Category Archives: Featured Article

How does your garden grow?

June 27, 2015   Alzheimer’s, Carers, Featured Article, health

John Jeffry, the Carers Garden, Brighton

‘I go out in the country sometimes and take cuttings, put them in rooting compound, then stick them in the ground. Sloes and things like that’

John Jeffry: ‘Coming here was a break. It gave me a bit of focus. I like the company.’ Photograph: Sophia Evans for the Guardian

You feel on top of the world up here – it makes everything else seem so small. The Carers Centre set up this allotment to give people a few hours break from caring each week. When I heard about it I really wanted to come but couldn’t because my wife Ellen had Alzheimer’s. When she went into a nursing home, it was hard, but coming here was a break. It gave me a bit of focus. I like the company.

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Councils face £3.3bn grant cut next year

June 26, 2015   Carers, Featured Article, health, ukcuts

David Sparks warned that councils face big cuts in funding

First published 00:16 Friday 26 June 2015 in National News © by Press Association 2014

Councils in England face cuts of £3.3 billion in central government funding next year, a new study has found.

The Local Government Association warned that councils will have to make “significant” savings on top of previous spending cuts.

Funding will continue to be reduced – by 11% in 2017/18 and 4% in 2018/19 before increasing by 7% in 2019/20, said the LGA.

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Disabled volunteers humiliated by council venue blunder

June 25, 2015   Carers, disability, Featured Article, Scotland
 by John Robertson
Sylvia Stonnart was one of a group of five registered-disabled volunteers who were being presented with certificates

Disabled volunteers said they were left “humiliated” when a council event designed to honour their hard work was held in a venue without wheelchair access.

The five women, who work with local support group Moray Duo, were among 80 people invited to the celebration at Elgin Football Club to receive certificates recognising their long-term service.

But the disabled guests could not join in with the main ceremony – because they could not climb the stairs.

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