Friday 29 February 2008

Slow Down!




I could have found a more flattering picture of David but this one sums him up!

During the refurbishment, he never stopped - always up early calcuating the figures & then out with the boys on the job - organising, coordinating, instructing, getting stuck in, shouting & of course joking.

Over the last year, David has continued to work hard - forgetting at times that he is not as young as he used to be. Due to stress, pressure & an unrelenting ability to always push himself that little bit harder & faster - something had to give. Thankfully for his family, friends, work mates & himself, the recent reality check that could have been life threatening, has hopefully now pushed him to slow down.

David should be out of hospital soon - with medication & strong words to take it easy! Anyone who knows David will be reading this & thinking...'he'll never slow down' OR 'you're a brave one to tell him what to do'! Well, I think David of all people now realises that life is for living & we need him around to keep us all in check...& me in cheque book!

Love you Dad - now enough of the sentimental stuff - get better & get yourself back up here where you belong as we are all missing you!

School Kitchen




'Skills for Work' students dropped in to the Lovat this afternoon to learn how to make bread & pasta. Jim gave them the challenge of making parmiers for tonight & some have even shown an interest in coming back to do a Summer placement.

Next week's programme is learning the basics on pastry - treacle, lemon & chocolate tart are all on the agenda - YUM!

Excellence Recognised



Hospitality Excellence Medals 2008
Lovat Arms, Loch Ness

Saturday 9 February 2008

Winner! In the Pink...of course




I don't normally win things (well sometimes the odd packet of napkins) however this time, I pulled a trump card & have myself a new ipod!

Put the link below in the address bar & see the hotel as a winner!

www.alchemyplus.com/ipoddeal.php

2008 Fundraiser



HELP US RAISE MONEY FOR THIS FANTASTIC CENTRE!
The main donations will be on Saturday, 25th October 2008, during the Pink Dinner Party, however any contribution prior to that date would be greatly received by Maggies.


Maggie’s Highlands provides information and support for anyone affected by cancer - for anyone who has, or has had cancer, for their family, their friends and their carers

Maggie’s is first and foremost a homely, relaxing place to be in. We are open Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm. Maggie’s is a place where people affected by cancer can drop in at any time for a coffee and a chat, to learn more about their cancer, explore our programme of support, or just have a quiet somewhere to sit.

Provision of emotional support

Our programme of support includes relaxation & visualisation, stress management, Tai Chi, Yoga, support groups, expressive art and nutrition workshops. The team consists of a Nurse Consultant, an Information & Support Specialist and a Clinical Psychologist.

• Relaxation and visualisation sessions are designed to make space to help people find some peace and calmness. Relaxation is guided by talking through the relaxation of muscles one by one and letting tension drain way. Some visualisation is used which involves talking through a series of images, often including colour and nature. As well as promoting well-being, this approach can also be used to help tackle problems and sources of stress.
Cost: £2400 per annum

• Nutrition workshops promote a healthy balanced and varied diet. The key components of the workshop include the importance of good nutrition to overall well-being, an overview of a healthy diet, the role of antioxidants, phytochemicals & essential fatty acids in the prevention & protection from cancer, and making the most of the diet in simple and easy to achieve ways.
Cost: £1200 per annum

• Tai Chi & Chi Kung exercises help relaxation, which helps to conserve energy. Tai Chi and Chi Kung use a well-balanced interplay of tension and release that is usually associated with general well-being and emotional stability. From motion we can obtain serenity and stability by the release of tension through the continuous shifting of weight from one foot to the other.
Cost: £3600 per annum
• Expressive Art develops a better understanding of what is happening to us. The concentration involved in making an image helps us to slow down, relax and gather our thoughts. Our unconscious minds may find it easier to express our feelings visually in pictures, colours and shapes, than in words. We may learn something from what we have created which helps us feel more confident about what we are going through.
Cost: £4800 per annum







Provision of information support

Maggie’s Highlands has a library covering subjects such as nutrition, cancer treatments, caring for someone with cancer, stress management, and other practical help and resources.
Cost: £1500 per annum

Publications such as those produced by Cancerbackup are available free to anyone who visits the centre, so that they can take them home and read them in their own time.
Cost: £2000 per annum

Cost per Visit

Looking at the cost of running Maggie's Centres - from offering a welcoming cup of tea to the provision of vital support services - we calculate that it costs only £24 to fund each visit.

In 2007 we had 4546 visits to Maggie’s and this will increase in 2008

Waterhorse Release - Go See It!























www.sonypictures.co.uk/movies/thewaterhorse/index.html

Mention the Waterhorse when booking a hotel bedroom & receive a complimentary bottle of wine in the room.