AUGUST 2024 Newsletter – Gathering Together

Friday, September 20th
- 3:00 PM     Check-in and Registration.
- 5:00 PM     AGM - Walnut Suite
- 6:00 PM     Welcome session for first-time attendees - Walnut Suite
- 7:00 PM     Buffet Dinner - Cedar Rooms Restaurant
                     Soup starter, choice of 2 mains, assiette of desserts, tea/coffee**
- 8:30 PM     Meditation with Liz Shortall
                          or
- 8:30 PM     Table Quiz with Christine Fitzgerald -Walnut Suite
- 9:30 PM     Member Performances with MC Alan Keaveney

Saturday, September 21st
- 7:30 AM     Breakfast opens - Cedar Rooms Restaurant
- 9:30 AM     Opening address - Annabel O’Keeffe, Grow MH Interim CEO 
- 10.00 AM   Personal Story*
- 10:30 AM   John McKeon,  Founder and Director, Kyrie Farm*
- 11:30 AM    Coffee Break
- 12:00 PM    Professor Jim Lucey, Inspector of Mental Health Services, Mental Health Commission*
- 1:15 PM      Light lunch (Soup/Sandwiches/Wraps with tea/coffee)
- 2:30 PM      Workshops (approx. 60 -90mins)
                            Storytelling – Eileen Clevenger - Walnut Suite
                            Art - Emma
                            Music & Song - Gerry Farrell -  Macs Upper Bar
- 5:00 PM     Free time
- 7:30 PM     Dinner - Walnut Suite (Choice of starter, main & dessert)
- 9:30 PM     Music & Entertainment

Sunday, September 22nd
- 7:30 AM     Breakfast opens - Cedar Rooms Restaurant
- 10:30 AM   How Our Stories Connect Us*
- 11:30 AM   Sharing Our Stories, Panel Discussion with Jenny Synnott, Grow MH Communications Officer (Walnut Suite)*
- 12.30 PM  Closing address
- 1:00 PM    Lunch - Walnut Suite (Choice of 2 mains plus tea/ coffee)
- 2:00 PM    Home

THANK YOU, JOHN AND STEPHEN!

What a feat! Well done to John Penny and Stephen Lappin (pictured below with Grow Area Coordinator Celia Brett) on their tremendous accomplishment. Longtime friends Stephen and John took on the challenge of cycling the Col du Tourmalet - one of the highest paved mountain passes in the French Pyrenees TWICE in two days. They did all of this to raise funds for Grow Mental Health to ensure that no one has to navigate mental health challenges or life's struggles alone.They pushed their minds and bodies and overcome a fair few obstacles to reach their goal of cycling more than 10,000 feet up, up, up over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Huge thanks to both of you for your commitment to raising much-needed funds for the work we are doing here at Grow Mental Health. They have raised almost €2,000 so far and there is still time to donate: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/JohnPenny


If you have an idea for a fundraiser in aid of Grow Mental Health and would like some help getting started, please contact Jenny or Síle: [email protected]. Campaigns like John and Stephen's are so very important to the continuation of our services throughout Ireland and online.

GATHERING AROUND THE TABLE
By Lucy, Grow Group Member, Online

Coming together around food is a bonding experience for both family, friends and even strangers. Food is a conversation starter not to mention a starter of a three course meal! To finish off the three course meal here is a recipe for dessert - a dessert that can be shared on those days where we come together and celebrate being with others.

Ingredients

115 g/4 oz golden caster sugar;
115 g/4 oz butter, softened;
2 eggs, beaten;
1 tbsp milk;
1 tsp lavender flowers;
½ tsp vanilla essence
175 g/6oz self-raising flour, sifted;

140 g/5 oz icing sugar;
Juice of ½ lemon.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200℃/400℉/Gas Mark 6;
2. Place 12 paper cake cases in a bun tin;
3. Place the caster sugar and butter in a bowl and cream together until pale and fluffy;
4. Gradually beat in the eggs;
5. Stir in the milk and vanilla essence;
6. Then carefully stir in the flour;
7. Divide the mixture between the paper cases;
8. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in the juice of half a lemon to make a thick icing;
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until well risen and golden (the sponge should bounce back when pressed);
10. When the cakes are baked, transfer to a wire rack ad place a blob of icing in the centre of each one, allowing it to run across the cake;
11. Decorate with lavender flowers and serve as soon as the cakes are cool.

Once again, THANK YOU to every single person who walked, yoga-ed, swam, meditated, and gathered for our 2024 GO YELLOW campaign in June. Because of your dedication and commitment, we raised over €12,000, making June one of the most successful fundraising months yet for Grow Mental Health. We couldn't have done it without all of the people who participated and those working tirelessly in the background to bring this campaign to life. THANK YOU.

We are still basking in the warmth and creativity of the campaign and here are few more memories from GO YELLOW:

Our Grow Night In: Carrigtohill GO YELLOW
By Zameel, Carrigtohioll Grow Group

Chef Garry was the star of the evening with his delicious chicken satay. The group brought the condiments. Deserts included millionaires caramel shortbread requested a second time and a stunning roulade, prepared by relations of Grow members, along with a strawberry cheesecake that provided a giggle for most of the night (had to be there to get the joke)! The group said it was as beneficial as a meeting and we may keep it as an on going group event at least once a year. The group are so grateful for the Grow program and culture. The kindness, strength, and support radiates from the Carrigtowhill group. We thoroughly enjoyed our Grow night in for GO YELLOW.

 



Going Yellow in Trim
By: Louise, Grow Mental Health Area Coordinator, Northeastern Region

The Trim group got together for GO YELLOW for a lunch meet-up. As one of the Trim members is an elderly lady the group wanted to be sure to include her for the festivities, so a low-impact activity was key. 

The lunch was very enjoyable and members made a huge effort to make it special with lots of chat, laughter, planning for more lunch meetups for the future. 

On the evening of Friday the 5th of July 2024, Growers from Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Donegal and Dublin began to arrive at St. Mary’s in Knock, Co. Mayo for the Western Regional Weekend. This was our second year attending this tranquil location. We had 40 attendees staying in St. Mary’s and 10 day trippers.

Thanks to Grow Western Regional Administrator Patricia Steinegger and Former Grow Regional Manager Ruairi Powell, we successfully obtained National Lottery funding which enabled us to offer a generous subsidy on the accommodation cost to our attendees. We wish Ruairi well in his new role with the National Learning Network.

On the Friday evening our schedule began with a talk from Sharon Ledwith. Sharon is an Emotional Wellness Coach who spoke about “Emotional and Mental Awareness”. Fr. Stan then welcomed all attendees and hosted a short session on reflections. Our Growers were delighted to see that Fr. Stan could join us for the full weekend and he had inspiring input into many parts of the weekend.

Entertainment on both nights was a real highlight of the weekend. On the Friday night a young local band called “Bandjaxed” had us all tapping our toes and taking a turn on the dancefloor. They are a fusion of Trad, Country, Pop and Folk music. On the Saturday night we had our now traditional Grow Talent Show which included singing, poetry, Uilleann pipes, low tin whistle and a story or two.


On the Saturday we were welcomed by Annabel O’Keefe, Grow Mental Health Interim CEO who gave an update on what has happened in Grow Mental Health this year. We were also joined by Mary Walsh, Grow Volunteer and Member Support Officer who spoke about “Welcoming Newcomers”. Her presentation even contained a very popular role play! We had a segment where anyone could suggest a part of the Grow program that means something to them and talk about it. After lunch Cathal Owens, a member of Banjaxed, gave a very personal talk on “Music and Stories”.

That afternoon gave Growers the chance to enjoy some Chair Yoga and a guided tour of Knock. On the Sunday, Marian Trench, Energy Therapist, gave the keynote presentation on “Recovery Through Balanced Living”. Then our own Julie gave an amazing personal story. We must also thank Julie for baking and selling hundreds of delicious snacks with all proceeds going to Grow MH. Our final presenters were Nikola, Mike, and John, who gave an update on the interesting mental health research they are doing.

Huge thanks to all those who attended, supported, and contributed to another successful Western Regional Weekend. Planning 2025 has already begun!

All staff eagerly engaged in the presentation subsequent Q&A session. There was particular interest in making referrals. We can now be confident that Laois Gardaí have heard of Grow Mental Health and are aware of the service we provide.

Inspector Joe Culliton (pictured here with me) has very kindly approached Judge Cody on our behalf to tell him of the work we do and amazingly they have decided to include us in the Court Poor Box Fund! This is a fund that is divided yearly between deserving cases and charities. We will now be included on a yearly basis. This was a wonderful experience and opportunity and I hope to make contact with the Offaly Gardaí to continue spreading the word.