My Christmas

My name is Lizzie Wheeler and I am the chairwoman for The Proactive Community.

Last year was a tough one for everyone and we all celebrated Christmas in different ways because of the Coronavirus Pandemic.

The lock downs meant it was not possible to see friends and family as much as before and attend our usual activities. This meant we had to think of new ways to support each other.

This year I used Zoom to speak to my family who live in Gibraltar and to chat to friends and take part in activities.

I went to my parents for Christmas but we did not go out a lot because of social distancing and shielding which was important to keep us all safe. It was difficult but we stayed positive.

I have had a lot of support from other members of the Proactive Community and my support worker and I really enjoy time we spend cooking and eating together because making sure we eat properly is important at this time.

As this is the third lockdown things can be challenging but my tips for staying positive include taking part in the on-line activities. I enjoy bingo sessions and Makaton and I also like word searches. Exercise is also good for mental and physical well being and I would recommend the chair exercise classes on Zoom and the meditation sessions.

I would like to thank all the Proactive community for their support and kindness and my message is stay well and stay positive.