Thank You to HRH Prince Harry & LASS Partner Organisations

HRH Prince Harry with Salma Ravat & Nadine Coogan (Photo: Tom Robson @tjrfoto)

Partner organisations joined LASS in a training session led by Juliet Kisob and Sadiya Mohamed.  They looked at the role of community HIV testing in encouraging people to know their HIV status and to help reduce late diagnosis.

CEO Jenny Hand introduces HRH Prince Harry to Sadiya Mohamed & Juliet Kisob. (Photo: Tom Robson @tjrfoto)

They were joined by HRH Prince Harry for workshops where they used a case study to look at how critical partnerships are to breaking down stigma and to identify new places for LASS to test in our 30th year. In Leicester 59% of patients are diagnosed late, which is 20% higher than the national average.

HRH Prince Harry unveils a unveiled a plaque marking the start of LASS’s 30th year. With Evernice Tirivanhu, Jenny Hand & David Rowlands (Photo/Animation: Tom Robson @tjrfoto)

Prince Harry unveiled a plaque marking his visit and 30 years of LASS. He invited trustee Evernice Tirivanhu to assist him She said: “It’s quite a special day for us.
“People living with HIV have to fight a lot of stigma, and to find that members of the royal family are willing to come and support the charity is very encouraging.”
Prince Harry’s visit came as the National AIDS Trust reported “an alarming trend for cutting or completely decommissioning HIV support services across England and Wales”.

LASS has been absolutely delighted to welcome partner organisations yesterday.  By working together we demonstrate unity within the voluntary sector and strengthen the approach of social care, support and advocacy across Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and the East Midlands.

• Salma Ravat:  One Roof Leicester Manager
• Shirley Godber: Reaching People
• Nadine Coogan: Moneywise Plus
• Benedetta Baimaverde: Refugee Service Coordinator British Red Cross (@BritishRedCross)
• Dr Ian  Stephenson: HIV Consultant University Hospitals Leicester
• Dr Fatima Ibrahim HIV Consultant University Hospitals Leicester
• Bushra Ali:  Bushra Ali Solicitors Immigration specialists (@BushraSolicitor)
• Michael Moreton: Community Advice and Law Service (@CALS_UPDATE)
• Chris Poole :Acting Project Manager, Shelter Housing Aid and research Project Leicester
• Sal Khalifa  – TRADE Sexual Health service (@Trade_S_Health)
• Maggie Brown: New Futures
• Pastor Mark Anthony Pasimupindu: Church for All Nations International (@cfaniuk1)
• Dibo Enaw: Christian Women Fellowship Movement (CWF)
• Fatiya Saad: Sisters for Islam
• Lillian and Julian Howell Holy Trinity Church (@holytrinityleic)
• LASS Volunteer HIV Community Testers: Nigar Sadik & Miriam Katche
• Pamela Campbell Morris: West Indian Senior Citizens LAT Project
• Denese Clarke: artist and volunteer
• Khadijo Omar: Volunteer student on placement
• Ola Meshach LASS Sexual Health Volunteer
• George N’Kashama: African Community Groups
• Mandigo Ndelani: African Barbers & Businesses
• Lee Howe – East Midlands African HIV Partnership (@AHPN) & Healthy Hub Roadshow Project
• Barbara  Butler – retired Trustee
• Lorin Adams: Sexpression (@SexpressionLeic)
• East Midlands AISD:  Amdani Juma
• Judy Fallon: Leicester LGBT Centre (@LeicesterLGBT)
• David Hopkins: Mindfulness Trainer
• Paschal Bagonza City of Sanctuary (@LeicesterCoS)& Pride Without Borders

You can find coverage of Prince Harry’s visit to LASS, and other Leicester Projects from the following news outlets.  Photographs from the training session are in the gallery below.

• The Telegraph
• Sky News
• BBC
• Leicester Mercury
• Capital FM
• Express
• Pink News

CEO Jenny Hand introduces HRH Prince Harry to Sadiya Mohamed & Juliet Kisob

HRH Prince Harry with Salma Ravat

Thanks for reading, let us know what you think in the comments below, or you can find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!

        

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Next Volunteer Induction Meeting with HIV & Hepatitis Update Training afterwards

Our next Volunteer meeting will be on 29th January 2015 and consists in two parts.  To begin with, we’ll ensure all new volunteers have an induction to LASS and our services where we’ll talk about our aims and objectives, an overview of our teams, confidentiality/policies, and checking paperwork like applications and CRB checks (if necessary).

LASS can be a busy place at times, and these monthly meetings are ideal to stay updated with our work and engage with us while socialising and staying active with new and interesting projects.

Once these basics are covered, we’ll explain HIV basics and talk about volunteer involvement and plan for our current and future projects.  Previously we’ve shared our collective knowledge about volunteering within a health and social care environment, provided details of free training courses ranging from HIV information, to mentoring, to computer skills (some of these award certificates or qualifications).

We have a very interesting year ahead, we work across the whole range of communities in Leicester and Leicestershire, tackling wider health, poverty and inequalities that impact on individuals living with HIV.

We request all new volunteers to attend at least one meeting so we can ensure new people are familiar with our service, and for everyone else, we hope you’ll become a regular so we can plan ahead and really make an impact like we have been doing over the past 26 years.

HIV & Hepatitis Update

Celia Fisher (@LASSCelia) delivering HIV training at LASS.

 

Following out Volunteer meeting, we’re delivering a HIV & Hepatitis update between 13:00 – 15:00hrs, facilitated & developed by LASS’s Celia Fisher.

The aim of this session is to provide an update of the recent advances and information about HIV & Hepatitis – including transmission, risks, treatment and statistics. It is beneficial to consider these blood borne viruses in one session and to explore the wider determinants of these viruses.

The session will be of interest and benefit to people who deliver health, HIV, Hepatitis or other support services such as housing, job advice, those who work with people living with / affected by or more at risk of HIV and/or Hepatitis. The session will benefit individuals who want to be up to date with their knowledge.

We hope you’ll join us this Thursday, 29th January at 11:00am at 11:00am at The Michael Wood Centre, we’d love to hear from you.

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Leicestershire Community Calendar 2012

LASS’s Social Enterprise Well For Living launched a new initiative to help raise funds and awareness for Community Organisations and Charities.

Twelve different organisations, came together and developed a Community Calendar designed to encourage community involvement and help raise funds in this difficult climate.   The calendar also highlights important dates for the sector, such as Volunteers Week.

All Charities featured work to improve the lives of people living in Leicester and Leicestershire, and all are featured together in a calendar to display their good work throughput the year.

Read more about it at Well For Living.  http://www.wellforliving.co.uk/

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Related articles

• LASS – An Investors in People Organisation (lass.org.uk)

Leicestershire Community Calendar 2012

LASS’s Social Enterprise Well For Living launched a new initiative to help raise funds and awareness for Community Organisations and Charities.

Twelve different organisations, came together and developed a Community Calendar designed to encourage community involvement and help raise funds in this difficult climate.   The calendar also highlights important dates for the sector, such as Volunteers Week.

All Charities featured work to improve the lives of people living in Leicester and Leicestershire, and all are featured together in a calendar to display their good work throughput the year.

Read more about it at Well For Living.  http://www.wellforliving.co.uk/

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or subscribe via email

Related articles

• LASS – An Investors in People Organisation (lass.org.uk)

Our Volunteers Step To It And Take Up Challenge!

Leicestershire AIDS Support Services volunteers who help people with living with or affected by HIV are hoping to win a health challenge by clocking up the most time spent walking.

An eight-strong group of staff, volunteers and people who use our services have entered the NHS’s healthy heart walking competition, backed by the Leicester Mercury.

They are one of 12 teams across the city who are taking part in the contest – and say they are determined to be the top performers by the end of the month.

Celia Fisher, our Sexual Health Promotion Co-ordinator said: “I think it is a great idea. It really motivates people and means you have an incentive to do something.  There is also the sense of achievement – often sportsmen are only recognised when they are high achieving. This is about everyone being able to achieve something.”

The idea behind the challenge, set by the primary care trust NHS Leicester City and Leicester City Council, is to encourage people to get out and about this summer.

The challenge gets participants to keep a record of the number of minutes and hours walked.  Prizes are awarded to the teams and individuals who have walked for the most time.  The NHS is also using the challenge to raise awareness of the dangers of developing heart disease.

So far, our walkers have clocked up 162 hours 43 minutes and are in third place on a league table of teams who have logged the most minutes.

However, it is still more than 130 hours behind the top team.

Celia added: “We are determined to get to the top of leader board by the end of the month.  Most days I walk to work, which is two-and-a-half miles each way, and it is quite a joy. I try out different routes and you see the same people to say hello to, so it is also quite a social thing.

“At LASS, we also have a walking group which meets once a month and includes staff, our volunteers and people who use our services.  We are now definitely going to try and get to the top of the leader board by the end of the month.”

Deb Watson, director of public health and health improvement for NHS Leicester City and Leicester City Council, said: “It’s really positive to see people in the city using their initiative and setting up their own walking groups.  Whether it’s a walk around your local park or a hike across the countryside, 30 minutes of exercise every day could really help towards preventing health problems like heart disease, diabetes and stroke in later life.”

For more information on taking part in the contest, visit:

www.leicestershealthyheart.co.uk

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Volunteer Communication Survey

LASS are in the process of reviewing our volunteer communications and would very much appreciate our volunteers to spare a few minutes to complete a quick online survey for us.  Results of the survey will be made available along with any actions we plan to take, once the exercise has been completed.

If you’re a LASS volunteer and would like to complete the survey, please contact our reception on: 0116 2559995.  The survey will be open for completion from today until 28th June only.  If you prefer to complete a paper copy, please ask our receptionist and this can be posted to you.

Please be assured your responses will be anonymised and we thank you in advance for your co-operation.

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Are you a Volunteer Co-ordinator?

· Date: Thursday 17 March

· Time: 5.30pm – 7pm

· Location: Town Hall Council Meeting Chamber

VAL is holding a meeting for volunteers to share their experiences and to give feedback on volunteering in Leicester. The Lord Mayor will also be attending the event to thank volunteers for their vital contribution.

VAL is interested in finding out what motivates volunteers, what’s changing, the Big Society and how VAL can help to give volunteers more of voice in policy decisions.

The event will consist of a cluster of enjoyable mini focus groups where volunteers will get the chance to share their experiences and give their take on local volunteering, in an informal and welcoming way. The full event programme can be found below.

Volunteer Co-ordinators

If you think your volunteers would benefit from attending this event then please:

• Collect up to five names/contact details from your volunteering team and send them to helpline or call 0116 257 5050
• Alternatively volunteers can contact the Helpline directly on the details above

The feedback given from the meeting will help VAL to improve services for volunteers and help shape the future of volunteering in the City. Depending on success VAL is hoping to arrange a similar meeting at County Hall.

Volunteers’ Forum Event Programme

Purpose

An opportunity for volunteers to meet and share experiences and voice their outlook on the volunteering landscape/the way they see active citizenship best being fostered.

5.30pm Gather in venue

5.40pm Introduction from Jim McCallum – purpose of event/introduce Lord Mayor

5.45pm Welcome from Lord Mayor – welcome to Town Hall and a few
words of thanks for their volunteering

5.50pm Think piece from Jim McCallum about some trends in volunteering

5.55pm Group discussions on three key questions

• Why do you volunteer?
• What do you most and least enjoy about your volunteering?
• Is volunteering changing? If so, for the better or the worse?

6.40pm Report back from discussion groups

6.55pm Thanks for coming/wrap-up/next steps

7pm Event ends

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Volunteers Forum (City). 5.30pm – 7.00pm, Thursday, 17th March 2011

VAL is running a Volunteers’ Forum, a meeting for, largely, city based volunteers to give us a take on the volunteering landscape as seen by volunteers themselves.

They are interested in their take on what motivates volunteering, what’s changing, Big Society, and what VAL can feed in to the policy arena to amplify the voice of volunteers, not about their specific role and circumstances, but about the volunteering scene generally.

The event is predominantly a cluster of mini focus groups on aspects of volunteering, which hopefully will be enjoyable. It is also in a largely informal way a civic occasion, being in the Town Hall Council Meeting Chamber, and with the Lord Mayor welcoming attendees and thanking them for their volunteering.

The agenda is attached below. It is a reasonably brief event, and it’s their hope that some LASS volunteers might be interested to attend. This opportunity is being sent to the Volunteer Network members first. To get a range of interests and demographic, They’re seeking up to, but no more than, five volunteers per organisation.

If you’re interested in attending, please contact LASS so we can pass your details to VAL.

Volunteers’ Forum Agenda.pdf

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