News

Open Afternoon at Cotswold Care

Cotswold Care will be holding an open afternoon for those working within the Health and Social Care Sector on 11 June 2008 from 2.00pm - 4.00pm.  Come along and learn about the : Services we provide; the Referral process; Patient Experience; Tour of the New Hospice. 

If you wish to book a place please contact diane.ponting@cotswoldcare.org.uk

Cotswold Care receives a boost from Building Society

Customers at the Stroud and Swindon Building Society have not only been earning interest on their savings, they have also been helping Cotswold Care as well.

A special Cotswold Care Hospice Branch Instant Savings account porvides savers with the same interest rate as a normal account, but also means that the Society pays 1% of the average overall montly balance in the account at the year end to the Hospice.  This has resulted in a cheque for a fantastic £2,926.00 being presented to the Hospice.

Thank you to everyone who has taken out an Affinity Account for Cotswold Care Hospice.  For further information on how to set up a Stroud and Swindon Affinity Account, please pop into your local Branch of the Stroud and Swindon Building Society.

CCH shop in Dursley wins Easter Window Competition!

Great news from Dursley where our charity shop has won first prize in the Easter Window Competition held by the Dursley and District Chamber of Commerce.
Well done to the staff and volunteers for their stirling efforts in achieveing this. 
Second prize went to the Mind Shop and third to Hewetts.

Thanksgiving and Celebration – Marking the move from the Old Hospice to the New Hospice.

Friday April 25th 2008 at 2pm -3pm in Education Room

As the date for moving to the New Hospice Building approaches we intend to formally acknowledge what the Old Hospice building has meant to so many.

Before the formal dedication of the New Building in Spring 2009 this is an opportunity for an informal gathering of staff and volunteers to reminisce over a cup of tea and to look ahead to future exciting times in the life of Cotswold Care Hospice.

Charity Cycle ride a huge sucess!

Cotswold Care Hospice beats last years Light up a Life Appeal total by £10,000

Cotswold Care Hospice rasied over £18,500 from its Light up a Life Appeal, beating last year's total £10,000.

Over 1,000 supporters of the Hospice gathered at the four services at Tecso in Tetbury, Tesco in Cam, Merrywalks Shopping Centre and Cirencester Parish Church to celebrate the 'Light up a Life' Christmas Appeal.

The Light up a Life Appeal has taken place each Christnmas since 1998.  For every donation received, a symbolic light shines out on one of the four 16ft Christmas trees to dedicate and honour the life of a loved one.  The name of the person being remembered is also written in a special Book of Remembrance which people are able to view on the night of the services and at the Hospice itself.

The lights were illuminated at special switch-on services and remained alight throughout the dark winter nights over the Christmas period until the beginning of January. 

Now it is ninth year, Light up a Life has gone from strength to strength, making it one of the Hospices biggest annual fundraising events.  Every year thousands of people - not just those with a connection to Cotswold Care - dedicate a light on our trees.

Hospice Events Manager Vicki hayward said, "Chritsmas is traditionally a time for families and loved ones and it can be especially diffiuclt without that special person or persons around."

Thank you to everyone who dedicated a light on our 2007 Light up a Life Christmas trees.  Thousands of lights were lit and a massive £18,500 was rasied for Cotswold Care.

On behalf of patients and families who benefit from our services, thank you so much for your support.

For further information about our Light up a Life Appeal please contact our Fundraising Team on 01453 886868 or email fundraising@cotswoldcare.org.uk

Cotswold Care Hospice enjoys a tranquil day on the canal 

Patients, volunteers and staff from Cotswold Care Hospice were treated to a day on the canal courtesy of The Willow Trust who took them on a trip from Saul Junction to Sharpness.The trip was a great way for patients of the hospice to relax and enjoy the beautiful and tranquil surroundings of the canal and they even had a chance to help drive the boat themselves.The Willow Trust is a charity that offers freedom for the disabled on the water by providing days out for children and adults with learning and physical disabilities and those who are seriously ill.

Bridget Blacker-Weare, Diversional Therapist from Cotswold Care was delighted with the excursion “It was a really super day out for everyone, enabling our patients to get out into the fresh air and do something different. The hospice is all about providing people with a quality life and activities such as this play a great part in that. We would like to thank all at The Willow Trust for their support and for a wonderful day”

 

Carer’s Week 11th – 17th June 2007

Once again carer’s week is upon us, there are an estimated 5.7 million carers in Great Britain, one in six households, 17% contain a carer who devotes at least 20 hours a week caring. Of those more that 700,000 care for 50 hours or more.

Carer’s UK started carer’s week to celebrate the contribution that these carers make to society.

‘My life as a carer’ is the theme for this years carers week and I have attached a new survey which reveals how relationships are put to the test under the strain of caring.

During carers week there will be numerous events and activities taking place across the county, Cotswold Care is also taking part by providing an information Day to highlight support available in the local area. We would also like to take the opportunity to find out from Carers how we can best support them into the future as we continue to develop our services here at Cotswold Care.

We will be holding a Carers information Day on Thursday 14th June between 2-6 pm where we will be offering tea and coffee while we talk to carers to find out how we can best meet their needs.

RELATIONSHIPS PUT TO TEST UNDER STRAIN OF CARING

-new survey reveals far-reaching impact of caring on all aspects of life-

A new, in-depth survey1 of 3,500 carers has uncovered the negative impact that their role can have on the relationship they enjoy with their partner. Six in 10 of those questioned admitted that their sex lives had taken a back seat as a direct result of their caring responsibilites.

Two thirds (66%) of those surveyed said their relationships had suffered as a result of caring, while 60% said they had little quality time together with their partners. Yet the all-consuming nature of caring is such that when carers did get time to relax, more than a fifth (21%) used it to catch up on their sleep.

The survey, launched today as part of Carers Week (11-17 June), sheds light on the devastating effects that looking after a loved one can have all aspects of a carer’s life. The research looked in detail at carers’ feelings about a range of issues, including finances, career, health and relationships.

The strain caring can put on relationships is highlighted by the situation of Nancy (54), who cares for her 59 year-old husband with Parkinsons. She says: “We now sleep in separate bedrooms as the medication he is on causes him to have terrible nightmares and he needs to go to the toilet frequently during the night. Although our love has grown stronger over the years, the dynamics of our relationship have changed so drastically that our sex life is now non-existent.”

Almost two-thirds of carers (63%) felt a loss of identity as a direct result of their caring role, whilst an alarming three-quarters of carers had not had a regular break from their caring activities in the past 12 months, including 38% who had not enjoyed a single day off.


Paul Matz, Carers Week Manager, says: “The impact of caring on people’s lives is so absolute, it’s little wonder that it goes on to affect relationships, both emotional and physical. Our survey reveals this is one of the most difficult challenges of all.”

The detrimental effect caring has on people’s finances is also revealed. More than two thirds (67%) are financially worse off, with a quarter (28%) unable to support their family properly.

Their financial situation is likely to be weaker because they are less able to focus on their career, according to 57% of those questioned. The key problems were reduced promotion prospects and being unable to not take up training opportunities. activities. 40% of carers also found it difficult to get back on the job ladder when returning to the workforce.

When asked how their working life could be made easier, one fifth felt they needed greater support from their boss and 18% more understanding from their colleagues.

When asked which words best described their experience of being a carer, stressful (74%) and demanding (71%) generated the most votes from respondents. A substantial minority of carers find the role rewarding (31%) and one fifth fulfilling (20%).

Paul Matz adds: “Caring can create a vicious circle of problems which all impact on each other – being demoted or losing a job can lead to financial difficulties which can, in the worst case scenario, lead to losing a home. This in turn can cause high levels of stress, depression and feelings of despair. When carers say they care 24/7 they mean it .

“Many carers are isolated and do not know where to turn to for support. More must be done to make ‘hidden’ carers aware of the support and services that are available today. With the necessary support and advice, carers do not need to feel at their wits end, alone and with no-one to turn to.”

Carers Week aims to draw the attention of decision-makers to the issues faced by the UK’s six million carers amid calls that more needs to be done to help change the lives of carers for the better.

In Parliament, Barbara Keeley MP has promoted a motion that calls for an updated and improved National Carers’ Strategy to address specific issues such as, improvements to carers’ benefits, how carers can find suitable services to help them and the person they care for and how they can maintain their own health and well-being. Over 250 MPs have already signed up to the motion.

2007 sees the 13th annual Carers Week, jointly organised by seven UK-wide charities; Carers UK, Counsel and Care, Crossroads Caring for Carers, Macmillan Cancer Support, MS Society, Rethink and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers.

Thousands of events are taking place throughout Carers Week. For details about these and for more general information about Carers Week, please visit www.carersweek.org
                                                                                     ENDS

For more press information, a full breakdown of the survey results or to arrange an interview with a case study/Carers Week spokesperson, please contact Tracey Thompson or Caroline Beswick on 020 8786 3860. Alternatively, please email tracey.thompson@trinitypr.co.uk


Notes to editors:
1 Source: 3,500 declared carers responded to the Carers Week survey by post and online
between January and April 2007
• Carers Week has ISDN facilities
• A full break down of the national survey results, including a national/regional breakdown, is available upon request 

Hospice Thrilled and delighted at Funding Bid

Cotswold Care Hospice, Gloucestershire’s Independent Hospice is thrilled and delighted to have been granted £600,000 to help build a world class palliative care centre in Minchinhampton.

The award is a share of £40 million of funding from the Department of Health.
The money will improve the physical environment of adult hospices as part of the Department of Health (DH) Dignity in Care for Older People programme and will be allocated to hospices in England caring for people living with terminal illness and facing the end of life.
The Grant from the Department of Health was confirmed in a letter to the Cotswold Care’s Chief Executive, Marcus Green by Health Minister Rosie Winterton who said
“We are confident that your project will make a significant difference to the service offered to future patients and bring benefits to families, carers and staff alike. It is an important part of our wider goal of ensuring all patients and their families are treated with dignity and respect.”

Marcus Green said
“This money is a tremendous boost to our fundraising – we need to raise £2.6million to provide the very highest quality care to the people of Gloucestershire with cancers and other life limiting illnesses. Over 80% of our funds come from the people of Gloucestershire who have raised do much money for us. This money means we can begin building and investing in our future almost immediately.
We can now start building as with this money we have raised a staggering £2.3 million so we need everyone to rally round and help us to raise the final £300,000 which will pay for all the things which will make a huge difference to patients such as high quality furnishings, new equipment and landscaping our grounds.

The last few months have been very hard for the hospice with difficult decisions being needed to be made but now we can start the new financial year with a tremendous opportunity to realise our dreams.
When The Prince of Wales visited the hospice before Christmas he showed enormous interest in the new building and we are sure he will be delighted to hear we are able to start building.
We had hoped to start building in March but we have been undertaking some final environmental surveys and as long as these come back clear then we will be starting building in early May.

It is vital that we continue to raise money from the local community to support the hospice, over the last five years over 80% of our funding – that’s over £4,000,000 has come form the people of the county to support the work we do with people at the end stage of their life and we desperately need every school, Women’s Institute and local society to keep helping us deliver first class services.”

David Praill, chief executive Help the Hospices said:
“The funded projects reflect the creativity and innovation hospices display in providing care free of charge to patients at the end of their lives and their loved ones. This investment in improving their built environment is welcome as charitable hospices have to collectively raise around £400 million each year to cover their day to day running costs alone. ”

Vertex employees swap their workstations for work boots!

A team of employees from Vertex, led by MD Andy Hunt, swapped their office for the outdoors in their latest charity challenge for Cotswold Care Hospice when they spent a day moving and replanting trees at the Minchinhampton based Hospice It was vital that the trees were moved prior to the building works starting. 
The trees moved by the team at Vertex marks the latest development in the Hospices bid to build a new Hospice fit for the 21st Century. With the help of Hospice volunteer gardeners and a digger on loan from local company Graduate Gardeners, the team braved the elements, moved and re-homed a startling number of trees and beech hedging, which currently sit on the site of the new building.

The redevelopment plans at the Hospice, include double the number of treatment rooms and more, soundproofed space for counseling – particularly for groups, and families with young children. At the same time access around the building will be greatly improved, and state of the art lifting equipment will be installed to help less mobile patients.

Vertex Financial Services Managing Director Andy Hunt said “at Vertex we believe we have a clear responsibility to enhance peoples lives through the services we offer and by getting involved in the communities we’re part of. Our community investment programme provides opportunities for our staff to get involved with volunteering projects in support of local projects. We all enjoyed our challenge at the hospice - it was a good reminder of the importance and power of our volunteering work for our own people as well as the people/groups that we are assisting”.

Marcus Green, Chief Executive of Cotswold Care Hospice said “Vertex have done a wonderful job in helping to clear the site and it’s a great example of a local company supporting a local charity in a practical and indeed incredibly helpful way”.

Referral Forms

We have tried to make accessing our services as simple as possible and for this reason we have made our referral forms so that you can download them straight from our website. This ensures that you always have our most updated version. These forms can be found in the "About our services section" or can be accessed via "downloads"on this News page.

Grasp the opportunity to learn more about our services

The Education and Partnership Department at the Hospice is looking for opportunities to come and talk to professionals and local people about the services provided at the Hospice. The Hospice is often associated, and quite rightly so, with caring for patients with a cancer diagnosis however the services can be accessed by any patients who may have other life limiting illnesses. The services we provide could be immensely helpful to patients with Chronic lung disease, Heart failure, Parkinson’s disease and many other disorders. We know from our own statistics that referral rates to our services for patients with a non cancer diagnosis are very low yet many of the services we provide could be beneficial to these groups of patients and their close family members.

There are still myths surrounding Hospice care and the only way to dispel these is to be able to communicate directly to the general public. We are looking for opportunities to talk to businesses, large corporate companies who employ local people, smaller concerns and local interest groups…any opportunity whereby we can explain what we do and we can listen to what people feel they may need. Cotswold Care prides itself on developing services which meet the needs of its local people but it also recognises that these needs may also change over time.

If you would like the team to come and talk to you about our services and Hospice care then please contact either Adrienne Slater or Diane Ponting. 
Tel: 01453 886868 
E-mail: adrienne.slater@cotswoldcare.org.uk or diane.ponting@cotswoldcare.org.uk.

and we will forward  information about these helplines.If you are an organisation who would like further training on this then please do contact us as we aim to provide a one day conference on the Mental capacity Act later in the year.

The Department of Health has recently launched a website as part of a nationwide consultation exercise to engage carers in a debate about "What would make a positive difference or improve your life as a carer?". Carers are encouraged to visit