Newsletter - Northamptonshire Carers

Newsletter
Northamptonshire Branch
SEPTEMBER 2013
WELCOME to the AUTUMN edition of our Newsletter
Locally a lot has been happening this summer particularly in June
which is designated as MND awareness month.
Hopefully there will be a few more days of sunshine before the
leaves start falling.
1
Dill Thomas Golf Day
On June 28th 2013 Kate and Peter were invited to attend an evening at Cold Ashby Golf
Club. The occasion being a dinner and entertainment after another fantastic day of golf
organised by Dill, Vince .and Nigel Thomas and their families.
We had a wonderful evening, the dinner was excellent as was the entertainment by a
rather witty comedian. As always there was an amazing raffle raising hundreds of
pounds with wonderful prizes, I myself won a ladies golf glove, just the right size.
The golf day is held annually, this is the 11th year, in memory of their mother and
Grandmother, Joyce, who lost her life to MND. It was an evening of great friendship and
warmth, the golfers coming from far afield to play on this lovely course in memory of
someone who was very dear to them all.
The money raised over the years has been tremendous and this year the family are
hoping the total will be £50.000 over the past 11 years.
It was hard to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Thomas family, for
their support in helping us to be able to help and support people living with MND in
Northamptonshire .
Kate Inchley
Walk to D’feet Saturday June 22nd 2013
Our Annual Walk to D’feet again took place at Stanwick Lakes .After a wet and windy
start the weather cheered up and it became warm and sunny.
23 walkers and 4 dogs took part and our sponsorship to date is £1,322.
It was lovely to see June Lewis again after her move to London.
June is very much missed by us all but she came to join our walk
and brought her renowned shortbread for all the walkers.
Many of us enjoyed
lunch in the very
good
café
and
caught up with old
friends. We are very
grateful, and our thanks go to all who took
part and raised awareness and money.
See you next year !!
Kate Inchley
2
FUNDRAISING QUIZ
As a part of MND awareness month, on Sunday 23rd June we held a quiz night at the
Obelisk Centre, Northampton, to raise money for the Northants branch of the MND
Association. This event was held in memory of my Dad, Stewart, who sadly lost his
battle against MND in November last year.
We held the event last year too, which Dad helped to
organise, and it was a huge success which we
thought we could only dream of doing again. But with
a huge amount of support from family and friends we
were able to hold a second hugely successful quiz
night, raising approx £3000.
As well as holding a quiz there was a fantastic raffle,
tombola, cake sale, and guess the weight of the
sweetie cake. It was a very emotional night for us
without having dad there by our side, but we are
hugely thankful for everybody's support in helping to
make this event a huge success a second year in a
row.
Ali Buttress
3
BAKE IT!
FUNDRAISING
CAMPAIGN
When
Roger,
my
husband (who has
MND) and I went to the
Cambridge Spring Conference in April, I picked up a “Bake-It Day” folder and decided to
try and “do my bit”.
I asked our Vicar if I could hold a cake sale at church one Sunday after the service, to
which he agreed, and I then started to rope in friends from church, my keep-fit class,
choir and anyone else I could think of to help me bake cakes to sell on 2 nd June, which
was the only Sunday in June when I could fit it in. Some friends are good at particular
cakes, i.e. Lesley, who makes lemon drizzle cake and date slices, Rosemary, who
makes delicious sponges, Ros, who makes muffins and many more besides, and asked
them to make their specialities. I looked through my recipe books to get some
inspiration for other kinds of cakes to make and came up with gingerbread, marmalade
cake, boston brownies, meringues and oatmeal parkin to name but a few, most of which
can be made in advance.
On Saturday 1st June, I went into church with a friend and we set up two large tables,
covered in white sheets, brought up plates and knives from the kitchen downstairs and
put out on display the cakes already made.
I got to church early on the Sunday
morning and people came in a steady stream with more cakes to add to those we’d
already got. There were so many that I had to set up another table! After the service
had finished three of us started selling and we carried on until they were nearly all gone.
On Monday 3rd, those cakes which were left (with a couple more made that morning), I
took to choir practice with me and set up a table there. I’m pleased to say there were
none left to bring home again and I’d made nearly £500 altogether. But that wasn’t the
end of the story. When I got to church the following Sunday, the Vicar announced how
much had been raised and I was able to thank everyone who had helped with my
mammoth cake sale. A couple of days after that, someone from the church rang to say
that he and a friend wanted to make the total up to £500. I told him that I only needed
75p to reach that target – but he said that was too small an amount to give and they
were going to give me £20. So I finally paid £519.75 in to the MNDA bank account and
someone else from church paid £10 directly to the MNDA account, giving a total of
£529.75.
BUT that still wasn’t the end of the story. Our daughter, who lives in East London and
couldn’t get up to Northants to help with my Bake-It Day, decided to do her own thing.
She had 5 small Bake-It Days, one on each of her children’s school Sports Days, where
her cake stall was one of many. Even so, she still managed to raise a total of £150. A
brilliant effort!
Diana Smith
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Jay Lucas
Jay Lucas is a great young man, married and the father of young twins. His mum
Margaret Robinson, one of our AVs (Association Volunteers), is very proud of all Jay
does for MND.
Since Jay’s father died of MND, he has been raising money and awareness for the
branch and association in many events and concerts - Jay is also a singer. Jay works
for Santander and over the past three years he has organised golf days at Brampton
Heath Golf Complex. The money raised has been matched by Santander and last year
the total was £2,660. There has just been another golf day but as yet we are not sure
how much was raised.
In addition this year Jay has persuaded his mates to pose for a calendar not so much
Calendar Girls as Golf Boys. These are on sale for £10 and are available now so please
get in touch with us if you wish to purchase one.
Furthermore, on August 13th I went to the Santander
Branch where Jay works to receive a cheque for £5.000
from Santander Community Plus. This is a grant that Jay
had secured for us. It is an amazing amount of money to
receive and I know will help us immensely in helping
people living with MND in Northamptonshire.
It is difficult to put into words how to express our thanks
and gratitude to Santander and Jay for his total
commitment to raising money and awareness for the
branch. I write on behalf of us all on the committee and
members to convey our thanks and appreciation to Jay
and Santander.
Kate Inchley
Motorbike Rally
On August 11th the Super Sausage Café on the A5 at Pottersbury 50+ motorbikes left
on a fundraising run for MND travelling to Leicestershire to ride round the Race track at
Bruntingthorpe. The run was organised by Giuseppe Cerriano whose brother Massino
had MND. At Bruntingthorpe they were being met by the Leicestershire branch. Many
thanks to Giuseppe and his family for organising the event and thanks to Chris Murray
owner of the Super Sausage who raised money by
having a tin on the counter. Dave being an ex
biker was in his element. It was truly a brilliant
morning for everyone and if you were a biking fan it
was a big wow. We had time to meet and talk to
some of the bikers who were a lovely friendly
bunch. Apparently the bacon butties were pretty
good as well.
Jackie and Dave Atkins
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Volunteers Help
Spread The Word
The
Northamptonshire
Branch, with support from
national office, arranged a
screening
of
I
Am
Breathing on MND Global
Awareness Day in Corby.
Sally
Light
(CEO)
attended and introduced
the film.
Kate Inchley,
Branch Chair, said “The
screening went really well,
with many comments from
our members about how brave of Neil and Louise to let people into their lives at a very
private time for them, not just leaving the legacy for Oscar but to raise awareness too.
We all felt privileged to be part of that.”
There was an opportunity to promote the Corby screening on BBC Radio Northampton.
After a little bit of persuasion Kate attended the studio with Sally Light and undertook
her first ever radio interview. Kate said “I was a little nervous to say the least, but when
I got into the studio it was fine. Helen, the presenter, was lovely and put me at ease
and the Communications Team had given me lots of support beforehand”.
BBC Radio Northampton got in contact again a week later as they were running a
feature about how people who use a wheelchair are treated by the public. This time
Kate took part by phone, along with Roger Smith who is living with MND. Kate said, “I
felt a bit more confident this time, although it was a different experience being on the
phone rather than in the studio”. Having stepped out of her comfort zone twice, Kate is
now much more confident if she is asked to do a radio interview again. A relationship
has also been built with BBC Radio Northampton which provides a fantastic opportunity
for future awareness raising of the branch over the air waves.
It is not too late to get involved and host your own screening of I am Breathing. It could
be in a village hall for just 50 people or something bigger. First register your interest
with
the
film
makers
and
distributors
through
their
website
http://www.iambreathingfilm.com, then contact the Association’s Communications Team
with your confirmed venue and date details to order your screening posters and
postcards. Tel 01604 250505.
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NEWS FOR CARERS
The MND Association recognizes the care and support carers give to people with MND
and within the Northamptonshire branch of the Association we include carers in our
activities and events. But sometimes carers might enjoy and benefit from the
opportunities to focus on themselves provided by the Northamptonshire Carers. Take a
look at their newsletter by clicking on the following link http://www.northamptonshirecarers.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/43607-Carers-Newsletter-AUG13-8pp-A4.pdf
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CARERS
SUPPORTING CARERS COUNTYWIDE
Carers Support Line: 01933 677907
General Enquiries: 01933 677837
Email: [email protected]
www.northamptonshire-carers.org
Other useful websites you might want to look at
www.carers.org www.carersuk.org www.northamptonshireyoungcarers.org
_____________________________________________________________
Carers’ Contribution Recognised
The phenomenal contribution made by carers was recognised recently at a stakeholder
event. Northamptonshire Carers organised the event at the Saints Rugby Club in July
and the local branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association was one of many
organisations invited to attend. Regional Care Development Adviser, Rachel Boothman
and committee members Dave and Jackie Atkins were on hand to provide information
about the branch and support available from the Association.
Some carers may not be aware they can request a carer’s assessment. A Carer's
Assessment enables you to tell social services how they can make caring easier for
you. You may not be offered an assessment automatically, but you can ask your local
social services for an appointment. You have the right to ask for a Carer's Assessment
if you provide 'regular or substantial' care or supervision, whether or not you live with
the person you support. You may provide care full-time or part-time, or combine care
with paid work.
Rachel Boothman
Favell House
The Motor Neurone Disease Association recently responded to a consultation regarding
the future of Favell House, a respite facility for people with neuro-degenerative
conditions in Northampton.
Nene and Corby Clinical Commissioning Groups propose introducing a new system
which is more equitable across the county. Favell House is only available to people
living in the Northampton area. The Association has requested involvement in
development of future services which will affect people living with MND. Rachel Boothman
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Carers Complementary Therapy Relaxation Sessions
We are a small social enterprise providing complementary
therapies within the Guilsborough area, practicing at
Guilsborough surgery and also providing home visits. We wished
to notify you that we are now providing complementary therapy
relaxation sessions for carers at the Surgery on the 2 nd and last
Tuesday of every month between 1pm and 5pm. We thought it
may be valuable for your local branch to be aware of the service
and be able to pass on details. Unfortunately at this time we are
having to make a small charge for a therapy session but it is hoped
that we will be able to secure some funding in the near future.
For more information contact Rowan Holistic Health Ltd
Mobile: 07763185413 [email protected] www.rowanholistics.co.uk
CYNTHIA SPENCER CHARITY SHOP
The Friends of Cynthia Spencer Hospice opened their
second charity shop on June 16th of last year. We have a beautiful and
spacious shop, of which we are extremely proud! The shop in St Leonard’s Road, Far
Cotton, Northampton is managed by Trudi and a fantastic team of volunteers who really
make the shop a success.
We rely solely on over the door donations - consisting of good
quality clothing, bric-a-brac, small items of furniture, shoes, books,
etc.
We are open Mon-Fri 9:30-4:00, Sat 9:30-3:00 and we have
wheelchair access to the shop.
Please come and support your local Hospice. You will be welcomed with
a friendly smile. You will see why our customers say we are "The best
Charity shop for miles!"
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Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service
ask
“How Safe Are You?”
1. Do you have a working smoke alarm?
2. Do you know what to do if it goes off?
3. Can you and the people you live with escape without help in the event of a fire?
If you answered NO to any of these questions you need to
Book a Free Home Fire Safety Check today!!
Last year the county’s Fire and Rescue Service attended 366 fires in homes. Sadly some of
these incidents ended in serious injury and in one case a fatality.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Community Protection Officer, Lisa Bryan said: “To
avoid these awful incidents in the future our Fire and Rescue Service offer home fire safety
checks for all Motor Neurone Disease Association members”. “As part of the fire safety
check we can fit smoke alarms in your property. There is no charge for this service. Having
a working smoke alarm can save your life but only if you and those you live with know what
to do when the alarm sounds! Our home safety check therefore also includes important
advice on how to reduce fire risks and how to make a safe escape plan.”
Request a Home Fire Safety Check online::Visit www.northamptonshire.gov.uk and
follow the links to Fire and Public Safety to apply for a Home Safety Check.
Or by phone: If you do not have access to the internet, then a Home Fire Safety Check
visit can be requested by phone via Northamptonshire County Council who will complete an
online referral form for you:
Tel: 0300 126 1000 Hours of opening: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 6:00pm
Hearing Impaired Customers can request their Home Fire Safety Check visit via Text or
Fax: Text: 07797800760 Fax: 01604 797160
Don’t forget to let us know that you heard about this from the MND Association. You can use the
further comments box on our online form or simply tell us during your phone call or text.
9
WHAT’S ON?
Wednesday 4thSeptember
12.30 – 2.00 pm
Drop-in Lunch Garden Centre
Wootton NN4 6HP
Saturday 7th September
MND Association AGM and Annual Conference
Radisson Blu Hotel, Stansted Airport. The cost to attend the afternoon conference is
£15 (there is no charge for people with MND and their carer), fully inclusive of all
refreshments. There is no charge to attend the morning AGM. Online registration is still
available at www.mndassociation.org/annualconference For more information please
contact the Conference team on 01604 611837 or [email protected]
Thursday 26th September
7.00 pm
Charity Dinner with Star Speakers, Wicksteed Park,
Kettering in aid of MND and Cransley Hospice
Wednesday 2nd October
12.30 – 2.00 pm
Drop-in Lunch Garden Centre
Wootton NN4 6HP
Saturday 12th October
9.00 pm
Chris Upton Band (Rock, Latin, Reggae)
Supported by Sam Wilkinson Tickets £7.00
Black Bottom Club, Northampton
Sunday 13th October
2.30 – 4.30 pm
Open Meeting
St Matthews Church Parish Centre Northampton
Saturday 26th October
10.00 – 12.30
Coffee Morning Wollaston
New Books, Christmas Cards, Cakes, Raffle
Wednesday 6th November
12.30 – 2.00
Drop-in Lunch Garden Centre
Wootton NN4 6HP
Saturday 9th November
10.00 – 12.00
Coffee Morning Kingsley Park Methodist Church
Tombola
If we can send your newsletter to you by email we can cut costs,
save time, save a few trees and you will see the photographs and
graphics in colour!!!
Please help by letting the editor,
[email protected] have your email address. Thank you.
10
SERVICES EXPLAINED
National Office
Motor Neurone Disease Association, PO Box 246, Northampton NN1 2PR
Telephone: 01604 611860
Membership – This is free to people living with MND and their carer. As a member of the Association you
will receive a membership card, our regular magazine Thumb Print, full of information - the latest news in
care and research, as well as features on how some families cope daily with MND. Automatic link to your
nearest branch/group and opportunities to get involved at a local level. Invitations to the conferences and
seminars we organise. Our Annual Review/Impact Report which outlines our progress made over the last
financial year and our plans for the year to come. Full membership also entitles you to elect Association
trustees and vote at the Annual General Meeting. If you are interested in becoming a member, please
contact MND Connect
MND Connect – 08457 626262 - a helpline available Monday - Friday 9am -5pm, 7pm - 10.30pm
(charged at local rate) and email service [email protected]. Provide advice on all aspects
of MND. They can also post information about MND and support available
Regional Care Development Adviser (RCDA)
Rachel Boothman – 08453 751830
[email protected] – assisting with advice and support on care management and
service development in your area.
Volunteering Development Co-ordinator (VDC) Neil Penson 01604 611686
[email protected] VDCs work with existing branches and groups to develop and build on
good practice. This includes the recruitment and induction of branch officers. They are also involved in
setting up new branches and groups in areas where there is little support for people with motor neurone
disease.
Equipment Loan - a limited range of equipment is available where not obtainable from statutory services.
Requires a written referral from the relevant health or social care professional
Financial Support - towards items not available from statutory services. Requires referral from relevant
health or social care professional
Northamptonshire Local Branch
Open Meetings Local support from people in the area who are familiar with the affects of MND. The
branch holds bi-monthly meetings for anyone with, or interested in, MND at St Matthews Church Parish
Centre. (Contact details on next page).
Association Visitors (AVs) are volunteers who offer advice and support to anyone affected by MND,
either face to face, via telephone or email. Please contact your RCDA on the number above for more
information.
Social Gatherings are occasional opportunities for people affected by MND to come together informally
in a safe, friendly environment. Transport can be arranged if necessary.
st
Lunch Drop In another opportunity to meet informally. Held on the 1 Wednesday of every month
th
starting on 6 March 2013 from 12.30 – 2.00 pm at Garden Centre, Newport Pagnell Road, Wootton,
Northampton NN4 6HP.
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NORTHAMPTONSHIRE BRANCH CONTACTS
Patron Rev Dr John Smith
Chair
Kate Inchley
01933 667616
[email protected]
Vice Chair
Robert Nixon
01933 229602
[email protected]
Secretary
Paul Pink
07954 390733
[email protected]
Treasurer
Colin Byer
07779 225760
[email protected]
Branch
Contact
Kate Inchley
01933 667616
[email protected]
Newsletter
Chris Hull
Website
Derrick Peasland
[email protected]
01604 454870
[email protected]
Association Volunteers (AVs)
Joan Randell, William Standerwick, Angela West, Margaret Robinson, Joanne
Burkimsher, Tracey Dixon and Annette Liddon
Committee Members
Kevin White, Margaret Bachelor, Derrick Peasland, Jackie Atkins, Dave Atkins,
Maureen Sanders, Christine Hull, Priscilla Davies and Ali Buttress
E-mail address:
[email protected]
Website:
www.mndnorthants.org.uk
Registered Office:
Motor Neurone Disease Association
David Niven House
10-15 Notre Dame Mews
Northampton NN1 2BG
Registered charity number – 294354
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