Our Story

Our journey started after many doctors, physio and hospital appointments. We all felt like it was the end of the road. What do we all have in common? Chronic pain. An 8-week chronic pain management group was offered to us in 2013. It brought together 10 like-minded people all that were forced to stop working due to various conditions that all resulted in chronic pain. On offer in the course was:

Phycology – Half a day session – concentrating on the mind.

Physiotherapy – Half a day session – concentrating on the body.

We were also given tools and taught techniques to help manage and live with our pain. This involved CBT, mindfulness etc. This included a morning session and little more physical activities in the afternoon completing core stability exercises, stretching and strengthening whilst using relaxation methods. The most important lesson was to see pain from a different perspective. At the end of this 8-week course there were questions like:

• Did we go back to our lives of doctor appointments?
• Are we alone in pain with only our course notes to read?

No, this time changed our own future by deciding to keep meeting once a week in local coffee shops for a chat, maybe a moan but to also let off steam. It was suggested by Steve Goldingay (Physiotherapist) and Carolynn Rooney (Psychologist) from the pain group to set up our own self help group in Halton. Meeting in coffee shops was great however we needed a place that was central for everyone to attend. This was changed to the restaurant facilities at the Heath Business Park which was every Friday 10am-12pm. We would discuss disability benefits and support with completing the nightmare forms, reviewing disability aids to chatting casually about making bread, what beer we like but like all stag dos and hen parties what goes on tour stays on tour meaning confidentiality is key. Around September 2014 we got involved with WDP (Warrington Disability Partnership) they funded a trip on their narrowboat called “The Wizard”. This was a 6-hour trip to help forget pain and enjoy life as normal. We decided to go back to Steve Goldingay and Carolynn Rooney to see if we could start a group like OWCH (One Wednesday Can’t Hurt) they were funded by Dave Thompson who is a part of WDP. We attended a meeting with Dave Thompson that was arranged by Steve and Carolynn in Widnes with people who had done the pain management from St Helens, Runcorn and Widnes. After the meeting it was arranged for us to receive funding from the WDP for two groups to be set up, one in St Helens and one in Runcorn. Around late September 2014 we moved venues from The Heath Business Park to Murdishaw Community Centre which was every Monday 10am-1pm. Once settled into the new venue Steve and Carolynn would arrange for visitors to discuss medication, exercises, general health. 2 people from Runcorn and 2 people from St Helens were chosen to practice Reki level 1 and level 2 from the groups and all 4 passed. This meant they could use it within the group settings. This was all funded by WDP up until around May 2018. Afterwards we lost touch with the St Helens group but us in Halton decided to self-fund ourselves so we could continue supporting one another.  We did this by paying a bit towards the rent of the room at the community centre from our own pockets so we could continue there and buying snacks and drinks for everyone. We would also sometimes raise money by doing funding days like D.A.D day (Disability Awareness Day) and either donate items from home or buy items for us to use in raffles, lucky dip for kids and pick an envelope with a win or no win inside. We would also do Christmas special funding days through different organisations like D.A.D.

Where are we now?

As of May 2022, we currently reside at the community shop in Runcorn every Monday 9.30am-12pm where we are still self-funded but here the room we use is free and we have access to the community café and shop. Members come and go but we stay as a friendly group of people that have learned through fun and friendships that life can be manageable, and pain can become a marriage instead of a messy divorce. We recently introduced an agreement for all GOAL members to provide a safe and confidential environment where everyone respected one another no matter of beliefs. Anything discussed is kept private especially now we have a more private room. Contacting people can be done via a group chat that is accessible once a member has been around for a length of time. This is due to the private nature of members difficulties with life and pain. We do however have an email and mobile number to get in contact with which is free to all public between the hours of 8am-6pm Monday-Friday.

What next for GOAL?

So, what is next for us?

Well, we plan to expand, we want to spread the word about our group so we can have more people come and join us. We know there are many more people who have been through or are going through what we all have been through. Many more people, no matter their age or status in life are welcome here within our group, our family. We wish to provide a safe environment for all, what is discussed in group stays within group, there is no judgment within our group. We want to be able to get services like exercises or reiki classes and this is why we wish to expand out, to become more known to the community. Our community, this is whom we want to reach out to, we wish for others to find the comfort and safety that we all have as apart of G.O.A.L. No matter your condition, no matter if you are still receiving care from hospital or not, we are here for all. Need help with PIP forms or advice on medication, anything that’s related to your chronic pain     condition(s) this is what we want to provide to others. As a small group who have fought against all the odds that were stacked against us even during COVID we have managed to keep this family going strong and now wish to show this same support to others. To do this we are wanting to attend tabletop events, we are now creating posters, business cards etc to spread word about us. We even are thinking of creating our own website to show our story in full, pictures of our days out together and where we have attended events with a raffle, tombola’s and lucky dip.