Summer 2014 Have your say about Also inside: Important message from our Chief Exec
carers’ services News from the Young Carers’ Project
Prize draw! Fundraising news Focus on… counselling service
Britain’s Best Breakfast
Outreach project update Support Groups and much more!
Wellbeing Trips
Please take a few minutes to complete our survey to tell us and the Clinical Commissioning Group what you need as carers. Please complete this survey.
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
An important message from our Chief Executive Kingston Carers’ Network are concerned that changes in the way carers’ services are funded may result in the loss of some of the existing carers’ services. We need to act now by ensuring carers’ views can influence the decisions that commissioners will be making about carers’ services. Funding for advice, advocacy and wellbeing services may be reduced to fund emergency support, leaving thousands of Kingston’s carers without the range of services currently available. The demand for KCN’s services has never been so high and we believe that we provide high quality services to meet the wide range of needs that carers and their families have. KCN has developed its services to meet the requirements of local carers and to fill the gaps in services that others cannot provide. This ‘hub’ model also reflects the vision and outcomes of the National Carers Strategy. We believe that responsive, emergency support for carers will help prevent both readmission to hospital and delays in discharge. However, ensuring carers and the people they care for have advice and advocacy on community care, housing, benefits, employment and other issues plays an important part in keeping people well and maintaining their caring role. Our wellbeing services also help ensure that carers stay well and feel supported in their caring role. It is important that carers can have a break from caring and have the opportunity to meet other carers and to share their experiences. KCN is supporting 1,600 carers across the borough and is targeting hidden carers within five GP practices, offering outreach advice sessions within these surgeries. We are training GPs and other health professionals to improve the identification of carers within primary care. Cont.… p3
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Another new service is our hospital discharge project, supporting carers and patients through the discharge process to ensure carers are listened to and are better prepared for their caring role at home. Both of these services are funded by the Big Lottery but very clearly support the aims of the Better Care Fund. It was evident at the Carers’ Conference that carers value access to advice and advocacy and this was identified as the number one priority by carers. We are aware that the Clinical Commissioning Group will be presenting their Better Care Fund plans in the coming weeks and we urgently need carers to tell us what services are needed in Kingston. Without this evidence we cannot show how important the advice and advocacy services are. Please let us know what is important to you by completing the survey. If you wish to give your name and contact details you will have a chance to win a £25 Marks and Spencer voucher. If you would like to discuss any of the issues raised, please do not hesitate to contact me on ceo@kingstoncarers.org.uk or call me on 020 3031 2752
PRIZE DRAW
Don’t forget to fill out our survey for your chance to win a £25 Marks and Spencer Voucher. You can complete the survey online or by hand and return it free of charge to “FREEPOST RSET-JATXUEAS, Kingston Carers’ Network, 109a Blagdon Road, New Malden, KT3 4BD”
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
News from the Young Carers’ Project What a busy few months it has been for us at the Young Carers’ Project. In May half term we were lucky enough to be able to visit Bekonscot Model Village and Kew Gardens and to have a fantastic swimming party as well as enjoying many other activities and outings. Ninety-eight of our young carers came along to these activities which provided each and every one of them with a perfect chance to make new friends, learn new skills and have a well-deserved break from their caring responsibilities. We always have great fun at our regular drop-ins; we recently planted sunflower and tomato seeds with our under 12s at our gardening drop in and our 12+ young carers have had brilliant fun learning First Aid and cooking Portuguese food at Barnfield Youth Centre. Since April we have received 34 new referrals and we are now supporting 350 young carers in the borough. The number of children and young people needing our support is ever-increasing. If you know of anyone who is between the ages of 5 and 18 years, who cares for a family member and who would benefit from our support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch for information about how to refer them to the Young Carers’ Project. As always, we would like to say a
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special and heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers who enable us to carry out our work with young carers; we appreciate every bit of your energy, support and enthusiasm! Enjoy your summer
Diane, Liz and Andora Young Carers’ Project 020 3031 2754 youngcarers1@kingstoncarers.org.uk
Fundraising News 30 with a Bang(er) Those of you that are regular visitors to the KCN office might have noticed a bit of a banger in the car park. There is a reason for this! Jo, Office Administrator, has decided to take part in a banger rally to celebrate turning 30. The 25 year old Mark II Fiesta will take on the hills and valleys of Wales competing against other teams to complete challenges along the way. The car has begun it’s transformation in to a Mexican Fiesta but Jo still has a way to go to reach her fundraising target. To find out more about the challenge, or if you would like to sponsor Jo, please visit www.localgiving.com/30withabanger. You can also donate by texting “BNGR30 £2/£3/£5/£10” to 70070.
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
Lands End to John O’Groats Taking part in a much tougher challenge is KCN Treasurer Steve who has just returned from a gruelling journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG) on a pedal bike! Here’s how they got on. Three friends, my son and I set off on 16th July from Lands End to cycle the 950+ miles to John O’Groats. My wife and another chap’s wife, both confusingly called Amanda, drove support cars. One of the team had planned our route trying to avoid major A roads and sticking to B and C roads. 11 days of cycling were planned with accommodation booked every night. We were all set! Day 1 was fantastic. Only 72 miles along fabulous North Cornwall roads with magnificent views. We got to the hotel at 4.00pm. After a couple of drinks and dinner, it all seemed quite easy. Day 2 started with a tyre valve breaking. The route was very hilly; mainly up and down one track roads which were very hard on the way up and needed brakes on the way down as they were so steep, bendy and gravelly. Some of the routing took us onto cliff top walks, bridle paths and other impossible to cycle on tracks. It made for a slow day with 82 miles covered. Day 3 was planned to be long 107 miles. We started at 8.00am and climbed Cheddar Gorge, up very steep hills around Bath and into very steep valleys with only steep bridle paths out. After getting a bit lost we eventually arrived at the hotel at around 8pm having covered 113 miles. We were all very tired and fed up of slogging up steep hills and then wasting all the effort by having to brake hard all the way down. A small mutiny with the route planner led to some rerouting on days 4 and 5 to more substantial roads. Thank goodness we did.
“If you do LEJOG you don't go the way we were planning”
Day 4 it was lashing down. We started under a thunderstorm which seemed to follow our entire days journey. Roads were flooded, spray was awful. Phones and GPS equipment gave up. We covered 84 miles soaking wet. Day 5 was 95 pretty uneventful miles in bright sunshine. The main incident was a broken chain which one of the team had the right bit and tools to fix and even more miraculously knew how to use them. The comforting thought today was that this time next week we will not be cycling! Day 6 saw 93 miles up through Lancashire and Yorkshire. We rode through stunning
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Family Adult Support Project News from the Young scenery in the Forest of Bowland and some pretty testing climbs.Project Carers
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Day 7: 109 miles up the West side, past Hadrian’s Wall and into Scotland. It is now you realise how big Scotland is. Day 8: 84 miles into Edinburgh and then across the Forth Road Bridge, spectacular views. Day 9 was always looking tough as we’d planned to go through Cairngorms. Unwittingly our planner did not realise that our route took in one of the UK's toughest top 10 climbs up to Lecht ski area. We only found this out from two experienced riders we passed going the other way who pointed out that if you do LEJOG you don't go the way we were planning! As we were past the point of no return we blindly carried on. Suffice to say only my 16 year old made it without getting off and pushing. A strength sapping 80 mile day. Day 10 started with confidence having got over the mountains, with 73 miles planned and only one more day to go. We decided on a small reroute up the east coast involving the worlds smallest car ferry at Cromarty. It can only carry 3 cars and has a turntable as you can only drive on and off forwards. The Range Rover with bike rack did not fit too well leading to some very inhospitable conversations with the ferry man! Day 11 and we had just 85 miles to go; it must all be downhill. Alas only the last 1.2 miles were actually downhill to JOG. Key learnings Use roads on which you can go down hill without using your brakes all the way. Fine anyone who says "this must be the last hill" or "it must all be downhill from here". It was a very satisfying trip and over £3,500 raised for KCN
Well done to Steve and friends and a big thank you from all of us in the office! Andora, from the Young Carers’ Project, is still taking referrals for the PMH project where children and young people aged 8-18 can access information and advice, support and advocacy around their worries about a parent with mental ill health If you know of anyone who would benefit from this programme please call or email Andora: 020 3031 2756 or youngcarers4@kingstoncarers.org.uk
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
Britain’s Best Breakfast
The 'Britain's Best Breakfast' campaign will encourage people to raise money for Carers Trust or their local carers centre (i.e. Kingston Carers' Network!) by hosting a breakfast event for friends and family in October 2014. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but a survey commissioned by Carers Trust shows that 56% of Britons who have a weekday breakfast spend 10 minutes or less preparing and eating the meal, and two in ten (19%) men and 11% women skip breakfast altogether during the week. The 'Britain's Best Breakfast' campaign aims to raise money to help support more unpaid carers and give them a break from their caring role and to encourage people to wake up to the issue of caring
If you would like to host a breakfast to raise awareness and much needed funds for Kingston Carers' Network, please contact Jo on 020 3031 2751 or admin@kingstoncarers.org.uk
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Focus on...Counselling Service Counselling is available, free of charge, for people who are caring for someone living in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames What is counselling? Simply having someone to tell your troubles to can often be a great relief. A counsellor is a trained listener who will do more than just lend a sympathetic ear. She/he will help us to see and understand the process by which we can become trapped in our own issues. This insight can often enable us to make choices instead of being powerless victims. Counselling aims to address the cause of the problem rather than just treating the symptoms. Why people choose to have therapy? Usually individuals choose to have therapy because they are experiencing difficulties and distress in their lives. Sometimes people can be isolated but at other times, even where an individual has the most supportive family and friends, they can find it difficult if not impossible to explain why, for example, they may be feeling anxious and/or depressed or it may be easier to talk about personal, family, or relationship issues with a person who is independent of friends and family. Other life issues, which can be very difficult to deal with, include bereavement, divorce, redundancy, health issues, bullying and so on. However you do not have to be in crisis or on the verge of one before choosing to have therapy. You may be experiencing underlying feelings of dissatisfaction with life in general, or be seeking balance in your life and spirituality. All of these reasons and more will bring individuals to therapy. Counselling at Kingston Carers’ Network We offer twelve counselling sessions with a mid-therapy review. Depending on the work needed, you can agree with your therapist to extend your counselling for up to 24 weeks. Appointments are weekly (on the same time and day every week) and last for fifty minutes. This service is free. If you would like to find out more, please contact Jo on 020 3031 2751 or admin@kingstoncarers.org.uk.
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
Wellbeing and Inclusion Project What a lot of fun we’ve been having over the last few months! We’ve marvelled at nature in trips to Barnes Wetland Centre and Kew Gardens, learning about some of the medicinal qualities of plants at the latter. We’ve dabbled in the arts with a trip to the Rose Theatre and taken a lesson in block printing with paint and calico. Check out pages 12-13 or the website for upcoming trips and details of how to book. Our weekly Zumba class has proved a fun and popular way to get moving and improve physical fitness. Kat is a very supportive and encouraging teacher, mixing new routines with the familiar ones we’ve learned over the weeks. We will be carrying on throughout July. Looking forward, our Christmas Party will take place on 5th December and we hope to find a band to help us in to the festive spirit. Look out for more details in the next newsletter. As well as organising the wellbeing activities, I am also available to help carers identify their personal aspirations to enhance their lives outside of their caring responsibilities. I can help carers that are thinking of returning to work or study by providing information and support to enable them to combine this with a caring role. If you are interested in meeting with me to discuss how I can help you, please contact me on 020 3375 8227 or wellbeing@kingstoncarers.org.uk I look forward to seeing you on one of our trips soon.
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News from the Outreach Project We are now actively involved with five GP surgeries in Kingston providing advice sessions to carers within the GP surgery premises. Following an advice session at Central Surgery one of the carers that we supported told the surgery receptionist that she found the advice so helpful that she wanted to cancel her appointment with her GP as she did not want to waste his time. More advice sessions follow with Manor Drive Surgery, West Barnes and Langley Surgery. Merritt Medical Centre will join us in the partnership from September 2014. Watch this space for more developments. If you would like more information on the outreach surgeries, I can be contacted on outreach@kingstoncarers.org.uk or 020 3725 3048.
KCN Support Groups Carers Support Group Merritt Medical Centre, Chessington, 10.00am to 11.30am Wednesdays: 13th August, 17th September, 15th October, 12th November, 17th December Carers of Adults with Asperger's Syndrome Noble Centre, New Malden, 10.00am to 12.00pm Wednesdays: 6th August, 3rd Sept, 1st Oct, 5th Nov, 3rd Dec Parents and Carers of Children and Young People with ADHD Noble Centre, New Malden, Fridays: 12th September, 10th October, 14th November, 12th December Parents and Carers of Children with Mental Health Problems Tolworth Children’s Centre, 9.15am to 11.15am Last Monday of each month, starting 29th September Mental Health Carers Group Tolworth Hospital, 6.00pm to 7.15pm 2nd Tuesday of each month For more information on any of the support groups, please contact the office on 020 3031 2757 or admin@kingstoncarers.org.uk
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
Social Activities and Outings The Sociable
The Sociable Book Club for Carers If you like reading and chatting, this book club, run by carers, for carers is ideal for you!
for Carers
The club meets on the 1st Thursday of the month from 10.30 to 11.30 at the Noble Centre, 109a Blagdon Road.
Zumba Gold Sessions Zumba is a fun way to get fit and improve flexibility. This session will be run by an experienced teacher who will tailor the session to your ability and level of fitness. Zumba is on a break for summer but will resume on Thursday 4th September Thursdays, 11.00am to 12.00pm £3, meeting at MEFAS, New Malden Do come wearing loose comfortable clothing and bring water.
Brighton Day Trip Join us for a day out at the seaside. Tuesday 19th August, 10.00am to 5:00pm £5 includes transport. Meeting at the Noble Centre
Garden Tea Party Enjoy the last of the summer sunshine in an award winning garden with homemade afternoon tea. 4th September, 1:30pm to 4.30pm £5 includes transport, entry costs and afternoon tea Meeting at the Noble Centre
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Tribute to John Williams by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The celebration of this iconic composer will unleash the power of the film score in his internationally renowned blockbuster classics with instantly recognisable theme tunes Friday 10th October, 1.30pm to 6.00pm £5, meeting at MEFAS, New Malden
Shopping at Bicester Villiage Join us at the chic outlet shopping village and browse the prestigious boutiques for great value buys! Monday 10th November, 10.00am to 5:00pm £5 includes transport. Meeting at the Noble Centre
Christmas Party Get in to the festive spirit with KCN! Food and drinks will be provided and we are currently looking for some musical entertainment so watch this space for more details! Friday 5th December, 7.00pm St. Mark’s Church, St. Marks Hill, Surbiton
KCN
Did you know that you can now book any of the activities from pages 12-13 online? Visit www.kingstoncarers.org.uk/wellbeing-project/ activities to book. You can still book calling Beth on 020 3725 3048 or by sending a letter to “Kingston Carers’ Network, FREEPOST RSET-JATX-UEAS, New Malden, KT3 4BD.”
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
Young Adult Carers Project Emma has been very busy with our Young Adult Carers recently. She has been meeting young people one-to-one to support them with a range of issues as well as organising brilliant social opportunities. She’s even started up a YAC Book Club! If you are between the ages of 15-25 and think you’d like to meet Emma for some support or just a chat give her a call or email:
020 3725 3050 yac@kingstoncarers.org.uk
KCN continues to grow! We are very excited to announce that not one, but two, new members of staff will shortly be joining the KCN team. We are looking forward to welcoming Christina Brouwer and Kat Law who will both be starting later this month. Christina joins the YCP team as a Young Carers’ Support Worker and will be working with Diane, Liz and Andora to continue to provide young carers with a positive future by creating positive experiences through peer support activities and ensuring that children thrive and are protected from inappropriate caring roles. Kat will be joining the YCP as our Schools’ Link Worker. She will be working closely with primary and secondary schools to increase identification of young carers and improve the support offered to them.
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Dates for your diary
Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 8th October 2014 11.00am to 1.00pm At Christ Church Centre, 91 Combe Road, New Malden Sandwich lunch provided Full details will be in the next newsletter
The Voice of Carers in Kingston Tuesday 16th September, 1.00pm to 3.00pm Wednesday 10th December, 1.00pm to 3.00pm Noble Centre, 109a Blagdon Road, New Malden KT3 4BD We know that not all carers can or want to come along to meetings, but we are keen for as many carers to be a part of the forum as possible. If you have an issue to raise or comment to make, but cannot attend the meetings, please let us know and we will share your views at the next meeting. For more information or to have your say, contact Kate on 020 3031 2752. Please visit http://bit.ly/1kLUpoj to see previous minures
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Kingston Carers’ Network
www.kingstoncarers.org.uk
Complementary Therapies and Beauty Treatments Holistic Therapies with Marina Alternate Mondays, 10.00am to 4.00pm Fridays, 10.00am to 1.00pm £12 for 30 minutes, £20 for 1 hour Therapies include anti-ageing facial therapy, holistic eye therapy, foot and ankle therapy, holistic bowel massage, massage therapy Reflexology with Mitsuko Alternate Wednesdays, 1.00pm to 3.30pm and alternate Thursdays, 10.00am to 12.30pm £15 for 50 minutes Reflexology is a therapy that treats the feet in order to balance the whole body. Hairdressing by Gina One Wednesday a month, 10.00am to 2.00pm Free of Charge BodyTalk Free of charge until 31st August!! BodyTalk is a safe, effective and non invasive energy therapy which stimulates the body’s innate ability to balance and heal itself on all levels. Please book direct with Mary: 020 8241 2501 For more information or to book an appointment, please contact Jo on admin@kingstoncarers.org.uk or 020 3031 2751