As I hope you know – we launched our next phase of funding for the DEEP Network in January. My role as coordinator is now across the whole of the UK.
This may sound like an impossible task – but our aim was and is always about the groups owning the network. This makes the communication between groups absolutely essential.
We have more resources in place for the groups to access on the website. The website is used for the information we get from you and opportunities to be involved.
We have twitter and Facebook accounts – so through social media we try to share any opportunities and news that you tell us about.
Our DEEP news is produced on a monthly basis and we send out 800 copies. Plus this is now recorded on audio.
Groups are increasingly becoming part of the Dementia Diaries part of our work in order to try and capture more and more voices.
What we really need to try and do is make sure that the meetings you take part in and the information you hear gets widely shared across the network. The network will not work without that.
So please do share so we can all keep informed about what you are doing – it inspires and motivates.
We have started regular Zoom meetings – a virtual peer support opportunity for all the facilitators within the network.
We have also started a Scotland DEEP Zoom meeting – this is fortnightly – and was one of the first things we started in our new phase. My former colleague Paul has retired and there was an anxiety about him leaving.
The meetings for Scotland have been really useful and I would like to propose that we can have Zoom meetings across Wales to. It may be that once a month is enough, but I am also happy to consider a couple a month – depending on what you would like. Please let me know what would be useful for you in order to feel a part of the network and what is going on in Wales.
We would also like to plan and put a date in the diary for a DEEP Gathering in Wales. I would very much welcome your thoughts about when, where and what this should look like.
Please do get back in touch with your thoughts.
Also I would very much welcome any contributions for Our DEEP News this coming month with a focus on Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The deadline for news is next Wednesday 19th February.
Contact Rachel Niblock 07720 538851 or by email Niblock@myid.org.uk
