Arts and Museums
While the council’s museums and galleries are closed, they have been preparing some free fun (with a little bit of sneaky learning) family summer holiday activities for you to do at home. The first one, “Making a Dumfries Dragon”, is online now. You can download a template and an instruction sheet in the Families section at www.dgculture.co.uk/learning
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Gracefield Virtual Gallery
The online open exhibition on Gracefield Arts Centre’s Facebook page is growing in popularity. You can see previous weeks’ exhibitions on https://en-gb.facebook.com/GracefieldArts/. Any media is welcome and it is open to all ages. There is a weekly theme with request for content to be submitted by Friday noon each week to allow time for the online exhibition to be created. Recent themes have included 'Gateways, Windows and Doors' and 'The Elements - Earth, Water, Air and Fire.'
 Once Gracefield is open again the intention is to have a physical exhibition with as many of the artworks as possible, with lots of prizes.
Dumfries Museum Blog Posts
During lockdown museum service staff have been writing blogs inspired by some of the amazing objects in our region’s collections – everything from Sanquhar pavement tiles to a medieval pilgrims badges from Whithorn. New blogs are published each week and you can find them here https://www.dgculture.co.uk/blog-posts/
Dumfries and Galloway
Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Support
It is vital that people know that help and support is available from despite the challenges arising from the ongoing public health crisis. We want to offer reassurance that we are still here for anyone over the age of 12 who has experienced any form of sexual violence or abuse at any time in their life.
WE LISTEN. WE BELIEVE. WE SUPPORT
For information and referrals please call 01387 253113
Or email info@rape-crisis.org.uk
Out of Hours support contact RCS Helpline: 08088 01 03 02 (6pm-midnight) / support@rapecrisisscotland.org.uk / Text: 07537 410 027
Wearing of Face Masks in Shops
From Friday 10th July, we are now required by law to wear a face covering when going into a shop in Scotland. Face coverings are already mandatory on all public transport too. The guidance tells us that the mask covers both nose and mouth while the legislation makes allowances for children under the age of 5 and those that have a medical condition.
Some GPs have been receiving requests from patients for exemption letters for the wearing of face masks. If you cannot wear a mask for medical reasons you are not required to have proof from your GP. Please do not contact your GP regarding exemption letters.
Find out more about face masks in shops at this link https://bit.ly/FaceCoveringsGuidance
Mental Health Champions
The focus on one of our Mental Health Champions this week is Dean Armstrong who’s Operations Officer for Roads Service East. This was written before the lockdown restrictions were eased and we are pleased to report that Dean has managed to fit in some golf (although not all of it good). Thanks for sharing Dean!
I have been working with the roads service for nearly 12 years predominately office based whilst working closely with the workforce. I have been in my current position of Operations Officer from June 2017, during the early stages of this role I found myself in some unexpected positions and this is where my journey with mental health began. As I was new to my position and what I would class as a middle management role, I quickly became aware of the issues with mental health within the workplace. I remember very clearly at the time being quite scared about having discussions about it as it was a subject I’d never spoken to anyone about perhaps due to the stigma surrounding mental health.
In late 2017/early 2018 the opportunity arose to become a mental health champion, which at the time I was thinking it would be another string to the bow and provide me with other tools to enable me to do a better job. After attending workshops and the mental health first aid training I started to take a lot more interest in the subject, whether it was scrolling through the internet or through discussions about it with fellow mental health champions or colleagues. It was the feeling of I can make a difference which was great.
Being a champion has made me more mindful of good mental health and wellbeing and what makes me tick. It has allowed me to recognise what affects me and how I can deal with difficult situations and challenges I face. It is not always full proof as you never know what life will throw at you.
During my time as a mental health champion I have been able to help numerous members of staff, sometimes it is just being there for someone to talk to or signposting to the services that DGC can offer or other organisations can offer. Over the last 3 years I have also been able to help friends and family with things I have picked up from my role as a champion. I have been providing information on for all roads depots from Lockerbie to Stranraer; during mental health awareness weeks I arranged some fun activities that gave me and the other staff really good laughs as well as raising awareness and trying to break down the stigma attached to mental health.
Lastly, I think I must mention the current situation we face and how challenging a time it is for so many different reasons. I had found it quite difficult trying to get a balance of working from home and home schooling my 6-year-old daughter. My wife works for the NHS on the frontline so that too has been a concerning time and it did feel all doom and gloom. However, on reflection of what I’ve been going through during this pandemic there have been positives, I have had the chance to spend a lot of quality time with my wife and kid. We regularly go on family walks with the dogs, play old board games and have theme days each week. I have also got a new appreciation for things that I took for granted pre-lockdown, visiting friends and family, trips away and golf.
Dean is one of over 100 volunteer mental health champions who are trained in Mental Health First Aid and are located within Council services to listen and support colleagues with mental health, to sign post to specialist individual and services and to promote wellbeing activities and activities within Directorates and local Service Areas.
More information is contained on Sharepoint Mental Health & Wellbeing Resource Pack
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