Lunchtime Meeting - 12.45pm - Speaker Jill Livingstone, Carers Trust 4 All
Mon, Oct 31st 2016 at 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Jill Livingstone of the Carers Trust 4 All is Peter's speaker today to talk to us about the recent changes in Shropshire and how the Red Cross Oswestry Young Carers function is now being covered.
The Rotary Club of Oswestry have been supporters of Oswestry Young Carers Service, under the management of the Red Cross, over recent years, raising money for them through the Marches Interact Club and street collections. So when the monies raised by last June's collection were to be distributed they knew where it should be sent. Or did they?
They found that the Red Cross Young Carers Service had closed in Shropshire in November 2015, so who was caring for the young carers now? After some detective work, contact was made with Jill Livingstone of the Carerstrust4all Young Carers Service in Shropshire who came along to a recent Club meeting to accept the donation and tell us about their service.
"There are 254,000 Young Carers under the age of 19 in the UK, 23,000 of whom are under 9.", Jill told the meeting, "In Shropshire, we look after 159."
Acting as advocates for the youngsters, Jill tries to support Young Carers' emotional, physical, social, educational and financial needs. A carer may be looking after someone with mental health issues, physical disability or chronic ill-health or who suffers from drug or alcohol misuse. Unfortunately many young carers go unrecognised, as they or other family members, try to keep people outside the home from knowing fearing that the family could be separated. They may only be noticed when there is a crisis.
The Carestrust4all's free service provides a variety of assistance. Meeting in Oswestry at The Whole Life Centre, monthly peer support meetings throughout the county provide 90 minutes of respite with children of a similar age. Theatre visits, horse riding, theme park visits, football training and other activities allow much needed breaks as do longer residential stays such as at the Longmynd Adventure Camp.
Jill thanked the Club members for the £100 donation and said "The money from the street collection will buy valuable time when the youngsters can just feel normal again."
For further information contact the Shropshire Young Carers Team 033 33 23 1990 (options 1 then 6) or email Shropyc@carerstrust4all.org.uk.
They found that the Red Cross Young Carers Service had closed in Shropshire in November 2015, so who was caring for the young carers now? After some detective work, contact was made with Jill Livingstone of the Carerstrust4all Young Carers Service in Shropshire who came along to a recent Club meeting to accept the donation and tell us about their service.
"There are 254,000 Young Carers under the age of 19 in the UK, 23,000 of whom are under 9.", Jill told the meeting, "In Shropshire, we look after 159."
Acting as advocates for the youngsters, Jill tries to support Young Carers' emotional, physical, social, educational and financial needs. A carer may be looking after someone with mental health issues, physical disability or chronic ill-health or who suffers from drug or alcohol misuse. Unfortunately many young carers go unrecognised, as they or other family members, try to keep people outside the home from knowing fearing that the family could be separated. They may only be noticed when there is a crisis.
The Carestrust4all's free service provides a variety of assistance. Meeting in Oswestry at The Whole Life Centre, monthly peer support meetings throughout the county provide 90 minutes of respite with children of a similar age. Theatre visits, horse riding, theme park visits, football training and other activities allow much needed breaks as do longer residential stays such as at the Longmynd Adventure Camp.
Jill thanked the Club members for the £100 donation and said "The money from the street collection will buy valuable time when the youngsters can just feel normal again."
For further information contact the Shropshire Young Carers Team 033 33 23 1990 (options 1 then 6) or email Shropyc@carerstrust4all.org.uk.
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