Working Hard For Carers
MISSION STATEMENT CARERS CENTRE GROUP AWARENESS ABOUT US MEMBERSHIP EVENTS NEWS LETTER RURAL CARERS BEREAVEMENT. LOSS & CHANGE GROUP CONTACT US USEFUL CONTACTS F.ASD HOME
NEWS LETTER
The
Lonsdale Carer
Issue
108: July 2008
Our Diary
July
Mon
21st
Bereavement, loss & change group meeting – Morecambe Carers Centre
Mon
28th
Rural Lunch – The George Washington, Warton
Tues 29th ½ Day Trip – Salmesbury Hall, Nr Preston
August
Mon
11th
Full Day Trip – Blackpool Zoo
Mon
18th
Bereavement, loss & change group meeting – Morecambe Carers Centre
Tues
26th
Rural Lunch – To be Confirmed
Thurs
28th
½ Day Trip – Canal Trip, Carnforth to Tewitfield Dock
Future
Events
10th
September
10th Annual Carers Conference, Woodlands Centre, Chorley
12th
November
Carers UK AGM and Carers Summit
New
Premises
As
some of you may have heard, or read in the local press, Lonsdale District Carers
will shortly be relocating to bigger premises at The Cartmel Centre, Euston
Road, Morecambe (opposite Morecambe Bay Primary School).
At present, we hope to move by the end of July, although this is reliant
upon contract and lease signings and physically organising the move.
Once we are at The Cartmel Centre, we aim to increase our services to
carers and former carers, with more functions/events able to take place within
the building. We are considering a variety of uses for the Centre, including
hosting conference facilities, perhaps offering the opportunity for members to
use the garden area for growing plants, using the kitchen area to prepare
drinks/snacks for people and expanding our information and advice service.
One Voice and Thumbprint, who currently share our Lancaster premises at
The Cornerstone, will also have facilities within The Cartmel.
Whilst
the move is a huge opportunity for Lonsdale District Carers, it does create some
uncertainty. For the next couple of
months, it will difficult to guarantee where we will be located in regard to
particular events, such as trips or our support group meetings.
We hope to continue providing our services at Regent Road until the move
is completed, but hope you understand that some upheaval will be unavoidable.
Any information on trips, events etc. is considered correct as of the
time of publication of the newsletter, but we would ask that if anyone is
worried or unsure about a particular event or meeting, to please contact the
Centre for confirmation. As soon as
we have a definite moving date, we will publish details in the newsletter.
We hope that we can continue to provide our services during the move and
look forward to seeing you at The Cartmel Centre.
Members
Trips
Our
full-day trip in August will be to Blackpool Zoo on Monday, 11th
August.
Blackpool Zoo is home to over 1500 exotic animals including lions,
tigers, elephants, and camels, all housed in 32 acres of mature parkland.
Attractions at the zoo include “The pride of Blackpool”, the zoos own
lion pride, ”Gorilla Mountain” and the Elephant and Reptile house.
We are very pleased to have negotiated a discounted entry price to the
zoo of £7 per person – this will be collected on the coach on the way to the
zoo and it would be helpful if you could have this ready to give to the helpers
when you board the coach. This will
allow time to gather the money before we enter the zoo and ease the entry
process.
The
collection points are at Carnforth (9.30am), Morecambe (Carers Centre, Regent
Road 9.40am), Shrimp Roundabout (9.50am), Torrisholme Square (9.50am) and
Lancaster (Dalton Square 10.00am) and (Boot & Shoe 10.05am) and the cost of
the trip will be £3 (£5 for former carers whose caring role ended over 2 years
ago). The estimated return time for
this trip will be 5pm, depending upon traffic.
Please return completed booking forms for this trip by Monday, August 4th.
Next,
we have a ½ Day Return Canal Trip from Carnforth to Tewitfield on Thursday, 28th
August. We will meet at the Canal
Turn Pub Car Park no later than 10.25am (please make your own way there) and the
boat leaves Carnforth at 10.30, arriving at Tewitfield at approximately 12.00.
There will be a 1 hour break, during which you can either take a packed
lunch with you or have lunch at the Longlands Hotel, although please remember
that you will only have one hour for lunch.
The boat departs Tewitfield at 1pm and arrives back at Carnforth at
approximately 2.30. The cost of
this trip will be £7, payable to one of our helpers on the day (to speed up
collection of this money, could we ask that you have this amount ready, in cash,
when you arrive at the Canal Turn Car Park).
Please return completed booking forms for this trip by Friday, 22nd
August.
Trips
are open to current members who are carers, former carers and active volunteers
of Lonsdale District Carers.
Please
bring your forms in person to the Morecambe Carers Centre or send them by post
to the freepost address below:
LONSDALE
DISTRICT CARERS
FREEPOST
NWW3320A
MORECAMBE,
LA3 1BR
When
completing your form, please ensure that you have included your name, a contact
telephone number, whether you are a current or a former carer, which pick up
point you require and whether you need a respite expenses claim form. Could we also ask that people return their forms to us no
later than the closing date printed on each form, this allows us to contact the
Traveller’s Choice in plenty of time to ensure we can book the correct size
coach needed for each trip.
A
REQUEST – The events team have asked that, when boarding the coach for a trip,
please leave the front two seats empty, in order that the trip organisers can
perform their duties (taking people’s names, communicating with the coach
driver if required) more efficiently.
As
you will have read at the beginning of this newsletter, we will be moving to the
Cartmel Centre very soon. If you
have booked to go on a trip, we will notify you if there are any venue or
pick-up changes you need to know about. If
you attend any of our group meetings, we would advise you to contact the Carers
Centre on (01524) 833456 to check if they are still going ahead or if the venue
has changed. It may be that we have
to cancel some groups/events to allow time for the move.
We apologise for any disappointment caused should this be the case.
Thank
You
The
Event’s Team
Benefit
Changes
From
27th October 2008 Incapacity Benefit and Income Support for people
with health problems or disabilities will be replaced with Employment Support
Allowance (ESA). Until then,
families with a disabled teenager born before 27th October 1992 may
have a choice. They can either
claim the existing benefits now or wait and claim the new ESA at a later date.
As the rates and rules are different, depending on individual
circumstances, some young people could be worse off on the new ESA.
For further advice about benefits for young disabled people, please
telephone the Contact a Family helpline on 0808 808 3555 or contact your local
Welfare Rights office.
From
Contact a Family newsletter
Planning
For The Future
If
someone in your family or someone you care for has a learning disability, you
can take steps now to ensure their finances are well looked after when you are
no longer around. Mencap have
organised a FREE information session where you can find out about setting up
wills and trusts for the benefit of someone with a learning disability.
The nearest session takes place on Thursday, 20th November
from 12.30-2.30 at The Banqueting Hall, Lancaster Town Hall.
There will be a local solicitor in attendance who has experience of
drafting wills for the benefit of people with a learning disability.
If you would like to reserve a place at this event, please contact 020
7696 6925 for more information.
Tax
Credits
Contact
a Family’s “Every Disabled Child Matters” campaign, along with HM
Revenues & Customs have identified that around 28,000 families in the UK may
be missing out on extra income through additional Tax Credits.
These are mainly families who have not informed HMRC that they receive
Disability Living Allowance for a child, and therefore have not had their Tax
Credits adjusted accordingly. The
Revenue has agreed to carry out work to identify these families – if you think
this may apply to you, please contact the Contact a Family helpline on 0808 808
3555 or contact your local Welfare Rights Office.
From
Contact a Family Newsletter
Disabled
Children and Housing
A
new campaign briefing from Every Disabled Child Matters; “Disabled Children
and Housing” shows that families with disabled children may be the worst
housed families in Britain, estimating that less than half of disabled children
live in housing suitable to their needs. The
EDCM wants people to lobby their local MP to take action on this issue – you
can email your MP by visiting www.edcm.org.uk/housing
and clicking ‘take action’.
From
Contact a Family newsletter
Human
Rights Guide
A
revised guide to the Human Rights Act for people with learning disabilities is
now available. The guide, produced
by the Ministry of Justice along with Working with Words, a specialist supplier
of services for people with learning disabilities, uses examples from everyday
life to help explain what the rights expressed in the guide mean.
For a copy of the guide, please visit: www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease020608a.htm
From
Contact a Family newsletter
Respite
Carers Trust
Saga
Magazine are launching a Trust aimed at funding respite breaks for carers.
To qualify, you must be aged 50 or over, have been a carer for more than
one year and have not had a significant holiday in the past year.
To apply to the Trust, please visit: www.saga.co.uk/health/carers/carers-trust/how-to-apply-for-the-saga-respite-for-carers-trust.asp
or by writing to:
The
Trust Manager
Saga
Respite Carers Trust
The
Saga Buildings
Enbrook
Park
Folkestone
Kent,
CT20 3SE
Applications
have to be in before 31st August 2008.
Contributed
by Norman Gardner
Ashburnham
House
Ashburnham
House Residential Home, established in 1998, specialise in the care of the
elderly, including those who suffer from Dementia, physical or mental
disabilities. They are on the list
of preferred providers with Lancashire County Council and offer pre-bookable
respite facilities and emergency admissions.
For more information on their facilities, please contact (01524) 413508.
Dementia
Care
Leading
scientists from 11 universities and colleges are warning the NHS that funding
for dementia must dramatically improve. Professor
Simon Lovestone from the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London,
plus ten other dementia experts wrote an open letter to Health Secretary Alan
Johnson, condemning “pitifully low” funding into the disease, which
currently affects 700,000 people in the UK, a figure which is expected to rise
to over 1 million by 2025. In the
letter, Professor Lovestone states that:
“Funding
for dementia research is pitifully low, while care costs are at an all-time
high… The Government must greatly increase dementia research funding now”.
In
response, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said:
“Dementia
care is a priority for the Government… The Department of Health will invest
some £20 million over the next 5 years in the National Research Network on
Dementias and Neuro-degenerative Disease”.
For
further details on this article, please visit www.orange.co.uk/news/topstories/32784_pr.htm
Direct
Payments
There
is a Direct Payments advice and support group every Thursday from 10am – 12pm
at The Cornerstone, Sulyard Street, Lancaster.
This group is open to anyone interested in direct payments, including
older people, disabled adults and carers.
Cornerstone
Anniversary
The
Cornerstone partnership, which includes Lonsdale District Carers, One voice,
Thumbprint and Lancaster Methodist Church, is based at Sulyard Street in
Lancaster and will celebrate it’s 1st anniversary with an open
event on Friday, 18th July, from 12-4pm.
All are welcome.
From
CVS Bulletin
Working
Carers Forum
A
new forum, “Employers for Carers” was launched recently as a national
membership forum offering support and information to employers wishing to
support the nearly 1 in 7 members of the UK workforce who are also carers.
A core leadership group including BT and Unum Provident will work with
Carers UK to:
 |
Identify
and promote the business benefits of supporting carers in the workplace |
|
Influence
employment policy and practice to create a culture which supports carers in
and into work |
|
Work
with Government to deliver the commitments promised in the National Strategy
for Carers |
The
new Carers Strategy contains a number of measures aimed at helping carers
balance caring and paid work, and describes how employers have a key role in
supporting carers. Imelda Redmond,
Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:
“Currently
one in five carers give up work to care, but in a competitive world we cannot
afford to have men and women who want to work unable to carry on.
Employers who support carers in their workforce will be rewarded with the
loyalty and hard work of a talented group of people.
Employers for Carers will show them how to do this”.
Approximately
3 million people currently juggle work and care and, since April 2007, working
carers have had the right to request flexible working.
For more information about Employers for Carers and the business case for
supporting carers in the workplace, please visit www.carersuk.org/Employersforcarers
From
Carers UK
Carers
Benefits
Carers
UK have welcomed the USDAW’s call for a radical overhaul of Carers Allowance.
This echo’s Carers UK’s “Real Change, not Short Change” campaign,
which called on the Government to radically reform the tax and benefit system so
that is based on the contribution carers make, rather than on the work/income
they have to give up. The main aim
of the campaign is to raise the level of Carers Allowance from £50 per week to
£87.30 (in line with state pension) and to pay it to all carers irrespective of
age. At present, unfair earnings
rules act as a disincentive for carers who are able to work, whilst some carers,
including those over 65, miss out on carers benefits altogether.
For more information on Carers UK’s campaign, please visit www.carersuk.org/Newsandcampaigns/News/1215591146
From
Carers UK
Disability
living Allowance
Disability
Living Allowance (DLA) is a cash benefit of up to £113 per week, which can be
claimed by someone under the age of 65 who has a long term physical or mental
disability which leaves them with difficulties in taking care of themselves or
getting around. DLA is paid on top
of most other benefits and will not reduce any Income Support, Housing Benefit,
Council Tax Benefit, Pension Credits or Tax Credits. For more information on DLA, please contact your local
Welfare Rights Office.
From
“The
Reporter”
Carers
Conference 2008
The
Lancashire Carers Forum will be holding it’s annual conference on Wednesday,
10th September at The Woodlands Conference Centre, Chorley.
There will be a number of workshops available throughout the day,
including Respite and Emergency Planning, Carers Assessments, The Facts! And
Coping and Dealing with Loss and you can opt to attend in the morning
(10-12.45), the afternoon (12.45-3.30) or all day.
We have a maximum of 12 places available, so if you would like to attend,
please contact Stephen Row at the Morecambe Carers Centre and ask for an
application form. Please note that
places will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis and we must receive
completed forms back no later than Monday, August 4th so that we can
forward them to Adult and Community Services.
Contributed
by Joanne Miller, Carers Development Worker
Dual
Caring
Joanne
Miller, Lancashire Carers Development Worker, has requested feedback from any
carers who care for two people – e.g. a carer who is looking after their
spouse and child, as to whether they experience difficulties in arranging and
coordinating respite so that they can get a break. If you are experiencing any difficulties with this, for
example because you may need to arrange a different care worker to look after
each person or require a care worker at differing times of the day, please let
us know your experiences. We will
forward any responses to Joanne.
Contributed
by Joanne Miller
48
hour breaks at Lancashire College
Lancashire
College has arranged the following 48-hour breaks for carers at the College
premises at Southport Road, Chorley.
10th – 12th
September 2008
– Cost TBC
10th – 12th
October 2008
– Cost TBC
These
courses offer carers a complete break from their usual responsibilities, a
chance to meet other people in similar situations, and a chance to learn new
skills in a relaxed and friendly environment.
They are open to carers and former carers whose caring role ceased within
the last 12 months. The course
costs are all inclusive of accommodation, food and activities. The college may
be able to provide or assist with transport in some cases. There are also an
additional number of en-suite bath/shower rooms available for an additional £11
per night. Priority will be given to people who have not previously attended one
of these courses. Booking forms are available at the Carers Centre or for more
information, please contact Lancashire College on (01257) 276719
Lakeland
View Carer Support Group
This
group meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month and is a chance for
anyone caring for someone either at home or in who is currently in hospital or
residential care to meet and chat. The
group can also give advice on carers issues, health and general support.
For more information about the group, please contact Frank Nicholls on
(01524) 410917 or email: frank.Nicholls@btinternet.com
Patient & Public
Involvement Opportunities
If
you are interested in being involved with recruiting new staff for Lancashire
Care Trust, then the Human Resources department are holding free training
courses for service users, carers and staff.
Lunch and travel expenses will be provided. For further details please contact Dawn Kenyon on (01772)
695366 or Jo Blofeld on (01772) 695394, quoting reference JUN 0108
Contributed
BY Elsie Dowthwaite
The August Newsletter
The
deadline for articles for next month’s newsletter is Friday 25th
July. We welcome any articles
relating to carers issues (legislation changes, benefit information, local
groups and events etc.) and letters, poems and stories from our members.
We endeavour to use as many articles as we can, space permitting.
If you put your name on any articles, please let us know if we can
publish your name in the newsletter.
Members
Feedback
We
received the following letters from our members recently – we would like to
hear your comments, both positive and critical, and will try to print as many as
possible in the newsletter. We will
not publish feedback writer’s names in the newsletter without permission.
Tony
Spinks, one of our student social workers, will be finishing his placement with
Lonsdale District Carers on Tuesday, 8th July 2008 and would like to
pass on the following message to our members, staff and executive committee:
“I
want to thank everyone at Lonsdale District Carers for making my first social
work placement such a positive and rewarding experience.
I have learned so much over the last 6 months which I will take with me
into my social work career. Everyone
I have worked with has been very generous with their time and showed great
patience as I fumbled my way through. Of
all the things I have learned, the most important has been the need to keep
carers in mind as people with lives of their own who need and deserve support. Thank you”.
(Tony
will be returning to university in September for his second and final year and
we wish him every success for the future – The Editor).
To
access the quiz page click HERE
Coming Soon …
Body Shop Pamper Event
Watch this space for details!
How to
contact us
* By calling in at the
Carers Centre at 8, Regent Road,
Morecambe (open weekdays 10.30am to 3pm)
* By calling in at the
Carers Centre, The Cornerstone, Sulyard Street, Lancaster. Open
Tuesday mornings and Friday afternoons.
* By post to Lonsdale
District Carers, at 4 / 6 Regent Road,
Morecambe Lancashire LA3 1QG or FREEPOST NWW3320A
Morecambe LA3 1BR. (Please allow 3 working days for
Delivery with the freepost service)
* By telephone to our 24
hour Carers helpline
Freephone 0800 1696 529
* By email to lonsdale@dcarers.freeserve.co.uk
* Via our website www.lonsdalecarers.co.uk
ALL CARERS ARE WELCOME IN OUR
CENTRES – CALL IN FOR A CHAT, INFORMATION OR JUST A BREAK AND BREW.
We wish to acknowledge the
generous financial support from: -
Awards for All, The
Charlotte Marshall Charitable Trust, The Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund,
Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust, The Dulverton Trust, Four Acre Trust,
Grants for Growth, Saint Sarkis Charity Trust, The Albert Hunt Trust, Henry
Smith Charity, Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council Adult and
Community Services, The N. Smith Charitable Settlement, The Mary Webb Trust, HDH
Wills 1965 Charitable Trust and
EUROPEAN UNION
European Social Fund
Lonsdale District Carers 4 / 6 Regent Road, Morecambe
LA3 1QG (near the Promenade)
Tel. 01524 833456