Category Archives: poverty
Carers champion uses Facebook to help heroes
A NEW carers tsar
The city’s new ‘carers champion’, Norman Work
A NEW carers tsar is to use Facebook to reach thousands of unsung youngsters across Edinburgh who look after disabled or elderly relatives.
Councillor Norman Work, a former vice-convener for social care and housing, has become Scotland’s first “carers champion” – a post established as part of the council coalition agreement between Labour and the SNP.
One of his first steps will be to connect with the Capital’s hidden army of young carers via such social media platforms as Facebook, to make them aware of the vital support services aware to them.
He said: “We’re looking at being as accessible as possible.”
Cllr Work, whose role will see him engage with carers and act as their voice within City Chambers, recently held his first meeting with organisations representing the tens of thousands of people in the city who look after a friend or family member for free.
Following the meeting, he said he is particularly keen to engage with children who look after a parent or sibling but may not be receiving the help they are entitled to.
Hampers and food parcels donated to Wimbledon carers
Over 30 hampers and food parcels have been donated to carers in Wimbledon.
10:00am Sunday 6th January 2013
Home Instead Care staff with the HampersThe teams at the Wimbledon and Kingston office of Home Instead Senior Care, which provide care to older people in their own homes, used donations to produce the hampers.
Using food and goodies donated by staff, families, friends and contacts, the team received contributions from across the borough for their 2012 Hamper appeal.
Clare Jefferies, owner of Home Instead Care said: “We recognise that there are many who have such a tough life, caring for loved ones and dealing with very difficult situations, usually through no fault of their own. We thought it would be good to help bring a bit of cheer to their lives.
“We asked local organisations to identify people who most needed help and we were delighted to drop off 30 hampers to The Wimbledon Guild, Kingston Carers Network, Carers Support Merton, Kingston Association for the Blind, Merton Voluntary Services Council and The Stroke Association.
“We do hope this goes some way in making a small difference to older people within our local community and will ensure they have a selection of treats to look forward to, well into the new year.”
http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news
Families face choice between food and heating, warn charities
By Gabriella Jozwiak, Thursday 06 December 2012
Families on benefits could be forced to choose between paying for food and heating, as a result of measures announced in the autumn statement, children’s charities have warned.
Children and young people’s organisations warned that families would be hit by the real-terms cuts to working-age benefits and tax credits.
Jobseeker’s Allowance, income support and child tax credit are among the working-age benefits that will increase by just one per cent over the next three years, equating to a real-terms cut, given that inflation is currently running at more than two per cent.
The Children’s Society suggested the one per cent cap would mean an unemployed, lone parent with one child and no other income will only receive about £4 more each month after housing costs in 2015.
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