West Midlands Police are encouraging people to get actively involved in projects that they benefit from and which make a positive difference where they live. The Active Citizens programme was launched in June. West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: ”Community-spirited people who want to make real changes to the neighbourhoods in which they live and work should be celebrated. Active Citizens is a great opportunity to fund projects that makes people’s lives better and community’s safer and I would urge people to get involved.”

Dudley Police are taking a unique approach to delivery of the West Midlands Police Active Citizens fund. By collaborating with Dudley CVS they have helped to create an opportunity which is open to all potential active citizens, including children and young people. Our local approach to Active Citizens is starting with what we’ve already got. We’ve called it A Place To _

A Place To _ is connecting people, places and great ideas for projects. Anyone can start a project where they live. People who want to start projects will be supported to build their team, design and test out their ideas in real life, and access Active Citizens funding to take their project forward.

Ways to find out more and get involved

Visit www.aplaceto.net for information and updates, like A Place To on Facebook or follow @aplaceto_ on Twitter

Talk to us: Come along to a drop-in chat, the coffee is on us. See aplaceto.eventbrite.com for upcoming dates (please register if you will be coming along).

Be inspired: Register and come along to an Activate workshop to find out more, learn about imaginative projects from around the world (and right here in Dudley) and take the first steps to start something different where you live. See aplaceto.eventbrite.com for upcoming workshops.

Take part: Come along to projects which have started in Dudley, such as Trade School, Incredible Edible, Crafternoons in Coseley or Dudley SOUP.

Help project teams to form: If your group or organisation supports or works with people who might like to have a go at starting a project where they live, we can come and run an Activate session with them. Project teams will be given a free Activate Pack full of inspiring ideas, and ongoing free support to develop their ideas and access Active Citizens funding.

Start something: Ideas need to be tested in the real world. This can happen quickly with these kinds of projects – think in terms of days to weeks. Get in touch with us if you already have a team and an idea you’d like to try. Contact Lorna Prescott: lorna@dudleycvs.org.uk / 07501 722255

Get connected: Join us for a Bring & Share Supper on 16 November 2016 to get connected to people who share your passion who want to help you.

Offer A Place To_ : Great projects need great places. If your group or organisation has a space people could use to start participatory projects – whether it’s a small room, a large kitchen or a bit of land outdoors that things could happen on, please do let us know.

Become an Active Citizens Assessment Panel member: We are looking for people to join a pool of assessors who will help West Midlands Police to make decisions on Active Citizens funding in Dudley borough. Panel members will be briefed and supported. There will be 4 panel meetings per year, but you can commit to just one if you wish. Contact Lorna Prescott: lorna@dudleycvs.org.uk / 07501 722255

Dudley CCG has launched a public consultation to help shape the development of Dudley’s Multi-Speciality Community Provider (MCP). The consultation is to ask peoples views to help ensure that the new Dudley MCP is organised in the best possible way to meet people’s needs. Consultation is taking place on four key areas including:

Details of services included in the MCP contract (scope)

1. The targets and outcomes expected to be achieved for Dudley people
2. A description of the way the MCP is expected to operate (its characteristics)
3. An expectation on how technology will be used to improve access (for example easier telephone/online access system)

How to get involved

You can share your views any time between Friday 15th July up until midnight on Friday 9th September. Take a look at Dudley CCG’s consultation document. You can return completed questionnaires free to the following address (just write this on an envelope):

FREEPOST RTGH-YKLH-AZXZ Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group Brierley Hill Health & Social Care Centre Venture Way BRIERLEY HILL DY5 1RU

Events taking place across Dudley borough:

Join in with one of 5 public meetings:

• Monday 1st August at the Zion centre Halesowen – 1pm-3pm
• Tuesday 2nd August at The Beacon Centre, Sedgley – 10am-12noon
• Wednesday 3rd August at Stourbridge Town Hall – 1pm-3pm
• Thursday 4th August at Brierley Hill Civic Hall – 5.30pm-7.30pm
• Friday 5th August at DY1 in Dudley Town centre – 11am-1pm

To book a place at one of the above sessions please email Keren.Hodgson@dudleyccg.nhs.uk or call 01384 321730

Jump on the campervan between 1st and 5th August and leave your views in the video diary room. Dates and venues to be confirmed.

Come along to more focussed sessions to understand more detail on the following areas:

•  Diabetes – Tuesday 19th July 4pm-6pm at DY1, Stafford St, Dudley, DY1 1RT
• Primary Mental Health -Tuesday 6th September, 12pm-2pm, DY1, Stafford St, Dudley, DY1 1RT
• Respiratory – Thursday 8th September, 2pm-4pm, Bank St Methodist Church, Brierley Hill, DY5 3DA
• Outcomes, Characteristics and Scope – Monday 5th September 2016 10am-12.30pm, DY1, Stafford St, Dudley, DY1 1RT or Wednesday 7th September 2016 4.30pm-7pm, Brierley Hill Civic Hall, Brierley Hill, DY5 3DH

Alternatively you can:

• Email Dudley CCG your views at: contact@dudleyccg.nhs.uk
• Call Dudley CCG with your views on 01384 321764
• Listen to the talking newspaper at http://www.beaconvision.org
• Tweet Dudley CCG at @Dudleyccg
• Visit Dudley CCG facebook page at www.facebook.com/dudleyccg
• Join Dudley CCG mailing list by emailing: contact@dudleyccg.nhs.uk

Integrated Plus Link Officers attended a Westminster Briefing conference on 9th March in partnership with ‘The Campaign to End Loneliness’ to understand this largely unreported issue and what is currently being done to tackle it. The conference provided an opportunity to learn about the causes and consequences of loneliness and more importantly solutions to combat it.

Loneliness and isolation have a profound impact on the health and wellbeing of older populations and vulnerable people. There is a growing evidence base around the complex challenge of loneliness.

Here, is a summary provided at the conference from research undertaken.

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Nehemiah UCHA is a progressive housing association serving the African Caribbean, Asian, Irish and European communities. The Association provides homes for single people, families, couples and elderly people in Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Henry Court based in Dudley provides 38 permanent one and two bed apartments. All have level access showers which are great for people who have recently been discharged from hospital or have mobility problems. Henry Court specialises in meeting the multi-cultural needs of its residents and provides a good choice of African Caribbean food. Lots of fun social activities are offered to residents and the wider community to reduce loneliness and improve wellbeing. Some of these activities include:

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