IN DEFENCE OF PIGEONS

Turn the Surveillance Bird Tables

2011-05-20T16:10:00.001+01:00

May 2011 Blue tits are nesting in our art - and here are the pictures to prove it!

link to edited version of PICNIC

2011-05-11T09:30:00.000+01:00

Alex Harrison has posted this shortened version of the film

film screening

2011-05-11T09:22:00.001+01:00

thanks to everyone who came to watch the screening of PICNIC at FACT. It was good to see the large projection and hear the soundtrack as well. Feedback was great and particularly from the commissioner from the NHS trust - she felt the content of the film was not only a beautiful artwork, but could also be useful as a training tool for staff going into psychiatry! An interesting idea.

The film is also being screened in Wood Street window as part of "Knowledge Lives Everywhere" where it has been added to a wooden structure displaying some of the other commissions and slogans from 5 ways to wellbeing....But for the full effect of the film, you need the soundtrack and projection and being in a darkened quiet space

Birds Nesting in our Art!

2011-05-11T08:50:00.000+01:00

It’s a very exciting day here at the PICU – we have baby birds hatching in the bird box! The service users and staff have been captivated all day! We have the sound from the bird box on also, so you can hear them through the unit. It’s lovely.

Thanks for this Bryony! I must admit I am surprised and also delighted by the news that bluetits are already taking part in th artwork at PICU! This shows how hard everyone has been working to attract the birds into the grounds... photos to follow

handbook

2011-03-09T20:51:00.001Z

coming soon
this handbook is intended for staff of the PICU and others who are interested in how to interract with the artworks!

Bird Song Juke Box - installed

2010-10-21T10:45:00.000+01:00

Here are some images of the Bird Song Jukebox installed!!

update on Tide Film project

2010-07-30T16:17:00.000+01:00

This is where we are up to regarding the fim and editing and sound:

Last week I went to see the film at FACT - its beautiful, Alex and Lucy did a lovely job. The duration will be around 30 - 40 minutes.

Ross has sent me all the sound that we recorded at Crosby - its also really good.

I have roughly edited this sound now and I will send some discs of what I have so far to the PICU for Touchstones participants to listen to.
They can then get back with any notes of what they might like to change (try to be specific on the timing and the beginning / ending points of what you dont like) - I know everyone will hate hearing their own voices of course, because everyone always does! But if possible, try to just listen to the content. I have had to chop out a fair bit of material already as we had well over an hour of sound and the film's length is looking like around 36 minutes. If you think it would be easier for me to come over to the PICU and sit with everyone while we go through the sound, that could be arranged too. I can edit via my laptop.

Once I hear back from PICU and Touchstones and make any further adjustments, I can send the 2nd rough edit back to Ross who can tidy up my edits, adjust the levels and add in some ambient sound of around 30 seconds in the breaks between topics (NB there is currently 10 seconds of silence between the topics).

Alex has compressed the film of the tide into about 30 minutes or so and will be sending over a DVD of this to me, so I can test the sound with the images.
Again, once I have the OK for the sound from Touchstones, and have tested it with the images, I can then instruct Alex of what we need to add to the footage in terms of fades and black ends......because I want the conversation to overlap the beginning and end of the film.

Finally I have decided to include the clip of sound where we all have a short discussion about how the film will work with the images and how there are to be 2 versions of the film. I really like the transparency this gives the viewer about the process of making this piece....

There will as discussed, also be a version with just ambient sound (birds, wind, sea) which is what will be mainly shown in the PICU.

I think the version with the voices will be really useful and a good momento of the PICU story

shoot

2010-07-05T09:04:00.000+01:00

Luckily on Friday, conditions were perfect for filming - and also for a very enjoyable pic-nic! The sun was shining and a good breeze ensured dramatic skies and sunlight skidding across the sands.
Here are members of Touchstones who joined me at Crosby to record conversations about the PICU, memories of the coast and their own stories of "recovery" and what that might mean. These tapes will form the soundtrack for the film. Thanks to everyone who was working on the shoot - Alex and Lucy, Percy and Ross and to Angy from FACT for coordinating. Bryony and the Touchstones reps Alan, Jean and Gary for giving their time so generously and putting everything into the conversations.
The next stage of this piece will be for me to visit FACT and meet with Alex to study the film footage, seeing how the pace of the film works in various edits. We filmed for a solid 5 hours to record the rising tide. This footage can then be reduced to say one hour , half and hour or even 10-15 minutes - depending on what works best. We'll then loook at how the sound works in conjunction with the images. I'll be meeting Alex on 21st July.

filming day

2010-06-14T17:38:00.000+01:00

here is a link to the map of the location for the filming day

Film Crew to be on site ready to begin filming 10am TBC
Touchstones Group and sound recordist to be on site 12-12.30
Pic-Nic + recording begins around 1.00
Filming and sound completes about 3.00 - 4.00

update May

2010-05-27T10:44:00.000+01:00

It looks like there may be a date booked in for the PicNic - Friday 2nd July.
On this day, a film crew from FACT and with volunteers from Touchstones will be meeting to film the tide and record discussions about our experiences of PICU and other topics.
Later on, this time-lapse film will be available to watch in the PICU....
Meanwhile work is continuing at FCAT to build the surveillance bird tables and the jukebox is almost ready.....

watercolours

2010-03-17T18:33:00.000Z

Juke Box - I have made all the CDs for the juke box and 90% of the drawings for the selector unit. I hope to have all these finished and scanned asap so they will be ready to go onto the juke box. Its been much more time consuming than I imagined as I decided to do it the hard way (!) - watercolour images of each bird!
The good news is that I have learned to recognise many more birds than ever before - and it will look lovely.

I understand the jukebox is all ready to install, so once all the cds and images are on, the fitting team can get it installed.

Meanwhile I believe Laura will be organising sessions for staff in how to record their own tracks etc

Pic Nics
It soon comes around!
We did say we would try to hold the pic nic during the week of 12-16th April.. This is OK with me on either Weds 14th or Friday 16th
But will that be OK for FACT to get the shoot team together (sounds and cameras) and PICU to organise transport etc? - we also need to meet again with Touchstone to think about the questions we will be discussing during the picnic and what to take with us (food, chairs, wind break etc)? I'm happy to delay if people think thats better idea...?
After doing some recces earlier this year, I think High Town is a good location, north of Liverpool before Formby. There is a wide estuary there with birdlife on the river and good views of the ships leaving Liverpool....there is also a train station if people need to leave early for example. We could stop en route to look at the Gormly work which was also suggested.

Bird Tables
Ed was working on the bird tables installation and we determined the best locations in the grounds - The location of the monitors will be above the nurses station near the bedrooms within a purpose built casing - I'm looking forward to hearing about the progress on the design for that...

I'll look forward to seeing you all again soon

sounds

2010-01-29T16:19:00.001Z

Here are photos from High Town, where I'm hoping the Pic Nic will take place in April...

I'm busy preparing the CDs for the Pic-U-Pic jukebox. The initial playlist are British Garden Birds featuring all the favourites - Robins, Sparrows, Song Thrushes and Blue Tits.... I'm even beginning to recognise some of them as I wander around Manchester! You may already know that this week its the RSPB Big Garden Watch this weekend - we should be keeping our eyes peeled for what is the biggest wildlife survey in the world....

Meanwhile I met with Bryony, Ed and the build team (sorry I forgot to note your name) from FACT to look at the bird box sites and to think about installation issues. They will be making some drawings of a housing to contain the monitors, probably being installed above the nurses station near the bedrooms...

update on the bird tables / juke box

2009-12-10T10:15:00.000Z

We are planning to meet at the PICU in the 2nd week of January to finalise the location of the feeders / water stations....Laura will contact PICU to arrange a date.
For more notes trawl through the earlier posts on the blog www.indefensefpigeons.blogspot.com

At my meeting with Ed and Laura from FACT on Wednesday 9th, we provisionally agreed that FACT will now make the 3 feeding / water stations and possibly (depending on budgets) a nest-box.

Originally we had thought that a woodwork department at the hospital could get involved -
but on consideration we decided it would make more sense if the technicians at FACT take on the whole job, as they will need to integrate the camera system into the build, so makes sense if they do it one go. They will also be installing everything on site.

Perhaps a more elaborate stand alone bird table/nest box or other feature could be made by the hospital woodwork department later on, to complement the main art work.

From the info on making nest boxes that Chris originally gave us I'm quoting something about the required materials for making a nest box - but I guess this should also be applied to the feeding stations as well - Chris we are making the post style feeder with attached mesh/acrylic feeders:

"Weather proof timber is suitable. However do not use CCA pressure treated timber, since the leachates may harm the birds.....use galvanised nails or screws......it is always best to leave untreated. As it weathers it will blend into the surroundings better. Softwood boxes may be treated with selected water based preservatives, which are known to be safe for animals such as Sadolin. Apply it to the outside of the box and not around the entrance hole......
Use brass or plastic fittings that will not rust"

Lastly, when we have the site visit, the FACT technicians will measure up the juke box site. They have a cunning plan for creating an enclosed unit that will house speakers, changing unit and selector unit.

The birdsong CDs for the jukebox are in the pipeline too. All being well, both projects should be installed early in the new year.......

Have a good Christmas
Alison

fanzine

2009-12-02T12:28:00.001Z

FANZINE issue one out now!

2009-11-19T18:07:00.000Z

I received the finished pages of the fanzine through the post today! It really makes a good quick and informative read and its fun!
I'll scan all the pages when I get chance so you can see them on here too.

Our final editing and collating session went well last Friday
and the photographer from MerseyCare came along to take some snaps
of us all holding our pages and smiling. So that will be in the internal newsletter for all to see.

We discussed the title and it was generally felt that as this is a fanzine it shouldnt be taken too literally. We are nt ACTUALLY advocating encouraging pigeons on the site, but are sympathising with those that are stigmatised and excluded; asking people to consider all birds (and people) equally. However, if the group wish to modify the title for different issues, its fine to do that too, as In Defence came out of an informal discussion and was a working title.......

spelling

2009-11-06T20:27:00.001Z

apologies! - the word DEFENSE has been misspelt till today (Thanks again Brael)!!
DefenCe is the American spelling apparently - thankyou Microsoft..... but unfortunately I cant change the URL here - so it remains www.indefenceofpigeons.blogspot.com !!!

second fanzine workshops

2009-11-06T20:12:00.000Z

Thanks to Brael for the following new "tip":

When frustrated, learn to calm your mind.
Breath.
Focus on Good Energy
Remove yourself from the stressor / negativity
Listen to music

Some really good tips have come out of this project - I thought we might get some more humorous ones as well - but serious is just fine. After all the PICU experience is a serious business..

and thanks again to Dan and Bernie who made a collage of footballers.

The Touchstone group are racing away with the fanzine, and we reckon that by the end of next week, the first issue could be complete.
But we're already getting ideas for the next issue! Staff on the unit, who are making an archive of activities suggested a 'Top Ten Activities" issue, whilst the Touchstone thought about a poetry issue.

If anyone wats to add a drawing, article or joke for next Friday's final edit, just e.mail it to me, type it in the comments section, or pass it to Bryony......

FANZINE issue 1 cover draft

2009-10-16T16:40:00.000+01:00

thought I'd make a front cover whilst waiting for the next workshop! As you can see, the style of the fanzine is rough and ready!! - hope to see you all soon

Alison

Another Top Tip

2009-10-09T15:12:00.000+01:00

A new resident, Bernie, offered this wisdom last Friday for a Top Tip:

Here on the PICU they have a smoking rule; you can only smoke for 10 minutes in the hour, so smoking is allowed between 5 to and 5 past the hour. Its seems hard, but it does mean that I've smoked a lot less and thats benefitting me. I'd like to give up at some point. But it does mean I'm always clock watching, waiting for the time for a cigarette!

Barry from The Touchstones group also suggests the following Top Tip:

Keep focussed on moving on....

update

2009-10-05T11:42:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone

just to keep you all posted on progress of the arts projects for PICU

we held 2 short sessions at the picu on Friday,
one for residents and one for Touchstones, to get the fanzine underway.
as the cohort of residents have just changed over, we just had a very brief contribution from one of the new residents - another tip actually. I'll get the images up here asap!!

The Touchstones group, with three attendees made some good progress chopping up images and beginning to compose pages with me and Bryony.
we'll be having another , longer session in the next three weeks depending when it seems there will be some more settled residents.

Meanwhile I 've been working on the text for the plaques for the three installations - you can see these on the blog - see below

Bryony is getting started on bird feeding with simple feeders made from pine cones / fat and seed.
The PICU now have the template for the decorated cards which will go on the selecter unit of the jukebox, so people can begin to think about their track and how they will represent it.
She is also looking to nab a notice board where all the drawings and info about birds can be posted. - Perhaps we could supply a new notice board for these - if you want me to I could get one?

We await progress on the modification of the lock mechanism on the jukebox before we can go ahead with risk asessment and begin installation.
Awaiting also news about the cameras - so we can finish the designs for the bird feeders and pass these to the woodwork department.

All for now

Alison

plaques for art works

2009-10-02T11:06:00.001+01:00

these plaques will accompany the Juke box the Bird table surveillance and the film
they are 3rd drafts, so any comments welcome - I hope they help to give a flavour of the meaning / thinking behind these works

Turn The Surveillance Bird Tables

Waiting for you,
Come, stay, rest,
Here, take food,
Water we give you,
Be watched and leave again

By Alison Kershaw 2009
Commissioned by Merseycare PICU through FACT/tenantspin

The Pic-U-Pic
Birdsong JukeBox

Hear birds sing!
heralding their presence.
What is your own important sound?
So we remember you

By Alison Kershaw 2009
Commissioned by Merseycare PICU through FACT/tenantspin

Light of Day Picnics

The horizon curves away
Birds pass
You speak
The morning comes

By Alison Kershaw 2010
Commissioned by Merseycare PICU through FACT/tenantspin

working out design and placement of bird feeders

2009-09-02T16:48:00.001+01:00

Hello All, here are my sketches and some info from the RSPB towards our 'Turn The Surveillance Tables" project for the outdoor spaces at PICU. I'm sending all these sketches on to FACT and to Bryony as PDFs. At some point we will need to hear from Ed about the camera equipment so that final dimensions of what we build and any other instructions an be passed onto the woodwork team. It would also be useful if someone could pop into PICU with a compass to determine exactly which way the two garden spaces face so we can get the best locations for each thing

first, a simple bird bath that can be mounted in a variety of ways - this will make for good images of birds splashing about. You can also get them in ceramics - you could make your own with a simple coil pot if you have access to a big kiln....this one is cheap and cheerful!

Here's the simple nesting box plan from RSPB - with measurements for a large or small box - depending on species - we would need to figure out a way to include the camera. RSPB's own nesting box with camera housing is a bit more fancy - see earlier posting:

My idea would be to use a post camera housing and a feeder/water dish. Bird Tables are prone to attract the pigeons, whereas only smaller species can use a fine mesh or acrylic feeder. These types are also quite easy to clean out which is most important - see notes below on hygiene...

let me know what you think! - I'll include Chris from RSPB for his comments too!

Siskin song

2009-08-31T08:49:00.000+01:00

possible food choices for the bird cafe

2009-08-30T21:18:00.000+01:00

this is direct from the rspb website, click on the title above to explore their site further

What food to provide

Black sunflower seeds are excellent year-round food

We receive numerous enquiries about what and how to feed garden birds. Many of them relate to the best type of food to provide, or whether particular foods are suitable for birds or not. This page shows you what to feed your garden birds - and what to avoid.

Bird seed mixtures

There are different mixes for feeders and for birdtables and ground feeding. The better mixtures contain plenty of flaked maize, sunflower seeds, and peanut granules.

Small seeds, such as millet, attract mostly house sparrows, dunnocks, finches, reed buntings and collared doves, while flaked maize is taken readily by blackbirds. Tits and greenfinches favour peanuts and sunflower seeds. Mixes that contain chunks or whole nuts are suitable for winter feeding only. Pinhead oatmeal is excellent for many birds. Wheat and barley grains are often included in seed mixtures, but they are really only suitable for pigeons, doves and pheasants, which feed on the ground and rapidly increase in numbers, frequently deterring the smaller species.

Avoid seed mixtures that have split peas, beans, dried rice or lentils as again only the large species can eat them dry. These are added to some cheaper seed mixes to bulk them up. Any mixture containing green or pink lumps should also be avoided as these are dog biscuit, which can only be eaten when soaked.

Black sunflower seeds

These are an excellent year-round food, and in many areas are even more popular than peanuts. The oil content is higher in black than striped ones, and so they are much better. Sunflower hearts (the husked kernels) are a popular no-mess food.

Nyjer seeds

These are small and black with a high oil content. They need a special type of seed feeder, and are particular favourites with goldfinches and siskins.

Peanuts

These are rich in fat and are popular with tits, greenfinches, house sparrows, nuthatches, great spotted woodpeckers and siskins. Crushed or grated nuts attract robins, dunnocks and even wrens. Nuthatches and coal tits may hoard peanuts. Salted or dry roasted peanuts should not be used. Peanuts can be high in a natural toxin, which can kill birds, so buy from a reputable dealer, such as our online shop, to guarantee freedom from aflatoxin.

Bird cake and food bars

Fat balls and other fat-based food bars are excellent winter food. If they are sold in nylon mesh bags, always remove the bag before putting the fat ball out – the soft mesh can trap and injure birds. You can make your own bird cake by pouring melted fat (suet or lard) onto a mixture of ingredients such as seeds, nuts, dried fruit, oatmeal, cheese and cake. Use about one-third fat to two-thirds mixture. Stir well in a bowl and allow it to set in a container of your choice. An empty coconut shell, plastic cup or tit bell makes an ideal bird cake ‘feeder’. Alternatively, you can turn it out onto your birdtable when solid.

Live foods and other insect foods

Mealworms are relished by robins and blue tits, and may attract other insect-eating birds such as pied wagtails.

Mealworms are a natural food and can be used to feed birds throughout the year. It can become quite expensive to constantly buy mealworms, and many people want to grow their own. You can culture your own mealworms (click on the link to the left). If you cannot face this performance, buy your mealworms from the professionals, consoling yourself with the thought that successful mealworm breeding is even more difficult than it sounds. Click on the link to the right to buy mealworms from our online shop.

It is very important that any mealworms fed to birds are fresh. Any dead or discoloured ones must not be used as they can cause problems such as salmonella poisoning.

Waxworms are excellent, but expensive. Proprietary foods for insect-eating birds, such as ant pupae and insectivorous and softbill food are available from bird food suppliers and pet shops. Insect food appropriately offered can attract treecreepers and wrens

Polyunsaturated margarines or vegetable oils

These are unsuitable for birds. Unlike humans, birds need high levels of saturated fat, such as raw suet and lard. They need the high energy content to keep warm in the worst of the winter weather, since their body reserves are quickly used up, particularly on cold winter nights. The soft fats can easily be smeared onto the feathers, destroying the waterproofing and insulating qualities.

Dog and cat food

Meaty tinned dog and cat food form an acceptable substitute to earthworms during the warm, dry part of the summer when worms are beyond the birds' reach. Blackbirds readily take dog food, and even feed it to their chicks.

Dry biscuits are not recommended as birds may choke on the hard lumps. It is sometimes added to cheaper seed mixtures for bulk. Soaked dog biscuit is excellent, except in hot weather as it quickly dries out. Petfood can attract larger birds such as magpies and gulls, and also neighbourhood cats. If this is likely to be a problem, it is best avoided.

Milk and coconut

Never give milk to any bird. A bird's gut is not designed to digest milk and it can result in serious stomach upsets, or even death. Birds can, however, digest fermented dairy products such as cheese. Mild grated cheese can be a good way of attracting robins, wrens and dunnocks.

Give fresh coconut only, in the shell. Rinse out any residues of the sweet coconut water from the middle of the coconut before hanging it out to prevent the build-up of black mildew.

Desiccated coconut should never be used as it may swell once inside a bird and cause death.

Rice and cereals

Cooked rice, brown or white (without salt added) is beneficial and readily accepted by all species during severe winter weather. Uncooked rice may be eaten by birds such as pigeons, doves and pheasants but is less likely to attract other species.

Porridge oats must never be cooked, since this makes them glutinous and could harden around a bird's beak. Uncooked porridge oats are readily taken by a number of bird species.

Any breakfast cereal is acceptable birdfood, although you need to be careful only to put out small quantities at a time. It is best offered dry, with a supply of drinking water nearby, since it quickly turns into pulp once wetted.

Mouldy and stale food

Many moulds are harmless, but some that can cause respiratory infections in birds, and so it is best to be cautious and avoid mouldy food entirely.

If food turns mouldy or stale on your birdtable, you are probably placing out too large a quantity for the birds to eat in one day. Always remove any stale or mouldy food promptly. Stale food provides a breeding ground for salmonella bacteria, which can cause food poisoning. At least one type of salmonella causes death among such species as greenfinches and house sparrows. Large quantities of food scattered on the ground may attract rats and mice. Rats can carry diseases that affect humans.

a promise of birds to come

2009-08-30T14:38:00.000+01:00

a possible visitor to the PICU gardens could be the goldfinch....

house martin

2009-08-30T14:23:00.000+01:00

there are house martins flying high above the PICU

available from rspb

2009-08-30T14:20:00.001+01:00

nifty camera housings for feeders and nest boxes - we can make our own versions with FACT's expertise...

Feeding the Birds

2009-08-30T11:46:00.000+01:00

Encouraging birds into the garden can begin immediately, gradually the feeders, bird baths and nest boxes can be added.....
The best times to feed the garden birds is in Winter and Spring, when natural food is scarce
Need to supply Food AND Water - running water is great
Feed in the early morning and early afternoon
Adjust the amounts of food you put out to match the demand you get
Use a variety of feeding sites. Keep ground level trays clear of cover
If you scatter the ground, vary the site where you put seed out
clear away unwanted food (to avoid vermin / seeds taking root)
Dont allow a build up of old food (think restaurant again!)
keep the feeding receptacles clean: sweep, empty, disinfect and rinse carefully the feeding trays and mesh on feeders regularly.
Clean the receptacles outside to avoid infection - use rubber gloves and wash hands thoroughly afterwards.
In spring and summer the good hygiene rules are even more important
Because there are a lot of pigeons about, feeders are better than an open bird table, because the mesh used is too fine for pigeons to feed from.
other options could be Fat balls and cakes or pastry with seed pushed into a pine cone
beware in case people have peanut allergies
Seed can be expensive - shop around locally for a good deal on seed mixes.
Results wont be instant - you need to keep at it!

what might you add to the juke box?

2009-08-30T11:32:00.001+01:00

At the meeting with the Touchstones group, some ideas came up about what you might ad to the jukebox:

windchimes or other relaxing sounds
a quiz - with questions and answers at the end!
clips from favourite TV / radio shows - like theme tunes or soundtrack

later on on the unit, mentioning the thing about TV shows, we got chatting about Dick Dasterdly and Penelope Pitsop - what about the song "Stop The Pigeon!"

RSPB

2009-08-21T13:36:00.000+01:00

The amazing Chris from Liverpool RSPB (link from the title of this post) paid a special visit to the PICU today. Armed with a wealth of information on how to make your own bird boxes / tables / baths and what to feed and when; Chris stunned us with his ability to hear house martins and Goldfinches while we showed him the garden.

He says we may have "problems with pigeons" - we could see them watching us from the roof of the hospital - and so our feeding of the birds has to be pigeon proof! i.e we need to use feeders (tubes or boxes of seed with fine mesh) rather than nice inviting bird tables which will be raided!

Apparently you can visit the National Wildflower Centre nearby at Court Hey http://www.nwc.org.uk , where they already have some bird-cams set up and in the spring you can sit in the cafe and watch the birds feeding the chicks on cctv.....

All we need to do now is get the birds interested in our garden, by starting to feed them over the autumn and winter and putting up some nesting boxes for them to inspect. We need to vary what we serve up. Its like a restaurant where the same meal gets served every day - after a few tries you'd give up going, and so will the birds. Bryony is going to make some seed cakes for the birds with residents at PICU.

A bird bath needs to be very shallow, almost flat. Running water attracts birds even more. A round piece of stone or ceramic with a hole in the middle and a small pump is ideal. This can be at ground level.
As well as attracting birds we could go for butterflies...and other bugs

one thing he did say was that we could set up a dovecote for pigeons - once they are inside you lock it and have them "taken away" - oh dear!!

take your picu....

2009-08-14T19:14:00.001+01:00

I met up today with members of the Touchstones group: Andrew, Mark, Karen, Anne and Ronnie. I outlined the ideas we will be working on over the coming months which are briefly described here - a full proposal is available on request.
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions and support.

PIC-U-PIC (birdsong juke box)
a juke box full of birdsong. When you come onto the picu you can choose your own track/sound/spoken word recording which will then be added to the jukebox in place of one of the birdsongs.

Top Ten Tips PICture book (in defence of pigeons)
a fanzine style booklet created by everyone - a fun way to pass on advice to new residents

TURN THE (SURVEILLANCE) BIRD TABLES
a series of bird tables in the outdoor spaces are monitored by c.c.t.v cameras and the images are relayed into the PICU, encouraging residents to feed the birds and increase the wildlife in the gardens

LIGHT OF DAY - PIC NICS
A series of films, static shots of the changing light and landscape looking out from the river and coastal sites of Liverpool. We will go for a picnic and talk about our experiences of the PICU whilst looking out towards the horizon.

stuff for everyone to collect!

2009-08-14T18:43:00.000+01:00

WE NEED YOUR:

leaflets and information about PICU / liverpool
hobby magazines that reflect your interests
old magazines and picture books (that you dont mind being cut up)
comics
newspapers
photos taken around the building (but check if your including anyone that they dont mind)
photos of yourselves your happy to use
tourist brochures about Liverpool
quotes from books you like - like self help stuff
words - type on the computer and print out
ideas
pages you've made at home to add to the fanzine....

PLUS - scissors / pritt stick glues / lots of A4 paper /pens/pencils/markers/ old typewriter or computer and printer / a bin for all the rubbish!!

Top Tips so far........

2009-08-14T18:34:00.000+01:00

the following tips I gathered today from Jeff, Joe and Roger

keep stress free, stay cool and take your meds
take each day as it comes
activities help get you through the day
talk to people - communication is key
take a shower or a bath - you'll feel better for it
listen to each other - drop the attitude
talk to people who've been here longer than you
give people space when they're having a bad day
eat your food, keep your strength up
keep your blood circulating - keep yourself from vegetating
get outside and take advantage of the activities- dont fester on the ward
keep in contact with your loved ones by telephone, its important
dont dunk your biscuits for longer than one or two seconds - its all about timing
ginger nuts are best for dunking
be optimistic
smile, instead of frowning (it uses less muscles!)
watch football (better still go and play football outside!)
the picu is great, because although theres more regulations, your not surrounded by temptations - these days I just sniff the lavender from the garden to relax me...
its relaxed and chilled
you have your own room - no snoring to disturb you!

where's that title come from?

2009-08-14T17:30:00.001+01:00

I spent a most enjoyable afternoon with Touchstones and Bryony and then we went onto the unit and I met some of the residents. One person was talking about his passion for birds and wildlife - He said he'd spotted some house sparrows, a heron gull and lots of pigeons. We said that we were hoping NOT to attract pigeons - but then he said that pigeons are much maligned and people pick on them unfairly - flying rats and so on. And I learned from him that pigeons are picking up disease from human saliva, that they catch from eating discarded bits of bread or pie that people drop in the street.

After all homing pigeons are amazing; that they could transport messages across continents during the war.... the ordinary everyday Pigeons are one of the rejected species of birds, along with magpies and seagulls, living close to us and with us, we see them around us all the time, and yet we dont really notice them perhaps - could be an analogy for people who may be feeling rejected by society..

so "in defence of pigeons" has become a working title for the "Top Ten Tips" fanzine - we can change it later. but I'm definitely going to keep it for this blog!!