Richmond Carers Centre

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Welcome to the Richmond Carers Centre Autumn 2023 update, covering August, September and October 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 register your interest in any of the activities below.

Registering your interest is essential. Priority will be given to newly registered carers and carers that have not attended an activity before.

Tai Chi Classes
Tai Chi sessions for carers will continue in a new location. Tai Chi is an internal Chinese martial art practised for defence training, health benefits and meditation.
10.30am-12.30am
Wednesdays 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th September; 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th October
Venue: Eel Pie Island (please note the change of venue)

Coffee Mornings
Join us for a hot drink and friendly conversation with fellow carers.
10.30am-12noon
Wednesdays 13th September and 11th October 
Venue: Twickenham Green

Art Club
The workshops will explore a range of art mediums with the opportunity to enjoy refreshments and connect with other carers in a relaxed environment.
11am-1pm
Thursdays 14th September and 12th October
Venue: Twickenham Green

Pizza Making for Young Adult Carers age 18-25
Meet other young adult carers and have a chat while having fun making and enjoying delicious pizzas together.
1-3pm
Thursday 21st September
Venue: Pizza Express, Teddington

Coffee Mornings for Parent Carers and Young Adult Carers
The coffee morning for parent carers and young adult carers aged 18-25 meets in the beautiful setting of Marble Hill House and Gardens.
10.30am-12noon
Wednesdays 27th September and 18th October  
Venue: Marble Hill

Photography Class at Marble Hill Gardens
In this activity, you will meet as a group and, with the support of a professional photographer, learn about how to take better photos outside in nature.
11am-1pm
Thursday 28th September
Venue: Marble Hill

Autumnal Wreath Making
Join us to create an autumnal wreath celebrating the warm and golden colours of autumn. Using a variety of materials you will make a beautiful celebration of autumn for your home, whilst enjoying friendly company in this group activity.
11am-1pm
Tuesday 3rd October
Venue: Twickenham Green

Marble Hill House Tour
Join us for a tour to reveal the story of Marble Hill house. Built for Henrietta Howard, Marble Hill is a textbook example of Palladian architecture and its superb collection of early Georgian artworks and furnishings is a pleasure to behold.
11am-12noon
Thursday 19th October
Venue: Marble Hill

Afternoon Tea with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor
Carers can enjoy hot drinks and an array of delicious treats with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Richmond. The Mayor is hosting this event for unpaid carers to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding work you do to care for your loved one(s).
3-4.30pm 
Wednesday 25th October 
Venue: York House, Twickenham

What would you like to see in our programme?

Appointments with an Adult Carer Support Worker

If you would like to arrange an appointment with an Adult Carer Support Worker, please contact us on 020 8867 2380 or email support@ richmondcarers.org. We offer appointments face-to-face at the Centre, on the telephone or online by email or video conferencing. To find out more about our services and for information relevant to your caring role, please visit our website at www.richmondcarers.org or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Careers Workshop with Richmond Theatre 
Explore Richmond Theatre and learn about opportunities for careers in the theatre and arts, such as Marketing, Technical, Stage door and many more. Speak with representatives of different departments and learn more about creative careers.
11am-12.30pm 
Thursday 7th September 
Venue: Richmond Theatre 

CV Writing Workshop
Learn about different types of CVs, get advice on how to make a strong CV as well as how to sell yourself and your skills in your CV. You can bring your own CV if you have one, where our provider can review it and give you any useful advice or tips.
11.30am-1pm 
Tuesday 12th September 
Venue: Twickenham Green

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 & 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 21st September

Kingston Hospital Discharge Workshop 
Information and advice on what to expect if your cared for person gets admitted to hospital. It will also have some advice and tips on Contingency Planning.
11am-12.30pm 
Tuesday 26th September 
Venue: Online or face-to-face at Twickenham Green 

Energy Advice and Savings to Support Cost of Living Workshop – SW Leap
This workshop will provide tips on saving energy in the home, as well as an overview of grants and discounts available locally and nationally. There will be the opportunity to ask questions and, if requested, SW Leap can also follow up with a visit or call.
11am-12noon 
Thursday 5th October 
Venue: Twickenham Green

Universal Credit Workshop 
This workshop will include information on claimant eligibility, an overview of the benefit, how it is managed, what it is made up of and how much claimants will receive. It will also cover the financial impact for carers and for those working.
11am-12.30pm 
Tuesday 17th October 
Venue: Twickenham Green

Carers UK release new Carers Active videos
Finding the time and energy to take part in physical activity can be challenging when you’re caring for someone, but the benefits can be huge. Carers UK’s new Carers Active Stories video series features inspiring insights from carers who’ve found ways to balance taking part in physical activity with looking after someone. From Bollywood dance to online Pilates, the videos feature four different examples of carers who share their stories of getting active and how it helps them manage their caring roles and improve their health and wellbeing.

You can watch the full videos and read more about the carers’ stories online on Carers UK’s Carers Active Hub: https://bit.ly/3XZNO4O

Sensory Palaces sessions at Hampton Court and Kew Palaces
Sensory Palaces is a wellbeing programme for people living with dementia and their carers. Sensory Palaces bring the history of their heritage sites to life through sensory storytelling.

These sensory storytelling sessions take place on Zoom.

Art in Unexpected Places 
Take a close-up look at some of the wonderful art works at their palaces as surprising stories and hidden meanings are discovered.
11am-12.30pm 
Date: Tuesday 12 September 
 
Spooky Stories and Historic Hauntings 
Dare to join them on Halloween as they uncover the mysteries behind the famous phantoms at Hampton Court Palace and hear gruesome tales from the Tower of London. Who were the real people who inspired these spooky stories?
11am-12.30pm 
Date: Tuesday 31 October 
 
To book your places email Sarah Fairbairn at sarah.fairbairn@hrp.org.uk

IT lessons for over 60s: Connect to Tech – Age UK
If you are 65+ and living in Richmond upon Thames, Connect to Tech can help you get online and get connected. You may be new to the world of IT and computers, or you may be looking to develop your existing skills. There are lots of benefits to being online. 

Age UK’s Connect to Tech services include:

• Tablet Loan Scheme 
• One to one support at community locations 
• Weekly drop in club 

Carers Week 2023 report on unpaid carer identification
Carers Week charities commissioned YouGov to carry out polling of the general public, including adults who are currently providing unpaid care. The polling, which was carried out with over 4,000 people, reported:  

73% of unpaid carers have never identified as a carer  

Eight million have seen their health and wellbeing suffer 

Seven charities supporting Carers Week call for cross-Government action and a funded National Carers Strategy 

Unpaid carers need more awareness so they can access essential benefits and support. 

Read the full report online: https://carers.org/downloads/carers-week-report-2023.pdf 

Free Digital Resource for Carers
NHS England are giving all unpaid carers in England free access to Carers UK’s Digital Resource for Carers, an online platform that hosts a wealth of information and advice for carers to help them build resilience in their caring role. This means that across the London region, carers have practical support once they have been identified.  

The resources can help to deliver on the NHS Long Term Plan Commitments to unpaid carers. The Carers UK platform includes e-learning, guides and comprehensive signposting, access to MyBackUp, a simple contingency planning tool for what might happen in an emergency, and Jointly, Carers UK’s care co-ordination app which also includes contingency planning features.  

To use the Digital Resource for Carers, visit https://carersdigital.org/login/. You will need to create an account using the Free Access Code: DPCN9365.  

Council publish their guide for safeguarding carers 
The Richmond and Wandsworth Safeguarding Adults Board has published guidance for safeguarding carers. 

Safeguarding means protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of adults at risk, enabling them to live safely, free from abuse and neglect. Sometimes we experience situations in which we feel unable to protect ourselves from the action of others. Safeguarding is a way of helping people with care and support needs over the age of 18 so they can protect themselves from abuse by others. Carers have a range of roles in relation to safeguarding – they can be the person who raises the concern; can themselves be vulnerable to harm and abuse or can be abusers themselves.

Download the full guidance document from https://bit.ly/44OWoq1 

For more information around safeguarding, identifying abuse and how to report it, visit the safeguarding pages on the Council’s website here: https://bit.ly/43HzCPt 

For a range of services available to carers, please visit https://bit.ly/3rHCI8D