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We work on an individual basis with members and their families to help achieve the things that are important.
We can offer help with:
Adults with learning disabilities are more at risk to many physical and mental health conditions than the general population and at Winchester Go LD we encourage our members to be active.
Lockdowns and changes to routine can be stressful and it has also meant the way our one to one support is offered has needed to change. We now offer one-hour Walk and Talk sessions which combine one to one support with outdoor physical activity.
This is a user-led project and Stuart (one of our members) helped to shape this project and trialled some of our walking routes.
We continue to have very positive feedback from members and families and we are delighted that the project has been fully funded for 2021 by South Downs National Park Authority.
Monday Wellbeing Group 3pm – 4pm on Zoom
Tuesday Drop-in Lunch 2.30pm – 3.30pm at St Peter’s
Wednesday Chill-out Tai Chi 12noon – 12.45pm on Zoom
Thursday Fit Class 6pm- 7pm on Zoom
Friday Funky Lunch 12noon – 1pm at St Peter’s
Friday Sign with Steve 7pm – 8pm on Zoom
Saturday Low Level Circuits 3.15pm – 4.15pm at the Sports Centre
For all the links and details please visit our What’s On page.
He is a kind, sociable and independent man who lives independently. Doug has Type 2 diabetes, which is poorly controlled. Doug receives 2 hours of Adult Services social care support each week through a local provider, he does his own shopping and cooking, with some help from support. He has been furloughed since the beginning of lockdown. And lockdown has not been easy.
Prior to lockdown Doug did not use the Internet, he was not on social media and he had never heard of Zoom. Since joining the Friendship through Food Zoom cookery course he has learned to use Zoom and he explains that it’s good for ‘…finding out what’s happening and staying connected..’. He had to overcome some technical difficulties in logging onto Zoom through a smartphone, this was overcome by a visit from Winchester Go LD volunteer. Doug says ‘….I enjoy the social aspect of cooking and making yourself busy. Doing the shopping and unpacking the ingredients were the best parts. I also really enjoyed being in a group…’. Mary from FirstBite provided participants with the ingredients and recipes on the morning of each cookery lesson. Learning healthy new recipes, discovering foods and most ingredients used were from surplus food.
This joint project with FirstBite Winchester was funded by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation.
The Wellbeing Project is a year long program to improve the lives of our members. The project has 6 modules, each running for 6 weeks.
• Nutrition
• Relationships and Friendship
• Health – physical and mental
• Recreation/hobbies
• Social and Economic
• Work, education and training
For March/April we are joining up with Compassionate Cuppa to deliver the Health module, funded through Hampshire County Council Local Solutions Grant and the Truemark Trust. This includes weekly small group online workshops offering members a safe space to share experiences and ideas about managing mental and physical health.
We are promoting healthy messages in a fun and interactive way throughout all our Zoom groups, online exercise classes and Walk and Talks. We’ve been talking about Mental Health and how to keep yourself feeling well. We sent everyone materials and made Emojis and Self Soothe boxes during Tuesday Drop-in.
The Safer Places scheme is to help people when they are out. A Safe Place is somewhere to go for help if you are upset or frightened. Safe Places in Hampshire is run with Hampshire County Council. Winchester Go LD was involved with setting up Safer Places in Winchester in 2011. There are now over 12 shops and businesses signed up.
You can apply to receive a Safer Places card. When you fill out your card you put the telephone numbers of people who can help you if something happens, like support or family members.
If you feel frightened or need help when you are out you can go into any shop that is showing the Safe Place sticker in their window.
Staff at the Safe Place will help you phone for help and you can wait at the Safe Place until you are OK to leave.
Safer Places is running in Winchester, Bishops Waltham and Alresford as well as in other parts of Hampshire. Safe Places have a sticker in the window or have the logo displayed to let you know they are a Safe Place.
Safe Places are all places that are open to the public such as shops, offices or public buildings.
If you live in Winchester and would like a card please contact us at info@winchestergold.org.uk. You can also visit us at the Winchester Discovery Centre or talk to staff at Winchester Community Link.
For details on other Safer Places projects across Hampshire please visit the Hampshire County Council Adult Services website.
Our Smoothie Bike supports adults with a learning disability to run a pedal powered Smoothie Bike at summer fairs and events.
The project promotes social and work skills, food hygiene and money handling. It is also a great way to reinforce healthy messages regarding the benefits of fresh fruit, exercise and sustainable energy in a unique and engaging way.
Our regular summer events include the St Cross Summer Fair, Osborne School Fete, the Littleton & Harestock Show and the Go LD Garden & Craft Sale.
The team definitely add the fun factor to almost any event! Please contact us if you would like to be involved in the Smoothie project or to book us for an event you are running.
Winchester Go LD believes that everyone who wants a job, deserves the chance to have one.
Less than 1 in 5 people with a learning disability work (compared with 1 in 2 disabled people generally). But research shows that at least 65% of people with a learning disability want to work.
We can look with you at what skills you already have, how you can improve those skills and learn new ones
Are you an employer looking for staff?
You may be interested to know that research from the Joseph Rowntree Trust shows that people with learning disabilities are generally reliable, more likely to stay with one employer for a long time and tend to take less time off.
Many of our members have been in long term employment.
Please contact us so that we can work with you on 01962 600281 or email info@winchestergold.org.uk.
Go Social is the 4th Wednesday of every month. During winter months we have Film nights and Sing-alongs, Bingo, Wellbeing evenings and Go LD’s Got Talent. When evenings are warmer and lighter we go bowling; eat icecream at Sprinkles; walk to the pub; have a BBQ in the woods and picnic by the river.
During Covid we have been getting together on zoom. Visit the What’s On page for all the links.
Since 2016 we have hosted 3 discos a year at the Winchester Discovery Centre. These are run by and for adults with learning disabilities.
They are now online and all the links are on our website.
The discos are a great evening out – everyone has a boogie and a chance to meet new friends from all across Hampshire.
Winchester Go LD Members get involved with choosing the theme, whether it’s Pirates of the Caribbean, Mamma Mia, Halloween or Winter Wonderland. We all make decorations and outfits. The music is provided by our resident DJ and Go LD Member Michael.
Winchester Go LD
Winchester Discovery Centre
Jewry Street, Winchester, SO23 8SB
Tel: 01962 600281
Registered Charity Number: 1156536
Winchester Go LD
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