A wee round-up of what I've been up to

Hiya,

Busy times! I've been here, there and everywhere over the past couple of weeks. I've been chatting to loads of other carers, which is always a real privilege. I'm even getting used to speaking in public - never thought that would happen!

Since I last updated my wee blog, I've been to:
North Dementia Forum (Bearsden)
North East Carers (Easterhouse)

South West Carers Centre (Govan - with thanks to Quarriers)

Oxford Street Carers (city centre)
South East Carers (Cathcart)

The more talks I do and the more people I get the chance to meet, the more I realise that it's all about making a difference at local level. It's the help and care and support that you get in your own town that's key to it all. Getting your local social work dept, or your local council, or your health board to listen to you - that's what most carers seem to be really interested in. At least, that's what I'm hearing again and again from the carers that I meet.

This week and next week I'm doing my talk to Alzheimer Scotland's Dementia Cafe's in Glasgow. Next week I've got a talk in Springburn too. Tommy's still touring!

Cheers,

Tommy

PS my cousin took a lovely photo of my wee mum and her sister, Margaret, in Largs last week. Thought it'd be nice to share it.

Still touring!

Hiya!

I had a lovely day in Prestwick yesterday and met some wonderful people. Jenni, the local Link Worker who organized the day, was fantastic. I showed the wee film about my walk then spoke about my tour. Then the best bit - a good hour of sitting and chatting as a group, talking about all aspects of dementia and being a carer. 

There are so many carers and, while we all have a different story to tell, there's a lot we all have in common too. One of the best bits about doing this tours is having the chance to meet so many of them. 

Tommy

Hi again!

Hiya folks,

Sorry it's been a bit quiet on my blog over the past few days. It's not been as quiet as that for 'Tommy on Tour'!

Got a few more visits coming up over the next couple of weeks. Going to a Princess Royal Trust for Carers group tomorrow in Glasgow, an Alzheimer Scotland carers' group in Prestwick on 6th July and the North Dementia Forum in Glasgow on 13th July. Busy times!

All the best,

Tommy

Even more thank yous! Brilliant support for Tommy on Tour :-)

Hiya,

Had a fantastic day in Kilmarnock. Just want to thank Yvonne Stewart and Katy Hawker from Alzheimer Scotland for getting me involved in today's event and letting me meet the Musical Minds group.

Big thanks also to David and Perry (for arranging Take That tickets) and Keith and Benny (for Bon Jovi tickets) - absolutely fantastic!

Cheers,

Tommy

More tour dates and a very big thank you

Hiya,

Sorry for being a bit quiet over the past couple of days - trying to get back into a routine after my big walk. Letters and emails are still coming in, which is fantastic. If you haven't written a letter yet, you've still got time. All the contact details are at the top of the blog. I'll be at a post-diagnostic support event in Kilmarnock tomorrow and a carers' event at the Thistle Hotel in Glasgow on Thursday - the tour's not over yet!

I want to say a huge thank you to Ivan Kushlick and Stacey Maranz for arranging for two Kings of Leon tickets at very short notice for a raffle prize. They've been fantastic - helpful above and beyond the call of duty.

Cheers,

Tommy

Gold stars all round!

Hiya,

If you've seen my wee film, you'll have seen me chatting away to some pupils from Lourdes Secondary School. They've been doing a project on caring and it was great getting the chance to speak to them about what it's like to be a carer.

Me with some of the pupils from Lourdes Secondary School

Well, today I was given over 100 letters from pupils in s1 at the school. All about caring: young carers, kids looking after their parents and other relatives, how their families are coping with grandparents who have dementia. It's amazing - so much thought and effort has gone into them. I've even been invited back next term to talk about reading the letters. I'm overwhelmed, I really am.

I'm so chuffed that young people are thinking about stuff like this. They're the ones who'll be making a difference a few years down the line.A big thanks to Mrs Lennon, Mrs McGettrick and all the staff and pupils for embracing my campaign to collect letters and raise awareness. 

All the best,

Tommy

Carers Week and photos from Glasgow Green Family Funday

Hiya,

This week is Carers' Week. Sometimes being a carer can make you feel like your all on your own. But you're not. There's an army of us across Scotland, hundreds of thousands of us, caring for people at home. Don't try to cope with caring on your own. There's no shame in getting in touch with other people - charities, social work, your GP, your local church - to get information and help.

Carers Scotland have put up a page on their website, letting people know that my tour is still going, as have the Dementia Services Development Centre. Alzheimer Scotland have also put the story as top news item on their site today.

I had a great time at the Family Funday in Glasgow Green on Saturday. Alzheimer Scotland's had support services in Glasgow for 21 years and they wanted to celebrate it with a great day out in the city. We even had some sunshine - well, in the the morning anyway! I met some more people and I was asked to draw the raffle.

Me drawing the raffle, with help from Angi (Dementia Advisor)

I'm going to the dementia cafe at the Helensburgh Dementia Resource Centre (16 East Clyde Street) this Saturday, then I'm off to Kilmarnock on Wednesday 22nd. Don't want to let the grass grow under my feet!

Cheers,

Tommy

A week's a long time in awareness raising, but it's not long enough...

Hiya,

I'm back home, back in Glasgow. My mum came back from respite yesterday and I'm so glad to have her with me again. I've missed my wee mum.

It's hard to believe that this time last week I was meeting Nicola Sturgeon, Stewart Regan and being filmed in football stadiums. This time last week I was headline news. Well, I might not be on your telly tonight, but 'Tommy on Tour' marches on! Over the next few weeks I want to collect more letters and keep raising awareness. As soon as I know where I'll be, it'll be on the blog. Looks like I'll be in Ayrshire around the 22nd, hopefully in Helensburgh at some point too. Can't stop the tour now, not when it's doing so well!

I'll have some photos from the funday at Glasgow Green up soon. In the meantime, I want to share a few more pics for last Monday - a truly amazing day!

 

 

 

Don't forget - you can still send your emails and letters. All the details are at the top of the blog page.

Cheers,

Tommy

Home baking in Edinburgh

Hiya,

Today I was at the head office of Alzheimer Scotland in the west end of Edinburgh. I got a tour through the building - from finance to fundraising - and got to meet loads of staff. Even had a wee photo with them, as you can see below!

Me and the Alzheimer Scotland team in Edinburgh

They laid on a sandwich lunch for me, with some lovely homebaking from Maureen (who's been following me in the Memory Bus for most of the week) and Tricia. Some really nice words were said and I got a wee bit choked up. That's happened to me a few times this week. It's never got any easier, speaking in public. Still do it though. For my wee mum.

Like I said yesterday, this isn't the end of the tour. Not yet. I want to give carers enough time to get their letters and emails in, so the tour will be rolling on (just not quite so busy!) until at least the end of June. I'd really like to get to some more carers' centres, to more places on the west coast, and to talk to more people. It's been a real privilage to meet so many wonderful people this past week. I'll never forget the man I met in Aberdeen. He was in his mid-80s and he was looking after his wife, who was about 82. He'd been caring for her for 10 years and she's much further on than my mum. But he coped so well and he was so patient. I take my hat off to that man - he's an inspiration, as are so many like him.

Tomorrow I'm back in the dear green place. It's the 21st birthday of Alzheimer Scotland's Glasgow services and I'm going along to their family fun day at Glasgow Green. Hope the weather stays nice and I hope lots of people come along.

All the best,

Tommy

Getting talked about.

Hiya,

Four days down. One day to go. Well sort of. I've been thinking a lot over the past few days. Most carers don't have a lot of time to themselves - I know that well enough.  But I also want to make sure I get as many letters as I can. So I plan to keep 'Tommy on Tour' going for a wee while yet. I'll be home soon and caring for my mum again (and I'm glad - I've misssed her a lot this week), but I still want to get out and meet people. Keep raising awareness and keep collecting letters. Not quite sure how this is going to work yet, but I'll be sure to keep you all posted!

Oh, and I got a mention in the parliament, but more about that later!

I was made really welcome by everyone at the Dementia Services Dementia Centre this afternoon. It's at the Iris Murdoch building in Stirling Uni and June, Eileen and Juanita were lovely. The centre has a library full of books about dementia, everything from textbooks to picture books, and it's open to the public.

 

 

Me and June Andrews at the DSDC

 It was when I was at the centre that I found out I'd been mentioned at the parliament! George Adam, MSP for Paisley, put a motion in yesterday that was mentioned this morning. Time for a wee bit of copy and paste...


*S4M-00252 George Adam: Former Paisley-Mill Worker’s Son Raises Awareness of People with Dementia and their Carers—That the Parliament recognises the efforts of Tommy Whitelaw in raising awareness of the varying forms of dementia and the condition’s effects on families and carers; notes that Tommy is on a 150-mile trek across Scotland, visiting some of the nation’s landmarks to highlight the roles played by those caring for someone with the condition, including Tommy’s mother, a former mill worker from Paisley; further notes the wide support that Tommy is receiving from organisations including Alzheimer Scotland, Carers Scotland, local groups, employers, football clubs and schools, and acknowledges the innovative step of collecting letters from carers during the hike, detailing their experiences.
Supported by: Fiona McLeod*, Bob Doris*, Jamie McGrigor*

What a surprise! Not even handed any letters in yet. It's amazing what a bit of publicity can do. Imagine what it'll be like when we actually get the letters in. I can't wait.

Tommy

Making new friends

Hiya,

I don't think I can describe the impact of the past couple of days. I knew that it couldn't just be me trying to cope with being a carer. But I don't think I realised just how many people are in the same position. I've spoken to so many people since Monday morning. So many people who've told me about how they've been affected by caring for someone with dementia.

I made five new friends this morning: Rose, Grace, Francis, Pearl and Liz. I met them at the Dementia Resource Centre in Dundee and, honestly, I could have chatted to them for hours. We shared our experiences, we laughed and we even cried a wee bit. I was sorry to leave them, but I'm so glad to have met them. I'd also like to thank the staff at the centre for making me feel so welcome.

Me and my new friends

 This afternoon I was in Perth. I was asked to open Alzheimer Scotland's new service at the St Paul's Centre in New Row. I didn't know I was the one meant to be cutting the ribbon! Another great bunch of people.

Tomorrow I'm in Falkirk. I'm seeing Neil Sowerby from the Falkirk and District Association of Mental Health in the morning, then I'm with the Alzheimer Scotland Memory Bus at St Francis Xavier's around lunchtime, off to the Dementia Services Development Centre in Stirling in the afternoon and going to a carers' group in Stenhousemuir in the evening. A busy day, but I'm definitely looking forward to it!

Before I go, here's a wee video of me made from some of the filming that happened on my first day. Hope you like it.



Tommy