Category: Blog

Today was a small group of members but still very enjoyable session. Lisa started with a quiz and then Richard arrived to do chair yoga which members and volunteers all joined in.

We then had James Le Bec to entertain us with his music and as usual James always manages to get people up dancing.

It was great to see Dr Rebecca who was busy taking blood pressures for some of the members. Also a pleasure to see Julian the Church Minister.

Thank you to our Rotary volunteers John, Malcolm and Victor. Thank you also to Andrew the Church Warden and the volunteer ladies who helped with the teas- Dorothy and Marjorie.

We had a good number of people at this session today.

Lisa started with a quiz about confectionery. This brought many memories of the different types of chocolates and sweets.

Members then sang to wish Pamela and John Happy Anniversary. Pamela brought in some lovely chocolates to share.

The session then continued with Tai Chi with Egon which everyone always enjoys and finds relaxing. Lisa then finished the session with some singing and dancing to the favourite songs.

Thank you to Mark one of the Trustees who was with me today to help with the session.

Dementia Club UK has donated to the Finchley Memorial Hospital a very special piece of equipment called ‘Tovertafel’ and this was celebrated in a launch event at the hospital on Saturday 24th March.

The Finchley Memorial Hospital is the first hospital in London to have this equipment. Tovertafel is a Dutch product and in English means ‘Magic Table’. It is a type of projector which is installed in the ceiling and games are projected onto a table which people can interact with their hands. The games are light simulations of familiar activities such as gardening, fishing and popping balloons to trigger a sense of reminiscence among players, encouraging both individual and group play. The equipment not only helps those people who have medium to more progressed dementia but is also helpful to adults and children with learning difficulties and also autism. It was great to see how people with dementia were stimulated and motivated to play. It brought many smiles and laughter and also some competitiveness.

The carers were also overjoyed to see their loved ones so happy and involved. The Tovertafel is great family interaction.

The launch was very successful with many people attending. We had members from Dementia Club UK, children from Brunswick Park School with their Headteacher Andy Griffiths and some of our special guests were Rotarians from various Rotary Clubs including David Palmer Rotary District London Governor 2014/2015, Dr Jonathan Lubin Barnet CCG GP Representative, Richard Healy Chief Executive from Barnet Community Transport and David Morris from Alzheimer’s society.

Mehdi Bedioui – sole distributor of Torvetafel UK gave a talk about the product and a demonstration. Everyone was so excited to try out the various games. Adults suffering with Dementia with their families were gathered around the table eager to play. There was great interaction and lots of excitement.

One of the carer’s – Mrs Marina Timotheou said;

“It was so nice to see my husband join in the games and competing with the other players and children. I am so grateful to Lisa who always gives us something to look forward to. It makes my life so much easier to have somewhere to go.”

Cllr. Lisa Rutter, the Councillor for Brunswick Park Ward and Founder and Chairman of Dementia Club UK said:

“I am delighted on behalf of all the Trustees of Dementia Club UK to be able to donate this fantastic piece of equipment to the hospital as I feel that this will benefit the most people in the local community. My mother has progressed Alzheimer’s disease and I know the difficulties and challenges carers and families are faced with daily. The feedback received from members attending Dementia Club UK is that I have given them a lifeline. We now have 7 dementia clubs in the Borough of Barnet for people to attend. Providing this extra piece of equipment to the hospital would be an added bonus to giving more pleasure. Whilst there is no cure for dementia, Dementia Club UK will continue to help as many people as possible living with dementia and their carers and families to have a better quality of life and above all to give them hope.”

Dementia Club UK is very excited to be launching tomorrow 24th March this piece of special equipment they have donated to Finchley Memorial Hospital.

https://tovertafel.co.uk/

This piece of equipment will serve many people in the local community suffering with medium to more progressed dementia and children and adults with learning difficulties and autism. The Tovertafel stimulates physical, cognitive and emotional social interactions.

This is the first London Hospital to have this equipment.

Lisa was invited to the Pecking Order restaurant at the Hive home of Barnet FC fundraising event for Dementia Club UK. This was organised by Kevin who is one of our carers attending DCUK with his mother in law. Kevin is part of Barnet FC Walking Football Team.

It was a lovely surprise to see Tony Kleanthous Chairman of Barnet FC in the restaurant who came to say hello. Tony Kleanthous kindly donated a special dinner that will be auctioned at a later time.

Today was our first session at the new venue. Lisa decorated the tables with table cloths and flowers to mark the first session and lovely cakes and biscuits. My thanks to Beryl Watson the Premises Manager who helped to set up the tables and chairs.

We only a few members for this first session and the following visitors;

• Valerie Chodosh – DCUK Trustee and Past President of Rotary Club Golders Green
• Helen Antoniou – Past Rotary District Governor 2016/17
• Mollie Hacking – President of Rotary Club of Northwick Park
• Ritu Kapur – Rotary Club of Northwick Park Past President and now assistant secretary
• Lucille Parker – Rotary Club of Northwick Park member
• Danielle Benson – President of Rotary Club Edgware & Stanmore
• Dr Nandini Varma – Rotary Club of Edgware & Stanmore Past President and now Community Chair
• Selwyn Foreman – Rotary Club of Edgware & Stanmore Club Secretary and Treasurer of the London District 1130 and Accountancy small Business support
• Mrs Sonia Hirsh President Elect for Rotary Club of Edgware & Stanmore
• Mrs Ann Butler Rotary Club of Edgware & Stanmore member and retired nurse.
• Mike Turner – Rotary Club of Edgware & Stanmore member
• Mrs Anne Turner – happy to volunteer
• Peter Bradley – Rotary Club of Edgware & Stanmore member
• Rose Degen – Saracens Relationship Manager and
• Ruth Kent from Saracens

The session started with tea, cakes and chats and Lisa made her welcome speech.

Richard then started his chair yoga exercises which everyone really enjoyed. We then had the musical entertainer Ron Goldsmith who was absolutely amazing. His choice of music got everyone up dancing. It was a very enjoyable session and look forward to our next session on the 18th April.

Today we celebrated Terry and Pat’s Diamond Wedding Anniversary and Terry’s birthday with their daughter, granddaughter and two great grandchildren.

To mark these special occasions, Lisa brought in two cakes which they shared with everyone and we all sang Happy Birthday.

As Lisa had to attend another Meeting, the rest of the session was led by Eleanor. We sang some popular songs from over the years and played a miming game, which brought lots of laughter. We also did a short general knowledge quiz and played a game of card bingo.

A very big thank you to Sylvia, Pamela, Marina, Joan and Lynn who, in the absence of our volunteers, stepped in to clear the tables and do all the washing up.