The power of caring, and how you help
A Year of Care • Page 4
G o , r e e c e , g o! Pag e 6
Children’s Fund news • Page 7 Recovering from brain injury • Page 9
Spring 2021
Fast Forward> Good news • Innovation • New projects
Christmas Appeal spreads cheer despite COVID A huge thank you to everyone who made a donation to Quarriers’ Christmas Appeal. You came through for young people affected by homelessness and despite everything, we were able to distribute gifts to each and every young person who spent Christmas at one of our services. Staff from our youth homeless services have reported the difference it made.
We have been blown away by the generosity of others who have thought about the young people we support and donated over the festive period. The young women we support have been grateful for their gifts and it made Christmas in lockdown a bit brighter than it would have been otherwise. Small acts of kindness have gone a long way to letting the young women know that other people care about them. WHAT IF Female Service
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Quarriers services for unpaid carers expand to Aberdeen City Aberdeen City Carer Support Service will provide advice and support to adults over 18 in Aberdeen City who provide unpaid care to a family member, friend or neighbour who depends upon them because of physical or mental illness, disability, frailty or substance use. Innovation is key. Who knows what carers need? Well, we thought that carers do, so the new Aberdeen City Carers Service will be co-designed with carers themselves. Supporting carers with all the information they need, the service will also provide expert training to other organisations, communicate and promote awareness of the role of unpaid carers, and work to source innovative options for respite care. We are delighted to announce just one exciting innovation - the Quarriers Virtual Carers Centre (VCC) – an online service co-designed by carers, for carers. Watch this space for an update!
d Do you look after a frien is or family member who unable to care for themselves? You are a carer, and we can help. y and If you are in Aberdeen Cit on, ati orm inf r the would like fur 00 87 53 7 46 please call 01 @ or email aberdeencarers uk quarriers.org. Page 3 • Quest Spring 2021
Quarriers’ Virtual Carers Centre – coming soon! • Co-designed by carers themselves • Can be tapped into by carers anywhere • Help carers to connect with others • Provide access to information and advice • Signpost carers to the support that will work for their own situation • Advise carers about how they may access short breaks • Help carers to maintain connections with the wider community • Provide advice on how technology can help them in their caring role Quest Spring 2021 • Page 3
A Year of Care It is now exactly a year since Quarriers’ Emergency Planning Committee took the decision to put the organisation into lockdown a week before government restrictions did the same for the country. Since then, Quarriers teams in every department have worked through the COVID-19 pandemic with one focus – to help keep the people we support safe and well. Carol Russell, Quarriers’ Head of Adults Services, reflects on the massive effect COVID-19 has had on the working lives of over one thousand staff who provide direct care for adults with disabilities in group living, supported living, respite care and specialised residential care home services. I’ve worked in many organisations with people with disabilities, their families and their support teams. I have to admit 2020 has been by far the most difficult year I have experienced in my professional life. We have had to adapt to constant changes in our everyday working habits and practices, and the scale of the challenge that managers and staff teams have faced has been immense.
What will I remember of 2020? I will remember Quarriers staff teams’ imagination and creativity to keep people we support well, engaged and enjoying their lives with all the restrictions that COVID-19 brought to us all. Page 4 • Quest Spring 2021
I will remember lots of Scottish Government guidance and rapidly changing advice, and the feeling that we were in a constantly changing world. I will remember the ability of staff to keep on working wearing a mask and other PPE, however hot and uncomfortable that was and is and however unfathomable these items may be for some of the people we support.
Over 3 million pieces of PPE in a year
Above: Celebrating visits from loved ones after the first lockdown ended. Middle: A wee trip to a local coffee shop became a major undertaking for everyone to do this safely. Bottom: Working to keep Christmas special.
I will remember so many examples of everyone working above and beyond with some very ill people, so that they were able to stay at home and sleep in their own beds. I will always remember those people that we have sadly lost so far in this journey.
I will remember long supermarket queues, the world’s obsession with toilet paper, washing our hands to various song combinations and cleaning routines that we still need to follow! I will remember ice cream cones being delivered to our services and pizzas arriving from local suppliers as if by magic. I will remember Quarriers services having Zoom discos, physical distancing Halloween, British Bake Offs, afternoon teas and fashion shows. Page 5 • Quest Spring 2021
And I will always remember that everyone here at Quarriers has worked so hard and for so long doing their very best for the people that they support. Looking forward, news of the vaccination programme is good to hear, but it looks like 2021 will be just as challenging for a whole range of new reasons. We remain in a constantly changing world but no matter what, I feel so very proud of each and every one of our staff members who dust themselves off and start again every day.
Children’s Fund update Your donations to our Children’s Fund appeal helped over 400 children, including a young carer, Reece, whose family are coping with life-changing illness. Reece, 14, and his sister Rebekka, 17, have always helped care for their brother Aiden, who has a diagnosis of Aspergers. But the last two years have been shattering for the family as Aiden became very ill. After collapsing at home and undergoing emergency surgery and months of tests, he was finally diagnosed with Crohns Disease and Fistula Disease. Every six weeks, mum Debbie takes Aiden on a seven-hour round-trip to Aberdeen Infirmary for biological therapy, a treatment similar to chemotherapy. She says “Aiden’s case is particularly severe. He is on double the usual dose and the treatment really floors him.”
Sometimes our house becomes like a hospital environment. It feels like a fight we’re in. Debbie Although they have always cared for Aiden, Reece and Rebekka were referred to Quarriers Young Carer Page 6 • Quest Spring 2021
Reece with his mum
Reece and his new bike
Support Service in Moray in 2019. With help from the service, they are developing ways to cope with the huge impact of Aiden’s illness. Karen is the Family Wellbeing Worker who supports Reece. Last summer, she filled out a Quarriers Children’s Fund application in order to purchase
Reece’s support worker Karen noticed how much Reece got from mountain biking: “He thoroughly enjoyed the freedom and the challenge.”
go out for ice cream ith meet up wd Lacey an Esme Thank you to everyone who donated to Quarriers Children’s Fund Appeal in 2020.
a bike for Reece. “Getting young carers to open up is a long process,” Karen explains. “It can be hard to reach young men, so when lockdown relaxed last year we organised some mountain biking that Reece took part in. You could see how good it was for him and he was heard saying he’d love a bike of his own. I spoke to his mum and found that he did have a bike that was far too small for him and wasn’t in good repair. We applied for funding for the bike because there was no way the family would have been able to get this for him, but we knew it could be a brilliant thing for him. It would recognise his desire for independence, give him a break from his caring role and increase his confidence, while maintaining his fitness doing something he enjoys.” Debbie has seen the difference that support has made. “Reece is a real outdoor boy, and everything that has happened with Aiden has had a big impact on him. But he bottles things up and it can come out as anger. Page 7 • Quest Spring 2021
Your support has been so incredibly important and helped provide all sorts of resources - from party packs for virtual Christmas parties to travel expenses for a trip to a caravan and a sensory garden for a residential service. It has all helped lift children’s spirits in these difficult times.
childre 3 n 5 4elped to date
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Thanks to kind donations from Quarriers supporters, Reece has his own mountain bike
“When the weather was good and the first lockdown relaxed, Reece used the bike every day. He would get up early each morning, make sandwiches and pack snacks, and go out for the full day with his pal. When he’d come in from his day out, I’d think ‘I’ve got a different son’. And I’ve never seen a bike so clean!” For a family that has spent much of the last year shielding due to Aiden’s compromised immune system, any opportunity for Reece to get out on his bike has been vital. Karen says “They’re a lovely family, they really look after each other. I know Debbie wanted to be able to say thank you.” And that is exactly what Debbie would like to say. “When you’ve got a child who is very ill, it really does affect the other children. I’ve always been a supportive mum, but now so much of my time is taken up with Aiden. I feel guilty. It’s been great for Rebekka and Reece to have Quarriers. We’re so grateful we received funding from the Quarriers Children’s Fund for a bike for Reece.” Page 8 • Quest Spring 2021
The help came at just the right time for Reece. Debbie, Reece’s mum
Recovery in Renfrewshire What is it like recovering from a brain injury during a pandemic? When lockdown changed how David McDonald could safely access NHS support, Quarriers Renfrewshire Head Injury Service (RHIS) was there to help him continue his rehabilitation at home.
In May 2019, David McDonald was rushed to hospital with a catastrophic bleed on his brain caused by a tooth infection. It was touch and go for the 28-year-old. “I can’t remember much of it” says David, but his mum Janis remembers every moment. “He was very ill,” says Janis. “His left side was completely rigid, he was confused and struggling to communicate.” With heroic efforts David began walking and talking again and was improving every day at rehabilitation unit Graham Anderson House. Then COVID happened. The family was faced with a decision: should David stay in a residential setting, with associated COVID risks, possibly not seeing his family for a long time - or move in with family?
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After brain surger y and open-heart surger y David spent months in hospital.
His rehabilitation was far from over, but everyone felt that not seeing loved ones would be very isolating – and affect his recovery. David moved back with family, and one vital element in that decision was that Quarriers Renfrewshire Head Injury Service had already been in touch to discuss how they could help.
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Graham Reid is a member of the team at RHIS supporting David. He says “Residential rehab is a critical period. When David moved home, that process hadn’t finished. We have been helping David through a period of limbo between his life before, and his new life negotiating his world after brain injury.” With his usual light-hearted tone, David explains what the specialist support from RHIS has meant for him. “No one who hasn’t had a brain injury can experience what it’s like, but the Quarriers team understand how it can feel to be confused about your socks.”
Recent research reported
57%
of people who sustained a brain injury within the past two years said their rehabilitation was negatively impacted by lockdown. Source: Headway: The Impact of Lockdown on Brain Injury Survivors and their Families
It seems a strange example, but Graham explains “We have expertise in the common issues people face – I understand how a person with an acquired brain injury may have difficulty understanding the functioning of an object.
I’m still here, and I need to be my own person. The guys at Quarriers are so willing to get invested in you. They go out of their way to focus on your recovery. I’m telling them what I want my next step to be, but they’re already thinking about the next step after that! David Page 10 • Quest Spring 2021
To suddenly find your socks a mystery is so confusing, and I think people we support can feel less normal, less human. It is a lot to cope with.” Helping clients cope with the emotional impact of brain injury includes very practical support. A priority for David was talking him through a new set-up for his computer so text is in yellow on a black background - a common technique that helps with the specific way his brain injury has affected his vision. Graham says “It’s about spending enough time with people to connect and figure out what they’re
I know that David and I wouldn’t be in the place we are in now emotionally if we hadn’t had the support from Quarriers. Janis, David’s mum struggling with. I could be chatting to someone online and they say, ‘Oh this computer’s so bright’. And I think ‘Wait a minute, I’ve just sent you lots of forms to fill in via email but sounds like you’re experiencing issues with your vision.’ How is someone going to deal with the copious amounts of form filling if looking at their computer screen makes them unwell? So we have to solve that issue.” Such practical help has empowered David to access communications and support during lockdown. It also helped him and his mum Janis to navigate the huge amount of paperwork that becomes part of life after a brain injury. Janis says, “As a carer you fear your loved one missing out on something that could help them because you have missed something. The Quarriers team are 100% there for David. They understand the system. His family are trying so hard to be positive so we tend to be focused on what David CAN do, but the system is Page 11 • Quest Spring 2021
geared up to help based on what he can’t do. The RHIS team help you with that. They have strengthened every application for assistance we’ve made.” There is still a long way to go. “David copes so well, but it can give people a false impression,” says Janis. “He’s dealing with physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms. He’s coming to terms with a new identity”. But his recovery has come on leaps and bounds. He has the keys to a new flat, is planning a return to work and is looking towards the final big goal – getting a dog. The Quarriers team will continue to be there for him, working on small steps to get him to those big goals. Graham says “It’s our hope that we work ourselves out of a job. The tools and strategies we give the client empowers them to manage their lives themselves. David is a great guy with a brilliant attitude. He’s been an inspiration and I know he will get there.”
The ambition Even though the last year has put ambitions on hold for many of us, Quarriers’ support is all about empowering people to achieve their goals, big and small. We celebrate one special ambition reached in 2020 despite everything. Robert is 63 and had never been on a plane. He is a gentle man who likes to be busy, and his team at the Quarriers supported living service where he has lived for 8 years support him to do activities like swimming, cinema trips and seeing friends most days of the week. The first lockdown had brought Robert low, so as soon as restrictions relaxed last summer, Support Workers Chris Taylor and Margaret Casey asked him what new experience he’d like to try. Robert wanted to go on a plane. Even though going on a big plane wasn’t possible, with classic Quarriers determination and a bit of imagination, they cleverly arranged for a very special day on a small plane. Page 12 • Quest Spring 2021
So, at the age of 63, Robert boarded a Loch Lomond Seaplane for a wonderful trip soaring over the countryside. Margaret supported him on the day and says “Robert just loves getting out and about. He had a great time and a big beaming smile that said it all.” Not only did the trip give Robert a massive boost, some very special memories and a huge sense of achievement, it also had a practical purpose – a wee practice trip to see how Robert would take to flying. The great news is that he’s a natural. So, like many of us right now, Robert can dream of a holiday abroad in the future. His team is looking at next steps and is determined to support him to go on a holiday abroad, maybe even achieving another big ambition for Robert – to visit Australia to see koalas!
Thank you!
To every business who supported Quarriers in 2020 by Morag Smith, Senior Fundraiser, Corporate and Events
From donations of selection boxes from Picture Book Fashion for the children and families at Ruchazie, to a huge pile of duvets donated by John Lewis that will be used at youth homeless services across Glasgow, every donation is gratefully received. We had amazing support for a virtual auction held in place of the sadly cancelled Noel Lunch. Donations included luxury whisky from Loch Lomond Distillery, a beautiful gift box from Weebox, vouchers from Crowne Plaza hotels, original paintings from local artists and loads more. We also had a generous donation from Tunnocks, one of our long term friends. At Christmas we received bags of beautifully wrapped gifts from Eyebright, and Clydesdale Bank donated money in lieu of their usual gifts.
Thank you!
Picture Book Fashion
Thank you!
John Lewis
Thank you!
It has been a tough year for everyone, so we are especially grateful to each and every company. If you work for or know of a company who you think would like to help, please drop me an email morag.smith@quarriers.org.uk and I will happily get in touch. Page 13 • Quest Spring 2021
Eyebright Quest Spring 2021 • Page 13
Virtual Kiltwalk Weekend 2021
23–25 April
5 reasons to take part and raise money in aid of Quarriers. Do your challenge anywhere
Choose your own challenge
If you have always wanted to do the Kiltwalk but it has been too far to travel, now is your chance to start and finish your walk, run or cycle at your own house!
24-hour dance challenge? Run round the garden challenge? Kids-go-cold-turkeyon-their-phones challenge? Get the whole family involved, even the dog!
Have a whole weekend of fun
Everyone signed up has the chance to win a car!
Do it for you
Take two whole days to complete your challenge if you want. Across Scotland, thousands of people will be involved in a special weekend and connected via social media. Be part of it.
2021 could be the year you get fit, learn something new or do something you have always dreamed of. No matter what, you will feel proud.
For more information, or to sign up, go to www.quarriers.org.uk/kiltwalk Page 14 • Quest Spring 2021
Do it for someone else Every penny you raise will matter, and with Sir Tom Hunter topping up whatever you raise by an amazing 50%, you really could change someone’s life, make someone smile, give someone a helping hand when they need it. Help us care.
Supporting Stars Celebrating special fundraising efforts This issue our Supporting Star award goes to… Sandra Wright, who set herself a challenge to walk 10,000 steps a day for a month for Quarriers. She’s a star because… She showed brilliant self-motivation to get out on her own and walk no matter what, and she smashed it! The reason for getting involved? She says “Quarriers provides such great care to the people they support, and anything extra lets them make it all just a bit more special.” Best bit Getting fitter! Sandra says ”It’s great to have gone from a 1,000-steps-a day person to an easy 10,000. Highly recommend it to anyone in the same position.”
120 m il es an d 267,000 st eps in a m on th !
There are so many great things about a walk - being able to stride out and build up strength, the colours, the smells, the sounds, the beautiful scenery and changing sky, and listening to my audio book. Sandra
Got your own idea for a special fundraising project? We can help. Contact us at fundraising@quarriers.org.uk or call 01505 690875 Page 15 • Quest Spring 2021
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g n i t a r Celeb years! In November 2021, Quarriers will celebrate our 150th anniversary - a truly amazing milestone.
You are part of the story. We would love to know what Quarriers means to you. Why do you support? What connection do you have to Quarriers? What hopes would you have for the work of Quarriers in the future? We would love to hear from you, and if you would like to contribute you can use the form and envelope enclosed with your issue of Quest, or email ruth.park@quarriers.org.uk
The kindness and generosity of ordinary people thinking of others has been crucial for Quarriers since the very beginning. In 1871, founder William Quarrier wrote a letter in the Glasgow Herald about his hopes of building a village to care for disadvantaged children. His letter moved many people to donate, and those donations helped make it possible to begin building what was to become Quarriers Village. Today, every donation is just as crucial to the work of delivering care and support where it is needed.
Quarriers is a registered Scottish Charity – No. SC001960. Quarriers Head Office, Quarriers Village, Bridge of Weir, PA11 3SX. Tel: 01505 612224/616000