We know that many of you have experienced drastic changes to your caring role as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and hope that you are managing to adapt to these as well as possible. Following government guidance, we have postponed all our face-to-face learning events for the next few months and are regularly reviewing the situation for events scheduled later in the year. We look forward to welcoming you back to our courses and workshops in person as soon as we are able.

In the meantime, we are now offering free online workshops via Zoom to all registered carers. You may well have recently received your online version of Carewaves for May 2020.  The courses listed below were not included in that newsletter as it already contained so much useful information, we felt it might be easier for you to navigate the list separately.  Places are limited so please get in touch to book. If these events become fully booked, we will aim to repeat them so as more can attend.

You can get in touch or book a place on any of our events by clicking the links below, emailing [email protected] or calling 01992 58 69 69.

Courses and Workshops –   https://www.carersinherts.org.uk/events

Legal Issues for Carers in the Pandemic – ONLINE
A solicitor will do a presentation on legal subjects that may be of concern during the pandemic. An opportunity to ask a question will be available.CLICK HERE TO BOOK
Wednesday 10th June 2020  10.30am – 11.30am
In addition, this link to ‘Making a Will During the Coronavirus’ video may be useful.

Art Workshop with Natasha Rehman – ONLINE
We’ll be using our doodle skills to make our own simple zentangles on plain paper. For those that like a challenge, Natasha will also talk you through making your own zentangle portrait step by step. Zoom will be used to work through the creative activities on paper.
You will need:
•             white paper
•             pencil
•             rubber (just in case)
•             black pen (biro, fine liner or felt tip)
•             colouring materials (optional)

Suitable for all abilities. We look forward to getting together for a fun, creative finish to Carers Week!
CLICK HERE TO BOOK      Friday 12th June 2020   10.30am – 11.30am

Mindfulness 3 week Course – ONLINE
Session 1 Mindfulness Taster Session (introduction to mindfulness, what is mindfulness, how can it help reduce stress and anxiety, simple daily mindfulness practice during session).
Session 2 Mindfulness Refresher Session (Suitable for people who have some mindfulness experience or who attended the first session. Refresher to what mindfulness is, how it can help, tips for home practice, introduce 1-2 more mindfulness practices)
Session 3 Mindfulness, Compassion and Self-care (Exploring link between mindfulness and compassion practices, daily gratitude practice, self care tips and how compassion can help us decrease anxiety and increase calm).
Wednesdays 17th, 24th June and 1st July 2020    11.00 am – 12.00 noon
(email [email protected] to book)

The Immune System: How Can We Strengthen It Against COVID-19 – ONLINE
Join health expert Dr Brian Isbell to discuss what we are learning about COVID-19 and how to fine tune our immune system. This workshop will also cover:
•             What the immune system protects us from
•             The importance of symptoms of infection
•             Lifestyles that compromise the immune system
•             How to strengthen the immune system through exercise, deep breathing, sleep, and more
CLICK HERE TO BOOK     Friday 19th June 2020    2pm – 3.30pm

Your Style Workshop – ONLINE
Find your style for your body shape. Learn how to put items together from a capsule wardrobe without spending a fortune on new items of clothing.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK   Tuesday 30th June 2020   11am – 12pm noon

Assertiveness Workshop – ONLINE
Learn techniques to help you practise assertiveness in both personal and professional situations. Start communicating with confidence, stating your wishes clearly and standing up for yourself while still respecting others. Now more conversations are taking place online or over the phone, we will also be taking a closer look at how to be assertive in a socially distant world.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK      Tuesday 23rd June 2020  2pm – 3pm

Family History Surgery – PHONE
A one-hour slot to discuss family history with an expert from Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (HALS). Examples of questions they can help with:
•             I can’t find my grandmother’s birth certificate. He was born somewhere in London during the 1920s
•             I’ve traced my family back to the 1830s using certificates, but I’m not sure how to search church records
•             Why can’t I find my great grandfather on the census in 1911?
•             Who did my grandfather serve with during the First World War?
CLICK HERE TO BOOK (this link will take you to the HALS website) and a time will be arranged to call you on the phone.

Carers Allotment Plot in Hertford
A dedicated hardstanding area for your own trough to grow things that you want. Low maintenance, low commitment. Enjoy a tranquil area and meet fellow growers any time you like. Water, tools, polytunnel and benches to sit and ponder are available when safe to use. This is a non-profit gardening group.  The group charges £5 per trough which comes with compost.
Contact Trish Henderson on 07903 007949 or visit www.northroadallotments.com.
North Road Allotments, North Road, Hertford, SG14 2BZ.

Carer Trainer Unit
The Carer Trainer Unit provides trained carers to work with, train and inform health and social care staff in a range of front-line services by sharing their own experiences in relation to specific areas. This can lead to organisations delivering services that are more carer and user friendly. During the pandemic, the Carer Trainer Unit are beginning to do some of their work online – particularly with the University of Hertfordshire interviewing potential social work students, and also giving talks to staff working with people with dementia and their carers. We are always interested in recruiting more carers to be part of this team, so if you are interested in finding out more about the type of work a carer trainer may be involved with, please contact Judith Kitch (via [email protected] or call 01992 58 69 69) to have an initial discussion. In particular we would be interested in recruiting carers of someone with a mental health condition or with a learning disability, but all care groups would be welcomed.

Carers Week 2020   8 – 14 June 2020
Please have a look at our Carers Week schedule on our website here to see other events that you may like to join in with, talking to local health managers, or to Adult Care Services.
https://www.carersinherts.org.uk/events