Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Hi there


Comeback Book Group is a new local initiative aimed at those experiencing, or recovering, from mental illness and seeking to promote better mental health through reading and talking about books.


Once the group is up and running properly, we'd intend to have monthly meetings - either a midweek from say 6:30pm to 8:00pm or Saturday mornings from say 10:30pm to 12:00 noon.


We'd appreciate suggestions for welcoming, quiet, easily-accessible venues in SE22 or SE21 who'd be prepared to host our monthly meetings free of charge (at least until we're a little more established). At this stage it's difficult to predict the turn-out; we expect numbers of between 6 and 12 each month.


Any thoughts? We're in touch with local bookshops with a view to partnering and possibly hosting meetings, so we've covered those bases. However, we'd be very grateful for any other suggestions which we'll follow up in coming weeks.


Very many thanks.


Comeback Book Group

There is a small community hall that's in the former laundry on the "Dutch" estate off East Dulwich Grove. Not sure who you'd need to contact to use it - I imagine there must be a tentants association. It's fairly small but probably big enough for 12 people.

Put a written proposal to the Management Committee at the East Dulwich Community Centre. They have a Development Officer who assists new groups and may be able to offer free/discounted rates for the first few sessions to see if the group is viable. Evenings may be better as there are other activities at the centre on Saturdays i.e dance sessions.


The next meeting of the Committee is on 15th January and they can put any written proposal to the Development Officer later that week. Applicants are then invited to meet with the Development Officer and her team in person to discuss possible times/days etc. Please put an email address, as well as correspondence address/phone number on your proposal. The centre's letter box is on the Darrell Road side.

Hi Jennys. Thanks for the suggestion. We've been sounding out a number of local indie cafes to see if they'd be prepared to open late to accommodate a monthly meeting of the Group but so far with nil success. I quite understand, to be honest; there's no way that the chance to sell a few extra coffees would offset the cost to the business of staying open for a few extra hours. However if any cafe owners are reading this and would be willing to help us out please let us know.


Hi Alice. The Green Nunhead's ?6 per hour rate seems quite attractive at first sight, but unfortunately there's a ?40 additional charge for caretaking if the booking runs after 6pm. Thanks for flagging it, though.


Hi Pugwash. Thanks for the detailed info. We'll get on to this straightaway.


And thanks to all who have made helpful suggestions so far. Much appreciated.

Thanks, Redjam. Really keen to avoid pubs (own experience of mental illness very much linked to/exacerbated by alcohol so tend to avoid where possible). Also really keen not to host in individual group members' homes; one of the aims of the meetings is to give members an opportunity to socialise outside of the domestic setting. But thanks again for the thoughts. Much appreciated.

Thanks to all who have taken the time to respond to this request for help. Much appreciated!


We're now just about to finalise the detailed arrangements for our first run of meetings, thanks to a very generous helping hand from one of our local institutions. All will be revealed once we've crossed the final "t"s. In the meantime, more information about Comeback Book Group can be found at http://www.comebackbookgroup.wordpress.com


Thanks again.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Community payback already exists   https://www.gov.uk/community-sentences/community-payback
    • Thanks for that - none  of mine  have been Mordena - whilst vulnerable cat, think I will just take my chances… Will be having flu though - certainly not by choice - much prefer not to but in vulnerable group.. Avoided them until last year…. Luck of drawer if you are as sick as fog  or just sore arm … assume - god knows - that flu jab is same throughout country.       
    • Wow, that is what it costs for one prisoner. So they get full board and lodging, 24 hour  monitoring  in over populated prison, we are led to believe, minimum exercise, assume a tv in each cell provided - in USA it is together with wash hand basin and c toilet - some have showers as well.   Clearly this amount of money takes  into account overstretched and overworked prison officers, protection for them, counselling which is, in my opinion a bare minimum dealing with prisoners in all settings. Do if Sweden can look outside the box, why can’t we? Or are we just not bothered at all / read statistics some where that reoffending is normal and to be frank, with economy as it is at the moment re employment, cost of living and homelessness..not surprised they reoffend to get back inside - food provided, roof over your head - much better than street living, mixing with wrong crowd, trying to get roof over your head, find a job where 90 % won’t employ you as been inside..
    • @beansprout The Swedes seem to have a useful strategy with regard to offenders  which has reduced repeat offending.  I agree that prison time for minor offences is a complete waste of time. Even worse is that prisons are "colleges of crime" where inmates learn about how to be do crimes and worst of all, become exposed to drug taking. I wouldn't advocate having chain gangs as in the USA but some strategy for getting them into say manual work under supervision might be useful - especially if it came with a modest wag. This would be significantly cheaper than the £51,100 it costs per year for  keeping one in jail.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...