Disability Champion
My work life was mainly admin in various industries – game & venison; decorative glass and whisky. I loved my jobs, meeting people and learning new skills. However about 10 years ago, having no history of ill health I was diagnosed with MS! This was a hard thing to hear however although it was, I have challenged it – I have it but it doesn’t have me!
Having had a long time off work prior to finishing & during the settling in period to my new life, I went on to volunteering following a course at ‘Mindspace’ & have never looked back – having completed many courses there, my favourite is Mindfulness. Then ‘Positive Choices’ (disbanded due to lack of funding but I still keep in touch with some of the members); ‘Independent Advocacy’ (advocacy trained); ‘CILPK’ (member, Champion & peer support); ‘Mindspace’ (volunteer facilitator, trained peer support worker); ‘Neuro Central’ (member and former Friends of Neuro Central ‘friends of…’ coordinator) and latterly ‘Perthshire Welfare Society’ – formerly an ethnic minority group now open to the wider community creating a blended group of hope and positivity to eliminate loneliness/isolation.
My interests are reading (nothing too heavy – my favourite author is Cecilia Ahern), wild swimming (all year and winter is my favourite season: breaking the ice), cooking, gardening and socialising.
Sometimes I feel like a fraud until I’m late with my meds, then I get a reminder but I’m still standing!”
Cristina