Tickets for our Summer Raffle 2017 are now on sale. If you would like to buy tickets or order some books to sell to family and friends then call us on 01179589975 Continue reading “Summer Raffle 2017”
Latest News
News for carers and health & social care professionals in Bristol & South Gloucestershire
Carers Week 2017
Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. Continue reading “Carers Week 2017”
Helping carers into work
Are you thinking about ways to get back into work and would you find it helpful to receive some support? Continue reading “Helping carers into work”
New lunch club for carers in Fishponds
Following the success of our Supper Club in South Bristol, we are now offering a chance for carers to meet over lunch in Fishponds on the first Thursday of the month. It is a great opportunity to meet other carers and enjoy some time out together. Continue reading “New lunch club for carers in Fishponds”
Carers Week Open Meeting Thurs 15 June
Do you care for a relative or friend in Bristol or South Glos? If so, you are warmly invited to our get together with other carers for our Carers Week Open Meeting. Continue reading “Carers Week Open Meeting Thurs 15 June”
Upcoming training opportunities
We run a number of training courses and workshops that carers can attend for free. Details of upcoming ones are below. All our training and workshops are free. Continue reading “Upcoming training opportunities”
Carers News – Issue 74
The Summer 2017 issue of Carers News is now available for download. Continue reading “Carers News – Issue 74”
Disabled Children’s Partnership Survey
Carers Trust are part of the Disabled Children’s Partnership (DCP), a coalition of over 30 organisations that have come together to campaign for improved health and social care provision for disabled children and their carers in England. Carers Trust will be campaigning to ensure that parent carers and young carers of disabled children are given access to high quality support when they need it from the health and social care system.
As part of a campaign, which will be launched in June, DCP is conducting a survey to understand more about the day-to-day lives of disabled children and their family carers – be they parent carers or young carers. The ambition is to complete the biggest survey ever undertaken of families with disabled children. All responses will be anonymous and will contribute to an England-wide campaign highlighting the gaps in services for disabled children and their carers.
The survey closes on 12th May so please complete it as soon as possible.
Mental Health Awareness Week 8th-12th May
From 8th – 12th May Bristol will be marking Mental Health Awareness Week with ‘Five Days of Wellbeing’. The week will raise awareness about the little things that we can do every day to improve our mental and emotional health.
The Five Days will be based around the principles that connecting, being active, taking notice, learning and giving can help us all get more out of life.
Event details:
Monday 8 May: Connect – St Mungo’s Putting Down Roots team (PDR) are hosting a ‘Plant Some Sunshine’ event. The theme is to connect with the community and everyone is welcome to join in on Monday 8 May at 11am – 2pm, Champion Square, St Jude’s.
Tuesday 9 May: Be Active – Join the Walk Fest mindfulness walk. Meet at the statue by Central Library, College Green at 10.30am.
Wednesday 10 May: Take Notice – See what hidden treasures you can find at Blaise Castle with a treasure hunt from 4pm – 6pm. Blaise Castle, Kings Weston Road, BS10 7QT. All welcome.
Thursday 11 May: Learn – Join a taster session of the new reading aloud for wellbeing project, Bristol Shares Reading from 10.30am until 2pm in Bristol’s Central Library. There will also be an interactive display where people can learn more about how to look after their mental health all week. A Midwife Meet Up is also being held at Bluebell from 7.30pm until 10pm at Bluebell Place, 2 Quay Street, Bristol BS1 2JL.
Friday 12 May: Give – Join a Give & Get event with a skills swap in The Galleries. Come along and find out how you can receive free practical help in areas such as cooking, technology, friendship, arts, languages, pets, exercise, volunteering and much more. All help is given free of charge – there’s no transaction or exchange, just good old-fashioned community help! The event is being held from 10am until 2pm on the ground floor of The Galleries, Broadmead, BS1 3XD.
For more info, including instructions on how to book for certain events, see the Bristol City Council website.
End of life event 17th May
‘Elephant in the room’ is a free event organised by South Gloucestershire Council on Wednesday 17 May 2017, 9.30am-1pm to be held at Yate Library. There will be a number of speakers on a range of topics.
It is open to everyone and will cover:
- an overview of legal and financial considerations
- information about advance decisions and mental capacity
- health and social care options
- family bereavement support
- making funeral arrangements
- stallholders who are able to offer practical advice and information
- the opportunity to ask questions of all involved
The event aims to:
- encourage you to consider and put in place arrangements for your future care and support needs
- give you practical advice and information to help you and your loved ones feel empowered, ahead of a health crisis or changes in your situation, to make clear choices
View the programme and book your place on the South Glos website.
Want to find out about end of life matters but aren’t able to make this event? We are offering a Thinking in Advance and Planning Ahead workshop at Carers Support Centre on Tuesday 29 September. Find out more on our training page.
WI knit ‘twiddle muffs’ for memory cafe
Last year Gloucester Road Women’s Institute adopted Carers Support Centre as its charity of the year. They’ve been hard at work with their knitting needles to create colourful twiddle muffs as comfort for people with dementia at the Southmead Hospital Memory Café. Ran by our staff, memory cafés take place regularly at Southmead, the BRI, and South Bristol Community Hospital. Contact CarersLine for details: 0117 965 2200
Bristol LD Carers Discussion Group 4th July
Do you live in Bristol and care for someone with a learning disability?
The next Bristol Learning Disability Carers Discussion Group will be held on 4th July at 10:30AM -12.30PM at Carers Support Centre in Fishponds.
This is a good opportunity to meet up with other carers in a similar situation. The group meets four times a year to support each other, discuss issues of common concern and invite guest speakers. It is informal and friendly and a sandwich lunch is provided. Carers who attend the group say that they learn a lot about local services and also value the opportunity to chat with other carers.
To find out more or book please contact Chris Chart chrisc@carerssupportcentre.org.uk 0117 958 9970.
State of Caring survey 2017
Each year CarersUK tries to find out what life is like for people who are caring and what needs to change to make their lives better.
The information gathered from last year’s survey was used to:
- Submit research to the UK Government’s Carers Strategy.
- Demonstrate that the Care Act in England is not making enough of a difference to carers’ lives.
- Argue for the needs of carers to be central in housing policy.
Your response can make a real difference. Please fill out the survey, it takes only 20-30 minutes to complete.
Driverless cars volunteers
Age UK are looking for older volunteers (50+) to help develop driverless cars in Bristol.
Older people often decide to give up driving because it’s no fun any more, or perhaps they’re losing confidence in their ability to drive safely. In an ageing population, there will be people with poor eyesight or perhaps cognitive difficulties who shouldn’t be driving. However, social activity is important and mobility needs to be protected. This is where driverless cars come in.
Flourish, led by University of the West of England, is set up to develop driverless cars in Bristol. Age UK Bristol is part of this group to help make sure the cars meet the needs of older people.
They need the input of volunteers over a number of months to years. The first workshop takes place on 21st April.
Find out more and how to register here.
Free DIY jobs for over 55s
Are you over 55? Have some DIY jobs that need doing?
LinkAge are working in partnership with Catch 22 to offer this FREE service.
Catch 22 works with young offenders, encouraging them to become involved with the community and reintegrate into society, by completing repair jobs of wide community benefit, whilst learning new skills.
Volunteers from Catch 22 will complete both external and internal tasks including painting and gardening. Depending on the type of work required, volunteers can spend between a day and several weeks on an individual project.
Catch 22 will carry out full risk assessments and all young people will be supervised at all times whilst completing a project. They will also provide all labour and equipment.
To find out more or to book an appointment please call LinkAge on 0117 353 3042.
Bristol Walk Fest 2017
One of the country’s largest urban walking festivals is set to return this May as the Bristol Walk Fest gears up for another year of strolling, scrambling and hiking with something for all ages and abilities.
Whether you like historical tours, nature walks, exploring street art, finding out about your neighbourhood, or you just want to get fit and enjoy some fresh air, you will find something to suit your taste in the programme.
The festival kicks off on 27th April with a special measured mile event on College Green and continues during May with activities throughout the city, including an event on the health benefits of walking on 11th May.
Full details on the Walk Fest 2017 website.
Volunteer for ‘Tai Chi for Health’
Tai Chi for Health is a charity running tai chi classes in Bristol. They are looking for volunteer instructors. Free training is offered; experience is helpful, but not essential.
Tai Chi for Health provides volunteer instructors for young people, older people, or anyone who wants to improve their health.
To volunteer or find out more see the Tai Chi for Health website.
Dementia friendly swimming sessions
These are quieter sessions at swimming pools with trained staff and appropriate facilities. The sessions are for people with dementia and carers of all abilities; you don’t need to be able to swim. Staff attending are specially trained by St Monica Trust who provide a safe and supportive environment.
When you go to a swimming pool tell staff you are there for a dementia friendly swimming session. You will be ask you to complete a registration form.
Sessions are available at Jubilee Pool, Henbury, Bristol South, Hengrove, Easton and Horfield.
More information available here.
Volunteer for ‘Contact the Elderly’ tea parties
Over the last six years, Contact the Elderly has started 15 new tea party groups across Bristol. Once a month on a Sunday, small groups of volunteers and older guests get together for an afternoon of tea, cake and companionship. Just a couple of hours really does make a big difference to everyone’s weekend.
Contact the Elderly are currently working on new groups in the Stockwood and Avonmouth areas, but are in urgent need of new volunteers. They especially require volunteers to act as drivers and reserve drivers who help out when a regular can’t.
If you would like to find out more about volunteering, or refer an older guest (usually 75 and over) to a group, please contact Helen: 01225 873812 or helen.ker@contact-the-elderly.org.uk
Consultation on Substance Misuse Strategy
Existing ROADS contracts are coming to an end in 2017 and they are re-commissioning a wide range of treatment and support for people affected by drugs/alcohol use in Bristol. There is a consultation (until 14 April 2017) to seek all stakeholders views on their proposals.
You can view the published Substance Misuse Commissioning Strategy and supporting documents here.
How to give your feedback:
Your views are very important as they will help shape future services and commissioning arrangements. You can give them feedback on the commissioning proposals by completing an online survey here. Please note, any personal information you provide will be anonymous, and will not be shared wider than the project team. A summary of all responses after the consultation period is over will be circulated.
You can also join their email list or give them additional feedback on other proposals in the commissioning strategy by contacting them at: smtrecommissioning@bristol.gov.uk
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