A guide to everyday creativity for people living with dementia launched in Halton as part of World Alzheimer's Month

SEPTEMBER is World Alzheimer's Month, which raises awareness of and encourages support for people living with dementia. In Halton there will be a month of training workshops in creativity, for carers working in the Borough's care homes.

Imaginative exercises have been shown to have a positive impact on the health of people living with dementia. They can improve feelings of anxiety and loneliness and increase communication and make people feel they are part of a community. This month's training events will teach carers creative exercises that can be done on a daily basis and include:- spoken word, poetry, music, singing, drama and improvisation.

The training workshops are based on research, undertaken by North West based theatre company Collective Encounters, on the ways in which theatre can improve the lives of people living with dementia. The research began in 2016 and was updated in light of Covid19. The training includes exercises that can be done via video call, through the post or even just over the telephone. The training workshops are supported by copies of the 32 page Guide to Everyday Creativity for People Living with Dementia which are left with carers in care homes as reference tools for the future.

Annette Burghes, Executive Director for Collective Encounters said:- "This is the 3rd edition of this Guide. It has proved an invaluable tool for many people living with dementia providing stimuli for activities, conversation and most importantly fun! We've delivered these workshop in all corners of the Liverpool City Region, and a Turkish version of the Guide has also been rolled out in care settings in Istanbul, we're delighted to be working with Halton Borough Council this September."

Copies of the Guide to Everyday Creativity for People Living with Dementia are available from Collective Encounters. People working in care settings are encouraged to get in touch with the company to find out more. Visit:- Collective-Encounters.Org.UK, or call:- 01513456266.

Merseyrail to sponsor Liverpool Business Houses Football League

MERSEYRAIL has agreed a sponsorship package of the Business Houses Football League (BHFL). Starting from September, and lasting for 3 years, Merseyrail have committed funding for each season to support the physical and mental health of more than 2,000 adult players who play each Sunday in the Business Houses Football League. The league will now be known as the Merseyrail Business Houses Football League.

Andy Heath, Managing Director of Merseyrail, said:- "Merseyrail is committed to playing an active role in the communities we serve and as part of this we are delighted to offer this 3 year sponsorship of the Business Houses Football League. We know how important it is to support the physical and mental well being of adults across the Liverpool City Region. This sponsorship will support the development of the Business Houses Football League and enable it to provide better competitions, as well as support for its member clubs and their players."

Peter Morton, Chairman of the Business Houses Football League, said:- "This generous and significant sponsorship will enable our League to further develop our League and Cup Competitions. Importantly, it will also help us to focus on new initiatives to support players in our member clubs, especially those who may face challenges and need support with their mental health. At least two of our clubs are active in this way, and we want to share their experience and good practice."

The league will now be known as the Merseyrail Business Houses Football League.

Womanifest releases 50 free tickets for local teenage girls

WOMANIFEST, the personal development, wellbeing and female empowerment festival, has released 50 FREE tickets in a bid to encourage teenage girls, those aged:- 12 to 16, to attend the festival and invest in their own mental wellbeing.

50 Teen and Adult Combo Tickets will be made available free of charge; and enable one adult and four teens 'to go for free' to Womanifest which is taking place on 17 September and 18 September 2022, in Frodsham, Cheshire.

With the impetus on inspiring teenage girls, the festival is inviting young women, who are in need of self care and empowerment to attend the festival in the hope that the offer will help them to achieve their objective of giving 250 young women their 1st truly empowering experience. And, with the new School year upon us, what better way to start, than by investing in our girl bosses of the future.

Womanifest organisers have created the limited time free of charge ticket bundle to ensure that women of all ages and from all walks of life can get involved, to reflect, feel empowered and come together to celebrate.

As long as you have teenage girls in tow, you're eligible for the free tickets. And with only 50 tickets up for grabs; it's on a 1st come 1st serve basis so be quick!

On a mission to empower more women and girls to embrace their feminine powers and be themselves, best-selling author and women's assertiveness coach Jodie Salt alongside social enterprise Girls Out Loud is inviting women to step out of their comfort zones and celebrate all things womanly.

This is no boring festival; it's all about women and girls having fun, learning how to put themselves 1st, get what they want, surround themselves with other fantastic women and have access to a huge range of learning and expertise that can help them to make changes in their life and feel inspired and empowered.

With everything from ice dipping and breathwork to fire and glass walking, guests at the festival will enjoy empowering workshops run by expert speakers, silent discos, stargazing meditations, and catwalk fashion shows. There really is something for everyone.

Funds raised from the event will support Northwest based social enterprise, Girls Out Loud, which empowers and inspires teenage girls in the UK and beyond to have confidence, self belief, emotional resilience, and a positive self image which, in turn, supports them to think big, embrace risk and reach for the stars.

As well as activities for adults, the festival is a celebration for ALL females. The Girls Out Loud Teen Tent offers:-

►  Yoga and mindfulness sessions.

►  Crystal workshops with free crystal.

►  Giveaways.

►  A power hour each day with Girls Out Loud founder, Jane Kenyon, on how to be bold, brave and believe in you!

►  Plus, an Insta photo corner and lots of prizes to be won every day!

►  A festival ready station where you can get your:- hair braided, create your own flower headband, and get your face jewels/paint on point!

►  A drop in vision board station available all weekend for you to create a board of the things you love, the places you want to visit, your career and life goals.

►  A drop in pebble painting Station to get your creative mojo on and have fun.

Founder of Girls Out Loud, Jane Kenyon said:- "We're so looking forward to welcoming women and girls alike to this exciting new festival. We encourage women to bring their daughters and celebrate with us by putting their mental health 1st. It's an incredibly difficult time, with the cost-of-living crisis impacting our everyday lives and, now more than ever, it's time to put our wellbeing 1st. We hope that with the new ticket bundle, more women will feel able to get involved and join us without having to worry about the cost. Being a teenage girl in the world today is a challenge, as the landscape gets more complicated and toxic, fuelled by smart technology, easy access access to porn and reality TV. Awareness is power, so now we know, let's do something to effect change. Girls Out Loud is passionate about empowering girls to learn, lead and thrive by connecting them to smart, sassy and successful female role models."

Founder of Womanifest, Jodes Salt said:- "Womanifest is no boring conference or exhibition; it's a full on FESTIVAL! -It's all about women of all ages having fun, learning how to put themselves 1st, get what they want, surround themselves with other fantastic women and have access to a huge range of learning and expertise that can help them to make changes in their life and feel inspired and empowered. We are encouraging parents to bring their daughters so they can open up conversations they may not naturally have over the dinner table. From here, experiencing things together we believe bonds can be strengthened on a new level, and women across generations can come together and become empowered together"

To purchase the new ticket bundle, go to:- WomaniFest.Co.UK and insert code:- 'GCSE100.'