having a voice

in Bromley

Monday 10 October 2016

2

3

presentations 5

people’s stories 8

workshops 12

being lonely 34

contents

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presentations

George, Laura and Adam welcomed

everyone. They said what was going

happen during the day.

A team

David, Holly and Lucy from the A team did

a bingo game.

The game was about keeping safe and the

work the A team do.

Young Advisers

Sarah and Philippa from the Young

Advisers did a quiz about children’s rights.

Philippa went around with a microphone

to find out more about people’s ideas and

answers.

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Bromley Mencap

Caroline and Sarah from Bromley Mencap

talked about what services they offer. They

talked about day opportunities and helping

people get jobs.

You can see their video about day

opportunities here

www.youtube.com/watch?v=p55CBjMJUmQ

Bromley Speaking Up Group

Bromley Speaking Up Group showed a

podcast about supported living.

Members talked about their staff. Some staff

are good. Some staff do not listen well or treat

people like babies.

You can listen to the podcast here

https://clyp.it/na5ps55t

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Bromley Sparks

Sparks members did a role play. It was about

things that have gone wrong in Bromley.

Annie was sitting in the park reading. Other

Sparks members came along and told her

good news about things happening in

Bromley like Keyring coming back and more

public toilets.

In the end Sue came and woke Annie up. It

was all just a dream!

We had a break and Bromley Sparks Young

Adults showed their film Simply the Best.

You can watch it here

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcXwF6WQmdQ

Bromley Speaking Up Group showed their

film too.

You can watch the film here

www.advocacyforall.org.uk/videos/

BSUG_video.mp4?1

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people’s stories

Gillian’s story

There were changes to my support from

Keyring.

There were lots of meetings about it but it felt

like no one was listening.

One person could not come to the meetings

because they were very ill.

It got people angry and we did not know what

was going on.

Some of us get support and some of us do

not. I was one of the lucky ones.

3 of us meet for breakfast every Sunday.

We don’t see others as much as we used to.

I’m worried about my friends who do not get

support.

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David’s story

The café at Community House is not the

same.

Lots of people worked there and people were

very upset losing their jobs.

I felt very sad when it closed. I miss seeing the

people in there. I was in there a lot of the time.

Other people say they do not see their friends

anymore. People feel more isolated. Isolated

means that they are on their own more.

Shaw Trust used to run it, now someone else

does.

The food is very good but there is not enough

people using it. I worry that we will lose the

café if more people don’t go there.

Please use the café at Community House so

we do not lose this one as well.

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Polly’s story

I like where I live because I know the area but

I need more support hours.

I need more support hours to access things in

the community.

When I go out with support it makes me feel

safer than when I go out on my own.

I like going on my own because it is good for

my independence. But sometimes it is safer to

have support.

I like going out independently to meet my

friends and go to Gateway clubs and Bromley

Sparks meetings.

I would like more care hours too, so I can get

better at looking after myself.

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James’s story

I work at Astley as a kitchen assistant.

Recently Astley changed to Certitude. I

thought I was going to lose my job. I heard

people talking in the dining room about it.

I was worried. My ears were hurting me.

I felt relieved when I was told I was keeping

my job. I like my job even when I get told off!

I have upped my game now!

In my social life it has been difficult too.

My youth club closed because of cuts.

I felt upset because I do not like the council

making cuts to younger people’s services.

What are we supposed to do instead?

We need to tell the council not to do more

cuts.

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health 13

money 18

transport 24

keeping safe 30

from harm

workshops

12

health

13

good things

health check ups

dentist

exercise

I play for Charlton

Upbeats

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bad things

health check ups

dentist

exercise

cut backs on NHS

sometimes doctors do not fill in black books

GP receptionists need training

drugs

alcohol

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things getting better

black books

Health Access Forum

more people and new leadership

dentists

learning disability team

hospitals

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3 things to change

stop people taking

drugs

stop people drinking

alcohol

train GP receptionists

black books

Health Access Forum

more people and new leadership

dentists

learning disability team

hospitals

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money

18

good things

work and earning money

happy with a part time job

working with other people

friends

happier not bored

the more money you have the more choices

you have

you can buy clothes and go on holiday

direct debits

direct debits are brilliant

save time

direct payments

direct payments can give some people value

for money

19

bad things

work

hours are a problem

can stop you doing other things

no support for employers to get better

with supported work you lose your benefit

banks

banks can be scary

nobody to talk to

overdrafts are confusing

budgeting and saving

running out of money too quick

no money for unexpected things

hard to budget

wasting money on little things

remembering where money is can be hard

benefits

don’t understand benefit forms

benefits are hard to get

you have to travel a long way for a PIP assessment

20

things getting better

budgeting

would like support with budgeting

budgeting should be taught in schools

more support

would like a weekly surgery about money or a

1 to 1 talk

person centred plan about money

direct payments

need receipts for direct payments

Bromley Mencap give more information about direct

payments

paying bills

mobile top up is easier to understand than bills

it’s easier to stick with one energy company than

change

21

Paying bills makes

me feel like an adult

I love spending my

money on the cinema

I love saving money

My support worker

gets my money. I don’t

know how much

Where does our tax go?

I want to work but

there’s no support

You think you have

savings then a direct

debit goes out

There’s not enough

going in to keep a

savings account open I sometimes do the

lottery.

Not for excitement

just bonus cash Money makes you

feel special because

you can go places

The new £5 notes get

stuck together

22

Services should be

better value for money

3 things to change

get easy read bills

budgeting services

need more money

23

transport

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good things

stations

Orpington and Bromley stations now have

lifts

new stations in London have better disabled

access

staff

friendly staff

buses

it’s good when you can see when the bus is

coming on the display

we like the conductors on London buses

other passengers are kind

fares

freedom pass

you do not have to carry money for travel

25

bad things

buses

sometimes bus ramps don’t work

too crowded

sometimes 3 buses in a row will go by

before we can get on

sometimes the touch in machines don’t work

bells don’t work

drivers

bus drivers not stopping for passengers

stopping at stops when no one is there

passengers

school kids are still rude

school kids take priority seats

pressing the bell too much

trains

sometimes trains pull out too fast

things getting better

bus drivers

bus drivers get people to move down

better trained

they pull in to the kerb better

they wait for me to sit down

safety

less bus shelters get smashed

feel safer sitting at the front of the bus

more community police at school times

stations and trains

help buttons are good

it would be good to make it easier to find

people to help in stations

ramps on trains

staff

transport staff trained in learning disabilities

and difficulties and being polite

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My carer had to

take me in my

wheelchair down

the step from the

bus and she hurt

her back

We try to avoid school

kids

I have a car now but

that’s no excuse!

There’s an oyster

card for staff too

If kids call you names try

to see what school they

are from and get help to

contact the school so it

can be stopped

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3 things to change

bus ramps should

always work

bus drivers should

be helpful and polite

every bus stop

should have a shelter

29

keeping safe

from harm

30

keeping safe

from harm good things

police communicate and talk well

road signs are clear

How about police to

help people cross

the road?

I used to feel strange

with the police

You should keep your

wallet and phone on

you

31

bad things

alarms on crossings are not safe for deaf

people

the road outside Astley Day Centre is

not safe

bus drivers and passengers are impatient

when you get on the bus

32

things getting better

lots of cars on the roads

better now that Bromley town centre

is changed

33

being lonely

George introduced Jenny Manchester from

Bromley Council.

Jenny talked about being lonely. She showed

a film about a man living on his own. He was

being picked on.

We did workshops. We talked about feeling

lonely and being safe.

Rob Vale talked about trading standards. He

talked about cold calling, and being safe on

the internet and phone. Cold calling is when

someone you do not know comes to your

house and tries to sell you something.

He talked about keeping your money safe,

not telling anyone your bank details.

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easy read by

Speaking Up Together Team

Community House

South Street

Bromley BR1 1RH

020 8300 9666

and speak to Yaninka

sut@advocacyforall.org.uk

/biggervoice

/biggervoices

/advocacy4all

www.advocacyforall.org.uk