Richmond Carers Centre

Welcome to the Richmond Carers Centre Spring 2023 update, covering February, March and April 2023.

In the following pages you will find information on our face-to-face and digital services for adult and young carers, as well as local news and information, upcoming training workshops for carers, opportunities to get involved and services offered by the Richmond Carers Hub Service, and other local organisations.

For further information on our services visit our website www.richmondcarers.org

• Carers Support Line Our support team provides carers with advice, information and emotional support by telephone, email, in-person at the centre and via Zoom. If you need someone to talk to call our Carers Support Line on 020 8867 2380.
• Counselling for carers Our counselling sessions are being delivered remotely, email support@richmondcarers.org to join the waiting list.
• Telephone and email support to complete funding applications for items you need to support you in your caring role. Call 020 8867 2380 or email support@richmondcarers.org
• Our Workshops and Learning, and Activities programmes offer a mixture of online and in-person sessions/opportunities. 
• Quarterly information updates by email.

Adult Carer Activities

Call 020 8867 2380 or email support@richmondcarers.org to book

Booking for activities is essential. Priority will be given to newly registered carers and carers that have not attended an activity before.

Book Club – online via Zoom
A supportive group who love to read. No reading list, just bring along the book you are currently reading and share with the group. You may find a new book that you wouldn’t otherwise have read and make some new friends too.
10.30-11.30am
Fridays 3rd February and 3rd March

Tai Chi Classes
Richmond Carers Centre are continuing with their exciting sessions of Tai Chi for carers. It is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defence training, health benefits and meditation. The next sessions will take place on Mondays.
 10.30-11.30am
Mondays 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th February
Venue: Mortlake (please note the change of venue)

Walk and Talk in Bushy Park – Walking Group NEW
The walking group will be a chance for you to enjoy a group walk around Bushy Park. This will be a circular walk. The February walk will include a visit to the Water Gardens and the March walk will focus on visits to the Pheasantry Gardens and the Woodland Gardens.
10.30-11.30am
Tuesdays 7th February and 7th March
Venue: Bushy Park

Coffee Mornings
Join us for a hot drink and friendly conversation. 
10.30am-12noon
Wednesdays 8th February, 8th March and 12th April
Venue: Twickenham Green

Art Club RETURNING
The workshops will explore a range of art mediums with the opportunity to enjoy refreshments and connect with other carers in a relaxed environment. Carers will be decorating a wooden chopping board in the February session and exploring watercolours in the March session.
11am-1pm
Thursdays 9th February and 2nd March
Venue: Twickenham Green

Garden Club
Our friendly group enjoys growing plants from seeds and cuttings and tending to our garden. Anyone is welcome to come along to help, learn and chat over tea and coffee. In the winter months our club will gather indoors at the centre but, as the weather gets warmer, the garden club will gather outside in the garden at the Centre. The March session will include making teepees for climbers. The April session will include upcycling containers for flower displays.
10am-12noon
Tuesdays 21st March and 25th April
Venue: Twickenham Green

Coffee Mornings for Parent Carers and Young Adult Carers
A monthly coffee morning for parent carers and young adult carers aged 18-25 in the beautiful setting of Marble Hill House and Gardens.
10.30am-12noon
Wednesdays 22nd February, 22nd March and 26th April
Venue: Marble Hill

Yoga NEW

Our Yoga sessions offer a chance to stretch your body, improve flexibility, strengthen your muscles and improve overall wellbeing by including different breathing and relaxation techniques. You should leave the sessions feeling energised, relaxed and better equipped to face the day. The sessions are for any ability with options to modify certain poses and use props to allow them to be more accessible and accommodate any injury or physical restrictions.
10.30-11.45am
Wednesdays 1st, 15th and 29th March, 5th and 19th April
Venue: Eel Pie Island

Perfume Making NEW
To celebrate Women’s Day, an artisan perfumer will deliver a workshop to give carers the opportunity to make their own perfume.
11am-1pm
Wednesday 8th March
Venue: Twickenham Green

Mindfulness Course – face to face OR online via Zoom NEW

Mindfulness practice can help relieve stress and anxiety. Our 4-week Mindfulness course will include sitting, standing and walking meditations, mindful eating and breathing exercises. Mindfulness is not about sitting with the eyes closed and making the mind go blank. The mind is always busy thinking but when we learn to be mindful, we can see the coming and going of thoughts and emotions so we can let go of them.
FACE-TO-FACE: 11am-12.30pm
Thursdays 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th March
Venue: Twickenham Green
ONLINE VIA ZOOM: 5pm-6pm
Thursdays 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th April

Dementia Carers Information and Support Session – online via Zoom
When someone is diagnosed with dementia their partner and family often have a lot of questions. The Carers Information and Support Sessions aim to give a space for family members, carers and friends to find out more about what dementia is, how dementia affects people and your needs as a carer.

These sessions are just for carers, family members and friends of people newly diagnosed with dementia so that you have space to talk and learn freely and ask the questions you want to ask. Sessions are one-off/stand-alone – you are welcome to attend more than one session but the topics covered at each will be the same.

The sessions are run jointly by a Clinical Psychologist from Richmond Memory Service and a Carers Support Worker from Richmond Carers Centre.
1-3pm
Thursday 23rd March

Easter Wreath Making Activity NEW
This workshop will provide the opportunity to make a decorative Easter or Spring themed wreath or table centre piece, and connect as a friendly group with other carers.
12.30-2pm
Tuesday 28th March
Venue: Twickenham

Legal Clinics
The legal clinics will offer advice around power of attorney, wills and issues affecting vulnerable and older individuals. Sessions are 20 minutes per person between 9.30am and 12.30pm. Please book to schedule your slot.
Tuesday 18th April
Venue: Twickenham Green

Face-to-Face appointments

We are pleased to welcome the return of face-to-face appointments with a Carer Support Worker at the centre. If you would like to arrange an appointment please contact us:

Call 020 8867 2380 or email support@richmondcarers.org to book

Measures will be in place to keep you and our staff safe with regard to Covid-19.

What would you like to see in our programme?

Training Programme – February 2023

To book onto any of the workshops below, call 020 8867 2380 or email support@richmondcarers.org

Online Information Session about Flu and Covid Vaccinations – Public Health Richmond
An information session delivered by Public Health Richmond about the Covid and Flu vaccinations, the benefits of getting them and why as a carer it’s important to be vaccinated.
11am-12noon
Wednesday 1st February

Setting Boundaries Workshop – Your Stuff, My Stuff – with Jill Pay from Not a Care in the World
As a carer, it is hard to know what boundaries mean as you are constantly ‘on’. What is your stuff easily becomes my stuff. This workshop will identify what boundaries are, why boundaries are important, why we sometimes take on too much responsibility as carers and how to maintain healthy boundaries.
11am-12noon
Friday 10th February

Setting Boundaries Workshop – ‘Reach Out’ – with Jill Pay from Not a Care in the World
This workshop will look at the role of being a carer and the relationship to public services to understand clear boundaries and to share the caring load. The workshop will explore the range of professionals in a carers life, what carers can do to support themselves to reach out, who can help with the caring role and why it is so important to reach out and ask for help. 11am-12noon
Friday 24th February

Training Programme – March 2023

To book onto any of the workshops below, call 020 8867 2380 or email support@richmondcarers.org

Maximising the Quality and Quantity of Sleep – talk with Brian Isbell
Brian Isbell will deliver an informative talk about what a healthy sleep cycle is, variations in sleep requirements and how lack of sleep can affect our bodies. There will also be information on the processes that occur during sleep, types of insomnia and the effects of caffeine on sleep. Brian Isbell will provide details of things that can negatively impact on the quality and quantity of sleep, in addition to information about the natural methods for promoting better sleep.
1-2.30pm
Monday 6th March

Direct Payments Workshop
An informative workshop around Direct Payments delivered by Ruils. This workshop will cover what Direct Payments are, how they can be used to help loved ones and details about Carer’s Direct Payments.
11am-12.30pm
Friday 24th March

Training Programme – April 2023

To book onto any of the workshops below, call 020 8867 2380 or email support@richmondcarers.org

Care Technology Information Workshop
This session will provide information around care technology available to support independent living for older and disabled adults. There will be a range of products available for you to look at and try at the centre, however there is also the option to join online if you are not able to attend in person.
11am-12.30pm
Thursday 20th April
Venue: Online or face-to-face at Twickenham Green

My Care, My Home Services Information Workshop
My Care, My Home supports older people with needs, and provides information and advice on how to find and fund the most appropriate care. This information session will cover the services carers can access for help and support.
11am-12noon
Thursday 27th April
Venue: Online or face-to-face at Twickenham Green

Carers can claim foodbank vouchers
Richmond Carers Centre is delighted to announce we are now a network partner of the Richmond Foobank scheme. We are authorised to distribute Foodbank vouchers to any carer who is struggling to pay for food during the current cost of living crisis.

The scheme will continue to run throughout the year. The only condition is that carers must be registered with us. We can provide vouchers either electronically or by post.

Email support@richmondcarers.org or call 020 8867 2380 to claim your vouchers today.

Carers Trust: Survey results published
Carers Trust has launched ‘I feel like I’ve disappeared’, its UK-wide report on the survey it conducted last year. The survey findings highlight starkly how unpaid carers are even more vulnerable than rest of society to financial hardship caused by the Cost Of Living Crisis.
It’s clear from what unpaid carers said in the survey that their caring role is driving many of them even deeper into financial hardship, as well as having a negative impact on their physical and mental wellbeing. It’s also clear that unpaid carers feel they have been abandoned and ignored by successive UK governments for a long time.
You can read the report online at https://carers.org/downloads/ct-reporti-feel-like-i-have-disappeared.pdf

Carers UK: 'Looking After Someone' guide updated
Looking after someone' is Carers UK flagship guide for anyone caring for family or friends. The guide is an excellent starting point and provides an overview of everything you need to know, from your rights, to practical tips and financial support options.

You can read the guide online at https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/guides-and-tools/looking-after-someone-guide/

Nominate your community heroes
Do you know a person, group or business who's helped to make Richmond upon Thames and their local community a better place, without expecting anything in return? Help to give them the recognition they deserve. Nominate them today for the Richmond upon Thames Community Heroes Awards. https://bit.ly/3QxaKVs

Tea and Memories – Hampton Mission Partnership
Tea and Memories is a monthly memory cafe where people living with memory problems or dementia, and their carers, can relax and be themselves, share stories and take part in a range of activities, games and quizzes. Participants are encouraged to talk about their memories. Free refreshments are served to the table.
10.30am-12noon
1st Friday of every month
Venue: Hampton Methodist Church Hall
Email tea@hamptonmissionpartnership.org.uk for more information.

Help with Technology for Carers
As part of Richmond Council’s Digital Project, 'Connect to Tech', Ruils is offering a ‘try before you buy’ scheme where you can trial different types of technology to see what best suits your needs. Their advisors will chat to you about the technology options and set things up for you. Then at the end of the trial period, help you to decide what to buy and help arrange funding if required.

For more information, call Ruils on 020 8831 6088 or email connecttotech@ruils.co.uk and their advisors will be happy to help!

Knitting Naure at Kew Gardens
Come along for some knit and natter while exploring fascinating topics about Kew’s science and plants. All ability levels welcome and materials provided. Sessions will start in March 2023.
Please e-mail communitylearning@kew.org to find out more.