Tag Archives: charities

Pensioners set up lunch clubs after new council charges imposed

October 30, 2012   Carers, charities, Older care

PENSIONERS have formed their own lunch clubs which helps carers

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Isle of Thanet Gazette

Minnis Day Centre in Birchington is the sole remaining publicly run centre in Thanet. Some people have stopped attending after being hit by charges of up to £45 per day.

  1. TUCK IN: New lunch club members enjoyed a value for money meal

    TUCK IN: New lunch club members enjoyed a value for money meal

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Carer Barry Hardy, 85, set up a club because he cannot afford the new charges to take his wife Kay to the centre.

Following talks between users and KCC, Mr Hardy decided to organise a club to give carers and pensioners a place to gather that did not break the bank.

Mr Hardy said: “We couldn’t believe it when we saw the bill. For £30 a day, a hotel could provide breakfast, lunch and dinner so it’s hard to see where the money would go.

“It gives the carers a break as they know their loved ones will be looked after.

“For those that live alone, they can enjoy a home-cooked meal and some company.”

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Doing services differently report is launched

October 13, 2012   Carers, charities, disability

 Local innovations for Disabled
Support worker with older disabled person

 

Scope and independent think-tank nef have launched a new report called Doing services differently: local innovations for disabled people. We hope it will spark a new conversation with and between councils and charities, on how we can work together to deliver the support disabled people want, in order to lead the lives they value.

Councils and charities alike are facing unprecedented budget cuts coupled with increasing demands for services. A big challenge for both sectors is to understand how services can support disabled people at a time when cuts are the main driver of change.

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Serco set to take charge of ‘big society’ initiative

August 5, 2012   Carers, charities

Charities warn against bid to run David Cameron’s programme for teenagers, the National Citizen Service

Members of Catch22 Unity in Nottingham

Members of Catch22 Unity in Nottingham. Photograph: David Sillitoe for the Guardian

Serco, a leading private contractor, is in line to win a multimillion-pound contract to run the National Citizen Service, proposed by the prime minister as a “big society”, non-military version of national service for youngsters aged over 16.

The company, which recently announced global revenue of more than £4bn, has joined four charities in a controversial bid to run what has been described by the government as a key part of David Cameron’s big society vision. Serco and its partners hope to win eight of the 19 contracts currently up for tender, with an estimated value of nearly £100m over two years.

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