Creative Options Wednesday 22nd July 2020 Quiz Questions with answers to be posted on the Blog on Monday 3rd August.
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1.       Jimmy Hill was born on this day in 1928. With which sport is he associated with?
2.       What unusual object named Neowise can be seen in the sky at the moment?
3.       An aftershock can sometimes follow what natural disaster?
4.       In legend, who or what was Excalibur?
5.       What is the flower-shaped ribbon awarded at gymkhanas called?
6.       What are the two main colours of the Argentinian flag?
7.       What is a peregrine?
8.       The song “Tomorrow” comes from which musical?
9.       How many creatures give their name to Chinese years?
10.     Fill in the blank: On this day in 1598, William Shakespeare registered the copyright of his play called The Merchant of ______.
11.     In anatomy, what is the common name for the patella?
12.     In which month would you celebrate Hogmanay?
13.     Which food has varieties called romaine, cos and little gem?
14.     In which country is Uluru, also known as Ayer’s Rock?
15.     Which ruler referred to the English as a “nation of shopkeepers”?

There is a day trip to Compton Acres at Poole on Wednesday 5th August.  The cost is £25. There are limited places to paid up by members only, and a deposit of £10 secures a place. 

Leaving from Shirley at 10 a.m. returning from the gardens at 5 p.m. arriving back at 6. 30 p.m.  Take own packed lunch or can buy food at the cafe in the gardens. 

Contact Frances on creativeoptionsfrances@gmail.com 07850 189069 or David on creativeoptionsdavid@gmail.com 07554 586875 if interested as soon as possible. 

The Psychological Bandage
by Carolyn Barber

The Covid 19 pandemic is affecting many of us in unexpected ways. In the responses to the survey we circulated during May, a number of people expressed concern about neighbours, friends or family members who have been distressed for various reasons. There's extensive research evidence of the psychological impact of quarantine, disasters and ongoing stressors such as finances or housing. With Covid 19, we have all three. Certain groups can be identified as most at risk - frontline staff, high risk groups such as people with health conditions, disabilities, caring responsibilities, experience of domestic violence and so on. But many of those not 'at risk' will also experience unexpected periods of psychological distress.

So how can we equip ourselves to help others in distress?

Think of how we use first aid to help with injuries or illness. There's common sense and then there's training that anyone might do to equip them better to handle situations, understanding CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) for example.

Psychological First Aid (PFA) works on a similar basis - applying a psychological bandage. It's intended to achieve 3 things - to prevent distress from worsening, to calm or de-escalate acute distress, and facilitate access to additional support if necessary. It doesn't involve any kind of diagnosis or treatment, but some basic training is really helpful and reduces the risk of inadvertently making thing worse.

The World Health Organisation has worked with all kinds of crises and disasters around the world and say that:
People do better over the long term if they…
– Feel safe, connected to others, calm & hopeful
– Have access to social, physical & emotional support
– Regain a sense of control by being able to help themselves

If you're interested in finding out more about Psychological First Aid, this online training course is available free via Future Learn. This course has been produced by Public Health England and is based on international guidance from the World Health Organisation, United Nations and partners.
Click here to view the Psychological First Aid course

If you're feeling worried or anxious yourself, you might want to take a look at the Working Through Worry course available via our free Mental Wealth Academy Summer Online programme, and starting next week - see below to access the link to more details and how to sign up.

Click here to find out more


We recognise that this has been an incredibly challenging time, coping with sudden and dramatic changes in our lives, intense feelings, anxiety about the future, loss of contact with loved ones, experience of illness and bereavement.

At the Good Mental Health Cooperative, we believe that connecting with others, and informal arts and wellbeing learning activities, are really important ways to take care of our mental health, and build the emotional resilience we need to get though these difficult times.

The programme takes place mainly through July and August, and includes the following:

• Weekly livestreamed ChitChat Cafe meetings on Facebook
• Twice weekly 30 minute live mindfulness sessions
• Journal writing course - 5 weekly sessions
• Live arts and wellbeing workshops - 5 weekly sessions
• Live Embodiment Through Movement workshops - 5 weekly sessions
• Discover Yourself - self development course - 7 weekly sessions
• Working Through Worry - 7 weekly sessions
• Two Mental Wealth Trialogue live discussion events

Full details about the programme and registering interest, are available on this link:

http://mwa.goodmentalhealth.org.uk

To Infinity and Beyond
by Carolyn Barber
Believe it or not there's a good deal of speculation on the internet as to the meaning of this much loved catchphrase from Buzz Lightyear in the fantastic film Toy Story. But this is the interpretation I loved the most from a blog called Cantor on the Shore.

"we all think that we are trapped in our human limits, without escape, but in the end it is just an illusion. Buzz is showing us the way to recognise the illusion, change the perspective, finally break free and go! leaving all our chains behind, going where it was previously unthinkable, unimaginable."

This might feel a bit of a stretch, but there have certainly been times in my life where a shift in my perspective has transformed how I felt or how I chose to behave. Going where it was previously unthinkable or unimaginable then becomes possible.

The Covid 19 health crisis has shifted perspectives in just such a way. Right now we're still clutching at the idea that life will return to how it was previously, even though in our hearts we know this can never be. But new opportunities can open up as we've seen things happen that we never could have imagined.

With an uncertain future ahead, this is a time to look for new perspectives in our own lives. That's why I'm running the course Discover Yourself as part of the Mental Wealth Academy Summer Online programme. Its an opportunity to step back, observe and reflect in a structured way on how to build up your own emotional and psychological resilience for the times ahead.

Click here to find out more

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes"
Marcel Proust

Creative Options will be holding a new class for Tai Chi up at Southampton Common on Thursdays at 5pm.  This week (2nd July) will be a freebie, but after that will be £3 per session.  To book a place please email creativeoptionsfrances@gmail.com or call Frances on 07850 189069