What we do...
ENGAGEMENT:
Medway Neurological Network (MNN) provides a single point of contact for the service providers to contact those with a neurological condition and for the neurological charities to engage with our service providers to improve the services. This is achieved in a number of ways including by use of this website, by our Email: info@medwayneuro.org.uk and by MNN representation on a range of health and social care committees, such as: the Medway Physical Disabilities Partnership Board; Voluntary and the Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Health Network. Our service providers are also invited to MNN Quarterly Steering Group Meetings.
PROVIDE INFORMATION & RAISE AWARENESS OF NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS
MNN raises awareness of the neurological conditions and the local support that is available in Medway by a number of means, including stalls at relevant events in Medway, e.g. Medway Disability Network (Facebook), Medway Youth Trust Charity Fete, St Mary's Island Community Centre Christmas Fair. We also organised, in association with Medway School of Pharmacy, a major MEDWAY NEURO-FAIR that was held on Saturday 24 March at the Pilkington Building, Universities at Medway. For more details see here.
MNN has promoted the formation of this singing and movement group, in association with the Canterbury Cantata Trust and the Sidney De Hann Centre for Arts & Health. This therapeutic activity has been proven to be effective for those with Parkinson's Disease and the research has now been widened to include ALL other neurological conditions. Medway Skylarks meet every Saturday morning from 10.30am to noon at the St Mary's Island Community Centre, Island Way West, Chatham, Kent ME4 3EP. For more information please click here.
MNN has joined the Peninsula Opportunites Group and the wHoo Cares Project in iniatives to reduce isolation, initially on the Hoo Peninsula. To this end MNN has helped launch 4 Neuro-cafes:
i). Grain Neuro-cafe that meets every last Friday of the month, 1.30pm to 3.30pm at the Hogarth Inn, 41-43 High Street, Isle of Grain, Rochester, Kent ME3 0BJ. Please Note: Moving to third Friday of the month from January 2019. No cafe in Decemeber.
ii). Companion Cafe that is open to people affected by dementia and now open to all neurological conditions. This new cafe is held on the 4th Thursday of each month at the Peninsula Methodist Church, Stoke Allhallows Road, Lower Stoke, Rochester, Kent ME3 9SL.
iii). Hoo Parkinson's Cafe & Neuro Drop-In that meets at Taggs Coffee Shop on the 1st Wednesday of each month, from 10am to Noon. Find Taggs at 25 Church St., Hoo, Rochester, Kent ME3 9AH
iv). Cliffe Dementia & Memory Cafe open on the second Friday of the month at St Helen's House (next to St Helen's Church), Buttway Lane, Cliffe, Kent ME3 7QP
You are most welcome to join us at these cafes and if you require any further information please Email: info@medwayneuro.org.uk
MNN has 8 active campaigns at the moment, namely: Medway Neurological Hub; Wheelchair Service Re-commission; Free Prescriptions for working age people with long-term conditions; Loss of disabled parking spaces in Rochester; Medway Hospital campaign for an automatic or push-button door to the Brown Zone housing the Neurology Department; Passport for Leisure, relaxing of time restrictions; Bus passes, relaxing of morning time limit for those that are working age, with long-term conditions, as is provided in London. For a more detailed description of these campaigns, and the progress thus far, please click here.
Our Activities in Pictures
Medway Skylarks performing at the St Mary's Island Community Centre 26 Xmas Fayre, 26 November 2017
Medway Skylarks performing at Medway Neuro-walk event, St Mary's Island Community Centre, 3 June 2017
Medway Neurological Network stall at the Medway Youth Trust Charity Fair on 16 August 207. Mayor of Medway Cllr. David Wildey with the Lady Mayoress pay us a visit. Click on the photo to see Medway Skylarks singing at this event.
Medway Neurological Network stall at the Medway Disability Forum Fair held at St Justus Church, Rochester on 20 January 2018 - many thanks to Joseph Wastell for organising this event
MP for Rochester, Kelly Tollhurst, visiting the MNDA stall at the launch of the Grain Neuro-Cafe, 20 May 2017