Carers Connection - Autumn/Winter 2022 by Stirling Carers Centre

Autumn/Winter 2022

A Scotland That Cares Why should Scotland have a National Outcome for Care?

Cost of Living

What support is available for unpaid Carers?

CELEBRATIN 30 YEARS OFG SUPPORTING CARERS

Power of Attorney

What is it, why is it important and how do you arrange it?

Welcome

This issue we're celebrating 30 years of providing support to Carers in the Stirling Council area. Since 1992 Stirling has had a dedicated support service for unpaid Carers. It's been fascinating to look back through the archives to find out more about where we came from and the journey the organisation has been on, and to learn about the people who were there in the early days. You can read more in our feature article on page 4. What's evident is that in the last three decades the fundamental needs of Carers recognition, rights and support - haven't changed much. What has changed, however, is the level and variety of support that we can offer to try and ease the pressures of caring, and we hope that's something we continue to build on.

November sees the return of the Carers Parliament, with the new addition of a whole month of free online workshops and information sessions for Carers. Find out how you can get involved on page 10. This issue we're also highlighting the importance of putting Power of Attorney in place. Did you know that your loved ones do not automatically have legal rights to make medical and/ or financial decisions on your behalf if you are not able to? Read our article on Power of Attorney to find out how it can help you and your family. We're also backing the 'Scotland that Cares' campaign which wants

In this issue... Scotland to add a specific National Outcome related to caring. This would be another step forward in raising the profile of Carers at a national level. We hope you enjoy reading this issue and find it helpful and interesting.

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Cost of Living Support

Celebrating 30 Years of Support

Carers Parliament

A Scotland That Cares

Young Carers

Angela's Run

Stirling Council MECS Service

Carers Rights Day

Short Breaks Groups

Community Awareness 26 Raising Young Adult Carers Update

Event Booking Form

...and more

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Cost of Living Support It comes as no surprise that Unpaid Carers and those they care for have been particularly hard hit by the cost of living crisis. A new report by Carers Scotland highlights that 1 in 4 Carers are struggling to make ends meet, with a third of Carers spending at least 20% of their income on energy. Many are cutting back on essentials like food and heating, and where households include a medically vulnerable person this is a life-threatening situation. “Scotland’s 800,000 carers provide £10.9 billion worth of care every single year. Without them health and social care services would collapse. Yet there has been insufficient recognition of this in helping to meet the extra costs they face.” - Richard Meade, Director, Carers Scotland Carers Scotland is urging action by both UK and Scottish Governments to uprate benefits in line with inflation

and provide top up payments to Carers to help support them through this difficult winter. The charity has also made wide ranging recommendations to the Scottish Government including to introduce dedicated help with energy costs for households with a severely disabled person. At a minimum this should include identifying those people with the highest costs related to their conditions e.g. hospital and hospice at home services, home oxygen, electric hoists and beds, etc. and develop a financial support scheme to cover these additional costs. We will keep you updated with any developments on this. If you are struggling to pay for essentials such as housing, gas & electricity and food, the organisations listed on the next page can offer specialist support and advice. Our team is also here to talk to you about any concerns you have, and can help you to find the right support.

Stirling Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) CAB provides specialist advice on a wide range of issues including money, bills, debt, housing & benefits. If you are at risk of having your energy disconnected, CAB's 'Extra Help Unit' can speak to your energy supplier on your behalf to resolve issues. stirlingcab.org.uk ehu.org.uk 01786 470239

Energy Advice Scotland Providing free, practical advice on energyrelated matters. If you are struggling with bills, EAS can help you with speaking to your supplier, making a complaint, and registering for the Priority Services Register. energyadvice.scot 0808 196 8660

Coalition of Carers in Scotland The CoCiS website has a dedicated page that brings together resources for Carers struggling with the cost of living. carersnet.org/cost-of-living

Scottish Government The Cost of Living campaign site is a one stop shop for cost of living questions and support.

costofliving.campaign.gov.scot

Money Advice Scotland Confidential support and advice on debt and money worries. Support via webchat, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and email. moneyadvicescotland.org.uk

Breathing Space A free, confidential phoneline for anyone experiencing worry, depression or anxiety. Open Mon-Thu 6pm-2am & Fri 6pm-Monday 6am. 0800 83 85 87

Celebrating 30 Years of Support

Creation of Stirling District Carers Forum, Stirling Observer, 8th July 1992

2022 marks our 30th Anniversary. We've been looking back through the archives at what's been achieved in the last three decades. Stirling District Carers Forum was formed in 1992 by a group of local professionals and Carers who felt there should be more support available for people who found themselves in a

Stirling District Carers Forum Formed 4

1992

Joined Princess Royal Trust for Carers

1995

"Carers often have little or no knowledge of services available or how to apply for them. They also have little time to themselves and often don't know about local or national self help groups." - Margaret Kennedy, Chair, 1992

Became an incorporated charity

First Centre opened by Princess Anne

1996

1997

caring role. The voluntary group operated a drop in 3 days a week at the Norman MacEwan Centre, with an annual budget of £3000.

3rd bi-monthly meeting, 7th June 1993

L-R: Miss P. Phemister (Chair); Prof. Sir Ferguson Anderson (President); Miss M. Baillie (Speaker)

On 14th October 1992 the first 'Carers Conference' was held in Stirling, with Sir Ferguson Anderson, the world's first Professor of Geriatric Medicine and an advocate of Carers' needs, as the key speaker. He was clearly impressed with the group's work, as a month later he accepted the role of Honorary President.

In 1995 the organisation became a member of the newly formed Princess Royal Trust for Carers, now Carers Trust, and took on the first paid member of staff, May Kirkwood. May continued to be an integral part of the Centre HRH Princess Anne with Carers at until her retirement in 2020. the opening of Stirling Carers Centre, September 1997 During an incredible 25 years of service, initially as an admin worker, then support worker, coordinator and eventually as our Centre Manager, May's dedication to and passion for improving the lives of local Carers was key to making the Centre what it is today.

First National Strategy for Carers

Moved to Barnton Street premises

1999

2002

Adult Carers groups introduced

2004

Young Carers Education Project

2006

In 1996 we made it formal and became an incorporated charity, and in September 1997 our first proper home at the Norman MacEwan Centre was officially opened by Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, followed by lunch at the Albert Halls with 100 local Carers. Two years later the first Strategy for Carers in Scotland was launched. The importance of supporting Carers was beginning to get recognition.

Official opening of Barnton Street Centre, October 2002

By the time the organisation was 10 years old, we were supporting around 500 Carers per year, and had six paid staff members. There was a need for bigger premises so, in October 2002, the charity moved to Barnton Street, which was to be our home for the next 15 years. Adult & Young Carers visiting Scottish In the following 2 years Carer Parliament with Bruce Crawford, Former registrations increased 160%, MSP, March 2013 and in 2004 funding allowed us to trial a new service - Adult Carer short breaks. We started to offer free complementary therapies and a 'Time Out' group to give Carers time away from their caring role.

Stirling Carers' Voice formed

2013

First dedicated website for the Centre

2014

Launch of social media & e-newsletter

Provost's Charity of the Year

2015

2016

Volunteers at the Heart The Centre was created by a group of volunteers, and over the decades dozens of people have given their time to supporting the organisation. Charlie at Young Carers Groups, above 2006 and below 2021

In 206, Charlie Perfect joined us as a Young Carers Volunteer. Charlie is still volunteering with the service today, having given hundreds of hours to the groups over the last 18 years! It's volunteers like Charlie who have been the backbone of the Centre over the years, and we have to say an enormous thank you for everything they do for Carers.

By this point, our Young Carers Service had been running regular groups for over 10 years, but it was identified that support was also needed in schools. So, in 2006 funding was secured to pilot the Young Carers Education Project to work on developing training and resources to help education professionals identify and support Young Carers. This project has gone from strength to strength, and was recently highlighted as an example of best practice at a national education conference. The next few years saw demand shoot up, and by 2010 around 1,200 Carers were registered with the Centre. The following 10 years saw the creation of Stirling Carers' Voice, the development of the Forth Valley Carers Card, and achieving our first PQASSO quality assurance accreditation. We also ventured into the digital

Forth Valley Carers Card launched

2017

The Carers Act came into force

2018

Moved to The Barracks

2019

Covid-19 forced changes to services

2020

world with a dedicated website, social media pages and online registration and referrals. After a temporary move to Stirling Enterprise Park, made the move to our new permanent home at The Barracks in 2019. Then 2020 threw a curve ball. We were proud to be able to continue supporting Carers at a time when many services were withdrawn. We had to resort to phone appointments, and the team very quickly learnt how to use Zoom so we could get virtual groups up and running - not ideal, but at least a way to stay in touch, and get vital information out. After 30 years, 3,300 Carers are now registered with the Centre, with almost 1,400 of these actively getting support - four of which have been registered for over 25 years! Over the years there has been an increase in awareness of unpaid Carers, and the Carers (Scotland) Act in 2017 means there is now a duty on local councils to provide Our 2021 Kiltwalk team raising funds to support the Centre. support for Carers. However, the quote at the start of the article from our Chair in 1992 applies as much today as it did then. There is still a lot to do to ensure that hidden Carers are being reached and getting the right support. We'll keep working to develop our services, to raise the profile of Carers and to give much needed support and advice to Carers across the Stirling area. Here's to the next 30 years!

Our hope for the future: More support, more breaks and more recognition for Carers. 8

The Future

See more photos and articles from our archives on our website at www.stirlingcarers.co.uk/30years

What do you think a National Care Service in Scotland should look like? Applications are now open for the Lived Experience Experts Panel which will help inform what the new National Care Service looks like. Adults with experience of social care (including unpaid Carers) are invited to help design the new National Care Service. Find out more and apply at bit.ly/NCS-LEEP

Book an appointment at nhsinform.scot/wintervaccines or call 0800 030 8013

Carers Parliament Join a month of online events

Celebrating 10 years of the Carers Parliament in Scotland On 9 November, Carers Scotland held the 10th, and first ever hybrid, Carers Parliament at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. The Carers Parliament is an annual event that brings together Carers from across Scotland to discuss the current state of caring and find out more abou thte work that's going on to improve services for Carers. This year's event was chaired by Annie Gunnar Logan, Chief Executive othe Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland, and a Q & A panel included the Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, Kevin Stewart MSP, Carers and Young Carers, and Carers services. lved in online sessions Throughout November, you can get invo Parliament. covering the key topics from the Carers All sessions are free to attend.

Carers Parliament - Online Sessions 1st-23rd Nov WEEK 1

WEEK 3

•

Young Carers Rights

•

Home Energy Scotland

•

Equal Partners? Getting involved in public bodies

•

Influencing support for caring when someone is dying

•

Mental Health & Wellbeing and caring

Q&A on Living with COVID and Long COVID with Professor Jason Leitch, National Clinical Director and Dr John Harden, Deputy National Clinical (lead on long COVID), Scottish Government

•

Planned or be planned for: caring in rural and island communities

•

Social Security for Older People

•

Carers and Employment

•

Heat your Home for Less

•

MND Scotland

•

Right Dose Scotland

WEEK 2 •

Employability: developing support for carers

•

Family Fund grants & support for parents with a disabled child

WEEK 4

•

National Care Service: A right to a break from caring

•

Eat Well, Age Well

•

Scottish Carer's Assistance next steps

Living with COVID and your human rights

•

Support & benefits at end of life

Family Fund grants and support for parents with a disabled child

•

Power of Attorney & Guardianship

•

Self Directed Support & Protected Characteristics

•

Dementia Strategy

•

Carers Strategy

Find out more and book for the Carers Parliament Online Sessions by visiting bit.ly/ CarersParliament22 or scan the QR code

Right now, the Scottish Government has 11 National Outcomes, which it says describe the kind of Scotland it aims to create. Yet within these, care is almost invisible. That can’t be right – and it needs to change.

People who provide care, paid and unpaid, are often undervalued and under-rewarded.

energy, food and fuel bills – is only creating yet more pressures.

Too many Carers face deep personal and financial costs, including poverty. The Covid-19 pandemic has made this injustice worse, with women – who provide the majority of care – affected most. The cost of living crisis – with rising

A range of actions have been taken, or are planned, in Scotland, with the potential to create positive change. But progress remains too slow and too shallow. Those who rely on or provide care are paying the price.

What we're calling for Scotland must commit to fully valuing and investing in care and all those who provide it – whether paid or unpaid. We want the Scottish Government to create a dedicated National Outcome on Care, and then ensure it drives the new action that’s needed to fully value and invest in care right across Scotland. We want every MSP to back this. We propose that the National Outcome Statement on care should be:

'We fully value and invest in those experiencing care and all those providing it'

Why now? For the first time in five years, the Scottish Government is reviewing its National Outcomes. By creating a National Outcome on Care, it can show it is serious about valuing and investing in care, now and in the future. Crucially, it will also mean that we will know what progress we are making.

How you can help We believe the Scottish Government, and every party represented in the Scottish Parliament, needs to hear why this is so important – especially from those who experience care and those who provide it.

Take action today by telling Scottish party leaders why you value care and Carers, and why they should too. Together we can show that Scotland cares about care. Find out more and send your message using the easy online template. Visit:

www.ascotlandthatcares.org

SUMMER OF FUN Scottish Young Carers Festival

tival the Scottish Young Carers Fes In August we got to go back to be last 2 years, so it was great to in Fife. It's been online for the in. able to be there in person aga to there were loads of activities We spent 2 nights camping, and & s art t, ten handling, a gaming do including inflatables, reptile music and a silent disco. crafts, high ropes course, live ld zone where Young Carers cou There was also a consultation cting them to help feed into give their views on issues affe national policies. r! can't wait to go back next yea We had a fantastic time and

We had a fantastic day on our trip to Loch Vena char Sailing Club - some of us enjoyed it so much we didn't get out of the boats all afternoon! We may be should have remembered to bring our spare dry clothes though...

Sailing Trip First Aid Training You never know when there might be a medical emergency, so over the summer we ran some first aid training sessions. We learnt how to check a casualty and to give CPR, and we got a certificate to show we'd passed.

AirThrill We had a great time bouncing around on our trips to AirThrill trampoline & inflatables park.

Dalguise Residential During the second week of the October holidays, a group of Young Carers from the Younger and Kippen groups went on a three day residential to Dalguise. This was the first time everyone on the trip had attended a residential with the YC Service, so everyone was feeling a little nervous but also very excited to see what fun activities the staff had organised! The group managed to squeeze in a huge amount of fun but challenging outdoor activities – from pretending to be superheroes on the massive zipline, to having a go on the giant swing and climbing up some really tall trees! At night we got to play a game of real cluedo which was like a giant treasure hunt! Everyone had a brilliant time having fun, trying new things and making new friends.

New Team Member Nicola has joined our YC team and is working with our groups. She's got loads of experience of running youth groups, so she'd bringing some great ideas to the sessions. Plus, as you can see from the photo, she fits right in with the rest of the team!

Nicola

We've had loads of things going on over the last 6 months. Here are just a few of the highlights from our groups and events.

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Fundraise

Volunteer • Donate • Sponsor • Champion On Sunday 11th September, Angela Spence ran a half marathon over the Trossachs from Loch Tay to Ben Lawers to raise money for our Young Carers Service. Angela trained for six months to be ready for the event, and when she'd finished she still had a big smile on her face, as you can see in the photo! She raised an incredible £2,113 for the service!

This will allow us to put on more events and activities to give our Young Carers a much needed break from their caring roles. Angela came along to one of our Young Carers Groups to present a cheque and meet some of the kids who will benefit. We're so grateful to Angela for supporting our Young Carers Service, and to everyone who donated to her fundraiser.

"I wanted to create as much awareness as I possibly could, having spoken with so many of my clients who are Carers. If we don't know we don't know. Making a difference in our own community is a good place to start and is far more achievable than we think." - Andrea 18

Counselling Skills Certificate Achievement We're all really proud of two of our team who recently achieved their COSCA Counselling Skills Certificate.

It's been a long year of hard work for Andrea (Adult Carer Support Officer) and Margaret (Senior Admin Officer) and we're delighted that they've both competed the course successfully. We've also got two other members of staff currently working towards their certificates, with the hope of achieving them in the new year. Having these skills in our team further enhances our support for Carers, which is always our aim.

Stirling Council Telecare Service Stirling Council's Telecare is a Mobile Emergency Care Service (MECS). It's a type of personal alarm that you can use to call for assistance from your home at any time of day or night. When activated, it sends a signal via your telephone to a 24hr response team. Telecare is available to all Stirling Council residents who could benefit from round-the-clock support, including people with physical or learning disabilities, older people, and people living with dementia. As well as personal alarms, MECS can provide fall alarms, pressure pads, fire and flood detectors, pill dispensers and more. All of these can help to give you peace of mind when you are unable to be with the person you care for. For full details of the service and to check eligibility visit stirling.gov.uk and search MECS, or call 01786 404040.

Power of Attorney Don't wait 'til it's too late

No one wants to be left in limbo should the worst happen, finding themselves suddenly incapacitated – struck down by Covid-19 or other serious illness or accident. Whether brought about by the pandemic, a dementia diagnosis, mental health issue, traffic accident or injury at work, distressed families, friends and partners frequently discover – to their dismay – that they have no automatic legal rights to direct the medical welfare or financial affairs of a loved one who can no longer make these decisions for themselves. In such cases, a court-appointed Guardian generally steps in to oversee their welfare. Yet it needn’t be this way. Contrary to urban myth, the only officially recognised way to ensure that a trusted family member or friend is legally empowered to oversee their loved one’s affairs is to have a Power of Attorney (PoA) registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) ahead of time.

What is a Power of Attorney (PoA)? You make decisions every day about your life and your future: small decisions such as what meals to eat or how to dress and bigger decisions about things like money, your family, and your home. You make judgements about what is right for you. The law says that everyone over 16 years

old in Scotland has the legal capacity to make decisions, unless a legal decision is made that this is not the case. A Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows someone to make decisions on your behalf when you no longer have the mental capacity to make an informed choice. The person who gives

someone else the powers to make decisions on their behalf is called ‘the granter’ and the person who is given the powers is the called ‘the attorney’.

Why should I have a Power of Attorney? Your next-of-kin, family or other people close to you do not have the legal right to make decisions for you if you lose the ability to do so yourself. Having a Power of Attorney can give you peace of mind, as you know you will have the support of someone you trust if you are unable to make important decisions about the things that matter for yourself. Your attorney will have the information they need to make those decisions with confidence. If you don’t set up a Power of Attorney, either by a solicitor or making your own PoA, and you lose the ability to make decisions for yourself, the person who makes decisions on your behalf may not be the person you would have chosen. They may not even

know you. In a medical emergency hospital staff will try to involve you in decisions about your treatment options. This may not be possible if you are unable to communicate your wishes and you don’t have an attorney. By granting a Power of Attorney to a person you trust, for example, a family member or friend you are keeping control of making decisions about your welfare within your family or friendship group, instead of these decisions being made by the local authority on your behalf in situations where a decision needs to be made. You can have a Power of Attorney for financial and/ or welfare matters, and you can nominate more than one person as your Attorney.

How much does it cost? There is a financial cost attached to a PoA drawn up by a solicitor, and this will vary depending on the solicitor you use. It is worth considering if

you need to make or change your Will, as circumstances can change. You may ask your solicitor to draw up your Power of Attorney at the same time. There is also a cost of to register your PoA with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). At the time of publication, this is around £83, but costs can change, so please check with the OPG website (www.publicguardianscotland.gov.uk) for the most up to date information or call 01324 678300.

Help with legal fees Legal assistance may be available if you are on a low income. Depending on your benefits, earnings and savings, you may be entitled to legal assistance, to help with the legal fees for drawing up a Power of Attorney. Legal assistance is means tested, based on the income and

capital of the granter, not the attorney.

What to do next There are options depending on what you would prefer: •

You can contact a solicitor through the Law Society of Scotland. Call 0131 226 7411.

•

You can call 01786 470239 to speak with an adviser at Stirling Citizens Advice Bureau who can give you more information.

•

You can complete your own PoA but you will still need a solicitor or GP to undertake a capacity assessment and this has a cost attached.

For more information on Power of Attorney or to start the process, visit mypowerofattorney.org.uk Information adapted from My Power of Attorney

CARER LUNCHES FREE MONTHLY SOUP & SANDWICH LUNCHES WITH WITH AN AN ACTIVITY ACTIVITY

Open Open to to all all unpaid unpaid Carers Carers & & (s) the (s) they the person(s person(s they care care for for

CENTRAL CENTRAL

RURAL RURAL

EASTERN EASTERN VILLAGES VILLAGES See our website or Contact the Contact the contact the Centre Centre or see forCentre details ofor dates see& venues our our website website

for dates and and venues. venues.

for dates www.stirlingcarers.co.uk/soup 23

Short Breaks Groups Stirling Carers Centre runs regular groups and activities to give you a chance to take time out from your caring role.

Upcoming Events NOVEMBER 14th

18th

WALKING GROUP 10.30am, Stirling University CUPPA CHAT 10.30am, Centre

24th MY TIME 6pm - Candle Making

28th WALKING GROUP 10.30am, Gartmorn Dam, Alloa

DECEMBER 2nd

BOOK GROUP 10.30am, Centre (note date change) - Classics

6th

MALE CARERS GROUP 2pm - To Be Confirmed

4th

12th

13th

14th

PARENT CARERS PANTO TRIP 6pm, Macrobert Centre, Stirling WALKING GROUP 10.30am, Riverside

NUTCRACKER BALLET 7.30pm, Macrobert Cinema, Stirling RURAL GROUP 1pm, Fintry Sports Club - Christmas Lunch

Weekly events YOGA

Mondays

Tuesdays

1.15pm, The Yoga Tree, Stirling & online via Zoom 10.30am, Endrick Yoga, Killearn Village Hall

COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY

Appointments available for massage, aromatherapy, nails and more. Contact the Centre for details and to book.

Christmas Events During December we're looking forward to celebrating with the special events below.

Short breaks groups from the last 6 months

PARENT CARERS PANTOMIME TRIP Sunday 4th December, 6pm Join us for an evening of fun at the Macrobert Centre's pantomime, 'Maw Goose'. Open to all families caring for a child aged 16 or under. NUTCRACKER BALLET Tuesday 13th December, 7.30pm Watch the Royal Ballet's festive favourite performed at the Royal Opera House on the big screen at the Macrobert Cinema. RURAL GROUP LUNCH Wednesday 14th December, 1pm Our Rural Group will be celebrating with Christmas Lunch at Fintry Sports Club. Book for any of our groups or events by visiting stirlingcarers.co.uk/ short-breaks-groups or complete the form inside the back cover.

Raising Awareness In Our Communities Two of our key priorities are to raise the profile of Carers and to reach 'hidden' Carers. Over the past few months our team has been out an about at community events, in GP surgeries, at school assemblies, in the local college and university campuses, and even on one occasion sitting in a freezing cold park for 4 hours!

The aim of all these activities is to highlight Carers and the support we can offer, in the hope that people identify that they might be a Carer and come forward to get support. It also helps to raise awareness among professionals who can then also identify and refer Carers on to us. Much of this work had to go on hold over the past couple of years, so it's been great to have so many opportunities to get back out and meeting people again.

Contact the Centre or visit stirlingcarers.co.uk/TimeToLive

If you have connections to a community group, event or organisation that might be interested in having our team come to host an information stand, presentation or training, please get in touch with us by emailing keri@stirlingcarers. co.uk or call 01786 447003. We'd love to hear from you.

YAC UPDATE Our Young Adult Carers (YAC) Service provides specialist support for Carers aged 17-25, particularly around transitions, further education and employment.

YAC bowling trip in Ca re

rs Week (June)

Upcoming YAC events PANTOMIME Thu 15th Dec, 7.30pm Macrobert Centre, Stirling

Carley will be in Forth Valley College & Stirling University over the next few months hosting Student Carer Drop-ins. This is a chance for you to pop by and get a bit of information and advice, or just have a chat about any issues you're facing. FORTH VALLEY COLLEGE, RAPLOCH CAMPUS Tue 22nd Nov, 11am-2pm UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING, STUDENT HUB Wed 23rd Nov, 1-4pm

XCITE Wed 25th Jan Glasgow CINEMA & DINNER Tue 21st Feb Vue, Stirling CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Thu 30th Mar Edinburgh Playhouse To sign up for any YAC events, text or WhatsApp 07561 612343 or email carley@stirlingcarers.co.uk

year? tmas cards thinisstea Not doing Chris d. orting the Centre Consider supp

If you or your friends and family have decided to make a donation instead of sending cards this year, you can help support the work of Stirling Carers Centre by choosing us as your charity. Every pound we raise goes directly towards providing support services, short breaks and raising awareness to help us reach as many Carers as possible. You can donate online at stirling_carers_centre.donr.com/give or text 'CARERS' plus your amount e.g. CARERS 10, to 70470. If you are a UK taxpayer, you can also add Gift Aid and help us raise an extra 25% at no cost to you.

Card ey Carers Forth Vall onald Jane McD Name:

Date: Card Expiry mber: Carer ID Nu

31/10/2024 SC1123

Scan to donate £10

Have you got your

Forth Valley Carers Card?

The Forth Valley Carers Card is designed to help you identify yourself as a Carer to Health and Social Care Professionals and be more involved in care planning. Apply for a card on our website by visiting

www.stirlingcarers.co.uk/carers-card or contact the Centre. 28

Interested?

Use this page to let us know you're interested in any of the things in this magazine. Post it to the address overleaf, or take a photo and either email it to info@ stirlingcarers.co.uk or WhatsApp it to 07570 270 141.

Scan to book online

Carer Groups Please contact me with more information about: F Book Group

F Walking Group

F Male Carers Group

F Yoga Sessions - Killearn

F Cuppa Chat

F Yoga Sessions - Stirling

F My Time - evening group F Rural Group

F Parent Carers Panto F Nutcracker Ballet

Soup & Sandwich Lunches: F Central Area

F Eastern Villages

Your Details

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We use a third party provider to deliver our e-mailings and they are obliged to comply with data protection legislation. For further information contact the Centre.

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The information you provide will be used for events management and mailing purposes. Your information is kept in accordance with data protection legislation, stored securely, and never shared with a third party without your consent or unless we are required by law to do so. *Please note that places on some events are limited, and may be allocated on a needs basis.

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PREFER PAPERLESS? Subscribe to our e-bulletin on our website, complete the contact form inside the back cover or email media@stirlingcarers.co.uk.

Monday-Friday | 9am-4pm Kintail House, Forthside Way, Stirling FK8 1QZ The Centre has re-opened, however please call for an appointment before visiting.

01786 447003 | info@stirlingcarers.co.uk

This magazine is available in accessible formats, including large print. Please call 01786 447003 or email media@stirlingcarers.co.uk to request a copy.

www.stirlingcarers.co.uk Carers Forum Stirling Area t/a Stirling Carers Centre is a Company Limited by Guarantee no. SC165487 and Registered Charity no. SC020213