News items from March 2012
Free drop-in event for carers - 16th April
If you're taking care of a friend, family member or loved one because they need help with their day-to-day lives, why not come along to our next drop-in event for carers?
It's on Monday 16th April from 11am to 12.30pm at Charnwood Surgery, 39 Linkfield Road, Mountsorrel, LE12 7DJ.
You'll be able to meet the Support for Carers team and find out more about the help and support that's available to you as a carer.
The event is free and you're welcome to drop-in at any time - you don't have to stay for the whole event if it's not convenient for you.
We hope to see you there!
Do you care for someone with MS?
The Hinckley and District branch of the Multiple Schlerosis Society is holding an information evening on 3rd May from 7pm to 9.30pm at The Meeting Centre, Marchant Road, Hinckley, LE10 0LQ.
The evening will include the chance to listen to a talk by Lynn Moor, a Chronic Pain Specialist Nurse, about MS and pain.
You'll also be able to speak to healthcare professionals and support organisations in confidence, about MS, so you can find out more about the treatment, help and support available to you. For example, an MS nurse, dietician, neuro physiotherapist and occupational therapist will be on hand to answer your questions plus support groups including Support for Carers, Dial a Ride and Home Companions.
Click here for full details of the event
To find out more please call 01455 442 440.
Walking for Health in Hinckley & Bosworth
If you live in Hinckley & Bosworth and you're looking for a fun way to get some exercise and meet new people, how about Walking for Health?
The national Walking for Health programme offers health walks designed to encourage people to take regular short walks in their local communities, to benefit their health.
Many regular walks take place in Hinckley & Bosworth. Walks usually last around 30-60 minutes and are on surfaced paths with no stiles to negotiate for example.
Walking regularly can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes whilst lowering blood pressure and keeping muscles and bones healthy. It can also reduce feelings of stress and increase your sense of wellbeing.
Click here for a full list of walks including dates and times plus contact details if you want to get in touch with walk organisers.
Do you care for someone with a mental illness?
If you'd like to meet other carers in a similar situation why not come along to the Noel Arms, Langham, Oakham, LE15 7HU on Tuesday 10th April from 2pm to 3.30pm?
Rethink, the largest national voluntary sector provider of mental health services, is holding a support group for carers on that day which will hopefully become a regular event.
Rethink is commissioned by Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT to offer support to carers of adults suffering from severe and enduring mental illness. The charity directly helps around 60,000 people every year across England - including carers.
To find out more about the support you could get from Rethink please call Denise or Amanda on 01530 276 525 or email [email protected] or [email protected] or simply come along to the carers' support group on the 10th April!
Do you care for someone with lung disease?
NHS Leicester City is consulting people who suffer from lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD) - and their carers.
If you, or the person you care for, would like to talk to the NHS about how it could improve services for people with COPD, they would be very happy to hear from you.
Alternatively, you can complete a short survey.
Your feedback will help to improve services and how the NHS diagnoses patients with COPD in the future, so it's well worth taking part in.
Click here to complete the survey online
Click here to download the survey as a Word document
If you complete the Word version of the survey please email it back to [email protected] or post to Get Involved, Freepost RRUE JRBR RGGT, NHS Leicester City, St Johns House, 30 East Street, Leicester, LE1 6NB. (You don't need to put a stamp on the envelope as it's a Freepost address).
To find out more please call Emma Cannaby on 0116 295 7662.
Carers’ drop-in event - Loughborough, 26th March
Carers throughout Leicestershire are welcome to come along to our Time Out For Carers session on Monday 26th March from 10am to 12 noon at Loughborough Library on Granby Street, Loughborough, LE11 3DZ.
You're welcome to drop-in for as long (or as little) as you like - to have a quick break, meet other carers, share advice and tips and meet up with Support for Carers. A member of our team will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.
We'll meet in the browser area of the library and you're welcome to come and join us anytime between 10am and 12 noon - you don't have to stay for the whole session if it's not convenient.
Feel free to call us on 0845 689 9510 if you'd like to find out more - or simply pop along to Loughborough Library on the 26th.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Have your say on a new Carers Strategy for the area
As you may know, Leicestershire County Council is working on a new Carers Strategy for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
There's still time to help shape the new Carers Strategy by giving the Council your comments and opinions before 11th April 2012.
Click here to read the draft Carers Strategy
Click here to download a feedback form
Please return your feedback form to Business Support, Adults & Communities Dept, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicestershire, LE3 8RL or email [email protected]
From computers to exercise - discover more at the Bassett Centre
If you're keen to get online why not go along to an Internet Event being held at the Bassett Centre, Bassett Street, South Wigston, LE18 2PE on 25th April from 9.30am to 12 noon.
The event is for everyone including older people and you'll be able to learn about using the internet for keeping in touch, shopping, finding information, entertainment and new interests.
Plus you'll be able to have a go at using Skype, email and looking for bargains, researching holidays and family history.
You'll also be able to learn about trying different equipment such as desktop computers, laptops, netbooks, tablets and smart phones.
Simply come along on the day to find out more!
The Bassett Centre also runs regular computer classes on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10am to 12 noon at a cost of £3 per class which includes refreshments. Simply turn up or to find out more call Sue on 278 4230.
The Bassett Centre offers a range of other activities too - such as gentle seated exercise on Mondays from 2pm to 2.45pm at a cost of £4 per session or 3 sessions for £10. Call Nicky on 07882284564 to find out more.
Click here to visit the Bassett Centre website for a full list of activities on offer
Anyone for tea? Fundraising event for new travelling tea room
You can help raise money for a great new project called The Travelling Tea Room on Tuesday 13th March from 9.30am to 12 noon at Lockwood's Tea Room, Allandale Road, Leicester.
Entry costs just £3 which includes a cup of proper loose leaf tea and a slice of cake.
All the money raised by the event will go towards setting up The Travelling Tea Room, which will visit people in residential care homes, nursing homes and community groups. The idea is to give people who can't get out and about easily the chance to enjoy the experience of visiting a tea room - complete with delicous tea and cake and the chance to enjoy a chat with friends.
The fundraising event on the 13th will also include the results of a competition to make a tea cosy, a tea quiz and the chance to have your tea leaves read!
To find out more about the fundraising event please call Leanne Wightman on 0116 2293035 or 07545208035.
Carers Strategy event on 8th March CANCELLED
Please note: Leicestershire County Council has cancelled its Carers Strategy event on 8th March.
There's still two more events coming up though, where you can have your say on the Council's new Carers Strategy.
Free event for those living with dementia & carers - 28th May
Do you care for someone with dementia?
There's a conference called 'Dementia: Our lives, our story: Working together for a better future' taking place at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham on Monday 28th May - which is free to those with dementia and their carers.
The event is being hosted by the Leicester-based charity Trent Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) in partnership with Dementia UK and Innovations in Dementia. It's been developed and will be led by people living with dementia and their carers. It will provide an opportunity to come together with professionals working in the field - whilst meeting other people who have been affected by dementia.
The event will include information stands and surgeries for people living with dementia and their carers so you can talk to advisers about issues such as day-to-day living with dementia and financial and legal advice.
There will also be interactive workshops where you can pick up tips and share your own experiences. For example, the workshops will cover topics like self-management, creative approaches, assistive technologies and life stories. There will be a video 'diary room' and a 'quiet room' with a support worker available too.
Please click here to find out more and to book your place
Alternatively, you can call Deborah or Pauline from Trent Dementia Services Development Centre on 0116 257 5017 (Mon-Wed) or visit www.atdementia.org.uk
Hot off the press - the spring edition of the Support for Carers newsletter
Why not take a five minute break and enjoy reading our spring newsletter - packed full of useful information for carers in Leicestershire.
As the picture below shows, we've aimed to put spring well and truly in the air!
The newsletter includes a whole range of articles including a list of carers' groups around the county, events, news of our Telephone Befriending Service, what's available in your local library and top tips on how to prevent falls in your home.
Click here to take a look at our spring newsletter
If you have any comments, queries or suggestions for future issues please feel free to get in touch.
Happy reading!
Free exhibition for carers & cared for
Support for Carers is going to have a stand at a free event called Choice Unlimited - which will feature information, services, ideas, products and innovations for disabled people, older people and carers.
The event is on the 5th April from 10am to 7pm at the Leicester Tigers Stadium, Aylestone Road, Leicester, LE2 7TR.
This is the first free public event of its kind and should give you a great way to browse lots of relevant things, all under one roof.
The event will feature hundreds of exhibitors and will cover a range of products and services including health and wellbeing, lifestyle and leisure, transport, work and voluntary support.
The organisers promise that they'll be something for everyone so we hope to see you there!
The event is being hosted by the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP). To find out more:
Call: 0116 285 9440
SMS: 07910 864 594
Email: [email protected]
Visit: www.redp.org.uk
Did you know that disabled people have an annual puchasing power of £80 million?
Have your say on a new Carers Strategy for Leicestershire
Leicestershire County Council is currently developing a new Carers Strategy: Supporting the Health and Wellbeing of Carers in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland 2012-2015.
The Council has been consulting with carers to develop the strategy and now it's keen for carers to get involved in helping to finalise it.
If you'd like to have your say you can go along to one or more of the following events:
Thursday 8th March 2012, 6pm-8pm at Leicester Community Opportunities, 35 Long Street, Wigston, LE18 2BP
Monday 12th March 2012, 6pm – 8pm at County Hall, Glenfield, Leicestershire, LE3 8RL
Wednesday 14th March 2012, 1.30pm- 3.30pm at Snibston Discovery Park, Ashby Road, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 3LN
Take a look at the event flyer to find out more including how to book your place
Support for Carers news reaches Brighton!
Our upcoming Carers' Forum has got a mention in the Brighton Carers' Chronicle - a newsletter published by the Carers Centre for Brighton & Hove! It's great to see carers around the country sharing information like this. By exchanging ideas carers' organisations can hopefully continue to improve life for carers everywhere.
Our Carers' Forum is on the 27th March in Coalville, North West Leicestershire and you're very welcome to come along.
