Threads of Connection: Building Resilience Through Creativity with Hattersley Health Champions

Episode Summary

Unlock the secrets of community transformation and discover how local heroes are reshaping Hattersley for the better. Our latest episode of Hats Chats and Giggles is a heartwarming exploration of the extraordinary efforts by the Hattersley Health Champions, with Brenda, Grenville, Tosin, and Mike sharing their inspiring stories. From crafting sessions to gardening projects, these patient volunteers have built a vibrant network of self-help groups that foster social interaction and well-being, even overcoming the hurdles of the pandemic to keep their community thriving.

Join us as we highlight the spirited endeavors of the Hattersley Environmental Action Team (HEAT). You'll hear about their dedicated monthly litter-picking crusades and their impactful cleanup at Broadbent Grove. Discover the myriad of community activities from fitness classes to craft clubs that make Hattersley a hub of activity and engagement. With deeply personal stories, such as Brenda's touching account of a member's journey of personal growth, this episode is a testament to the resilience and spirit of community change-makers.

Furthermore, we celebrate the lasting legacy of Edwin Crump and delve into the essential community initiatives like Tai Chi and walking football that promote social bonds and physical health. As we explore future visions, including the cherished annual Christmas party, we underscore the importance of sustained support and funding to keep these vital programs alive. This episode is a rousing reminder of the power of community spirit and generosity, highlighting collaborative efforts from local businesses and champions like Kate Shelmadine to make a tangible difference in people's lives.

Hattersley Health Champions facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HattersleyHealthChampions

Email: hattersleyhealthchampions@gmail.com

Website: https://sway.cloud.microsoft/5GPCCHQpPud9Igmv?fbclid=IwY2xjawGoN1lleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHSYLbdrvYFdwGEXJsaLP80VQEG4jFqwLBDx9Z176HGxo7k4osAe_QUUNHg_aem_OfAUdrmuHeqyC6ZQ1R013g

MATU Barber Company - https://www.matubarbercompany.co.uk/

Keywords

Community Transformation, Local Heroes, Hattersley, Hattersley Health Champions, Brenda, Grenville, Tosin, Mike, Self-Help Groups, Social Interaction, Pandemic, HEAT, Litter-Picking, Broadbent Grove, Community Activities, Fitness Classes, Craft Clubs, Community Spirit, Edwin Crump, Tai Chi, Walking Football, Keepwell Garden, Environmental Efforts, Facebook, Support Appointments, Vibrant Community Life, Parkinson's, Allotment Project, Christmas Party, Community Involvement, Action Together, Pc Refurb, Digital Skills Training, Hattersley Environmental Action Group, Litter Picks, Community Pride, GTD Healthcare, Kate Shelmadine, Community Spirit, Generosity

Chapters

• 0:09 Hattersley Health Champions and Community Work
• 9:54 Community Environment Cleanup and Engagement
• 12:18 Whats on in Hattersley
• 19:19 Community Health Champions
• 25:11 Community Involvement and Support

Transcript

Mark: [00:00:00] Hello and welcome to Hats, Chats and Giggles podcast. I'm your host, Mark, and today we've set up a new podcast. in the amazing building called Hattersley Hub. And we're going to be speaking to the Hattersley Health Champions about some of the amazing work they do in the community. If you don't know what they do, stay tuned.

We're going to find out all about it. In the studio with us, we've got Brenda. Say hi, Brenda. 

Hello. 

We've got Grenville. Hi there. And we've got Tolson. 

Toisin: Hi. 

Mark: And Mike. Hello.

Yep, that's right. Today, [00:01:00] we're going to be speaking to the Hatters, the health champions, about all the work that they do. So, uh, thanks for letting me come in and set up. That's quite alright. Good to see you. 

Mike: Can I just say 

Mark: something, Mark? You 

Mike: better be good. There's something about you today. You look different for all the good reasons.

Oh, 

Mark: thank you very much. Well Compliments. Let me tell you, I've been for a new trim. I look like a young boy today. I've been down to, uh, Mattu Barber Company there on Market Street down the road. Big shout out to Jack and the boys. Thank you for making me look so young and dashing. Um, yeah, thanks for that, mate.

Well, yeah, thank you for that. I think, I think you'll get a

So guys, tell us about Hattersley Health Champions. What is it and who is it? 

Grenville: Hattersley Health Champions, we're patient [00:02:00] volunteers at Hattersley Group Practice, helping, running self help groups to provide well being, uh, stuff for people in Hattersley community. Brilliant. So what kind of stuff do you do then?

Okay, um, on a Tuesday afternoon, 1. 30 till 3, which is where we are today, we run a craft work group, um, making things like hedgehogs from pom poms, making jams and pickles, crocheting occasionally. What else do we do, folks? 

Mike: We have sown some plants in the past, haven't 

Grenville: we? Yeah. We set plants off and then we plant them out in the garden that we've got at the practice.

And, um, that's kind of what we get up to, uh, in the, in terms of creating things. What we do when we've created them is we actually, we can actually sell them at the makers market that they have in, here in Hatterasy on the 1st. [00:03:00] Tuesday of the month in the morning where you can come and buy something and get a free butty if you buy something from the From the maker's market, which is really nice.

So so we're making things and selling them to help run the group and We also feed people when when when they come along So there's always some either sandwiches or hot food for people to have and we have a good old chat Great. 

Mark: So, um, how did the health champions evolve from an idea to the group you are today?

I 

Brenda: think it was set up by the doctors originally. Um, they were setting up this, they wanted to bring the community in to work with the doctors and to get patients who normally would be sitting indoors, outdoors. Um, so we've worked quite hard and it is hard work sometimes to get people to come, um, and join us.

But it was all, it all started originally. That's just a, just a small way of saying how it was set up. Um, and it did [00:04:00] work and it worked very well. Um, then COVID came along and we kind of had to disperse, but we still, we still met by Zoom. And, um, there were lots of people that just wanted to come and chat.

And what you found out about people was that once you got them outside of the house and mixing together. People just love to chat and felt so much better for it. Um, and that's why we got so much out of it because you could see that people, some people I know, turned into different people with such a lot of confidence.

And, um, I was quite proud of some of the stuff that they've done since then. So even if we can only make a small contribution to the community and make people feel better in themselves. That's why I do it. 

Mark: Wow. That's quite powerful. That me as an outsider who sees some of the work you've done. And before I come on the show, I went and looked on your Facebook and I thought I'll get a bit [00:05:00] of research.

I've known you, Grenville and Mike, I've known you for, you know, a few years. I never realized how much, I didn't, I know you do a lot cause I see you all the time, but I never realized how busy you was and how great it's grown. Cause. And that's really nice to hear what you've just said, Brenda, because it is sometimes, people just need to get out and talk, talk and socialise.

And it's 

Brenda: just small things, it's small things. It's like big trees from Little Acorns, it's all that. 

Mike: Well, speaking of trees, one of our biggest visual achievements is the Keepwell Garden outside the clinic, which everybody walks past and they can see it. And where's that? Keepwell Garden. At the clinic.

Right. At the clinic. 

Grenville: The GP practice. Yeah. 

Mike: It was a grassy slope at first, but now it's been transformed, and that's all through volunteers as well. 

Mark: That's, that's, I mean, you know what I thought he was going to mention? I thought he was going to mention the Christmas tree then. Shh, don't [00:06:00] mention that. It's too early.

So um, what's been your most, I mean I'm going to ask you this, Brendan, what's been your most memorable moment with the health champions? Has he got any? For you personally? 

Brenda: Well, 

Mark: I think you've just said it in one way. I've just 

Brenda: said it really. I just think one person in particular, and I'm not mentioning any names, but this person when I first met her, um, well she's now a different person since she's been coming and doing stuff and she blossomed and she, she's now got the confidence to go out and do things different for us, for other people.

She's, she's doing in another way what we're doing. 

Mark: Right, so you're kind of inspired. And I 

Brenda: just think that that's You know, I say more power to her elbow, I think it's brilliant. 

Mark: Right. 

Brenda: And I think that's the, I think that's the main object of our exercises to, you know, just get together and help one another.

Mark: Wow. Well, if you know that it's working, if, if you're inspiring someone to go on [00:07:00] and maybe help someone else in a different, in some sort of way, or even just to get out of there. 

Grenville: Um, I think my favorite bit was, um, Doing a series of murals with all the local schools, with schools in Hadsley, school in Mottram, school in, in Broadbottom.

So I think we had six schools in total involved in, um, primary schools, creating a series of murals about climate change. And, uh, that was really inspiring and really, really good working with kids and putting on their own art exhibition where everyone could come and, and look. See what they've done and then mounting all the pictures outside the practice.

So they're all up there. Go and have a look. 

Mark: Yeah. Well, that is Lerold East there. I've seen him. I think, I think it's great work. I think, like you say, it's, it's community cohesion and, and, and there's so many different tiers of what people are getting out of, of the work that you're doing. What [00:08:00] about you, Tulsi?

Tulsi, what are you doing back on the podcast? You can't get away from her. 

Toisin: Uh, mine was, uh, passing, uh, something like a personal encouragement. During the COVID, I travel out for charity work to Nigeria, and, uh, on my day coming back I don't have a COVID 19 passing card, and without that you can't get into the flight.

I have to call, uh, Artist of the Year champion Gwen to get me. To get me my COVID 19 card. I had the, uh, the You had the jab, yeah. The jab before I left and everything. But there's a series of questions that I couldn't answer. And without that, I'll just be stuck in Nigeria. So, I have to call Grant and say, Grant, please help, help, help.

I only have two hours for my flight to depart. So, little bitty girl, he was able to do that. And since [00:09:00] then, I'm so happy. Also, I like, uh, to be here at a, at a champion meeting. Uh, you make new friends. Uh, it also reduces isolation. Um, this, uh, can be very isolated. At home, being on your own, there's no one to talk to.

But when you come here, you feel like a bit weight off your shoulder. 

Mark: Just getting out sometimes can make your day 

Toisin: a 

Mark: lot different rather than sitting around and moping. 

Toisin: And I can make pom poms. 

Mark: You can make pom poms? Okay. What about you Mike, speaking of pom poms? Uh, I 

Mike: don't do pom poms, sorry. 

Mark: Have you got any, any memorable moments?

From doing this work with the health champions that stick with you. 

Mike: Well, it's all memorable really for me. I love helping the people in the community but I also love helping the environment because we're all [00:10:00] members of the award winning HEAT which is the Hattersley Environmental Action Team and we go out litter picking once a month.

And we have been today, haven't we? 

Mark: Yep. Have you been litter picking today? BroadB Bent Grove of Cliff End Road. Right, right. So you, when do you run that? Every, every month. Every month. On a Tuesday. 

Grenville: The last Tuesday of the month from 10 30 to 1230, we do it. And you can find out about that. How do you find out about, on our had, say, health Champions Facebook page, we always post a, uh, a picture of where we, a, a, a little poster of what we're doing, where we're going a couple of days before we do it.

Right. This next one though, that was coming up, we're going to be doing it, um, on the bonfire site, um, to clear up after the bonfire on the 5th. We're going to do it a couple of weeks after that. Oh, nice work. It's Tuesday, then is it, is it Tuesday the 19th? We'll have to check the date, but I think it is.

Well, [00:11:00] hope, hopefully we'll get this, uh, podcast 

Mark: done. Beryl, she's, uh, Beryl, she's been out raving in a beefer again, so I don't know when she's back. But when she gets back, she's gonna, uh, do the edit. Hopefully we'll get it out by then. So, um, for the benefit of the listeners, there'll be, uh, a link in the podcast description for the Addison's the Health Champions, um, Facebook, and there'll be emails and other things if you want to get involved.

Where have you been litter picking this morning? Broadbent Grove. Did you find any money? 

Mike: Well, if we did, we won't tell you. 

Mark: No, I'm just saying, did you find any, any money or any gold? No. Oh, right, because I lost some. Well So if you did find any, I'd like it returned. Yeah. 

Grenville: We'll keep our eyes peeled. 

Mark: Okay, so, um We have found money doing it, I think That was mine.

How much? Fifteen quid. Fifteen quid, it was [00:12:00] mine, where did you find it? So if you do find any money in Hattersley anywhere Where 

Grenville: did you lose yours? 

Mark: Well, I lost it. In the barbers? No, 

Grenville: it wasn't there. 

Mark: It fell out my pocket when I come out the barbers on Market Street, but it was a windy day. It was Stringer Avenue actually, I think we found it.

No way, that's where it 

We'll be right back after this short break. Beryl, get the kettle on. 

Lilly: Your guide to what's on in high school. One day that has a hub. Everyone's game. Baby friendly indoor fitness class at 10am to 11. 30am. ESOL English lessons, 10am to 11. 30am. Bowls, 12pm to 4pm. PM time for our arrive, two 15 to 2 45 in the library at St.

Barnabas meeting point, we have a man community hive for eight to 18 years old at 4:00 PM till 8:00 PM in the Air Cadet building [00:13:00] garden projects. We have homeschooling sessions at other community spaces. We have an everyone's game. The men's casual five, A Sidewalking football at 6:00 PM till 7:00 PM at Kenmore St.

James. Our rainbows, brownies and guides at 5pm to 9pm. Stay in play toddler group. 9 o'clock till 11 o'clock at Harrow Church. Turn time only. Tuesdays! 10am to 1pm First Tuesday of every month we have Makers Market at 9. 30am to 12. 30am First car support appointments, IT Suites 10am to 12pm Health Champions Craftwork Group at 1.

30pm to 3. 30pm NCGL appointments at 1pm to 4pm At St Barnabas Meeting Point we have a craft club at 7pm to 9pm. Last Tuesday of every month we have the heat letter picking. Across UC [00:14:00] at 10. 30 to 12. 30. At Ken Ward we have football sessions for 11 to 16 year olds at 5pm to 6pm. Wednesdays! At the Hattersley Hub we have knit and natter at 9am to 12.

30. We have tiny talk at 9. 30 to 11. 30. Curling at 1pm to 12pm. The Hattersley Club. Tai Chi at 2 to 3pm. Ivy Club at 1pm to 4pm. Over 50 IT, 1pm to 3pm. At St Barnabas Meeting Point, where the St Barnabas Alpha course starts the 11th of September to 7pm. Everybody's Game, Walking Football, 11am to 12pm at Kenward.

Thursdays! ESOL English Lessons, 10am to 11. 30am. Tiny Tots at 9. 30am to 11. 30am Tea Dance at 12. 30pm to 2pm First Week of Every Month Parkinson's and Dementia Cafe at 1. 30pm to 3. 30pm [00:15:00] The Last Thursday of Every Month We've got the Carers Coffee and Chat dropped in at 1pm to 3pm First Thursday of Every Month Reading Friends at 1.

30pm to 2. 30pm At St Barnabas Meeting Point We have Barney's Tots parents and Toddler Group. 9 38 to 1130, the Arc Cook can taste 1130 to one 30. Hassley Garden Project Community volunteering at 10:00 PM to 2:00 PM at other community spaces. We have the St. James Primary School, arc three 30 to four 30.

Beginner's Brass. 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM Hatley Brass Band. Friday at Hatley Hub we have. Parents and toddlers 9. 30am to 11am. Bowls at 12pm to 3pm. First Friday of every month, Citizens Advice. 9am to 11. 30am. Limited spaces. St Barnabas Meeting Point. Food banks at 9am to 11am. [00:16:00] Citizens Advice Bureau Advisor at 10am to 2pm Bread and Butter Service at 1pm to 2pm Harts Creative Club, ages 8 plus, at 4.

30pm to 6. 30pm Hattersley Garden Project Community Volunteering Sessions at 10am to 2pm Then at the weekend! At St Barnabas Meeting Point Kickboxing Sunday at 5pm to 6pm Hattersley Garden Project Garden Centre open 10am to 3pm on a Saturday Community Garden Eldersburys, Saturday 10am Vitality Garden Growing and Gardening at 11am to 1pm on Saturdays And that's all from your What's On Guide 

You're listening to Hatt's Chats and Niggles Podcast What I 

Mark: want to know, there must be a lot of coordination going on There must be a lot of things you've got to deal with.

Yeah. You, do you do all this voluntary? 

Grenville: [00:17:00] Yeah, we do 

Mark: it all 

Grenville: voluntary. 

Mark: We 

Grenville: don't 

Mark: get paid anything for it. Wow, that's, that's amazing. So, how do you keep motivated? 

Mike: Well, for me, it's, uh, cleaning up after some Untidy people after a litter pick. You can see the difference and it's great. 

Grenville: Yeah, I think 

Mike: It's a lovely place to live when it's clean.

People, some people can't keep it clean though, but we're here to help. 

Mark: Yeah, so some people like, like, walk around the estate throwing the litter and all the, all the shh, everywhere. And you guys pick it up. Big respect, big respect to you. And maybe some of the litter pick, uh, litter, what are they called when they throw litter?

Yeah. The litterbugs, the litterbugs, maybe they need to have a word with themselves, go and look in the mirror and get down on a Tuesday to one of these, um, one of these litterpics and do a bit to, uh, smarten up your community, rather than moaning about everything on Facebook. You know what we mean. Yep.[00:18:00] 

Well, they're welcome to come and join us. They're welcome to come and join us. Do they get fed as well? 

Grenville: Yeah, they do, yeah. We have some food here 

Mark: afterwards. Get fed? 

Grenville: All, 

Mike: all 

Grenville: equipment 

Mark: provided as well. Yeah. 

Toisin: Nutritious meal. 

Mark: A nutritious meal? Come and clean your own shit up. Uh, anyway. So, what's been the most transformative project that you've run?

Because you do loads, don't you? Yeah. 

Brenda: I think the garden, uh, because that I don't know whether the rest of the group agree and I can't do as much in there as I did. I can now The other guys do it all really but I think transforming that piece of hilly grass in the doctor's Grounds into what it is now and even the staff appreciate it and in the summertime They have their breaks out there and they love it so I just think that's one of the things that I think it's transformed.

It's helped transform a bit of our estates as well as give people Somewhere nice to sleep. 

Mike: Right. I, I agree actually, but that's an ongoing project, we [00:19:00] still haven't finished there. 

Brenda: Yeah. 

Mark: Right, unfinished business. Right. What's your plan? Secret. Secret? Well if you find any money down there It's yours, yeah we know.

or any gold. 

Grenville: I think that another thing that we do, um, is, is run a cafe for people with Parkinson's and dementia. Oh yeah. That's on the first Thursday of the month, again, here in the hub. And that that's been quite transformative. Um, Edwin Crump, who was, uh, uh, the, the, the founder of that group died this summer, but, um, he, he, he'd never met anybody that got Parkinson's before we set that group up and that's what he wanted to do to know what it was like for other people, as well as himself.

And that transformed his life, that, that group did. It was the last years of his life, but it made them a lot more, uh, pleasant and livable and, and inspiring. Um, [00:20:00] even sang, we recorded a song with him, um, singing, what was the song we sang? What was it? Winter Wonderland. Winter Wonderland. They'd been singing Winter Wonderland.

It was absolutely beautiful. Wonderful. 

Mark: I noticed how, when you were saying that, how the passion In your body language about that. And I can tell you that that was an important thing. And I think the work with the dementia group, I think that is really important to, to happen. Do you know what I mean? Um, it was one 

Brenda: of the first projects, wasn't it?

That we did. 

Mark: Yeah. 

Brenda: Um, and it was, it was lovely and, uh, he was a true, he was a true gent and, uh, we watched him, um, Slowly deteriorate. But we all grew to love him so much and, uh, it was very sad when we lost him, but, you know, but to know that people can get together and, um, just for an hour or so and talk about anything in [00:21:00] the world and it just makes that difference.

Mark: And it probably made them last year's a lot more, um, well, it probably fulfilled them last year's a bit more than this. Yeah, yeah. That's great work. It's quite touching, really, what you What we're talking about, and, and, I really appreciate everything, the hard work that you do. I think by coming here I've 

Grenville: found out a little bit more.

One of the most successful things that we've, in terms of getting people to come along to it as well, is the Tai Chi group that we run on Wednesday afternoons. Here in, in, uh, in the hub. And, um, we weren't quite sure whether that was going to work. A lot of people were asking for us to do some, some form of gentle exercise.

And, and it has worked. We get in between 15 and 20 people come in every week to, to do that. And, uh, it's developed into a really close group and, and, uh, Successful group people are getting some exercise every [00:22:00] week that wouldn't be getting exercise probably if they weren't coming to 

Mark: it It's how you know what you're doing great work.

It needs funding. Naturally. It needs it needs Um, it needs some of the powers that be that have got all the bangers and mash to put some money into it for the benefit of the community um When's the tai chi again? 

Grenville: Tai chi is two till three on You Wednesday afternoons in the hub. In Hattersley Hub? In Hattersley Hub.

Mark: I might come down to that if I've, if I've got time. 

Toisin: Another one is walking football. 

Grenville: The walking football? Yeah, we do walking football as well. We don't actually organize that. That's organized by Active Tame Side. But it is another thing that we, uh, quite a few of the champions get involved in. Um, so that's on, that's on a Wednesday morning, 11 till 12 at the Ken Ward Centre.

And if you can walk, it is good walking football. A lot of people [00:23:00] end up running though. Do you not get fouled? You don't get a red card for running? You should get a red card for it, but I'm probably the chief runner in the group. 

Mark: Right. Okay. Okay, so, uh, what's your, what's the vision for the future of the health champions?

Is it, have you got a vision? Are you just gonna, I mean, you're doing loads anyway, I don't know how you could have a vision, I think. 

Grenville: Yeah, we don't really get time to have a vision, we're just, uh, you know, we're too busy doing what, what we're doing. I think, I think, um, we, we, we've, we've done a, had a, an allotment patch for the first time this year.

And I think we want to, uh, carry on working on that because we're then growing some vegetables that we can actually eat and actually can make jams and pickles and things with, and that's been really good. So we want to do some more of that. Any, any other thoughts, folks, on what we do next? 

Mike: We'd like to continue our annual Christmas party, which is free, totally free.

We think nothing's free nowadays, but this is right. Free food, free [00:24:00] entertainment, and it's just a free night. And we've been doing that more or less every year since we started. And it's very popular. 

Mark: So where does that happen then? 

Mike: Used to be at St. B's. Oh, yeah. But it might we might be going back there or we might be here.

We don't know yet. 

Mark: All right. And the Hattersley Hub, right? Yeah. So What's your biggest challenge you've faced as a health champions? 

Brenda: Money. 

Mark: Money. We've not 

Brenda: got enough of it. No. 

Mark: We're not finding enough on the litter picks, that's our problem. Well, I've told you if you find any of that, it's mine. But, I'll tell you what I'll do.

If you do find any, it is mine, but you can have it. Oh, thanks. As long as it's not like, you know, Dodgy money. Illegal money. I don't want anything to do with it. But, um, yeah, money. 

Grenville: Yeah, money's one thing. Finding the time to get to do stuff is another one. Cos, you know, the time gets Time [00:25:00] gets full really, to, you know, which is good in one way and, uh, constraining in another, but yeah, it's 

Mark: good.

So if there's anyone out there with a load of bangers in their pocket and they don't know what to do with it, throw it out, throw it towards the health champions, because they do great work. We'll be right back after this 

short break. Beryl, get the kettle on. 

Dawn Acton: Do you run a local community group, or have you thought about setting one up?

Would you be interested in volunteering or helping a local group or charity to run their activities? For more information, contact Dawn by email on info at actiontogether. org. uk 

Are you a Tameside organisation who would like more opportunities to network and influence? Action Together are a not for profit organisation who are based in Tameside who can provide support for your group or organisation.

Find out more on our website www. actionscather. org. uk [00:26:00] Do you or someone that you know find technology confusing? Are you finding it frustrating that everyone asks you to go online, but you don't know how? Well PCRefurb, a local charity, are offering lots of free digital skills training at various places around Tameside.

Or perhaps you are comfortable with tech and would like to give back to the community. We're currently recruiting people to be trained as digital champions to train people in our groups. Another aspect of PC refurb is refurbishing technology from companies that have computers or phones that for them are end of life.

But for PC refurb, we are able to take those pieces of IT kit, reset them and pass them on to individuals or organizations who need them. So using their skills in training and refurbishment, PCreferb helps abridge the digital divide. For more [00:27:00] information, email 

Mark: admin at pcrefurb. org. uk. 

You're listening to Hats, Chats and Giggles podcast.

Mark: What advice would you give to any other groups who might be listening thinking, you know what, I want to set up something like that in my community? 

Grenville: I think I'd say just persevere at it and, and as soon as you get started, you learn how to, how to open doors and how to make, get things rolling. Um, so you just got to have a vision and stick with it.

Right. 

Mark: So, um, do you work with any other, you know, like, cause you've got the Tameside Council, we've got Onward Homes. Do you work with any other organizers, does any of these people support you, cause, Yeah. The NHS, cause they must, they must benefit from, from some of this work, mustn't they? Yeah, 

Grenville: our biggest, uh, our biggest sponsors for the work that we do have been GTD Healthcare, who run the Hattersley Group practice.[00:28:00] 

Onward Homes, NHS Property Services, Action Together, um, who else, and, and the local council, our local councillors support us too. So I think they're probably the main ones. 

Mark: Right, right, so when you've just said, um, GTD Health, Health Group, how do they support you in these? 

Grenville: Okay, they, they, uh, They provide us with funds and provide us with direction.

So, so personal support, you know, to, to, to, because we, we, you know, it's, it can be a mental strain doing this stuff. And Kate Shelmer Dine, who is, is the complaints manager, actually, she, she's one of our biggest supporters. And. And she, you know, she's there for us to, to, to help with issues that we might not able to cope with otherwise.

Every now and then, you know, when we're not, we call ourselves champions, but sometimes we aren't, you know, she's 

Brenda: an [00:29:00] outside eye really, and she looks in from a different direction. So sometimes, you know, what we might consider to be quite a big problem, Kate kind of looks at it in another field, and she.

Pulls us back in so she helps us in that way. Really. 

Mark: Oh, you know what we're gonna do? We're gonna give her a big up

Yeah, that's good That's for you kate and um everyone there at asley group practice. 

Mike: We need to uh, thank the residents of hutters as well because They support our events and without them. Well, 

Mark: it'd be nothing Well, uh, yeah, so a big shout out to all the residents there I 

Brenda: think there's one thing we've forgotten.

Mark: What? 

Brenda: And that's the Christmas party. The part of the party where we collect presents for the local children and the children in Hyde. Supported by Tesco and 

Grenville: No, Asda. 

Brenda: And Asda. Asda. Um, and we start collecting round about December [00:30:00] and we had trolley loads of presents which we kind of give out to all different associations for their Christmas parties.

Yeah, 

Grenville: Asda let us put a trolley in their store in Hyde for the couple of weeks running up to Christmas and that gets filled about five or six times by local residents with presents. And has to put some in as well. And then we, we take those presents, sort them all out and, um, deliver them to the food banks in Hattersley and Hyde, and they then deliver them, uh, to, to residents.

Families with children in need. Oh, that's well, that's nice. It's loads of presents as well that get, get, get, uh, get delivered that way. It's, it's amazing. So if anyone wanted to donate presents, Asda in Hyde. Asda in Hyde. Yeah. Though we, we haven't got, we haven't quite got it in place yet this year. We're still waiting to hear back from them whether, whether they can do it or not.

[00:31:00] Yeah, so 

Mark: you're listening, listening to Asda in Hyde. You're getting a shout, you're getting a shout out here. You bet. You better pull your socks up. So you know HEAT, Hatterley Environmental Action Group? Yeah. Like you've organised loads of litter picks. How many litter picks have you done so far? 

Grenville: Well, we do 12.

We do one every, every month. And we've been doing it for about four years. Is it, Mike? Or five years? Oh. So say, say we did that. So that would be 60, 60 litter picks. Probably, probably about 80. Probably. 'cause some, sometimes we do two a month, 80 litter picks. And we probably get, like today we got 25 bags of litter we picked up.

Wow. And so if you want to know how many bags we've collected, 'cause that where you're going with it, let's just see. So say, say it was, uh, say it was, say it was 60 times 25 bags. [00:32:00] Uh, how many is that 60 25? It, it is several thousand bags, isn't it? I'm just going to get my 

Mark: calculator and work. But it equates to tons of rubbish we've picked up.

It does, it does. But how do you think that environmental work strengthens community bonds? How do you think, do you think that 

Mike: does help? It's getting people involved because we do get volunteers who aren't champions turn up sometimes. Right. Um, they're proud of what they've done. There's something, there's something a 

Mark: bit rewarding about picking litter up.

Well, 

Grenville: A, it's personal. You're out, you get outside and you're, uh, you're getting some exercise. It is really good. It's, it's, it's good exercise and it's good for your head. Because you're outside, you're looking at nature, you're looking at things, you're chatting to people going by. It's really nice. It's really pleasant.

In terms of how it fits in a bigger environmental picture. [00:33:00] Um, 

Brenda: I think because I'm a, the environment is a big issue for me. I can't, but I can't do it anymore. As you say, I'm on crutches now, but to go out into the environment, which is lovely and clean, you know, and it lifts your spirits. Whereas if you go out and all you see in his rubbish makes you depressed.

You think to yourself. Why do they keep doing it? So I just think that, um, that lifts your spirits as well. You know, like I say, if you see somewhere that's nice and clean, you do grow to appreciate it. Eventually, hopefully, you'll convert someone else and then someone else to the fact that put your litter in the bin, don't throw it on the floor.

Mark: Well, there's only dogs that go around leaving the shit everywhere, isn't there? Ooh, shouldn't have said that. But is there anything else we've got to chat about while we're here? I don't know. We've got our 

Mike: finger in so many pies, actually. 

Mark: Oh, go easy here, mate. Where's this going? Go on. No, I'm just saying, we do a [00:34:00] lot.

So I've got one, then. So if someone wanted to get involved as a volunteer Or maybe if there was even some sort of philanthro I can't even say the word. Philanthropist. I'll have to go and record this later on. Philanthropist. 

Brenda: Philanthropist. Yeah, if there's one of them, 

Mark: yeah, there's got to be another, an easier word than that.

But, if there's one of them who wanted to donate some money, or if there's anyone listening and is thinking, you know what, that sounds great, how would they get involved? If they wanted to volunteer or anything like that, where's the Have you got an email address? 

Grenville: Yeah, you can contact us by Facebook. Yeah.

Um, or the email address is hattersleyhealthchampions at gmail. com. 

Mark: Okay. And I will, I will add that to this, the podcast description, but thanks for today. I think I've learned a little bit more about you. I thought I'd done quite a lot of research and I had. But I think what's come [00:35:00] across is your passion for the work that you do, you know, the passion for everything you do.

And I'd like to say on behalf of society and the community, thank you for the work, the great work you're doing and don't stop. Thanks. Thank you. Thank you for inviting us onto your podcast. 

Toisin: Thank you. 

Mark: It's not my podcast, it's our podcast. 

Brenda: Our 

Mark: podcast. But the money is, so if you find any, bring it to me and maybe I'll give half to the health champions.

So, um, on that note, Thanks for coming in. Thank you. Thank you for coming in. And I'm just gonna go out on this one.

Ah, thank you for listening. Oh, what's going on with my voice? 

Mark: Thank you.

Thank you for [00:36:00] listening to Hats Chats Podcast. Um, yeah, Hattersley Health Champions. Check them out on Facebook. And if you want to get involved in any amazing work they do, get in touch with them, or even If you live in some community somewhere and you think, wow, that's an amazing idea. I wish that was going on in our community.

Maybe you could get in touch and get some pointers. Uh, the big shouts that are gonna go out are to

Kate. She Madine. Big shout out to you. Big shout out to Matoo Barber Company down there on Market Street for me. And, uh, yeah, tune in, turn on. I'm ripping all our folks. 

You're listening to Hats, Chats and Giggles Podcast. for 

Mark: listening to Hats, Chats and Giggles Podcast. Don't forget to follow us on social media [00:37:00] for updates.

Just type in Hats Chats and Giggles and you should be able to find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Please follow, comment, subscribe to all our media channels. Do it now or else we're going to rush your doors and we're going to tickle you to death. And don't forget if you're the local community group or business, I'd like to come on the show and tell us what you've been up to. Don't hesitate to get in touch.

Or maybe you're a local resident with a story to share. And be in your bonnet. Or beef to get off your chest. Drop as a voice note on oh 7 3 6 5 2 2 3 7 2 0. That's oh 7 3 6 5 2 2 3 7 2 0. Until next time, folks [00:38:00] hate less, love more, make. Peace, not war, and tell your grandma thanks for the rabbits. Turn on, tune in, and rip the nub off to Hap's Chats and Giggles podcast.

Peace.