went to one for Direct Payments users. It was interesting to see how much input there is, how many people are there to support us, and it was a few hours out for me to. It also gave me the chance to make new friends, and taught me that there is support out there if we are willing to meet others halfway. Thanks again

Here are some more positive thoughts:-

Do you wake in the night and can't go back to sleep? I do too and often think how many others are wide awake also. From talking to friends and neighbours I have learned that even in the dead of night I am not alone. It seems as we get older we require less sleep, so tonight if you wake up, turn Radio Four on and listen in, have a book within easy reach and enjoy the peace and quiet of reading in bed.

What a luxury that would have been years ago!! Listening to the birds welcome the day is incredible, so if you're lucky enough to be awake at dawn, you get your own concert.

And finally, a short prayer:-

Dear Lord,

So far today, I've done all right

I have not gossiped, or lost my temper

I have not been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or overindulgent.

I'm very thankful for that,

but in a few minutes, God,

I'm getting out of bed, and from then on,

I am probably going to need a lot more help.

Amen.

--- Victoria Kingsley

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Summer Beach Party 2006

Thursday 3rd August from 7.30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Cleveland Bridge Social Club, Neasham Road, Darlington.

Adult - £5 --- Child - £1.50 + free beach ball. Disco, games, no swimwear

Tickets available at DAD office (next door to the Dolphin Centre) - or telephone 01325489999.

Please retain your ticket for entry.

Cleveland Bridge social club does NOT operate a non-smoking policy.

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A regular meeting of Direct Payments users

This is a fairly informal friendly meeting of people who use Direct Payments. The group is also involved in planning the bigger, more formal meetings of the User Involvement Forum.

Meetings are on the second Tuesday of each month (but NOT this July - the next meeting is not till August), from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m., at Dimensions Disability Initiative, West Lodge, West Crescent, Darlington. The next 3 meetings will be on:-

Tuesday 8th August 2006
Tuesday 12th September 2006
Tuesday 10th October 2006

Please contact Linda Scott (the Peer Support Group facilitator) for more information, phone 401151 or email l.e.scott@ntlworld.com

Bad joke of the day:

Q: What do you call a woman stood on a loaf of bread?

A: Marge

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How hard is it to phone us?

People have sometimes told us they are having problems getting through to the Direct Payments Support Service on the phone. We have now improved our reception cover, and we hope that, even if you can't speak to the person you want to, you will be able to speak to somebody, who can either help or take a message. We also check our voicemail at least 3 times a day for messages left on the telephone.

However: if you are still having problems talking to us, please tell Simon at the Support Service (phone 360524, email simon@darlingtondisability , or write to us, or drop in at Pease House).

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The Disability Equality Duty - help the Council to promote opportunities for disabled people and tackle discrimination

The Disability Equality Duty is a new way for public authorities to tackle disability discrimination in a practical way, by introducing policies that actively promote opportunities, and so prevent discrimination taking place.

DAD is working with Darlington Borough Council to involve Disabled People in producing the Disability Equality Scheme and Action Plan, by setting up a reference group of disabled people including employees. Carers may also be involved.

If you are interested in being involved please let us know by contacting the DAD office on Darlington 489999 and leave your contact details.

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User Involvement Forum

The next Forum will be in October, to look at how the new guidelines on the use of the Direct Payments Contingency Fund (which have been in force since April) have worked in practice. There will be more details in the autumn newsletter.

Quote of the day:

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind" -- Dr Seuss, 1904 to 1991

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Direct Payments users on the "LIG"

Two Direct Payments users are now members of the Local Implementation Group (also known as "the LIG") for Direct Payments in Darlington. This group meets once every six weeks to take a lead role in the development of Direct Payments in Darlington and ensure that appropriate policies and procedures are in place and are applied consistently. As well as service users, the LIG has (or aims to have) representatives from various parts of Social Services, health, the voluntary sector, and the Direct Payments Support Service.

Any Direct Payments users who have issues they would like to raise at the LIG can do so by contacting the Direct Payments users who are members of the LIG - please contact Simon at the Support Service (details below) about how to do this.

The minutes from meetings of the LIG are available for Direct Payments users on request -- please contact Simon at the Support Service on 01325 360524 or email simon@darlingtondisability.org

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Contact us:

Direct Payments Support Service
Darlington Association on Disability
Enterprise House
Valley Street North
Darlington
Co. Durham
DL1 1GY
Telephone: (01325) 360524

Email: tracy@darlingtondisability.org

DAD website: www.darlingtondisability.org

The Direct Payments Support Service aims to answer the telephone and answer our door between 10.00am & 12.30pm and between 1pm & 4pm on weekdays (although this may not always be possible). Voicemail is available (on the phone number above) at all times, and is checked at least twice a day from Monday to Friday.