Dom: ‘Post brain injury life is about staying busy and in touch with the world. To that end one of the things I go to is a group set up by my counsellor Cathy that we tentatively call ‘Culture Club’. No, we don’t sit around and discuss Boy George! Once every two months a group of about 6 brain injury survivors plus Cathy sit in a pub in Teddington and discuss anything we’ve been up to. We’re all at different post brain-injury stages; we’re all different ages and very different people. Lotte is the cinema expert; I tell bad jokes and tell Martin I find modern art questionable. He sighs, I’m sure they all do. Cathy tries to stop me swearing. More sighs. The point is it is something to do rather than just sitting at home which seems to be the all too often fate of the brain injured. We have one thing in common, it’s not much, but it’s enough.’
Angela: ‘Everyone is friendly. I look forward to it a lot. I like the variety of topics. I find it funny and Dom makes me laugh. If I could sum up Culture Club in one word, I would use the word “stimulating”. I find the group as a whole, stimulating. I find it hard to communicate which can be frustrating. It helps when Cathy sits next to me as I feel as if I have a friend. I would recommend the group to other people.’
Toby: ‘A group for people with speech issues. Although it is called the culture club, it is basically a group for people to get together and chat. Topics could be theatre, comedy, film, TV…basically anything that is NOT sport or politics!
It is a fun and supportive group of people where you will not feel judged. I’m using it to focus on turn taking and concentrating on anything cultural that I might encounter. There is also a marvellous selection of biscuits made available! I do my artwork at: www.workshop305.com ‘
Martin: ‘Culture Club is a group. I didn’t want to be part of it. I didn’t want to have a stroke – but I did. We all have reservations and might be cautious about coming to a group like this. But once you are there, it’s friendly, inclusive and accepting. We are all different but have things in common. You can say and share as much or as little as you like. You should dare to join us and take that leap.’
Culture Club takes place every other month on a Tuesday morning. Check out the website for more information: www.intandem.co.uk/pdf/groups/cc2016_2.pdf or contact Cathy: [email protected] .