Welcome to Medway Neurological Network Website
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 14 neurological charities and support groups participating in our Network, and we are also fully engaged with 13 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.
HOME
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. 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.
2. Bread of Life Neuro-cafe , 17 Darnley Road, Strood, ME2 2EU: Next open on Tuesday 23 April 2024, 10am to Noon.This new Neuro-cafe was launched on Tuesday 24 October at 10am, 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.
Next Jasper's Neuro-cafe is on Friday 19 April 2024. Jasper's is closed from 29 March to 15 April. You are welcome to join us from 1pm to 3pm at Jasper's cafe, Rochester Community Hub (first floor), Eastgate, Rochester ME1 1EW..Jasper's cafe, Rochester Community Hub (first floor), Eastgate, Rochester ME1 1EW. On 19 April the neuro-cafe is hosted by MNN Rare Conditions . For more information see the Medway Neuro-cafe TAB.
4. 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, 7 May 2024. Please click HERE to see the flyer.
5. Medway Skylarks hybrid Zoom/ face to face sessions: join this fun singing and movement group that uses facilitator's trained in 'Sing to Beat Parkinson's' therapy, evidence-based to improve wellbeing. Sessions are open to all who are living with a neurological condition and are held weekly from 10.00am to midday. Normally these are held at the University of Greenwich, Medway Campus. For more information please visit the Skylarks tab and click HERE to see the Skylarks flyer.
Next Skylarks session: Saturday 20 April 2024.
6. 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.
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.
7. Physical Activity Alliance: ‘Tai Chi Stu’ will be delivering Tai Chi Movements for Wellbeing sessions indoors in Brompton Academy and outdoors in Gillingham Park again this Summer.
8. 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.
9. Medway NHS Foundation Trust (Medway Maritime Hospital. Please click HERE to see the next News @ Medway, 5 April 2024 issue. Featuring: Signs of prostate cancer; Virtual reality helping patients during medical procedures.
10. 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.
11. New Alzheimer Drug, Lecanemab: KMTV report, 30 November. Please click HERE to see report, including local Medway reaction provided by Lorraine Brown..
12. 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
13. 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.
14. Medway Voluntary Action: To see the latest MVA Volunteer Bulletin, March 2024, please click HERE. This month the focus is on Medway Voluntary Network. There are also links to articles on Inclusion.
15. 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.
