Scribd
Upload
351 views4 pages

Gateway Newsletter February 2016

The newsletter provides updates about Gateway, a peer support group. It introduces a new project worker, Catherine, and says goodbye to the long-standing project worker Tom M. It highlights upcoming events at Gateway including information sessions on joining the management committee and a voter awareness training with Mental Health Reform. It features articles by members Clodagh and Mick and notes from Stephen about the monthly pool competition. It also provides details about the regular book club and a list of upcoming February events at Gateway.

Uploaded by

Gateway Project
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
351 views4 pages

Gateway Newsletter February 2016

The newsletter provides updates about Gateway, a peer support group. It introduces a new project worker, Catherine, and says goodbye to the long-standing project worker Tom M. It highlights upcoming events at Gateway including information sessions on joining the management committee and a voter awareness training with Mental Health Reform. It features articles by members Clodagh and Mick and notes from Stephen about the monthly pool competition. It also provides details about the regular book club and a list of upcoming February events at Gateway.

Uploaded by

Gateway Project
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

G a t e w a y

N e w s l e t t e r

Unit 1, 2 Parker Hill, Rathmines Road, Dublin 6 (opposite the swimming pool)
E-mail : [email protected]

Blog : projectgateway.blogspot.ie

Phone : 085 752 1220 OR 01 4977005 ( Office hours )

FEB

Drop-in hours : Monday and Thursday

ello readers and welcome to Februarys


Newsletter. The evenings will be getting
brighter soon and some flowers will be
starting to bloom as well.
Oh Happy Days

Firstly we would like to say a big hello to Catherine


our new project worker who has recently joined us. We
hope she enjoys her time with us and you can read
Catherine's Favourite Things on the back page. We
also have to say goodbye to our long standing Project
Worker Tom M.. Tom has been working as a Project

1.00 pm - 5.00 pm

2016

Worker for three and a half years. We think he


deserves a gold watch for all his time he has worked
with us, and we wish him all the best for the future.
Also congratulations to Ali on her commencement of
job as Community Development Worker here in
Gateway. The community can sleep in peace now with
Ali at the helm.
Also in this months edition we have two articles of
artistic talent from two members, Clodagh and Mick.
We know that are a talented lot here in Gateway. We
hope you all enjoy this Months Newsletter .

What I think of Gateway

ing list to join. Everyone is welcome at any time.

And when the chips are down it is not only the staff to
help me , but also there are numerous peers to help me
at the click of a finger to come to my aid.
In such a short space of time, I have made quite a few
close friends and I would like to meet up with them
outside to socialise with them.
I intend to apply for Lotto funding for a social fund
which is around 6,000 euro a year.
I am clicking off now. I think ye are all great.

oming to Gateway was pleasant in the beginning,


but now it is up there with Church on Sundays. The
people are so pleasant, kind and caring and it is not a
dos-house. But you could do nothing if you wanted to.
It has limited resource's, and the more I am here I have
noticed more activities out-side the drop-in hours on
Mondays and Thursdays, and this is a great credit to all
the project workers.
I think they have a great system of not having a wait- S t e p he n Sa v a ge ...Sports Editor.

A very big Gateway Welcome to our Country Cousins from ras Follin who have made
the long trip from Nenagh in County Tipperary to pay us a visit today. (We all know that
its a long way from Tipperary). ras Follin is also a peer-led support group for
individuals who may have physical or emotional issues. We know that this will be a great
day for us, and we look forward to making the return trip some day soon..

Co-Motion
On the 10th of January 2016, as part of The First Fortnight Mental Health Arts Festival, I attended a music
focused event. It was called Co-Motion and it required people who were participating to choose 4 uplifting
pieces of music that bring you up when you are feeling down.
The great aspect of the event was that you would be walking around St. Stephens Green Park listening to the
songs with somebody youd never met before.
Thankfully the day was bright and cold, after a spell of wet and windy weather. On arrival, I registered and was
given a headphone splitter to enable both people to listen to the music at the same time. I was paired with a
woman and we began our amble. She chose tracks by Queen , The Police, Ennio Morricone and Blur. I selected
a range of Northern Soul songs. We chatted about music, literature, running and health as we made our way
through the Park. It was a great experience and I would recommend it as an event if they hold it at their 2017

Richard.

Festival.

The First Fortnight Festival.


First Fortnight is a festival of the arts which includes
everything from dance to spoken word. The festival is
still in its infancy, started in 2012, but has grown from
strength to strength with each passing year. The
festival now stretches beyond Dublin with events
popping up around the country. At the very centre of
the festival is Mental Health. The aim of First
Fortnight is to challenge Mental Health prejudice and
to ignite discussion around the topic. Set against the
bleakness of January, the event adds a vibrancy to the
new year. Particularly, the event seems to draw an
audience that might not engage with Mental Health

generally. Of course there is lots of space for us


seasoned veterans too .
This year a group of Gateway members attended the 'If
Elected' political debate as part of the festival. This
was an interesting evening. The opening speech from
Mental Health Reform being particularly inspiring.
Overall the debate tended to overly focus on young
people and the education system. We were slightly
disappointed we didn't have a chance to ask our
prepared questions or hear from the panel more.
Despite this, it was good to see any event that puts
Mental Health back on the political and public agenda.
Rachel

Flying South

n the first of January 2016 a friend and I headed


to a First Fortnight Spoken Word/Music event at
FilmBase in Templebar. The First Fortnight Festival
has been combining creativity in music, word,
discussion, film, theatre etc.., whilst addressing
various aspects of Mental Health. The event we
attended was run by a collective called FLYING
SOUTH.
The night was very wet and windy so on arrival I was
drenched and in a bad mood. Thankfully, when we
went into the venue, there was tea, biscuits and a

warm blanket to cheer us up.


The range of performers were excellent,
featuring five acts who did three to four pieces and
eight to ten others who performed one piece.
The scope of songs, poems, stories and raps presented
were brilliant. We laughed, were moved deeply and
often felt sad but the evening was absorbing.
To learn more about the First Fortnight group, check
out www.firstfortnight.ie.

Richard.

Dont forget that the Book and Conversation Group (Toto Island) still meet every Friday afternoon from
1.30pm-3.30pm in Caf Moda on the Rathmines main street. All are very welcome to come and sit and chat
about...oh about anything that crosses your mind..

I Try (Song)
Sometimes I try but I cant dismiss,
When I try to find a reason to give a little old kiss.
Sometimes I try but I cant express,
try and find a way out of this big awful old mess.
But I get the feeling, someway or somehow,
You know as surely as I do.
I cannot give you all the love that I want to, all by myself.
Feeling okay maybe someway,
I can be the woman that you want to say is yours.
Years on the outside barely looking in,
I was a gazing at my navel , you would not let me fit in,
to your plan.
Written by: Clodagh

My Thoughts.. by Mick
Here I am standing today,
Enjoying myself in everyway.
With a group of people
I must say to have fun
And in everyway to console.
At a certain part of my day
I will go home
With a bright smile in everyway
And relax to where I will stay
Here in Gateway.

I just read that


4,153,237 people got
married last year,
not to cause any
trouble but
shouldn't that be an
even number?

Dates to keep in mind..


Monday 1st and Thursday 4th Feb: 1.00pm2.00.pm
Information sessions on Gateways Management Committee: What it
means and whats involved from nominations to election. (For
members interested, please attend one info session this week)

Monday 8th of Feb: 2.30pm-4.00pm


Members Meeting and voting for Gateways Management Committee
members representatives (Elections)

Tuesday 9th of Feb: 2.00pm-4.00pm


Voter Awareness Training with Mental Health Reform ( Lara Kelly)

Monday 15th of Feb: During Drop-in hours


Seemingly we shall be going to the
polls shortly and it is vital that we use
our votes in the best possible way to
tell the Government that Mental Health
is a major issue effecting us. Lara
Kelly from Mental Health Reform is
going to visit us here in Gateway on
Tuesday the 9th of this month from
2.00pm-4.00pm to go through the
whole voting process with us. So do
come along to this important event
and see what the Power of One can do
to change things...

Members Hour with Kevin: Music and Musicals. Come along and
share your favourite tunes.

Tuesday 16th of Feb: 2.00pm -4.00pm.


Development Workshop: Rights and Responsibilities of Gateway
members (Revisiting and updating the Members Charter of Rights and
Responsibilities)

Tuesday 23rd of Feb: 2.00pm-4.00pm.


Development Workshop: All about Peer Support.

These are a few of my favourite things . Catherine.


Pastime: Going to concerts
Smell: Freshly made coffee
Food: Italian
Person: Derren Brown (magician)
Season: Summer
Clothes: Jeans
Colour: Purple
Song: Cloud Busting by Kate Bush
Sound: Early Morning Chorus.

Pool Competition
The Pool competition attracted 14 members this
month. Stephen came into the competition at the
semi-final stage against Ciaran who had already
made it to the final. Ciaran missed four chances to
finish the game and missed a ball in the jaws of the
pockets, then Stephen had his chance with a ball
sitting over the pocket which a blind child could
have potted but fluffed his shot. He missed and
Ciaran pounced and buried the black on a long shot.
Game all over. Oliver in the final was a different
kettle of fish. He reminds me of Steve Davis. He hits
them in so slow and then like a chess player he
thinks four or five moves ahead. And then he
demolished his opponent starting with a long yellow
to the bottom pocket and gradually took control of
the game. Well done Oliver and may we all live to
play another day.

Stephen.

Q. What is the difference between a duck and a piece


of string?
A. You can tie a piece of string around your finger to
remind you to do something, but you cannot do this
with a duck.
Thanks and appreciation to all our supporters

Educating
Gateway 2015

to bring our art into the


public domain through
public exhibitions. Let
Well what was Educating our light shine as they
Gateway all about?
say. Music In Mind
scored very high, so keep
Well it was us the
those vocal chords in
members of Gateway
tune and maybe there will
sitting around for three
come a Gateway choir.
afternoons in the back
Seriously...
room and putting forward
our ideas and concerns
Also there were new
about courses and events groups that got a good
that wanted to see
few votes, for example
happening in Gateway for there will be a Decorating
the coming year. This is Group and a Fundraising
the beauty of Gateway.
Group set up. So if you
We get to choose in a
feel inclined to take part
very democratic way how in any of these groups,
we spend our scarce
please come and talk to
recourses. About fifteen any of the Project
of members came to
Workers who are always
these afternoon sessions here to help you.
and after much discussion
and nice refreshments we So thanks to all the
came to find out what our members who came
forward to direct and
wants and needs were.
steer Gateway for the
Ali, John K and Fionn
facilitated these sessions year ahead, and thanks to
and made sure that we all the team who put in so
much work in facilitating
behaved ourselves with
these sessions. It is
decorum.
important that we the
What scored very high
members direct this
was the Relationship
Project, and it is by
Building with other
coming to meetings that
support groups, Peer
YOU get to have your
Support training, A
voice heard and get what
Weekly Info Sharing
you want. Power to the
Session (specifically
people is what its all
about supports
about.
Available), and highest
score of all was a desire -Ciarn
MY MIND in Ranelagh is offering discounted
counselling services. Vouchers are available to
Gateway members at 10 per session for 5
sessions. Contact Gateway on 01-4977005. Thank you to
the ESB for supporting this service.

You might also like