Tag Archives: carers
A glimpse of the unseen absolute poverty in 21st century UK
Most people are completely unaware of the extent to which there is poverty today
Posted on by Vicki Fitzgerald
With thanks to Rhiannon Lockley who wrote this blog for us. Rhiannon is West mids regional women’s officer for UCU.
“We were really struggling. It really did get to the point where we just didn’t know how we were going to cope. It was literally pick one thing and do that, a case of either stay warm or eat.”
(Michaela, a Birmingham mother helped by Gateway Family Services Pregnancy Outreach Team, talks to ITV news, Wednesday 11th April 2012)
Usually when people talk about poverty in the UK they are referring to relative poverty. A person classed as relatively impoverished is significantly below average in wealth, meaning they are economically unable to participate fully in society. High levels of relative poverty indicate high levels of social inequality, which as has been argued in Wilkinson and Pickett’s 2009 book The Spirit Level are linked to a variety of negative problems in society. Relative poverty impacts on things like physical health, mental well-being, educational and career opportunities.
Easter event boosts the funds of a caring group
A group of dementia sufferers and their carers have held an Easter event.
There was an Easter bonnet parade, raffle and guitarist Richard Wadey entertained guests.
Karen Wellard, Secretary of the Memory Conservatory, said: “It was a really great day; everyone enjoyed themselves and it was a real success.”
Participants designed Easter eggs and there was a competition for the best Easter bonnet. The raffle also raised over £100 for the Memory Conservatory.
Karen said: “As the Memory Conservatory is free we do a raffle so people can feel like they’re helping.”
The Memory Conservatory is a self-funding charity set up by retired matron Rosemarie Stephens.
Dementia care home launches £2.5m campaign
A specialist dementia care home which prides itself on putting the patient at the heart of everything it does.
9:30am Saturday 14th April 2012 in News By Amanda Williams
IF SHE could have, Alice Beck would have nursed husband Peter ‘until the bitter end’.
The couple met and fell in love more than 40 years ago when they discovered a shared passion for music and art while at a wedding.
But when helping Mr Beck, 90, who has acute dementia, eventually became too much for Mrs Beck, she took the heartbreaking decision to put him in a home.
Mrs Beck chose Vale House, a specialist dementia care home which prides itself on putting the patient at the heart of everything it does.
And now a £2.5m fundraising drive has been launched to secure the future of the much-loved centre.
The not-for-profit home was set up in 1990 in Botley by a group of a volunteers.
