2th Edition – March 2019

Hello to you all! Here is our latest news…

• The second Pioneers meeting took place by ZOOM, on Wednesday 13 March. We missed Wendy and Peter – but it was a great meeting and we all handled the technology with aplomb! Your feedback on our draft documents and grants application process was extremely helpful.

• You can see a recording of the ZOOM meeting here http://bit.ly/2JnYXdi. It’s edited, but still nearly an hour long, so get yourself a cuppa and put your feet up while you watch it. It is Private for the time being. Let us know if you want anything removed though, as we may publish it later on.

• Invitations to all DEEP groups to express interest in applying for one of our grants have now gone out, with a deadline of 29 April.

• We have finished the guidelines for groups about basic research methods. You can find them on the DEEP website under ‘Resources’. Click on https://www.dementiavoices.org.uk/deep-resources/.

• Thanks to those of you who have recorded your thoughts about the project via a Dementia Diary. Please feel free to make one any time you have any thoughts – maybe after reading this update?

• Thanks too to Wendy and Howard who represented the Pioneers Group at the meet-up of Yorkshire DEEP groups in York on 27 February, at which we introduced Dementia Enquirers. There was much discussion about the questions each group might like answered through their research. In her blog of the day Wendy writes:

• I imagine I said how it will give us the chance to turn research on its head and decide the topic for ourselves. Researchers coming through our doors on our terms instead of us going through theirs on their terms….but we’re not naïve enough to think we can do it on our own. We will need a lot of help but it will be on our terms.

• Dementia Enquirers has been included as an example in a piece of research SCIE is doing for the National Institute for Health Research/INVOLVE, looking at the involvement of people who use services and carers in social care research.

• We have made new and very positive links with the Open University, and with Chris Clarke, research lead Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust.

Coming up

• Our third Pioneers meeting is on Tues 11 to Wed 12 June, at Woodbrooke venue in Birmingham . All expenses are covered of course, plus payment for your time as advisors, as agreed. Please let us know asap if you are NOT able to come – and if you are bringing a partner/supporter.

Ideas for you this month

Here are a few ideas of how you can support the project:

• Record a Diary about how you are feeling about the project

• Talk to your DEEP group about applying for a grant if they wish to

• Start handing out the new postcards which we have sent you

If you have any queries, thoughts, inspirations or anything at all, please email Rachael at rachael@myid.org.uk or call her on 01392 420076.

We look forward to talking with you all again soon 