There’s a whole page of my local paper devoted to “Carers Week”.
A quarter of the page was provided by Bluebird Care, so all to do with PAID carers"
A quarter of the page was a huge advert for Wiltshire Foods.
Another quarter devoted to disability bathrooms.
The rest was shared between
An article about how to get a Disabled Facilities grant (re the bathroom).
A small ad for New Forest Disability (excellent advice bureau)
An article entitled “What is Carer’s Allowance?” possibly from CUK - no mention that over pension age people don’t qualify
And finally, something entitled “Carers at breaking Point” by CUK -
WITH NO MENTION THAT CARERS ARE UNPAID CARERS
NO MENTION OF OUR FORUM.
My area has the highest population of elderly in the country. I’m dismayed and so disappointed.
Needless to add , it’s basically a week for all those attached to us to smile for the cameras , pat us on the head and
… for the second year running … encourage us to take up our concerns with our local mps.
( Remember last year BB … adwards ceremony for paid carers … with a Carers Week banner in the background ? )
The cry has gone out … THERE’S MONIES TO BE MADE … as amply demonstrated by BB’s local rag.
As for US , we can sit and watch them going through the motions … end of week and … just how much has changed
in CarerLand ?
Here in Worksop … as mentioned elsewhere … my local food bank will continue to provide essential supplies to those
carers amongst our ranks who need them.
If any of our supporting organisations want to help us … by all means send over a few volunteers to assist.
We have also put aside some tar and feathers … in case one of those volunteers starts rattling a collection tin …
thus competing for much needed resources … we use ours to FEED and CLOTHE carers in need.
Like all other food banks , entirely run by volunteers … not a penny squandered on wages !!!
Meanwhile … up the road in Sheffield , this is just one of the events for needy carers to attend :
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Council and Carers Choir
Aimed At:
All carers
Offered By:
Date: Monday 10th June 2019
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Where: Moorfoot Building
I wonder what songs those in the queue at the local food bank , a few hundred yards away , will be singing …
especially if the supplies run out … as what has happened at several food banks lately ?
“Food Glorious Food”? We do seem to have returned to Victorian times.
For many areas , they haven’t really recovered from those days … mining , steel making , manufacturing , fishing …
all now gone and what’s left a mere shell.
4,000 + food banks … diseases rife that were last seen in Victorian times … 14 million surviving below the official poverty line.
Yep , many have come along way since those times.
However , a sizeable minoriy … including HALF the carer army … are regressing fast back to those times.
If your old / disabled / caring , there is a seat reserved for you on that express train to Victorian Times.
Yep … Southend-on-Sea … passed through there on me way to work for 8 years … afterwards , spend another 7 years
on a neighbouring manor.
Just love what’s on offer down there … are these " Activities " mirror imaged across the country ?
( Morris dancing in the shires perhaps ? Where’s Mo when he’s needed ? )
Food banks ?
When 100,000+ of our fellow carers needed to visit one in the last calender year … on the finances front , everything else
including those collection tins pales into insignificance … I’m now an " Extension " to the local one on this manor , Worksop.
( Farm Foods ? Good relationship with our local one … about 150 yards across the road from me … we continually pester ,
they continually deliver … even drop stuff off to us if we are running short occasionly !
Their 7.5 kg bags of spuds for £ 2.99 … one lasts me 6 days … VERY sort after by us ! A couple tend to go awol at times ! )
Excuse me for asking but … any demos planned anywhere ?
( Sponsored " Guide dog " pile onto buses to highlight the no free public transport issue … complete with as many
carees in wheelchairs as possible … perhaps ? )
CUK itself led one just under a decade ago … stuff of legends so I was told … nothing more on that or I will be breach of the
Forum rules … no Committee Room booked ?
Instead of organising these events they should be organising a march on parliament !!!
Been there , done that … as far as CUK are concerned … 2009 ?
Nope , traditional methods aren’t working … quite a lengthy exchange on this one on CarerWatch … available
from the archives … now past a decade ago !
Our best ally ?
A JUDGE … his / her ruling … preferably a Law Lord … and a 100% majority decision at that.
( 2 ladies recently won judgement against the DWP … recorded elsewhere … which resulted in more monies for millions of claimants ! )
Anything else ?
Old hat and … dare I say it again after a decade … futile !
( At least Charles isn’t around anymore waiting to shoot me down in using that word … circa 2006 , Old PRT forum ? )
Hubs / carers centres … like the one in Bromley that needed £ 500,000 for the year to keep going ?
( Never got to the bottom of that one ! )
I presume organised and run by academics and / or suits ?
Therein lies most of the answer.
Those run by volunteers / carers themselves … and at street level … are often the best.
Why ?
Quite simple … everyone talks the same language and no outside influences from any supporting organisations !
As for Carers Week , CUK should always ask themselves one question … " What would Mary Webster have made of all this ? "
Perhaps the same reation as if Nye Bevan was being asked about the present state of the NHS ?
His reply would have been unprintable !
And , not only for being in Welsh !
On the legal aid side , no surprise there :
https://www.carersuk.org/forum/support-and-advice/carer-disability-benefits/legal-aid-for-benefit-social-care-disputes-challenging-the-system-think-again-the-monies-aren-t-there-anymore-32817?hilit=legal%20aid
Too many overpaid chiefs … precious few indians ???
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I would need to be working… I have a growing gap on my cv which is going to come back to haunt me some day.
The bane of far too many carers over the years ?
" Caring for 14 years ? Who was your employer ? Will he supply references ? "
… add on the little matter of the 21 Hour Rule ?
" Your exam qualifications , now 25 years out of date. What steps did you take to keep upto date with the sector ? "
Following a tip off … Twitter … a whole host of comments on Carers Week including some leading politicians … doing what
they do best … jumping on a bandwagon and promising this / that / the other … to be SEEN to be doing something … enjoy / emphasis with / disagree … whatever :
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23realcarersweek&src=typd&lang=en
None have been censored … some , as raw and honest as they come.
Really puts Carers Week into context … forget all the blurb / hype , this is caring AS IT REALLY IS for millions !
CUK should be thankful that they themselves are not in the trenches … like 7.8 million of us … merely viewing our world
from their rose tinted windowed ivory tower.
Pleased to see that carers are , at least . posting … if not on this forum.
I’m not against farm foods, or Bluebird Care.
However, the whole “special” page was supposed to be devoted to Carers Week - big banner right across the top of the page. Nothing specifically about our army of UNPAID carers.
A PAT ON THE HEAD FOR EVERY CARER WALKING PAST ???
How many of us wrote to our MP. I did and he confirmed his attendance by email to me this morning.
Highlight Highlight !!
Should have dug out the last one … in 1999 … nothing’s changed.
Perhaps not affixing a stamp didn’t help ?
