Publications | MSWA

Views
3 years ago

MSWA Bulletin Magazine Spring 2020

  • Text
  • Mindfulness
  • Coordination
  • Bulletin
  • Lottery
  • Bulletin
  • Accommodation
  • Camps
  • Neurological
  • Ndis
  • Outreach
  • Mswa
Support coordination | Mindfulness for beginners | Camps are back! | Outreach news

ACCOMMODATION & OUTREACH

ACCOMMODATION & OUTREACH WILSON OUTREACH I cannot believe we are already at the end of spring! I feel like time is flying quickly this year. I am surprised at how much has happened since we re-opened in July. Customers have been returning to Outreach and have enjoyed the various activities that have been offered; Christmas in July was celebrated joyfully with tunes, food and laughter filling the festive air at Wilson Outreach. At the same time, we celebrated all the birthdays we missed during the COVID-19 lockdown. We had tried our best not to forget any birthdays by sending cards by snail mail to Customers. September ended with a ‘green day’, where we started our planting projects. To start with, we made our decoupage pots with fabric, followed by choosing our own succulent plants and planting them in the pots. Customers got to take home their own succulent plant. At the same time, one of our Customers, Sheila Hayfield, finally finished her long-awaited wheelbarrow miniature garden project. She had waited patiently for this project for a very long time. I was lucky enough, during a walk with my kids around my neighbourhood, to spot the wheelbarrow during verge collection one day. As the saying goes, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure”. Sheila was really thrilled the moment she saw me push the rusty wheelbarrow into Outreach. The wheelbarrow miniature garden can be seen in The Sanctuary Garden at the Wilson Services Centre. We celebrated Father’s Day with some raffles. The four lucky winners were Lyndee Aspey, Susan Hart, Steven McKay – all Customers – and Joseph, our handyman. Congratulations to all. On that day, we played paper aeroplane launch race, with each of the Customers making and decorating their own paper aeroplane. We also had some Father’s Day jokes going around. It was a fun day. We celebrated Halloween with games such as ‘guess the weight of the pumpkin’, ‘Frankenstein bowling’ and ‘Frankenstein tic tac toe’. Since re-opening after the break, we have enjoyed a few live music events at Outreach. During our fundraising morning tea in The Sanctuary Garden, I invited Mr Scott to entertain our Customers and staff. I was really pleased to see people coming forward to sing, I mean … they were really actually holding the microphone! It was fabulous. And later that day, I received an email from Janet, conveying all the good feedback from the Customers regarding the event. To all Wilson Outreach staff, thank you very much for the great team work, I could not have done it all without your support and to Nicola Ryan, thanks for believing in me. In the first week of October, we had a few students from Rossmoyne Senior High School come to entertain us with classical guitar pieces, Mozart on piano, as well as singing and cello. Last but not least, DUO 41 (Roger and Bill), the ukulele duo, came to perform. Thanks to Joan Crossman (volunteer) who helped to organise this event. ZURAINI HUSSAIN OUTREACH COORDINATOR WILSON 32

BUNBURY OUTREACH Since the last time I was writing an article to go in the autumn Bulletin, life certainly took a twist for us all! Sadly, we did have to close Outreach for quite a number of weeks due to COVID-19, so many of the activities I had mentioned in my last Outreach news didn’t come to fruition. On a positive note, we were able to re-open our doors on 8 July and have been making up for lost time ever since! It has been said that Bunbury Outreach has been on fire of late … NOT literally of course. Our monthly programs since returning have been really ‘full-on’ and have kept us all on our toes. Numbers in attendance on a Wednesday have been very encouraging and we are always happy to welcome newcomers. With the NDIS well and truly a part of our organisation we are seeing new Customers becoming a part of MSWA, and happily Outreach. With activities such as quizzes and games, as well as outings, we are always kept busy with planning. Our once-a-month outing to the coffee shops around Bunbury have become very popular for our group. We of course adhere to social distancing as well as proper hygiene, as we all have become accustomed to. Customers are relishing the fresh air and having company while socialising over coffee. To celebrate our return to The Hub, we had an 80s-themed party. A fantastic morning was had by all, with many dressing up for the occasion. Having the appropriate music to ‘bop on with’ made the day. Thank you to everyone who participated, your enthusiasm makes the work that happens behind the scenes so worth it. Early in November, our group had their annual picnic. Always fun to be together in the great outdoors. Time for reflection, especially in the current situation the world finds itself in, to be forever grateful of the beauty that we have around us, particularly in the South West, and for us not to take it for granted. Thanks to all the staff for their extra efforts on our big day out! Our most popular days since returning in July have been our ‘art days’. Watch this space for more details to come in the next Bulletin due in summer. Everyone is enjoying participating with Shaun from the MSWA Social Welfare team. We certainly have some budding artists amongst us. In closing, I would like to thank everyone who is associated with our Outreach group in Bunbury, as without you all our group would not be as successful as it is today. Take care of yourselves and here’s to a happy and healthy Christmas period and a much smoother 2021 for us all at The Hub. SUZI BARKER OUTREACH COORDINATOR BUNBURY OUTREACH CHRISTMAS CLOSURE DATES Outreach Closing Returning Albany Friday, 18 December 2020 Friday, 22 January 2021 Beechboro Eastside Monday 14, December 2020 Monday, 18 January 2021 Beechboro Northside Friday, 18 December 2020 Friday, 22 January 2021 Bunbury Wednesday, 16 December 2020 Wednesday, 20 January 2021 Rockingham Friday, 18 December 2020 Tuesday, 19 January 2021 Wilson Thursday, 17 December 2020 Monday, 18 January 2021 33

Bulletin