HEARING VOICES NETWORK CYMRU NOTES UPDATE JANUARY 2004

BARONESS JAMES was invited to be Patron of the HVN Cymru Group in Oct 03 but unfortunately has had to decline the offer. Several other candidates are currently potential for this role.

The Manchester National HV Network were informed in the summer 2002 of the aims of the new Welsh network, particularly its constitutional remit to address Welsh specific needs, such as the requirement for HV literature in Welsh as well as English.

HVN 91 Oldham St, Manchester, M4 1LW.
Tel/Fax 0161 834 5768
www.hearingvoices.org.uk
hearingvoices@care4free.net

Hywel Davies. Chairman HVN Cymru.
Upper Robeston, Milford Haven, West Wales, SA73 3TL.
Tel: 01646 692535

Alison Jones. Secretary and co-Treasurer HVN Cymru.
7 Dol Erddi, Waunfawr, Gwynedd, LL55 4AX.
Tel: 01286 650142 Mobile: 07733054463
Alison hopes to obtain help from the Community fund for HVN Cymru.

Karl Krysko. co-treasurer HVN Cymru.
3 Tandderwen, Llanllechid, Rachub, Gwynedd, LL57 3HD.
Tel: 01248 602330.
karl.krysko@talk21.com

Montgomeryshire Hearing Voices Group has very recently set up.
Meets at 'Rekindle'. Mon 1-2 every other week
Steve Cave is a volunteer at the centre, Tel 01686 621266

A latest Scottish HV Newsletter contains tips for non-voice hearers. HVN Scotland supports free membership for those interested. (01382 223023). Karl has recently (Oct 03) talked with Pat Webster at length and asked for membership for the HVN Cymru group. Pat (now as paid worker) is the founder member. They have a shop and office and have achieved charitable status, something HVN Cymru needs to consider soon. They do training and awareness outreach working with their 20 volunteers, only 3 of whom are non-voicers. There are about 12 HV support groups in Scotland as opposed to about 6 or 7 we know of in Wales.

Scottish HVN web site is at www.hearingvoicesnetwork.com
Scottish Hearing Voices Network,
c/o Dundee Hearing Voices, The Haven, 213 Hiltown, Dundee, DD3 7AG.
Tel: 01382 223023.
Emergency mobile number 07736790464

There has been some HV research at:
The Centre For Health Research & Evaluation,
Edge Hill, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L39 4QP.
Tel: 01695 584776
kirbyj@edgehill.ac.uk
Does anyone know anything about them and their work; should we contact them?

Our HVN Cymru webmaster/designer is
DAVE MORRIS of Brynbella, Bethesda, Gwynedd.
However, the currently incomplete site is being constructed on a private URL. We have to decide further on its contents, such as Links, HVN Cymru Constitution, Addresses of Support Groups Wales, etc. Then we need to decide where it will reside, at its present address or elsewhere on the web. The URL cannot be given out currently on this general fact sheet.

Blaenau Ffestiniog MIND
Tel: 01766 832382 man. Diane Williams
blaenaumind@aol.com
Heather says that as far as she knows they have no HV group

Anglesey Hearing Voices Group
Sue or Peggy were running a group until about March 2001 when it folded.
Mike Jackson says he will try and re contact them. The venue was:
MIND, The Priory, Holyhead,
Lorna Thomas in charge of the Centre. Tel 01407 761611

Dr Mike Jackson.
Hergest Unit. Ysbyty Gwynedd. Bangor.
Tel 01248 384384
Mike maintains a keen interest in the subject of Hearing Voices, would like to see Holyhead group reinstated. He is also keen to see research projects developed. Karl has exchanged email and now met with Mike. He would be please to be Mental Health Advisor to HVN Cymru.
Mike would like to meet the Llandudno group early in the new year if they agree to this.
The Hergest unit are looking at starting a Voices group for the Bangor area.
He would be pleased to talk at the AGM in N Wales in the spring, perhaps on the subject of CBT in managing Voices.
A proposal for a research project was discussed that would have a distinct Welsh specific theme.

Hafod
Beechwood road, Rhyl, Denbighshire.
Tel 01745 443050
Do we approach the to ask if they have voice hearers in their support group

David Lowson of MIND Cymru (Cardiff) emailed Karl to note there will be a meeting in Caernarfon in December with a view to starting another NW Wales MIND centre. Karl will attend the meeting on behalf of HVN Cymru.

Vale Of Clwyd MIND
34 Elwy Street. Rhyl, Denbighshire.
Tel: 01745 336787
Office manager Peter Grey
Voices notice says Hafod Therapy Unit should be contacted for admission to the group, 01745 443054 is the tel no. given.

Rhyl Hearing Voices.
Peter Murphy, St Wynfrid Centre, 42 Brighton Road, LL18 3HN.
Tel. 01745 336363
Had a well attended group which was restarted about two years ago. It is currently not operating, though had been found to be very useful by the participants. He would be very pleased to re contact previous members and meet up with Karl, etc, in the near future.

Prestatyn Users and Carers.
Tel 01352 718058
Do they have voicers? Should we contact?

"Voice hearing is the hearing of a voice or voices inaudible to others. In the Twentyeth Century, voice hearing was traditionally regarded as a Mental Illness. However, triggered by bereavment, physical illness, divorce, and accident or some other traumatic event, Voice Hearing is a relatively common experience.
Hearing Voices Network Cymru aims to raise awareness of Voice Hearing from a variety of perspectives.If you wish to know more about Voice Hearing, send a stamped addresed envelope to Hearing Voices Network Cymru. Thank You."

The announcement has only 30 seconds air space. Karl has the HTV Community Message Application form, to be returned to
S.A. Hugh. HTV Television Centre Culerhouse Cross, Cardiff. Tel. 029 2059 0590.

HVN Cymru Address is currently:

Hearing Voices Network Cymru.
c/o West Wales Action for Mental Health.
Brighton Chambers.
124 Main Street.
Pembroke.
Pembrokeshire.
SA71 4HN.
Tel: 01646 684515

The following Constitution was originally adopted by HVN Cymru in agreement with other support networks in the UK and as a statement of intension of the organisation for treasurers account purposes. Its review is pending, subject to the calling of an AGM of the organisation, intended for North Wales venue in February or March 2004.

Constitution of the Hearing Voices Network Cymru

Mission Statement
To ensure that people who have a voice hearing experience (auditory hallucinations) are not automatically assumed to be schizophrenic, but are enabled to explore their experiences with other voice hearers and are assisted in coming to terms with the phenomena as part of their life experience.

Aims
• To establish a network of people who hear voices and their allies, in order that they gain a better understanding of the experience.
• To set up self help groups of voice hearers to share experiences and discuss strategies for coping with voices.·
• To educate society about the meaning of voices to reduce anxiety.
• To develop a range of non-medical ways of assisting people to cope with their voices
  
  Objectives
• Provision of, and support to, a Welsh national network of local voice hearing support groups.
• Commissioning and publication of media designed to inform (as far as possible bilingually) and support people in Wales who hear voices and those who support them.
• Provision of training and education to service users and professional carers in Wales.
• Provision and maintenance of a statutory telephone help line for members and non-members, in Wales, and operating bilingually.
• Pro-active involvement in statutory services to stimulate alternative and complimentary models of care and support to people in Wales who have a voice hearing experience.
• To address Welsh-specific difficulties in obtaining any of these Objectives.

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