Winter Wellbeing Week - Day One

Winter can be challenging for our health. As part of Winter Wellbeing Week, we are putting on a few activities and workshops for our staff, volunteers and people we support. Throughout the week, watch our page to see what we are up to to help support and look after our winter wellbeing. 

This morning, we met Andy's Man Club at MAKE in Portsmouth. Andy's Man Club is a free, drop-in, peer-to-peer support group for men every Monday, where you leave your job at the door and come inside to talk freely about everything and anything. Come inside, have a brew and a chat, make friends and help others too.

Find Andy's Man Club every Monday, 7-9pm at MAKE, 1 Cornwall Rd, Fratton, Portsmouth PO1 5AA.

Over at the Country Centre, we met Jan Penn, and her assistance dog, Bobbie! We loved hearing all about how Bobbie supports Jan in her life.

​Jan spoke about how she started losing sight when she was very young and had just started her nursing training. It was very gradual, so she was able to finish her training and went on to run nursing homes with her husband. It took her a long time to accept she was losing her sight, and she found it hard to start using her cane. She's had three guide dogs, Bobbi being her third. Jan spoke about how she finds it easier to see lighter colours than dark. Bobbi is 'yellow' to her, and she finds it easier to see her than black/brown dogs.

Jan goes into many schools and community groups to share awareness around visual impairment and life with a guide dog.

Thank you Jan, Bobbie and Andy's Mans Club, for sharing your support and stories with us today.