Northamptonshire Carers

Monthly E-NewsletterWelcome to the Latest edition of our E-NewsletterWelcome to the latest edition of the e-newsletter and the last for 2019, a couple of our groups are changing venues from the new year so the details may not be correct if you rely on the Caring for Carers Booklet.Any updated news will be on our Facebook Page, we will keep our website up to date (link below) but if you really are not sure then please contact the office.

We start with a message from Mark Major, Chief Executive Officer

We combined Carers Rights Day this year with our Annual General Meeting and held a very successful engagement and involvement session to listen to Carers views to both inform our own planning and service delivery as well as highlighting Carers needs and experiences into the wider Health and Social Care system in Northamptonshire.We asked a series of key questions during the afternoon and received some really useful feedback; many thanks for all those who attended.  We will write up the report for the day and share findings via Newsletter, Website and other means.Well done to the Carers Choir who have been invited to sing at the Carers Trust National Carol Service in London in December.  The Choir has been a huge success and we have recently started a Dementia Choir and are also running a music project for female Carers which was reported on last time, further details to follow.

Christmas Bank Holiday Office Closure:Close 5pm Monday 23rd December 2019Re-Open 9am Friday 27th December 2019

New YearOffice closed on Wednesday 1st January 2020

Carers Choir, Trip to LondonA few weeks ago, the Carers Choir were invited to sing at The Carers Trust Christmas concert in St George’s Hanover Square, London.This was a fantastic opportunity and we wanted it to be extra special, so we commissioned a new Christmas song to be written especially for us,particularly thinking about Carers issues at Christmas.

The song, although proformed at our own Christmas Concert will be released over the coming year and we will let you know when this happens.To view a snapshot of their recent perfomance: Click Here

New members to both Dementia Friendly Choir and the Carers Choir are more than welcome, please come along and give it a try?

Big Give 2019We have been overwhelmed by your kind generosity and support to us during 2019, especially during the 'Big Give Christmas Challenge 2019'

Thank You

More from Mark................

Carers Support Groups - click here

We are delighted to report that Carers are one of the focus areas for new Social Prescribing work to start in the County.  More information on this exciting work will follow in the New Year.  Well done also to the Young Carers Service whose project was highlighted for this year’s Children in Need appeal.We are always looking for ways to improve and grow what we offer for Carers and have recently recruited to a new role to expand our successful Sitting Service.  We are hoping to expand this further again in the New Year.Recent research from Carers UK and the Universities of Sheffield and Birmingham show that:-

     Two thirds of UK adults can expect to care unpaid for a loved one in their lifetime.

     Women taking on a caring responsibility a decade before men (average age 46, men 57)

         Related research showed      52% of Carers suffered poorer physical health

Full details are available on the Carers UK Website.

Your GP Surgeries

Northamptonshire Carers continue to work with GP surgeries to encourage them to identify Carers amongst their patients and to refer them on to us so that we can offer support.

Part of this work is our Accreditation Scheme which notes the efforts surgeries are making to provide more help and support for Carers.

At our last Accreditation Panel, Wootton Medical Centre and The Pines Surgery both achieved the Bronze Standard, Lakeside Corby has also been awarded Bronze – they have renewed all their processes around Carers after a bit of a pause.Rothwell & Desborough have achieved Silver, along with Headlands in Kettering and Higham Ferrers Surgery.

We are really pleased that all the surgeries who have engaged in the scheme are working hard to find Carers within their patients and make them aware of Northamptonshire Carers.

Local mental health providers are asking for the views of Parents/Carers and Children with the aim of improving CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)

To help them develop better ways of working, the East Midlands Provider Collaborative would be grateful if Parent/Carers and Young People could spare some time to answer a few questions. They can be found (along with downloadable word versions) on our website

Needs & AspirationsPlease be reminded that the latest version of the Needs & Aspirations opportunities are available in booklet form or to download from our website

These opportunities are designed to give Carers a break away from their caring responsibilities and some much needed 'ME TIME'.

Nene Valley Community Action who organise and run these opportunities are always interested to hear direct from you the Carers what activities you would like to see happen.To feedback this information back to them or to book onto any of the current activities, please contact them directly on Tel: 01933 313526 or info@nvca.org.uk

Carers Cafe's - click here

Dementia Care Advice Service - click here

Are you or do you know any former Carers?We realise this group is taking place today, but please:

Watch This Space for details of the new group in the New Year

Volunteering OpportunitiesWe are always looking to extend our team of volunteers to join our lively teams – we have some exciting opportunities available:Following the success of our new Stroke Group at Northampton General Hospital we are looking to set up another group on Mondays between 1pm and 3pm and looking for volunteers to help run this.

Connecting Communities Carer Champions – our aim is for every town and village within Northamptonshire to have easy accessible information to help Carers know where they can access help and support whenever they need it – lots of people don’t even realise they are a Carer.  Would you be interested in being a “friendly face” and helping to provide that link within your local community?

Carers Support Line - 01933 677907Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm

Breathing Space Groups in Daventry and Northampton -  these groups are for people with COPD/Respiratory problems and their Carers if they have one – we are looking for volunteers to help with making refreshments, some washing up and helping to set out pre-made lunches.

You will receive lots of support if you volunteer with Northamptonshire Carers – please contact Linda Tiffney on 01933 677837 or lindat@northamptonshire-carers.org for more information.

Volunteering has many benefits such as helping and supporting a voluntary sector organisation to continue its day to day support for those in the local community, It can be a stepping stone back into paid employment and can be a huge impact to

your own health and wellbeing.

Community LotteriesTo complement the Lotteries we have already registered with, we are now a member of the Northampton Community Lottery.These Community Lotteries ensure that local money supports the local communities.If you play the Lottery, we ask that you would consider supporting our organisation?

Corby - Click hereDaventry - click hereNorthampton - click here

If you do gamble, we ask you to do so responsibly.

And lastly, more from Mark....

On behalf of all our Staff and Volunteers and Trustees, may I wish you a Happy Christmas and New Year.

We are very proud to support Carers as an organisation and we are inspired by what Carers do.  We will continue to try and do as much as we can to support you and try and ensure Carers needs are highlighted and acted upon the wider landscape.

Contact us Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm              General Enquiries: 01933 677837            Carers Support Line: 01933 677907              Email: carers@northamptonshire-carers.org              Website: www.northamptonshire-carers.org              Fundraisinf donations: www.localgiving.com/northampotnshire-carers

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Northamptonshire Carers is incorporated as a non profit Company Limited by Guarantee No. 3328459Registered Charity No. 1061417