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The Upper Springfield Community Health Information Workers are a group of women from the Upper Springfield area. These women gather information on a variety of topics of interest to their community and the families within it. They are each well known in their own areas and they are able to provide useful telephone numbers and relevant information about many health issues that arise. Topics they have information on can range from Breast Screening to Drug Abuse to AIDS awareness to Stress and many more.
This group is operating very successfully with representatives from Springhill, Springmartin, Turf Lodge, Ballysillan, Shankill, Springfield, Moyard and Whiterock. The women gather information relevant to the issues and problems in their local areas and bring it back to their groups and communities. This year the group has been successful in acquiring funding from the North and West Belfast Trust for three years which enables the group to forge ahead with its work. The group covered many topics this year including Cervical and Breast Cancer, Mental Illness, Strokes, Youth Problems, Domestic Violence etc.
This year representatives from the group selected many topics which were affecting the communities in which they lived: Autism, Alzheimers, Downs Syndrome, Alternative Medicine, Samaritans, Rape and Incest, Bereavement etc. and they gathered the knowledge and useful telephone numbers so they could pass the information to the people they came in contact with. All the subjects were very informative and learning more about the subject in depth gave you a good insight when passing the information on. The group is operating very successfully with new representatives being recruited from Woodvale and Whiterock Youth Club so the members of the group reach from Mid-Whiterock across Turflodge, Moyard and Highfield so our information is being distributed to wide variety of groups and individuals across the Upper Springfield area. The funding from the North and West Belfast Trust enables us to operate this information scheme across a wide area with only ten representatives. The group work well together and exchange tip-bits about each others community and their needs.
The topics covered were:- (2002/2003) September 02 – Select Topics for sessions Women’s Worth/Gender Socialisation & Group Structure October 02 –Tax Credit and Child Credit Rape crisis November 02 - Consumer Council Sexual Health of young people December 02 – Grief Christmas Lunch January 03– Select Topics for sessions Parenting Feb. 03 – On-Line learning/Learn Direct Visit to Women’s Centre March 03 – Alzheimer’s/Dementia Funding- NIVT April 03- Farcet International Hostel 11+ Test May 03– Healthy Diet Zimbabweans Life and Aids June 03 – Child Accident Prevention End of session Picnic These topics related to the problems within the communities and the volunteers are charged with passing on helpful information and phone numbers when necessary.
Nicola Hammond - from Springmartin passes her information to 5 centres including Challenge for Youth, LORAG, Donegal Pass through the youth workers. Her information also goes to Phenix Centre and her neighbours in Springmartin. Cheryl Laffin – Woodvale Mother and Toddler Group – started this group and the members meet in one another’s home. An ideal way to pass information. Janette McBride – volunteers in in Highfield Community centre and passes the information to the different groups using the centre especially the young mothers. Andrea Davey – volunteers in Forthspring where she is able to pass information in a friendly way to the different groups using the centre. Kate MaGuire – passes the information to her neighbours in Glen Road and also the young people she volunteers with in Whiterock Youth Club. Eilish Muldoon - passes the information to neighbours and the occupants of Women’s Aid Refuges especially Deerpark. Mary Feerick - passes the information to Westrock Women’s Group and her neighbours in Whiterock. Jeanette Cush volunteers with the women in Springhill Community House and uses the information there and in her neighbourhood. Lily McGeogh - volunteers with the Ardmonagh Family Centre passing the information to different women meeting in the centre and also to family and friends. Catherine McCrea - works with the young women of Springmartin giving advice on benefits etc. and she passes the information gathered to them and the community of Springmartin. The group has selected topics and projects they want more information on for forthcoming sessions.
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Send mail to
women@infogroup.club24.co.uk with
questions or comments about this web site.
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