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SATURDAY 14th JUNE 2008
Martyn and I were picked up from home. We arrived at Peatfields at about 9.50am. Shirley, a Support Worker for Mental Health PLUS signed us in. We paid £3, which included a buffet lunch and for afternoon tea; a burger and hot dog. The food was so fresh and well prepared and well worth the money.
There were about 17 of us attending the Relaxation Day. Audrey arrived and began simple, seated yoga & relaxation exercises. We did these exercises sitting in our chairs. I have osteoarthritis in my knees but found the exercises OK to do. Audrey started the session with tensing up and loosening exercises. It was quite a good work-out even though we were sitting. One or two of the exercises were quite strenuous. I felt quite alert and relaxed after finishing the session. I would like to find a course like this which ran regularly. I would recommend these simple yoga exercises even though I am hampered with a physical problem. The session lasted for about 1 hour. Then we had a coffee.
Later; John, a poet laureate, arrived to do a Creative Writing Workshop with us. We found this to be enjoyable and fun. We did two group poems and one individual poem. These proved to be an eye-opener. They were very good and quite charming. Some of the poems will be on the Inner Mind News blog at – www.innermindnews.blogspot.com . John read us some of his own poems, these turned out to be very good. The poetry session lasted for about an hour and a half. Then we had lunch. The people who prepared the Cold Buffet did an excellent job. It was the best buffet Lunch I have ever had. The food was really fresh and quite delicious.
After lunch Gill and Shirley arrived to do the Sound and Relaxation Workshop. Shirley brought singing bowls in. I had never used these before. They ranged in size from small to large. We balanced them on the palm of one hand and then hit round them with the wooden beater. They made a brilliant sound. The singing bowls are used for the Yoga of Sound Meditation and the sound of OHMM.
Gill then gave us plastic bowls filled with water for our feet. She put Cypress essential oil in mine. Then marbles were dropped into the water for massage. Shoes and socks off, I enjoyed the feel of the marbles under my feet. Gill showed us how to do our own hand massage. This is something I had always wanted to learn. We finished the session with a guided meditation.
We had a coffee break, during which time David and his family set up some African drums for a percussion session. While this was happening; we looked round the gardens at the back of the Willows. I met a couple of old friends I had not seen for several years. So I caught up with their news. We looked at the plants which had obviously been lovingly grown. The sun was shining and the gardens looked lovely. We visited the cockatiels. Then we returned indoors for the percussion session.
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Shirley treated us to one of her drumming sessions. Evidently she is a regular player. We all got to have a go on the drums, the tambourines and the shakers. Everyone had a great time. It was really good fun. We played to Queen’s, ‘we will rock you’, and we had a great time improvising. While we were playing, the thought came to mind, ‘start a band and change the world’.
We finished up with a burger, a hot dog, a cup of tea and a slice of lemon tart. A great day.
Well done and many thanks go to everyone involved in the day.
Service User
Martyn and I were picked up from home. We arrived at Peatfields at about 9.50am. Shirley, a Support Worker for Mental Health PLUS signed us in. We paid £3, which included a buffet lunch and for afternoon tea; a burger and hot dog. The food was so fresh and well prepared and well worth the money.
There were about 17 of us attending the Relaxation Day. Audrey arrived and began simple, seated yoga & relaxation exercises. We did these exercises sitting in our chairs. I have osteoarthritis in my knees but found the exercises OK to do. Audrey started the session with tensing up and loosening exercises. It was quite a good work-out even though we were sitting. One or two of the exercises were quite strenuous. I felt quite alert and relaxed after finishing the session. I would like to find a course like this which ran regularly. I would recommend these simple yoga exercises even though I am hampered with a physical problem. The session lasted for about 1 hour. Then we had a coffee.
Later; John, a poet laureate, arrived to do a Creative Writing Workshop with us. We found this to be enjoyable and fun. We did two group poems and one individual poem. These proved to be an eye-opener. They were very good and quite charming. Some of the poems will be on the Inner Mind News blog at – www.innermindnews.blogspot.com . John read us some of his own poems, these turned out to be very good. The poetry session lasted for about an hour and a half. Then we had lunch. The people who prepared the Cold Buffet did an excellent job. It was the best buffet Lunch I have ever had. The food was really fresh and quite delicious.
After lunch Gill and Shirley arrived to do the Sound and Relaxation Workshop. Shirley brought singing bowls in. I had never used these before. They ranged in size from small to large. We balanced them on the palm of one hand and then hit round them with the wooden beater. They made a brilliant sound. The singing bowls are used for the Yoga of Sound Meditation and the sound of OHMM.
Gill then gave us plastic bowls filled with water for our feet. She put Cypress essential oil in mine. Then marbles were dropped into the water for massage. Shoes and socks off, I enjoyed the feel of the marbles under my feet. Gill showed us how to do our own hand massage. This is something I had always wanted to learn. We finished the session with a guided meditation.
We had a coffee break, during which time David and his family set up some African drums for a percussion session. While this was happening; we looked round the gardens at the back of the Willows. I met a couple of old friends I had not seen for several years. So I caught up with their news. We looked at the plants which had obviously been lovingly grown. The sun was shining and the gardens looked lovely. We visited the cockatiels. Then we returned indoors for the percussion session.
.JPG)
Shirley treated us to one of her drumming sessions. Evidently she is a regular player. We all got to have a go on the drums, the tambourines and the shakers. Everyone had a great time. It was really good fun. We played to Queen’s, ‘we will rock you’, and we had a great time improvising. While we were playing, the thought came to mind, ‘start a band and change the world’.
We finished up with a burger, a hot dog, a cup of tea and a slice of lemon tart. A great day.
Well done and many thanks go to everyone involved in the day.
Service User
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