Welcome to Medway Neurological Network Website
STOP PRESS
1. Jasper's Neuro-cafe, Friday 13 June, 1pm to 3pm
Hosted by Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness.
See Breaking News #4 below for details.
2. Medway Neuro-Tech 25
Medway Neurological Network, in association with Kyndi Assistive Technology Services, is planning a Neuro-Tech event for 2025. Are there any tech developments that you would like to tell others about that have changed the lives of those who live with a neurological condition? Please reply to info@medwayneuro.org.uk
CONVERSATION ON WELFARE CHANGESMeeting - Friday 6 June, 17.30 to 19.30 hrsMidKent College, Medway Campus
This was a chance to speak directly with Councillors and MPs about how the Government's
Welfare Reforms may impact disabled people in Medway.
The panel, pictured, comprised left to right: Cllr Teresa Murray (Deputy leader Medway Council & Chair Health & Wellbeing Board), Naushabah Khan MP (Gillingham & Rainham), Dr Linda Nicolaides (Chair Medway Neurological Network), Cllr Satinder Shokar (Medway Strood West), and Sophie Fournel (CEO Disability Assist for Independent Living)
A Zoom recording of this meeting can be viewed HERE
Organised by: Disability Assist • Medway Neurological Network • Disability Medway Network
Medway Neurological Network aims to retain its political neutrality
Our AIM: To be the voice of all those affected by neurological conditions in Medway - a single point of access
Our Mission:
- To defend and improve the quality of health and social care services available to those with neurological conditions
- To raise awareness of neurological conditions in Medway and the support services that are available
- To campaign for improved disability services and facilities
- To promote and support services/ therapies/ research projects aimed at improving health & wellbeing, e.g. Medway Skylarks
Our Participants: Currently we have 15 neurological charities and support groups participating in our Network, and we are also fully engaged with 15 major service providers in Medway. All of our participants are invited to attend our quarterly Steering Group meetings. For a full list of our participants, and links to their websites, please see our Participants page.
To view or download our MNN Flyer, please click HERE.
Our Contacts: Email: info@medwayneuro.org.uk Facebook: Medway Neurological Network Twitter: @medwayneuro1
Please click on the images below to find out about our Activities, Medway Skylarks - click here for Skylark's videos, and our Awareness Events.
Activities
Find out about our Neuro-cafes, our campaigns, and our planned events e.g. Medway Neuro-Arts Festival, 19-21 July 2019.
Medway Skylarks
We help organise & promote this singing & movement (Sing to Beat Parkinson's) group, that has proven therapeutic benefits - see our videos.
Awareness Events
We help promote our Participant's own awareness events and also organise our own, such as the Medway Neuro Arts Festival 2019 & the Medway Neuro-Fair 2018.
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Rare Diseases Awareness DayCelebrated at Jasper's Neuro-cafe, 21 February 2025
This MNN Neurological Rare Conditions event was honoured by the participation of the High Sheriff of Kent, Dr Gill Fargher
Laura MacDonald, Carecircle Technology Ltd (Chief Product and Partnership Officer) outlined the application of her companies secure medical digital database to the diagnosis and treatment of rare neurological conditions. She used, as an example, her work with the Wales Rare Case Centre.
Acacia Sooklal, Kent & Medway Integrated Care Board (Lead Integrated Care Pharmacist) described her role in developing medication policy. She was focussed on 'Aging well', Frailty, and medication in care homes.
The High Sheriff of Kent, Dr Gill Fargher (far right in large picture), said that she had been a GP for 32 years and was nearing the end of her tenure as High Sheriff. Historically the post had been very powerful in the provision of administrative justice. Now the role is less powerful, but still carries a high level of responsibility.
Rare conditions charities represented at this event: Ataxia UK; Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Support Group; Huntingdon's Disease Association; Motor Neurone Disease Association; Multiple System Atrophy Trust; and Transverse Myelitis Society.
You may be interested in the RARE REVOLUTION magazine on this LINK .
Neurological Alliance Parliamentary Reception, 16 January 2025
In furtherance of the '1 in 6' Campaign, the Neurological Alliance held a Parliamentary Reception at the House of Commons. Phil Bungay represented the Medway Neurological Network, accompanied by Rochester and Strood MP, Lauren Edwards. The aim of the reception was to inform and educate parliamentarians about the experience and challenges of living with a neurological condition.
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MNN AGM 2024
The very well attended MNN AGM was held on Wednesday 27 March at the Chatham Historic Dockyard. The keynote speaker was Cedi Frederick, Chair of the Kent & Medway Integrated Care Board. His very informative talk engendered searching question from CEO Neurological Alliance England, Georgina Carr, and CEO of Parkinson's UK, Caroline Rassell - and many others. Please click below to see our AGM Newsletter report.
Breaking News:
1. A big win for the Neurological Alliance #BackThe1in6 campaign
We are delighted that a new "UK Neuro Forum" was announced by the Department of Health and Social Care on 28 November 2024.The Forum follows our collaborative efforts across the sector to call for a "Neuro Taskforce" as part of the #BackThe1in6 campaign.
This is a key win for the sector, and recognition at a national level of the realities of living with a neurological condition and also the opportunities to transform care for the 1 in 6 living with a neurological condition across the UK.
2. Medway Skylarks will be re-launched under Music4Wellbeing on 7 June 2025. The weekly session will continue to be held on Saturday mornings from 10am to 12 noon at the University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, see the. FLYER for more details.
3. Bread of Life Neuro-cafe , 17 Darnley Road, Strood, ME2 2EU: Next open on Tuesday 27 May2025, 10am to Noon.This new Neuro-cafe was launched on Tuesday 24 October 2023, and is open on the fourth Tuesday of each month, 10am to noon, see this flyer. This is a bakery as well as a cafe and some months we offer a c. ookery class to cook our own refreshments!! To see a video of Medway Skylarks performing 'Bye Bye Love' with: the Mayor of Medway Cllr. Nina Gurung; the Deputy Lieutenant of Kent Brig. Peter Gilbert; and the Medway Singers, please click HERE.
To see a video of the Neuro-cafe launch event please click HERE. To see the Mayor of Medway's photo-compilation of the Launch, please click HERE.
4. Jasper's Neuro-Cafe, Rochester Community Hub (first floor), Eastgate, Rochester ME1 1EW. Next Jasper's Neuro-cafe: Friday 13 June - Hosted by FASD Awareness. Weekly on Fridays during term time, hosted by a rota of neurological charities, 1pm to 3pm.For more information please see the Medway Neuro-cafe tab, and this FLYER
5. St Augustine’s Place of Welcome, Neuro-Information Point. 192, Rock Road, Gillingham, ME7 5PW. Manned stall on 4th Wednesday of month, 9 to 11am. Light refreshments and activities including crafts provided by Medway Adult Education; look out for the MNN banner.
Next St Augustine's stall: 28 May 2025. 6. Walter-Brice Centre Neuro-Information Point, Tilley Close, Hoo, ME3 9AE: This Neuro-Information Stall will be open on the first Tuesday of each month, from 10am to noon; next Information Stall, 1 April 2025. Please click HERE to see the flyer.
7. Medway Voluntary Action: To see the latest MVA Community Actions, January 2025, please click HERE. This month there are articles on 'Winter Warm Welcome sessions opened up in Sheerness' and on 'Medway & Swale Focus groups on Frailty and Heart Failure'.
8 Key to Care, MS Awareness Event, 24 April, Eastgate House: Home Instead, in association with Medway Neurological Network and the Multiple Sclerosis Society conducted a deep-dive into provision of care for those living with multiple sclerosis, see this FLYER for more information. There were presentations by the MS Society, Disability Assist , and Kent MS Therapy Centre followed by light refreshments at a pop-up Neuro-cafe. A lack of Neuro-psychological serves in Medway was identified as a major gap in service provision. See the Awareness Events tab for more information.
9. Dementia Awareness Day Event, 15 April, Rochester Cathedral. Anna Chaplaincy in association with the Open University organised this event. Please Click HERE to see the programme. The keynote talk was by Dr Jitka Vseteckova, School of Health, Wellbeing & Social Care, Open University; 'The Five Pillars for Aging Well' - click HERE for a photo. Adrian Bawtree, Director of Music and Organist at Rochester Cathedral, then led a community singing session; please click HERE
to see a video clip of 'Early One Morning'. Medway Neurological Network/ Non-visible Disability Initiative had a stall at this event - click HERE to see a picture. There is an excellent report on this event on the Rochester Cathedral website, on this LINK .
10. Kent & Medway Integrated Care System (ICS): The Kent and Medway Integrated Care System is a partnership of organisations that come together to plan and deliver joined up health and care services to improve the lives of people across Kent and Medway. The ICS has four key purposes:
- improving outcomes in population health and healthcare;
- tackling inequalities in outcomes, experience and access;
- enhancing productivity and value for money;
- supporting broader social and economic development.
See News For You, 26 September 2024: Our annual general meeting, book your vaccinations, protect toddlers from flu.
Medway and Swale Health and Care Partnership (M&SHCP): Is one of four Health and Care Partnerships within the Kent & Medway ICS. A wide range of stakeholders are involved in the Medway and Swale’s health and care partnership, including the acute hospital, community healthcare providers, the mental health trust, councils, and commissioning colleagues, as well Healthwatch representatives.
11. Medway Women's History Month: Featuring Sue Bulpin (FND Action), Sam Ramp (Dyslexic Poet), and Kate Belmonte (Mutual Aid Road Reps) feature in 'Overcoming Adversity - Medway's Female Community Doers' at the Net on Saturday 22 March 2025. See this LINK for details.
12. Walking Football, Tuesday mornings 10am to 11am, Chatham Town football ground, see FLYER for details. Organised by Parkinson's UK, Medway groups, but open to all living with a neurological condition.
13. Medway NHS Foundation Trust (Medway Maritime Hospital. Please click HERE to see NHS Foundation Trust Bulletin dated 4 April 2025. This invites us to help shape the new Visitors' Charter.
14. New Year's Honours List: Many congratulations to Dr Patricia (Trish) Vella-Burrows, Co-Director Music4Wellbeing, on being awarded the British Empire Medal for services to Wellbeing. Trish founded Medway Skylarks and Music4Wellbeing trains 'Sing to Beat Parkinson's' facilitators and runs 'Create Well' sessions.
15. New Alzheimer Drug, Lecanemab: KMTV report, 30 November. Please click HERE to see report, including local Medway reaction provided by Lorraine Brown..
16. Neurological Alliance has published:
i). Together for the 1 in 6: My Neuro Survey 2022 England Findings: Please click HERE for the full report and Calls for Action are available HERE.
ii). Call for a Neuro-Task Force: 1 in 6 people in the UK live with a neurological condition but there simply isn’t the workforce or services in place to support them. Join us in calling on governments across the UK to back the 1 in 6 and set up a Neuro Taskforce to deliver real change. Please sign the petition today: https://tinyurl.com/BackThe1in6
17. Garden Party - NVDi in Action: Raising awareness of Non-Visible Disabilities and showcasing the work of the Medway Non-Visible Disability Initiative (NVDi): Eastgate Gardens 22 July. For a report please visit MedwayNVDi.org.uk.
18. Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Webinar: Phil Bungay participated in this webinar, hosted by NHS England. It included talks by: Geogina Carr, the CEO of the Neurological Alliance; Wendy, who gave an talk on being a patient living with Dystonia; Dr Jason Price a Consultant Neurophycologist at the James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough; Dr Michael Dilley from the Wolfeson Neuro-reabilitation Services at St Georges Hospital; SW London, and Phil a person living with Parkinson's.
This webinar was part of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme by NHS England. The IAPT programme began in 2008 and has transformed the treatment of adult anxiety disorders and depression in England.
To access this very interesting webinar please click HERE.
Parkinson's World Awareness Day events, 11 April 2023
Medway Neurological Network organised two events to commemorate this day; please click HERE to see the University of Kent report.
i). Voluntary Community Sector Information Fair, 11am to 3pm at The Paddock Island, Chatham, ME4 4NZ (between the Pentagon Shopping Centre and the Bus Station).
This event enabled over 20 Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations, such the Alzheimer's Society, the MS Society and Parkinson’s UK to promote their local services. In addition, a combined community choir, led by the Medway Skylarks (a fun singing and rhythmic movement Group for people with neurological conditions) performed at midday. The Queen's Gurkha Engineers supported this event by providing tents and a marquee and also provided Pipes & Drum accompaniment to the opening ceremony; performed by the Mayor of Medway Cllr. Jan Aldous. We are also pleased to announce that the Lord Lieutenant of Kent asked Mr Bill Cockcroft DL to represent her at this event.
ii). A fundraising meal was held at the Gurkha Brothers Restaurant, ME4 4FS, 6pm to 9pm, on behalf of the Parkinson's Centre for Integrated Therapy (PCIT) and the Nepalese Parkinson's Disease Association. A raffle organised by Home Instead was held on the night. The Director of the new Parkinson's Centre for Integrated Therapy, Prof. David Wilkinson, hosted the event. The event was opened by the Worshipful Mayor of Medway, Cllr Jan Aldous, and VIP attendees included: Mr Bill Cockcroft, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Kent; Lt Col Guy Cheeseman, Commandant of the Royal School of Military Engineering; Lt Col Ryan Castro, Commandant of The Queen’s Gurkha Engineers. The Queen's Gurkha Engineers piped in the food.
There was a video calls from Sudhir Krishnan (Krish), who is trekking in the Himalayas to raise funds for PCIT (click HERE to see his video report) & to donate to Krish's fundraiser please visit his Just Giving page.
Munal Subedi, President of the Nepalese PD Association, video called from Kathmandu to tell us about the work of this charity. Neil Bindemann , Director of Person-Centred Neurosciences Society (P-CNS) also gave a presentation of his work, including launching 'Cafe Neuro Kafe' to tackle loneliness and isolation in people living with neurological conditions.
