Brain injury group launched in Oban
Headway Highland will have its first meeting of the new Oban branch next month at the Dove Centre.
Meetings will be on the second Wednesday of every month from noon until 2pm.
Headway Highland charity manager Lee Gordon said: ‘We want to get the word out to the community that we guarantee we will be here on the second Wednesday of every month.
‘It’s important for people to know it’s going to be their group, so it’s up to them what happens in the group from just socialising to activities or maybe having speakers. It’ll be peer led, where they can help each other and meet other people in a similar situation.
‘We want to make it as relaxed and friendly an environment as possible, where people get it so you can just come and be yourself.
‘We’re not a medical group, we’re a charity. Having an acquired brain injury can be an isolating condition so for lots of people a big part of the group will be the social aspect.
‘We’ve picked the right place for it here at the Dove Centre – it’s a lovely place.’
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is an injury that happens since birth. It could be after an accident, a stroke, viral infection, tumour or lack of oxygen.
The idea for a group in Oban came from an NHS worker who had nowhere to refer her brain injury patients for support so she contacted Highland Headway to see if they could help.
‘It can be difficult for people with an acquired brain injury to make the initial step to come to group so they can email me first, call or we can meet up. We want to make it as easy as possible for people to come along,’ said Mr Gordon.
The group is also looking for more volunteers whether it is people who have experience of brain injuries personally or professionally or who just want to help.
Mr Gordon was at the Dove Centre last week for a consultation event to meet with people interested in the new group.
‘It’s about building relationships within a community, making sure they know we are here and what we are providing – and that we do it well. We are just trying to support people with an acquired brain injury, their families and carers. It takes time for that to happen. It’s been like that in every town where we’ve got a group; it’s started small and over six to 12 months, as people find out about us, we start getting people ringing up to come along and we grow.’
Headway Highland already has groups in Fort William, Inverness, Nairn, Thurso and Wick.
To contact Headway Highland phone Mr Gordon on 07767 416006 or email leeheadway@yahoo.com