CARERs’ NEWSletter January 2024 Dear Carer, We hope you are keeping well in this winter season and are looking forward to the return of spring. I am delighted to say we have started our new Rest and Recharge social events with Funding from Shared Care Scotland. Carers enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea at the beautiful Banchory Lodge Hotel and we have more planned in the upcoming year across Aberdeenshire. Our young carer events start early January with a cinema event and activities for 2024. Please find details inside and get in contact if you are interested in attending. We were honoured to have some time with our committed volunteers with a lunch the other week. I want to extend my thanks to the value they bring to our service and we look forward to more collaborations with them in the future. To mark Carers Rights Day on Thursday 23 November, we hosted an open event in Inverurie for supportive organisations to network and meet our unpaid carers, those registered and non-registered. Many good connections and plans have come from the event that we will take forward.
will be working on the important role of sourcing funding and providing breaks for our carers. A very critical part of keeping carers well. Please find inside an update on the hardworking Carer Practitioner Team who support carers with Self-Directed Support budgets. Again, very important work. A big thank you to Alison for her thoughtful blog on the Christmas period and the importance of finding our own meaning in the festival and looking after ourselves. We look forward to meeting and supporting you in the new year.
Our carers in the North enjoyed a lovely Christmas lunch and the picture above captures some of the festive cheer. A warm welcome to Kath Robertson who has taken over the very important role of Grants work, and our Pam has now moved to lead on the Respitality project. The two
Heather and the Team
Service update As many of you will know by now, our service will be changing from 1 April 2024. After this date, VSA will be delivering unpaid carer support across Aberdeenshire. You can, and are welcome to, contact us as per usual until 31 March. If you have any queries regarding the change, please contact the carer practitioner team at carersupport@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk and they will be able to answer
questions, or signpost you to the right people within Quarriers and VSA. We would like to reassure you that we will continue to support you in your caring role during this transfer. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank you, carers and volunteers, for making this service such a success and a pleasure to be part of.
quarriers.org.uk Quarriers is a registered Scottish Charity No SC001960
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Meet the team
Heather Knowles Service Coordinator
Siobhan Lawson Team Leader (Adult Carers)/ Family Wellbeing Worker Tel: 07812 228562 siobhan.lawson@ quarriers.org.uk
Kirsty Duncan Team Leader (Adult Carers) Tel: 07468 863934 kirsty.duncan@ quarriers.org.uk
Kirsty Jackson Team Leader (Young Carers) Tel: 07468 863930 kirsty.jackson2@ quarriers.org.uk
Lisa Falconer Young Carers Toolkit Development Worker Tel: 07741 707679 lisa.falconer@ quarriers.org.uk
Julie Ritchie Family Wellbeing Worker (Volunteer Coordinator) Tel: 07586 553325 julie.ritchie@ quarriers.org.uk
Pam McCready Respitality and Grants Tel: 07721 143390 pam.mccready@ quarriers.org.uk
Sandra Andrew Senior Administrator Tel: 01467 538700 sandra.andrew@ quarriers.org.uk
Julie Applin-Smith Administrator Tel: 01467 538700 julie.applinsmith@ quarriers.org.uk
Kath Robertson Administrator (Grants & Funding) Tel: 01467 538700 kath.robertson@ quarriers.org.uk
Alison McKessick Family Wellbeing Worker Tel: 07812 228558 alison.mckessick@ quarriers.org.uk
Kaye Taylor Family Wellbeing Worker Tel: 07812 228451 kaye.taylor@ quarriers.org.uk
Morag Mundie Family Wellbeing Worker Tel: 07812 228437 morag.mundie@ quarriers.org.uk
Development team
Admin team
North Adult Carer Team
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Meet the team Central/South Adult Carer Team
Deborah Ironside Family Wellbeing Worker Tel: 07919 891448 deborah.ironside@ quarriers.org.uk
Leanne McLaughlin Family Wellbeing Worker Tel: 07721 143392 leanne.mclaughlin@ quarriers.org.uk
Sandra Proctor Family Wellbeing Worker Tel: 07770 228731 sandra.proctor@ quarriers.org.uk
Central Adult Carer Team
Moira Stewart Family Wellbeing Worker Tel: 07812 228404 moira.stewart@ quarriers.org.uk
Young Carer Team
Yvonne Hobson Family Wellbeing Worker Tel: 07972 849442 yvonne.hobson@ quarriers.org.uk
Christine Grant Family Wellbeing Worker Tel: 07741 707694 christine.grant@ quarriers.org.uk
Meet Christine, Family Wellbeing Worker I joined Quarriers in the middle of October 2023 after working for Advocacy North East as a Carers’ Advocate for eight years. I have been made to feel so welcome since I started and it’s an amazing organisation to work for. I did have conversations with staff in my past role and it was lovely to be able to work alongside them, especially as we were all focused on the same outcomes and united in our goal of making a difference to the carer and cared for. My working time in the past has always been around sheltered housing, housing support and care at home services. I worked for the local authority and registered social landlords for a number of years.
I live in a lovely part of Aberdeenshire – about 10 miles from Huntly. It’s beautiful in the summer and I love to go walking with my wee border terrier called Morag. She loves to sometimes visit the office and is very spoilt by all the staff and that makes Quarriers very special – everyone is included. I used to paint and sketch, but recently don’t have much time to do this as I have quite a large brood of grandsons who take up my spare time, but I do love to do crafts and potter in my garden with them. As I find my feet, I am really enjoying meeting with young carers and seeing how resilient and positive they all are. That makes the job so worthwhile and special.
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Volunteer Vibes Welcome to Volunteer Vibes! First of all, we would like to welcome our new volunteers! Thank you to Claire, Stephen, Mike and Pat for joining the team. We look forward to utilising your skills to the utmost in 2024 from gardening to outdoor activities to befriending to crafting. I would also like to thank Alison for her support this year in attending events and writing beautiful pieces for the newsletter. Thank you also to the Grounded Learning counsellors who have given their time to provide counselling for unpaid carers. I know your work is much appreciated and makes a difference! If you would like to take advantage of free counselling with Grounded Learning, please drop me an email at julie.ritchie@quarriers.org.uk - Julie Ritchie, Volunteer Coordinator
Volunteer round-up Rainbow Needlecraft Centre taster session
Coming up in 2024! We are planning lots of exciting events for 2024 including:
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Outdoor activities for younger carers Regular craft activities Stand-alone craft activities
Please watch our Facebook page for further information. As always, we are looking to recruitment volunteers for a variety of roles across Aberdeenshire:
A huge thank you to Pat and her colleague at the Rainbow Needlecraft Centre for hosting an embroidery taster session in November. The carers thoroughly enjoyed it and should be proud of the embroideries they produced. Such talent! Pat has kindly offered to hold regular Have-a-Dabble craft sessions in 2024. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for more information: www.facebook.com/ aberdeenshirecarersupportservice
Volunteer lunch Thank you to everyone who joined us for lunch in November. And for those unable to attend, you missed good chat and good food at Edwards in Inverurie! We are looking forward to hosting another lunch in the new year as it’s a great opportunity to get together.
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Befrienders to provide companionship for carers of all ages*
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Drivers to help carers get out and about
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Holistic therapists willing to donate their time and skills
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Crafters of all kinds
Gardeners or DIY fans Activity helpers who can make our events the best they can be
* Please note that the befrienders will be spending time with the carer, not their loved ones Could this be you or someone you know? YOU can make a difference! We look forward to hearing from you and starting something new! Contact Julie Ritchie (Volunteer Coordinator) on 07586 553325 or 01467 538700, or by email at julie.ritchie@quarriers.org.uk We wish all volunteers old, new and future the very best for 2024!
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Male Carer Peer Support Group News from our Male Carer Peer Group, run by our very own Morag Mundie and Leanne McLaughlin: We’ve had a busy, enjoyable and very successful end to the year, with activities including engaging with Pawpals, Menshed and a trip to the ten-pin bowling centre at Garioch Bowling. We finished off the year with our Christmas meal at the Drouthy Laird in Inverurie, using Time for Me funding. We have had some great positive feedback from the male carers who said they enjoyed the banter, chat and peer support. Our next meeting will be in January. We hope all our male carers had a very merry Christmas, and we wish you all the best for 2024. - Morag and Leanne
Rest and Recharge afternoon teas We have very kindly been awarded funding to provide some social events for the unpaid carers we support. We have decided to use this to put together nine afternoon teas. We will be working on this over the next six months and will be in touch with carers matching the criteria for the funding to invite them along. Can’t wait to start rolling these out and meeting with everyone for a blether over a cuppa and some delicious cake. Sharing cake with friends sometimes makes everything a little easier.
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Young Carer Health & Wellbeing Grant Are you a young carer? A young carer is anyone under the age of 18 (or 18 if still at school) who cares for a family member or friend due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction. You may look after your mum, dad, brother, sister, grandparent or someone else close to your family. You may look after them all by yourself, or you may be helped by others in your family.
What is the Grant? The grant can help you to look after your health & wellbeing, and let you take time out to enjoy activities, hobbies and to spend time with friends. The Grant is a one-off purchase that does not need to be paid back. You can decide what you want to buy with the grant, as long as it will help you to look after health & wellbeing.
How do I apply for the Grant? Contact Quarriers Aberdeenshire Carer Support Service on 01467 538700 to ask for help to complete a Young Carer Statement. This will help us to know if you can apply for the Grant or if you would benefit more from an individual budget for ongoing support. A Family Wellbeing Worker from Quarriers will help you fill in the Grant application form.
aberdeenshire Information, Advice & Help is Available
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Respitality update
access the type of break they would like, whether it is a night or two away, a round of golf or an afternoon tea with friends or their cared for. The aim of Respitality is to provide a short vital break from routine for unpaid carers in Scotland when they need it most. This is achieved by connecting carers with hospitality, tourism and leisure businesses who are willing to donate a break free of charge. Being an unpaid carer can have many positive and rewarding aspects, but it can also be isolating, as well as physically and mentally demanding. For a range of reasons including financial pressures, carers’ concerns and limited time, it is often difficult for carers to take the time out to fully recharge, or to spend quality time on their own or with family and friends. - Pam McCready
I started my new role in Respitality and Grants in early October 2023, having previously spent a year as Administrator Grants and Funding allocating Creative Breaks, and other funding to unpaid carers. I am looking forward to working with our carers and Kath, our new Grants and Funding Administrator, to help carers
The aim of Respitality is to provide a short vital break from routine for unpaid carers in Scotland when they need it most.
Carefree On the next page, please find information on Carefree who offer short hotel breaks for unpaid carers. We can refer carers who are registered with us to this service free of charge. Once they have received your referral, Carefree will send a welcome email with instructions, terms, etc, for making your booking. Scan the QR code (right) to access the referral form.
HOTEL
There is a £33 admin fee payable only at the time of booking your break at any of their participating hotels all over the country. Your break can be for you as an unpaid carer and a friend or family member, not including your cared for. You may have one booking per calendar year. If you would like further information or have any queries, please contact us via the details on the flyer. Please note that the cost of the admin fee has increased to £33 (including VAT) as of 2 Jan 2024.
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Please note that the cost of the admin fee has increased to £33 (including VAT) as of 2 Jan 2024.
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Carer Practitioner Team - Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership and Aberdeenshire Council The Carers Team within the Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership and Aberdeenshire Council has expanded over the last 12 months. Meet the growing team of practitioners who support unpaid carers to set up and manage their carer Self-Directed Support budgets in North, Central and South Aberdeenshire. Brian Walsh Carer Practitioner Central Aberdeenshire
Rugare Mubawu Carer Practitioner North Aberdeenshire
I enjoy being part of our team and working together to support unpaid carers. I have worked in social care for around 30 years and have worked with people who have learning disabilities, people who experience mental health challenges and individuals affected by an autism spectrum condition.
I have been with the Carers Team since June and currently work in the north of Aberdeenshire. I previously worked as a social worker within children and families and later with adults with learning disabilities.
In my spare time, I am usually kept busy with my three children and taking them to clubs and activities. When I get time for myself, I enjoy a variety of sports and meeting up with friends and family.
I enjoy my job as it gives me the opportunity to help carers access Self-Directed Support funding and use this to have a break from their caring role. In my spare time, I enjoy a good walk, although the Scottish weather limits that this time of the year.
Tommy Thomson Carer Practitioner South Aberdeenshire
Jill Hakata Carer Practitioner Central Aberdeenshire I have been with the team since March 2023. Prior to this, I was a Social Worker with Children and Families Social Work. I enjoy working alongside my colleagues because we all share the same passion to support unpaid carers to meet their needs and personal outcomes. I enjoy spending time with family and occasionally I take long drives to England to see them. I also enjoy a lazy weekend of watching reality shows on TV.
Before working with the Carers Team, I was an assistant manager in a care home and I coordinated the Short Breaks Bureau. When I started in Social Work, I felt the needs of carers were often treated as an afterthought and I feel fortunate that I was able to play a small part in changing how social workers view and meet the needs of unpaid carers. Outside work, I can usually be found walking with my fiancée and our dog, Whisky, or golfing, reading or seeing friends.
Barbara Anderson Carer Practitioner North Aberdeenshire
Kara Robertson Carer Practitioner South Aberdeenshire
I’m a qualified nurse and came to work for the Council in 2000, first as an Occupational Therapist Technical Assistant, then I joined the Care Management Team as a Care Manager in 2002, before moving to the Carer Support Team in April 2022. I’m finding my job with the Carers Team very interesting and fulfilling, supporting unpaid carers to continue in their valuable and important roles as carers.
Before working with the Carers Team, I worked in care management for older people and people with physical disabilities in the Shire and in the city. Through working in care management, I saw the impact that caring had on unpaid carers and jumped at the opportunity to join the Carers Team so I could have a more direct role in supporting unpaid carers. One of the things I enjoy most is being able to support a carer and allow them to feel heard and be the primary focus.
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Confidence 2 Cook
Confidence 2 Cook (C2C) is a NHS Grampian resource (including training) designed to equip those working in a community setting with the skills, knowledge and confidence to help others start to cook. It is particularly aimed at increasing participants’ knowledge of food and health and to help others develop their cooking skills.
Confidence 2 Cook Training for Trainers (T4T) courses are now available! The training course has been updated and refreshed and for that reason we are offering two options for people who are interested to deliver C2C in their communities.
Option 2: C2C T4T refresher course This option is only suitable for people who have been previously trained as a trainer in C2C and have delivered at least one group in the community. (This option is not suitable for people who have never delivered a group, despite being trained.) Dates for refresher course: Wednesday 31 January 2024 on Microsoft Teams 2–3.30pm. For further information, please contact jenny.gordon1@nhs.scot or speak to your local public health team member.
Option 1: C2C T4T Course This option is suitable for all people who have been identified by local health and social care partnerships and wider partners as suitable candidates. Please note that there is a requirement for undertaking REHIS training before attending C2C T4T training and delivering two food skills courses post training. Start-up funding maybe available to support candidates. This option is also suitable for people who have previously been trained in C2C but have never delivered a group.
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Course 1: Tuesday 6 February 2024 REHIS Food and Health course
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Course 2: Thursday 29 February 2024 C2C T4T course
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Venue: Garioch Community Kitchen, Wyness Hall, Jackson St, Inverurie AB51 3QB
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Time: both courses run from 9.30am – 4pm
£500 donation to Quarriers from Christina Durward Christina Durward recently made a £500 donation to Quarriers. She said, “I’m delighted to pass on some monetary joy to help other carers as I have been helped and supported by the Quarriers Family Wellbeing Workers. Thanks to you all!” On behalf of everyone here at Quarriers, and the carers we support, we would like to thank Christina so much for her kind and generous donation. Her gift will provide so much for families in need and we appreciate it very much.
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Singin’ the Humbug Blues by Alison Cram
I feel like replying, though I don’t. People mean it kindly. I try not to be a complete Scrooge.
A Carer’s reflections on the lead up to Christmas Well, here we go again. The festive season is nearly upon us. The Christmas adverts have already been on the go for weeks - full of perfect families, angelic children, succulent roasts and talking vegetables (and a giant Venus fly-trap - are you sure about that one, John Lewis?). Every year that I’ve been a carer (that’s ten of them now), I feel my enthusiasm for this time of year waning a bit more, so every year I’ve cut back on the whole shebang fewer presents, fewer decorations, fewer cards, less food. It’s partly financial. With my dad very frail now, he feels the cold and we need to keep the rooms he uses nice and toasty. We also need to put his pressure mattress on all night and charge up the mobile hoist.
So my advice for the Christmas period, for what it’s worth?
he can manage to swallow, keeping him properly hydrated, ensuring he doesn’t develop pressure sores, that he feels loved and cared for. With all that going on, I frankly don’t have the time, energy or inclination to worry about baking the perfect mince pies, making exquisite table settings or pulling Christmas crackers full of useless plastic toys and dodgy jokes. I’ve got enough to do. Every day Dad needs to be fed his breakfast, washed and dressed, hoisted out of bed into his comfortable chair. It doesn’t matter if it’s Christmas Day or New Year’s Day, these tasks cannot be abandoned. Since our paid carers will be on holiday, those tasks will fall entirely to my brother and me. “What are you doing for Christmas Day?” people ask brightly.
Our electricity bills are scary.
Feel free to opt out of all the hoo-ha. Heck, feel free to abandon the whole thing altogether. I know some people love this time of year and if you want to do it with all the bells and whistles, then of course it’s up to you. Just remember to look after your own health and wellbeing, as well as that of the ones you care for. Christmas can be a tough time for lots of people, and I reckon that includes many unpaid carers. We all deserve a day off at Christmas and most of us won’t get it. As long as we get to the end of the day and we’re all still in one piece and haven’t burnt the house down, that’s all that really matters. Let’s leave the perfect mince pies and the dodgy jokes to somebody else. I know I will. Bah humbug? Bring it on.
ON
Off
“Much the same as the other 364,”
But it’s also that, increasingly, I just can’t be bothered. The things I have to worry about make all the Christmas and New Year fuss seem pretty unimportant, especially after the worries around Covid. I don’t mean to sound superior. It’s just that my main concerns are keeping Dad comfortable (even as his heart fails), preparing food that
Feel free to opt out of all the hoo-ha. Heck, feel free to abandon the whole thing altogether. I know some people love this time of year and if you want to do it with all the bells and whistles, then of course it’s up to you.
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Staff Christmas festivities The team at Aberdeenshire Carer Support Service took some time to get together for a Christmas celebration. There was lots of fun and laughter – and some fantastic festive looks – but the Christmas party also offered the chance to say goodbye and thank you to students Paula and Ada who had been on placement at the service. They did such a great job and loved their time with Quarriers. They will be missed and we wish them the very best for their future endeavours.
Upcoming events North Carers Café • Ban-Car Hotel, Lonmay, Fraserburgh AB43 8RL No group in January, thereafter it will be the first Wednesday of each month 10.30-11.30am
Male Carers Group • Tuesday 30 January • Tuesday 27 February • Tuesday 26 March 1.30pm – 2.30pm To book your place, contact Morag (morag.mundie@quarriers.org.uk) or Leanne (leanne.mclaughlin@ quarriers.org.uk).
Young Carer Group Events • Wednesday 24 January Inverurie
• Wednesday 14 February - Ellon • Wednesday 13 March Venue TBC
Aberdeenshire Carer Support Service: Wardes Road, Inverurie, AB51 3TT 01467 538700 • aberdeenshirecarers@quarriers.org.uk Quarriers is a registered Scottish Charity No SC001960
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