December 2011 - Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

4 The Shuttle DECEMBER2011
BOROUGHSHORTS
SAFETY
Alan giving friendly
support to boost lives
4Alan with Councillor Khan
By Kate Grieves
New PCSO
joins beat
By Shuttle staff
Residents in a Blackburn neighbourhood
are to benefit from a
new Police Community Support
Officer.
PCSO Beth Perkins joins Blackburn’s
North West Neighbourhood
Policing Team to work alongside
Community Beat Manager PC
Karen Wallace covering the Bank
Top and Wensley Fold area of the
town.
The 22-year-old offi cer joined
Lancashire Constabulary in July
2011 as a PCSO after working as
a Special Constable for two years.
She also has a Foundation Degree
in Policing from the University of
Central Lancashire.
She said: “I am looking forward
to meeting and working with members
of the public to resolve community
issues.”
PCSO Perkins will holding
regular PACT meetings, details
of which can be found by visiting
www.lancashire.police.uk
Members of the public can
contact PCSO Perkins on (01254)
581175 or by email blackburnnw.
npt@lacnashire.pnn.police.uk
CHRISTMAS
Park fun
Corporation Park is welcoming
Santa on Sunday, December 18.
He will be visiting the park’s
conservatory from 1pm-3pm.
Local school children and the
Salvation Army Band will be helping
everyone get in the festive spirit
with Christmas carols.
There will also be mulled wine
and mince pies.
The event is free but donations
to the Corporation Park Supporters
Group are welcomed.
More Christmas events on page
nine.
FOOTIE
Training
Football, organised by the Livesey
Community Association,
takes place on Wednesday at
Fernhurst School, Heys Lane.
£1 per session. Contact Louise
for more details on 07581451374.
Easy to use
Your Support
Your Choice
A new website that gives
you all the information, initial
advice and guidance about
adult social care in one place.
DECEMBER2011
Easy to read
www.yoursupportyourchoice.org.uk
A disabled Blackburn man is helping others
take greater control of their lives.
Alan Sumner said his life has been transformed
by having a personal budget, which helps people
who receive social care to gain more independence
in their own day-to-day lives.
Since getting one, Alan, 57, who has lost his left
leg and both arms below the elbow, has seen his life
improve.
Now, he is helping others make the change to
their lives.
He volunteers for the Peer Support service, a free
service run by volunteers who have real life experiences
of this type of support from Blackburn and
Darwen who can answer your questions and concerns
and explain the scheme to you.
Peer support helps anyone eligible for social care,
including adults and children with physical disabilities,
mental health issues, learning disabilities and
older people.
NEED
Personal budgets give people control of their own
fi nances to fi t in with an individual’s lifestyle and allows
them to direct their funds to meet their unique
needs.
Blackburn Rovers fan Alan said: “My social worker
told me a pilot scheme was starting and they needed
volunteers so I offered.
“Now here I am volunteering for it and giving other
people advice!
“It is quite easy really – you and your social worker
go through what you need, like domestic assistance,
shopping, needing help getting ready, getting the bus
and things like that, and you work out a budget for
them and how to spend it.
FREEDOM
“It is fantastic because it gives you the freedom and
choice to control your money.
“I feel so much more in control and I defi nitely
prefer it to the previous system I was on. I think it
gives me greater freedom.
“For your personal
“I think Alan
is a great
example of
how people
can help
each other
and make a
difference.”
- Councillor, Mohammed Khan
assistant, because you
hire them yourself, you
can pick the hours they
are there yourself which
is so much better, and it
is brilliant for me knowing
I have someone there
when I need them.
“I enjoy helping people
out there fi nd out
more about personal
budgets and the Peer
Support Service and how
it benefi ts their lives.”
Councillor Mohammed
Khan, the Council’s
Executive Member for Adult
Social Care, said: “Peer Support is a
wonderful way to fi nd out about the
personal budgets and Alan is a great example of how
well it can work and how it can improve lives.
“I think Alan is a great example of how people can
help each other and make a real difference.”
For more information on personal budgets and the
Peer Support scheme call (01254) 587955 to speak to
Alan or the other friendly volunteers.
Carers need care too - page 18.