Festive Greetings Everyone I hope you all have a well-deserved break and enjoy the festivities with family and friends.  It’s the time for sharing goodness, kindness and love to keep us all feeling joyful and cared for with a warm glow surrounding us. Here are some lovely quotes that I have read mainly on https://simplereminders.com.  I hope you will enjoy and share them with the people who are important to you: William James:  ‘We don’t laugh because we are happy, we are happy because we laugh’ Unknown: ‘Your wealth is not what you have, it’s what you give’ Jenni Young: ‘Pause and remember. Someone would love to hear from you right now.  Someone is thinking of you. Reach out’ Unknown: ‘I opened two gifts this morning. They were my eyes’. Merrie Maggie’s Laughter Clubs resume in January and here are the details: Monday, 8 January 2018 at Wordsley Community Centre, The Green, Wordsley, Stourbridge, DY8 5BN from 7.00 pm to 8.00 pm Thursday, 11 January 2018 at Mata Da Mandir Centre, 57 – 59 King Street, Dudley, DY2 8PX from 11.00 am to 12.00 noon. Out of area: Monday, 15 January 2017, Malvern Cube, Albert Road North, Malvern, WR14 2YF from 7.00 pm to 8.00 pm Training Opportunities: I shall be running 2-day Certified Laughter Yoga Leader training over the weekend of 10 and 11 February 2018 at Wordsley Community Centre from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm each day – see information leaflet attached. If you run a community group, have an event or a conference and would like a Laughter Yoga session, please make contact and I would love to help you put smiles on the faces of everyone attending. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. February 2018 CLYL Training Information 8-1-18 Merrie Maggie – Wordsey Poster 11-1-18 Laughter Yoga – Dudley Poster 15-1-18 Merrie Maggie – Malvern Poster Merrie Maggie Leaflet Source: Maggie Thompson, Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher and Laughter...

Please find attached January to March 2018 walk programme. Jan 2018 – March 218 Walk Programme FULL Picture Safari Dec 17 Geo Walk Jan 18 Books on the Move Jan-Mar 18 POSTER Dementia Nature Walk Jan – Mar 2018 Many thanks Source: Age UK Dudley...

Dudley dog helping children and young people with disabilities  A new one stop shop website for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities, their parents and carers has been launched.  Dudley’s Local Offer is a website featuring Dudley the cartoon dog who guides users around the site. It has been developed specifically for children and young people aged up to 25, who have special educational needs, or disabilities, as well as a resource for their parents or carers. Users can find a wealth of current, helpful and appropriate information and advice on areas which include education, training and work, health, leisure time, care needs and transitioning to adulthood. The website aims to help young people and parents to make individual informed, positive decisions and choices. The aim is to ensure that any child or young person with a special educational need or disability, regardless of their level of need, parent or carer is able to find help, information and advice in one place. The website has been developed in conjunction with young people from Pens Meadow School, Gig Mill ASD (autistic spectrum disorder) Base, KIDS Orchard Transition Group and Dudley Youth Council. Parents and carers have also been involved in the development, including the groups ‘We Love Carers’, ‘Working Together for Change’ and Dudley Parent Carer Forum. Visit Dudley’s Local Offer at www.localoffer.dudley.gov.uk. Many...

I am currently looking for possible places and groups of people who would be interested in any of our Eat Well courses for next year.  Get Cooking: One day a week over 6 weeks a course designed to help develop skills to produce healthy affordable meals.  This will include advise on how to reduce risks of ill health and disease, as well what all those numbers mean on the back of the packs, why low fat, low sugar etc aren’t always as good for you as you think they are and much more.  Help to prepare and sample different food every week.  Maximum 12 -14 people. Carry on Cooking: A follow on course, if interested, again for one day a week for 6 weeks.  This is more of a hands on course where you cook at least one (if not more) meals each class. Learning more about what you are cooking, the use of alternative ingredients, pick up new tips and ideas, plus much more. Maximum 12-14 people. Master Classes: This is a one off class, taster session and demonstration.  Each one can be adapted to the clientele, in the past we have run course that for; one pot meals, simple meals, low sugar cooking for Diabetes etc.  This can be run for a much larger group of people. All of these courses are suitable for people who have never cooked before to people who cook regular.  A great way to socialise and have a little fun. We have all equipment, including hobs, needed, so if a kitchen is not at hand, we can adapt recipes and cooking to all that we have. At the moment our main priority is for January to March, would you be interested and have a group that would like to get involved? All FREE of charge. Though if you are interested after this time please also get in contact. If you are interested or would like more information please do get in touch. Eat Well new address April 2017 – HW Source: Sabrina (Sam) Mullett – Health and Wellbeing, LEAP Over 50 Project...

Details of Dudley Council’s opening hours over the festive period are available to view online now at: www.dudley.gov.uk/media/latest-news/christmas-services-and-opening-times Services including residential care and homecare will continue to operate during the holiday period. If you need to contact children’s or adult care services in an emergency when the offices are closed, call the emergency duty team on 0330 555...