Positive thinking, polish up your profile, staying safer and the NHS - again. (5 minute read)

 Hi Swantv Viewer          

Be Positive    Kiwi Shoe Polish   Safer Swansea Neighbourhood Watch   NHS                                                                                                                             

 All I read about in the papers and see on the news is negative. So how does that make you feel? Particularly at the moment? Christmas, the happiness of being with your family, good food, not working was an uplifting time. Now January is here, cold, windy and wet, so no wonder we are all feeling low and wondering how the future will pan out.

Well it is time to be positive.  And here are 5 ways to make yourself have postive thoughts:

• Every morning over coffee write down 3 things that you are grateful for, and these could be quite simple. For example the sun is shining, you are going to enjoy a happy evening with your partner or family, someone smiled at you, you achieved something no matter how small.
  
• Go for a brisk 10 minute walk or do some exercises that make you breathless. This will increase your heart rate and will make you feel good about yourself. Do this every day.
• When you are dressing look in the mirror, smile and think how good you look. You could write "Super Star" on the mirror so you see it when you look at yourself!
• Stop watching the news or reading depressing newspapers. They make their money through sensational articles and bad news. 
• Try to do a simple Act of Kindness every day, if possible. Simple things like help an elderly or blind person across the road, talk to someone maybe at a bus stop or when you are queueing in a shop - just smile and comment on the weather or something that has happened and add "How are you today". There are a lot of lonely and unhappy people everywhere today. When you fo an Act of KIndness you cheer the other person and you will feel better too.

I see the shoe polish company Kiwi will stop selling in the UK because demand has dropped. Kiwi was originally an Australian company and the name was decided as the native flightless bird of New Zealand where the owner's wife came from. The polish was favourite with the

Australian and British armies, whose soldiers always presented in perfect uniforms and highly polished boots, and still do today.. 

As a lad I remember having to polish my fathers, my two sisters and my own shoes every evening ready for the next day. My grandfather had a green apron he wore just for polishing  his shoes. Now most people wear trainers and leather shoes are only worn on formal occasions by a minority. I guess they are more comfortable! I recall going into Clarke shoe shops and standing on an x-ray machine so the shop assistant could decide on the correct size and width. It was said that this helped feet to grow well and not be deformed. Trainers have soft coverings so this is not so relevant.

Polished shoes were associated with dressing smartly. My shirts were always ironed as were my trousers with a straight crease down front and rear. I wore a suit, shirt and tie for almost all my working life and still do on special occasions. I till feel that it is important to start my day with a shower and shave, dressing appropriately for what I am doing. It is strange for me to hear of some home workers staying in pyjamas and dressing gown for the morning, or even whole day. Call me old fashioned but I still feel that I am more efficient when dressed. 

Today I had a talk with Paul Evans of Safer Swansea, whose responsibility is to promote safety in Swansea and combat crime. One of the things we discussed was Neighbourhood Watch, something I am very interested in. Around 1987 I formed a group in Watford  and eventually signed up more than 80% of the residents on the Tudor Estate where I lived. I remember producing a monthly printed newsletter (the internet was in it's infancy then) and we had monthly meetings in the local pub where the landlord gave us free use of the first floor

meeting room. He did that because many members bought beers in the bar to drink during the meeting. 

The interesting thing is that we did watch out for anything suspicious but we also informed the neighbours of any area problems, a fallen tree, accident that closed a road and so on. We also knew which neighbours were vulnerable because they lived alone, were elderly or disabled and were able to 

 We had no mobile phones but a regular system where one person called 5 people who in turn called another 5 each and these call more so that information was passed quickly. An interesting additional benefit is that you will often be able to reduce your home insurance premiums if you can show there is an active group in your street by as much as 10%.

The days of knowing all your neighbours in the street have sadly passed in most places, especially large towns and cities, but that shouldn't stop you from wanting to keep yourselves and others safe. It's never been a question of nosy neighbours but just being alert. Neighbourhood Watch is not peering out through the curtains to see what is happening but merely being alert. Let's make Swansea safer than it already is, let's deter criminals and ensure everyone  You can see that I am passionate about Neighbourhood Watch and believe it is good for everyone in the community and we will be promoting this during 2023 on SwanTV. 

And back to the NHS. I've been so very lucky. 3 letters arrived on Thursday with appointments for various tests and scans that my hospital consultant has arranged for me. And I hear of
people waiting longer than ever, long ambulance queues waiting to discharge patients into A & E, and then long delays whilst waiting to be seen by a doctor and treated, patients fit and able to be discharged from wards being detained because there is no care plan in place either whenthey are sent home or in a care home, care homes being unable to take more residents because of staff shortages.And a high percentage of doctors and nurses leaving the NHS whilst replacements are not coming forward to be trained. It is pretty obvious that governments have failed miserably over the years in training, offering decent salaries and building sufficient new hospitals or updating existing buildings and equipment.  Promises have been made by governments over and over by both Tory and Labour and now it is time for action.

In Wales Mark Drakeford and his merry men should now take action and use the powers they asked for and received from Westminster, one of which is the power to increase taxes. Yes life is tough but if the NHS declines further then life will be yet still tougher with longer waiting for operations, the exudus of more staff, no-one wanting to train as a doctor or nurse, and possibly the only solution then being to use private health facilities. Lack of investment now will be a heavy burden on many and in fact will mean that they won't be able to afford treatment at all for their ailments. In Australia it cost up to £580 to call out an emergency ambulance, imagine that charge here plus hospital care charges. We have to be realistic and, despite the cost-of-living crisis we should realise that the NHS is the backbone of our way of living. We have dropped from offering the best health care to way down the line. Nursing now is not just a calling but a profession that should be treated as such. Remember clapping outside our doors? Does that mean nothing now? The next person needing an emergency ambulance or hospital care might be someone close to you, a family member, close friend. How will this crisis affect them . . . and you?

SwanTV is your local TV station and we want to hear your views. Want to come to our studio and have your say? Record yourself on your smartphone and send us a copy but use it landscape and not portrait please. 

Keep watching

Director Swantv Community Interest Company Ltd

Swansea in 2023

 Hi SwanTV Viewer

Wishing you a very happy, successful and healthy year ahead in whatever you do. Let's put last year to bed and move on . . . the only way is onwards and upwards.

The old tradition of New Year Resolutions is not so popular now as it was when I was a kid. Then everyone made them but like today they were quickly dropped. And it is estimated that about 80% are dropped by mid February at the latest. I believe it is better to make resolutions any time of the year, be specific but don't be too ambitious and track how you are doing So good luck if you make New Year resolutions to get fit, lose weight or give up smoking.

We all want a better future and here is my wish list for our local Swansea community. Will we see any of them mature this year? What do you think? Do you have anything to add to my personal list? These are some ideas I have been thinking about in recent weeks that might make a difference to us all in the coming year.

Local NHS. We are all complaining but that doesn't fix anything. What can we do to help ease the strain on doctors, hospitals, nurses and ambulances? I feel we should all take more responsibility for our own health, safety and wellbeing. So eating a healthy diet will keep your body working well and may stave off building up extra fats. Taking some regular exercise: they say 10 minutes getting your heart beating harder and faster, even fast walking,  3 or 4 times a day will make a noticeable improveent if you've not been exercising at all. And you can do that anytime, no need for changing into special clothing or visiting a gym.

Don't call the 999 Emergency Services unless you have a life threatening or serious injury. There is plenty of help for minor injuries and medical problems. Try dialling 111 where trained staff can help and advise you (incidentally for emergencies dialling 112 is the same as 999 but can be used from a mobile phone too). Did you know pharmacists are highly trained and can give you advice and in some cases can now prescribe drugs, so ask at your local chemist.

And of course, if non-emergency then you should try your doctor first. I understand that many surgeries arrange a phone call appointment first where the doctor might want you to visit the surgery immediately after speaking with you. Some surgeries are booking doctor appointments 2-3 weeks ahead which is obviously not good if you are really suffering, and that has to change. Unfortunately that delay can result in the patient deteriorating and suffering stress and anxiety. The difficulty in speaking to a doctor or having to wait is causing some patients to either call an ambulance or visit A & E. And this means longer waiting times for all.

And finally we need more First Responders across the city and county. First Responders are volunteers who are trained by the ambulance service and who can handle mainly minor injuries. When a 999 call is made the operator can decide if the call warrants an ambulance and if not will call a local First Responder who will immediately visit the patient, administer first aid or decide an ambulance is required. With sufficient trained volunteers the call on ambulances coud be drastically cut. An added bonus is that having a trained first aider in the family or workplace can deal with emergencies without even a 999 call being made. Qualified First Responders must be capable and car owners, they should be paid which might increase numbers. A network throughout Swansea would be a real community asset and take some strain off the NHS.

We all clapped the NHS and nurses during the pandemic. Now they need our support for more money, although the high rate they are seeking should be less. Higher salaries might encourage more new nurses. Mark Drakeford is blaming Westminster for not providing extra money to pay these increases but he asked for and has been given authority to raise extra taxes in Wales. He is refusing to do this despite a high percentage of the population saying they would willingly pay a little more if the NHS was improved. What do you think? A small increase from everyone wold make a big difference.

Wellbeing of All. When I was young something that was never mentioned . . . wellbeing and mental health. How things have changed for the better. Our wellbeing is the fountain of life. If you feel that people around you at home and work care then you will feel good in yourself.. Wellbeing centres around connecting with others, too many people are isolated or lonely and that isn't just people living alone. You can be part of a family or in a busy workplace and feel lonely. Connecting with others means talking to those around you, being interested in them (for if you are interested then they will surely be interested in you). Listening properly when having a conversation. It was said that the best conversationalists are listeners. Your wellbeing can be improved if you are active, not just physically active, walking, swimming, the gym: but active in the community, getting involved and not standing on the sideline. I mentioned listening, well taking notice improves wellbeing, taking notice of what is happening around you, the changein the seasons, the colour of leaves on the trees, the waves lapping against the shoreline. 

The poem line "What is this life if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare" is very relevant today. We are all in too much of a hurry but how much of our busy, busy life is important.  Be alert to what is happening and how the people around you are reacting. I was eating out with my family a couple of weeks ago and looking around noticed many diners on other tables were looking at and typing into their mobiles, not actively taking part in the table conversation. They might as well be eating alone!! 

And keep learning. Once jobs were for life but now we change jobs regularly and new work skills become necessary. Likewise we should keep learning new social skills: take up a hobby, widen your interests. There are people in their seventies and eighties starting degree courses, opening new businesses, travelling and meeting new people. And finally, giving improves our wellbeing. It makes us feel better. And giving has a ripple effect. You give to someone and they will give something different to another person. Do small acts of kindness  . . help that blind person across the road, carry that bag for the older frail person, pay for an extra coffee in a cafe that has a sharing table where peolpe can find someone to talk to if they feel lonely or sad. Not you? Come on give it a try and you'll see and feel the difference. And if you see someone in trouble don't look the other way or cross over, go and help. It might be you next time.

Equalling up . . .  getting around in the city. I'd like to see a land-train travelling from the railways station, down Orchard Street, across towards Castle Gardens and along Oxford Street, turn down by Wilko and stop at the entrance to the Quadrant Shopping Centre before turning round and retracing the route back to the railway station. This would greatly help older and disabled people get around the city easier and make access to the new Community Hub and Library so much easier when it opens, and justifies the £15m estimated cost. It would also improve access to the Train station where I see many people struggling along the HIgh Street with cases and large bags.

Safety of all residents is paramount and I believe a bigger Neighbourhood Watch presence would make a substancial difference to actual and perceived safety. There are groups within Swansea but many areas are not covered. The benefits are high including reduced home

insurance costs and knowing that a scheme will deter thieves and give you some peace of mind. 

The biggest reason people cite for not wanting to be involved is that they associate Neighbourhood Watch with nosey neighbours spying on them but nothing is further from the truth. SwanTV will be looking at some successful local schemes and helping anyone who wants to be involved. It's all voluntary and you don't need to give up any of your time, just be alert, aware of strangers in your area, and things that look amiss. Keep watching SwanTV for more information.

Swansea is alive with creative people. There is a thriving artist community. We should be nurturing this and looking to make another bid as the City of Culture based on the local creatives. Some years ago I was ready to set up an artist quarter on Sundays similar to

Bayswater Road in London where dozens of artists display their work. I talked to the Council Leader at this time and it was going to be around the Little Theatre and Pumphouse area. Could this be a future possibility? We also discussed a live busker area such as found in
Covent Garden where quality acts could perform. This could be at the small amphitheatre next to the LC Leisure Centre. This hasn't been used since the eighties to my knowledge but it is a perfect setting and with webcams set up sreaming live this could be a world-wide internet attraction. Covent Garden used to have regular Monday morning auditions so that the quality of performers was to an acceptable standard, acts where given a particular time slot and it was smooth running. This would bring in acts from outside Swansea as well as local ones. I guess it runs the same now.  

So those are a few of my thoughts on making Swansea even better in 2023. Some are minor and others larger projects but all will have an impact on our community. We shall be following these up through the year. There is no point in talking without action. If you have any comments please write below or contact us direct at ask@swantv.com giving your name and contact number. Help us make SwanTV the local online TV channel.

Have a successful 2023 in everything you do, stay safe and keep healthy. And don't forget to download the Swantv app.

Mike Leahy SwanTV