Valerie Singleton, who many of us will remember from Blue Peter and the Money Programme, is going to chair our Mind Your Head Conference on August 12th. She will then be at the Showcase afterwards to promote her company, SimplicITy Computers. The computers are specially designed for older people and are easy to use.  http://www.simplicitycomputers.co.uk/

Our latest Brain Cell to register is Jane Silver-Corren’s Community Singing Workshops. Welcome Jane. I first met Jane at the Synergy Housing Taster session on March 13th where she was helping the Alzheimer’s Singing for the Brain. Having been chucked out of a choir at fifteen, I wasn’t sure I wanted to sing, but Jane

It may seem a strange combination but St John Ambulance are providing a Mah-Jong Workshop and Tournament on Saturday 17th March from 10.30 – 3.30 pm at their offices, Bridport Road, Poundbury. The beautiful and thought provoking Chinese game is a very ancient and traditional pastime, yet fun to play at any level. Tickets are £15, including a

It is worth checking out the latest newsletter from Age UK’s Rowan Cottage, as there is a feast of activities being laid on. This includes a taster session by a Brain Cell – King’s Cribbage. Handbags and Gladrags is an opportunity to create your own fashion design with 5 recycled items from the Age UK

We are very pleased to announce that the Dorset Mental Health Forum is supporting the Mind Your Head Conference and Showcase by being a sponsor, providing delegates and a stand. We welcome them to be part of our steering group as they bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and contacts. This is an exciting opportunity to make

The Phoenix Legacy and Mind Your Head Challenge have received recognition. These words were sent in a letter to us from Lord Coe last week: “We hope that hosting the London 2012 Games will help improve sporting facilities and provision across the country and the Phoenix Legacy is a perfect example of this. The work

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are an amazing opportunity to try something new and be part of a very special occasion right here on your doorstep. I believe many people will regret afterwards that they did not get more involved. I was fortunate enough to be in Montreal for the Olympics of 1976 and

Time to Change is England’s biggest ever attempt to end the stigma and discrimination that people with mental health problems face. It is a campaign to change attitudes, and behaviour too. One in four of us will experience a mental health problem in our lifetime. Those that do are highly likely to face stigma and discrimination

Many people with memory loss and their families face a challenging future, either facing uncertainty about their condition or having to cope with a diagnosis and its prognosis. Added to these challenges are problems with navigating the maze of services provided by statutory, private and voluntary agencies. “Many are not aware of the services and

‘In the long letter of life, older age is the final glorious paragraph, not a hasty PS’ said U3A co-founder, Peter Laslett. The University of the Third Age now has over 800 organisations nationally with 40,000 interest groups within them. This can range from history, needlecraft, bridge, or wine appreciation, to computers and travel. There are

“I feel exhilarated after exercising my brain as well as my body”  This was a comment from one participant of the Activate Dancing group.  http://activateperformingarts.org.uk/2011/12/14/a-dance-a-day-celebrates-a-successful-term-in-dorset. You only have to watch Strictly Come Dancing to see how much thinking as well as physical activity has to go on. The brain thrives on mental and physical activity,