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Ability Borders March 2023 Newsletter
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Your newsletter for disabilities
and long-term conditions across the Scottish Borders
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Welcome to the March edition of our newsletter! This month our focus shifts to all things food. From cooking on a budget to energy saving cooking tips and we have a very special giveaway as well! Plus look out for dates for your diary and upcoming meetings of local support groups.
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Our purpose is to:
- Inform disabled people or those living with a long-term condition about services available throughout the Scottish Borders and to help them have an independent life.
- Co-produce a Borders-wide organisation involving disabled people themselves, their families and carers.
- Influence policy and services that will help them with their quality of life and to help improve information and services
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Ability Borders Upcoming Meetings and Events
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Next Physical Disability Strategy Group meeting: Wednesday, 12th April 2023 from 10.30am until 12.30pm
At this meeting we will finish phase two: reflecting on the plan as part of our current review of the Physical Disability Strategy. Please note that to allow for this, our meeting on the 12th of April will finish at the slightly later time of 12.30pm. We would love to see you there! The meeting will take place online via Microsoft Teams and to be sent the link to join, please, drop an email to: dean@abilityborders.org.uk
Eat Better, Move Better, Feel Better: we will be starting a small group soon in our office which will get together to look at ways that we can eat that little bit better, move that little bit better and feel that little bit better while living with a long-term health condition or physical disability. More details will be shared in our next newsletter and if, in the meantime, you are interested, please, drop an email to: marie@abilityborders.org.uk
Have Your Say: look out for a survey coming in April's edition of our newsletter. We would love to hear what you have to say about accessing the services which you need and the services which matter to you. Coming in next month's AB news!
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We are delighted to announce that Health Improvement Scotland will be conducting further Voices Scotland Training with us. This training has proved highly popular and enjoyable with our members and groups. We have met with Sarah Cox of HIS to set the topics for the session and Wednesday, 3rd of May will be the first training. Watch this space for more details of time and venue coming soon!
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Save the Date! Wednesday, 31st of May will see us hold an information sharing day event in partnership with the Borders Older People's Forum. The venue will be St Boswells Village Hall and we will have stands from a host of different organisations both local and national. Refreshments will be provided. More details to follow.
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Book Giveaway! Cooking on a Budget by The Batch Lady
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Local author, Suzanne Mulholland aka The Batch Lady, has become something of a sensation among busy Mums and others looking to minimise time, effort, cost and waste in the kitchen. With her labour saving motto: "Shop Once. Cook Once." she is a source of inspiration for economic but tasty food to feed the family. Her latest book 'Cooking on a Budget' redoubles the message that batch cooking and clever use of a freezer really can save not just precious time but, even more importantly, precious money. Batch cooking isn't just for families either, it is a clever way of ensuring that the lone dweller eats well too. We are delighted to have a copy of Suzanne's latest book to giveaway! If you would like to be in with a chance of receiving the copy, please drop an email to marie@abilityborders.org.uk stating your name and address and we will pick one lucky person to send the book to.
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Get Checked Early Campaign
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NHS Scotland together with the Scottish Government's Healthier Scotland have launched a new Detect Cancer Earlier campaign this month.
The campaign has been developed in response to insight which shows that fear of a cancer diagnosis can delay people contacting their GP practice with possible signs and symptoms. 'Be the Early Bird' reinforces the benefits of finding cancer earlier in a bid to challenge the fear which might be stopping people acting and encourage those who have persistent symptoms to contact their GP practice.
Here at Ability Borders, we are hearing that there may be a variety of factors which are at play currently which may mean that people are not getting cancers detected as early as they might, not just personal reticence attending their GP practice due to fear. We would welcome your thoughts and feedback on this subject, but we are happy to support and spread the word about this campaign.
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NHS Borders Health Improvement Team Food Guides
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The Communities Team have developed two new budget friendly recipe booklets with a range of ideas to help you cook easy, low cost nutritious meals in Winter and throughout the year. All recipes have been tried and tested by staff and community groups.
Eat Well in Winter offers a range of budget friendly recipes which have been tested by their Community Food Workers. Recipes are nutritious, taste good and will help you to eat a balanced diet to keep well in Winter. This booklet contains some tempting soup ideas, recipes for a turkey or nut roast dinner, vegetable side dishes and treats like an easy berry trifle and an oatie raspberry slice.
Low & Slow offers a range of budget friendly slow cooking recipes which have been tried by partners involved in the delivery of community cooking programmes. Slow Cooking is one way of preparing nutritious meals, using less energy. Packed with recipe ideas for soups and broths, chillis and curries, a sausage casserole and a pasta bake as well scrumptious ideas for slow cooked puddings, this booklet is well worth checking out for economical, healthy inspiration.
Both guides, as well as a host of other great information are available by heading to the link below. But do linger on the Health Improvement Team's pages and explore as you will find lots of useful, supportive information to browse:
https://www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/our-services/children-young-peoples-services-directory/health-improvement-team/communities/
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Help with Food Across the Borders
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If you would like to find out where your local food bank or community larders are in your area, Scottish Borders Council have pulled together a list by locality. The list is not exhaustive but it is a good starting point in finding help in accessing food support. Help accessing food in St. Boswells is available from the offices of the Scottish Borders Social Enterprise Chamber CIC; deliveries are received there on a Thursday from Colin of Eildon Housing.
https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/info/20000/benefits_and_grants/1240/cost_of_living_crisis_support/3
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The world's longest-lived cultures have come under scrutiny for a number of years. Could the populations' healthy long life be explained away through lucky genes or was there more to the five regions of the world where healthy older age was the norm? On studying their lifestyles certain factors cropped up again and again: regular natural movement, social and community bonds, shedding of stress, religious faith and diets that are in excess of 90% plant based. Scientists who have studied the populations, like Dan Buettner, found that wholefoods such as fruits and vegetables, nuts seeds, beans and herbs, spices and lots of fibre made up the largest part of the diets of those living into a healthy old age. These are not wealthy populations so, perhaps if we could take a tip or two from the way they eat, we might reap the rewards in a variety of ways in terms of our wellbeing.
The Blue Zones website has developed a printable food guidelines which you might find of interest, a kind of rewriting of the food pyramid, if you like. Check it out and download or print it by visiting:
https://www.bluezones.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/BZL_Food-Guidelines-Printable_02.pdf
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The Food Punks division of Tweeddale Youth Action are now on YouTube where Dave shares slow cooker classics and budget friendly recipes that don't short change on taste! From sausage casserole and risotto to hearty stews, a recipe for focaccia and warming soups, it is worth checking out their fun videos for step by step cook-along instructions and inspiration.
Here Dave and his young off-sider, Stuart, make lentil and cumin soup:
https://youtu.be/ZQQSucwdQTU
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The British Dietetic Association have a host of resources on their site crammed with expert advice about the right diet and nutrition for a wide range of conditions and age demographics. One of their really useful food fact sheets is entitled eat well, spend less and offers help and advice how to make the best of your diet while living on a budget. Follow the link to the fact sheet and check out their full range of helpful resources too.
https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/food-facts-eat-well-spend-less.html
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Savvy Shopping to Save Money
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Five tips to save a little bit of money when shopping and cooking:
1. Buy frozen fruits and vegetables: they are frozen immediately after harvest so retain many of the plant's nutrients and are often less expensive than buying fresh, so they are handy to have on standby if you have a freezer. And, remember, having your freezer well-stocked will use less energy than running it fairly empty.
2. Use as much of everything as possible. For example: broccoli stalks, or the ends of asparagus can be used in soup and cauliflower leaves are delicious when washed, drizzled with a little olive oil and roasted for a few minutes in the oven seasoned to taste. Find innovative ways to use up the odds and ends we would often throw away.
3. Cheaper cuts of meat make good economic sense. Later on in the newsletter you will see a slow-cooked beef stew recipe which suggests using shin of beef. Often cheaper cuts lend themselves well to long, slow, cooking and they are full of taste.
4. Buy in season if you can, and if there is a glut of berries, freeze them to use in the coming months, or a glut of tomatoes can be made into pasta sauce and frozen in portions.
5. Consider how you cook. Microwaves are versatile and cheaper and quicker to run. If you are able to invest in a slow cooker, pressure cooker or an air fryer, then you should save on energy while cooking. While estimates vary, it is reckoned that it costs twice as much to cook something in an oven as opposed to an air fryer.
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Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stew
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One of the great benefits of slow cooking is that cheaper cuts of meat do best with a long, slow cook. This recipe is a one-pot meal that freezes well. Feel free to change the seasonings to your personal taste and if you'd like to add some red wine, that works too!
Ingredients: 2 kg shin of beef cut into 1 inch cubes, flour, salt, black pepper, bay leaf, dash of Worcestershire Sauce, sliced onion, three cloves of garlic, carton of passata, two diced carrots and potatoes cubed, beef stock or bone broth.
Method: Add the salt and pepper to the flour and toss the beef in the seasoned flour and put into your slow cooker and (if you can with your slow cooker) brown the meat for a few minutes. Add the sliced onions, carrots and garlic and the broth and passata. A dash of Worcestershire Sauce, the bay leaf and finally the potatoes. Cover and cook on a low setting for around six hours, at which point you can check the tenderness of the beef and cook longer should it be needed.
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Recipe: Dean's Spicy Saag Aloo
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Dean has been back in the kitchen with this take on the traditional Indian dish Saag Aloo, a delicious, warming dish of potatoes, spinach and spices. If you are looking for a hearty, comforting side dish, then why not give this a go? (I have tried some and it is a-ma-zing!) This would be delicious served with the beef stew above if you decided to omit potatoes from that recipe.
Simple Saag Potato Curry / Spicy Potatoes
Can be adapted for slow cooker or scaled up to create a larger batch
Ingredients:
- Cooking Oil
- 2 x Large Potatoes
- Saag Curry Sauce x 1 Packet / Jar
- Optional: Additional Spices etc i.e. Garlic, Ginger, Mustard, Cumin, Turmeric, Chilli, Paprika
- Peel and dice potatoes
- Cook potatoes for 10 to 25 minutes – microwave, frying pan or oven.
- Lightly oil a baking tray and add additional spices to suit taste.
- Add saag curry sauce and mix ensuring potatoes are covered.
- Cook in oven until potatoes are cooked / starting to go crispy – mixing every 10 minutes.
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RNIB Tech and Chat Borders Events
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The RNIB is holding two free drop-in events in the Borders where those living with sight loss can get friendly expert advice on using technology to help maintain independence and find out about local services.
Where and when: Peebles Library on Thursday, 16th of March from 10am until 3pm and Hawick Library on Friday, 14th of April again from 10am until 3pm.
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NHS Borders Money Worries App
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The effects of rising costs can have a detrimental impact on our physical and mental health and wellbeing. These are tough times, but support is available.
Download the Money Worries app for advice and support around financial concerns.
http://App store: http://ow.ly/u6tq50ManHG
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Local Parkinson's Group: meets the last Monday of each month at theBGH Chaplaincy Centre from 2pm. Next meeting: Monday, 27th of March. All carers family, or those living with Parkinson's are most welcome!
Scottish Borders Versus Arthritis Support Group: On the 1st of April the group will meet online via Microsoft Teams and are thrilled to welcome Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Versus Arthritis as their guest speaker. Anyone either living with, or with an interest in arthritis, is welcome to join. Please drop an email to: info@scottishbordersversusarthritis.org for more information.
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Come to Ability Borders for Free Sims for Calls, Texts and Data!
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