b'LONDON IRISH 2023London Irish ThisYearsSupportedBIAS (Brent Irish AdvisoryWetwheels (Hamble)auniqueAisling Centrethepromotion CharitiesService)WetwheelsoffersEstablished in 1990 Aisling Centre opportunityfordisabledandisdedicatedto TheBrentIrishAdvisoryService Vintage DaySt Josephs Hospice thathascelebrates 45 years of supportingdisadvantagedparticipantsofofpositivementalhealthand over50,000people.BIASwasallages,includingthosewithemotionalwellbeing.Aislingis StJosephsisaplacesetupin1978asaresponsemultipleprofoundandcomplexan Irish word meaning dream or takencareofthesickanddyingtothewelfareneedsoftheimpairments access to the water.visionandthedreamisrealised in the East End of London sinceIrishcommunity,thelargestTheboatisspeciallydesignedtothroughtheprovisionofasafe allow participants of all disabilitiesspace where people can find hope 2023 1905throughmanychangingimmigration community in London.theopportunitytodrivetheandhealingatdifficulttimesin contextsandacrosstwoworldTheiraimistoworktowardsboatincludingwheelchairusers.their lives. wars. Along the way it has adaptedimproving the quality of life of IrishPartoftheWetwheelsfamily, tothecreationoftheNHSandpeople and people of Irish heritage,Wetwheels Hamble was establishedTheCentreisaregistered respondedtomajorsocialandprimarily in Brent.in 2016 and takes out over 2000charityandacompanylimited economicchangesinitslocalBIAS was started by a small groupparticipants annually.by guarantee.It is managed by a community. of volunteers through the launch ofvoluntary Board of Directors drawn After more than 100 years sinceits information centre in 1978 withThey continually innovate throughfromacrossthecommunitywho theSistersofCharityarrivedina telephone line and a twice weeklynew technologies, and improve theare supported by a dedicated team East London, we can now see howdrop-in advice service, run by Irishexperience through the excellenceof staff and volunteers. The Aisling a hospice organisation can expandmigrants. of their teams and feedback fromCentreadherestotheBACP andchangeovertime,adjustingparticipants.(British Association of Counselling toalteredcircumstanceswhilstBIASsupportsthecommunityandPsychotherapy)ethical constantly returning to its originalin a number of ways, including itsAllareactiveparticipants,ratherframeworkforgoodpracticein missionandpurposewithintheadvocacy / advice service, as well asthansimplypassengers,withtheCounselling and Psychotherapy. local community.working closely with older peopleopportunity to steer the vessel and throughpensionersgroups.Theylearn seamanship alongside peers,See their website below for more They treat each person as unique,provideaservicethatinformsfriends and families.information.encouragingandenablingthemclients of their rights and welfareTheirownresearchtellsusmore toreachtheirfullpotentialuntilentitlementstoensurethebestthan80percentofWetwheels theendoftheirlife,andcareisquality of life possible. participants have never previously provided free of charge to anyoneTheorganisationalsorunstwobeen on the open water - which is in the local community who needsweeklyactiveageingclubswhichsomething they want to change.it.helpstoreduceisolation,and ThereareplentyofvolunteerimprovethehealthofolderSee their website below for more opportunitiesfromretailtoIrish.Theyalsoprovideadviceinformation. bereavement support, to drivers orandinformationonTuesdayand fundraising.Thursday. See their website below for moreSee their website below for more information.information.The Networker Autumn 2023 9.'