Supporting Unpaid Carers in Merton

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Wimbledon Cancer Friendship Group Are you, or is someone you are caring for, affected by cancer? Wimbledon Cancer Friendship Group offers confidentiality, a listening ear, emotional support and encouragement, factual information, practical help, advice on finding professional assistance and useful contacts. There are two Thursday meetings per month: Evening talks are on the second Thursday of the month from 7.30 – 9.00 p.m. Afternoon drop-in meetings are on the fourth Thursday from 3.15 – 4.30 p.m. both at the Social Centre Lounge (occasionally Drake House), Wimbledon Guild, 30/32 Worple Road SW19 4EWF; all meetings are free to attend. For more information call 07948 767 936 or email wcfg@live.co.uk Website www.wimbledoncancerfriendship.blogspot.com The Group’s Autumn Programme is as follows: 11 October Evening Talk by Suzanne Ruggles from St. George’s Complementary Therapy Team; 25 October Afternoon Drop-in 8 November Evening Talk by Sue Batley, Adult Services Manager from Carers Support Merton; 22 November Afternoon Drop-in. 13 December Annual Social Event, 12.30 – 2.00 p.m. In addition, as part of our informal partnership we are fortunate to have Elizabeth Stewart from the Group coming to our monthly Carers Support Merton Drop-in at Drake House, Wimbledon Guild on Monday 14 January 2013, to talk to carers about the Cancer Friendship Group – please see Diary for details of our Wimbledon Guild Drop-in events. Sometimes it’s hard to keep going when you’re a carer….. If you are caring for someone it can be hard to think about your own needs. You may have a specific issue or immediate problem to work out, or want help to think about your worries and feelings more generally. Our Counselling Service can provide the structure and reflective space you need. Following an initial assessment meeting with the counsellor to discuss your needs and whether counselling is right for you, you’ll be offered regular, confidential sessions lasting 50 minutes. These will normally be weekly for a minimum of 6 sessions, and may be extended up to a maximum of one year as agreed between you and your counsellor. We understand that as a carer your life can be unpredictable, but successful counselling depends on regular contact so we ask that you make a commitment to attend on a regular basis, apart from unavoidable emergencies. You can make a positive difference to your life as a carer by taking the chance to share your concerns and experiences with someone who can help you make sense of them. All our counsellors are qualified or on recognised training courses that comply with the BACP Code of Ethics and Practice. We’ll provide further details and discuss our Counselling Agreement with you at your initial session. If you’re interested, please contact Susan Bowman with any further questions and if you want to go ahead, she will be able to match you with an available counsellor. Susan can be contacted on 020 8646 7515, or email susan@csmerton.org Action for M.E. has launched a new online carers forum, specifically for those caring for someone with M.E. If you are caring for a child, partner, parent or other relative or friend with M.E., take part at www.actionforme.org.uk/ forums We would like to welcome our new volunteer Alan who is helping us raise funds through ebay. If you are a regular ebay user you can donate to us direct through your ebay account whenever you sell or buy anything by choosing us as your supported charity. We would be happy to hear from you if you have any items that you can donate for us to sell. Please call Debbie on 0208 646 7515 if you can help 6
Support Our Fundraiser A big THANK YOU to Gary Bellinger who is raising money for Carers Support Merton and Deafness Research UK by taking part in two events. On the 28th October he will be running the London ‘Run to the Beat’ half marathon which is sometimes known as London's music half marathon because it has music playing along the route from start to finish On the 1st December he will be cycling from Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex stadium to Crystal Palace's Selhurst Park stadium in time to see the game between the two clubs kick off. You can sponsor Gary for as much or as little as you can- every penny is really gratefully received. Falls Prevention Information Sometimes the side effects of the medication that you are taking may increase the risk of a fall or have adverse side effects . There may be alternative medicines that you can use or the dose of your current medication could be lowered or stopped all together. If you want to know more about the medicines you are taking, what they do and how to get the most out of them book FREE appointment with your local pharmacy. You could find their details on the label of your dispensed medicines or just visit your local pharmacy and book an appointment If you are affected by Autism, Dyslexia, ADHD or other special needs join Celina O’Briens facebook page for support and information from other members Celina is a carer herself and understands the difficulties that carers face. http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ groups/269858456423425/ Carers Walk on Mitcham Common led by Jovita Kaunang On Monday 16 July, I led a nature walk on Mitcham Common with Susan Bowman and two carers from Susan’s walking group. Two other local naturalists joined us, Graham Collins and Derek Coleman. Derek is one of the Mitcham Common Conservators. We met in the car-park outside the Ecology Centre in Windmill Road and crossed over to Mill Hill, which is the highest of the artificial hills on the Common created from rubbish tipping in the 1950s. Despite the rain, we soon saw a Meadow Brown butterfly and a lone Swift which is a bird we only have during the summer. Mill Hill had large patches of flowers and we looked at how the Ragwort plants were covered in yellow and black striped caterpillars of the Cinnabar moth. The caterpillars’ warning colours indicate their unpleasant taste due to the poisons derived from Ragwort. We didn’t see the adult moth, but with better weather it is easily seen during the day on the Common and is black with red markings (see photo). After coming down Mill Hill, we passed Seven Island Pond, but didn’t stop as I was keen to take the group to an area near Cedars Road where White Bryony grows. This is a climbing plant with white flowers that uses the trees on the Common for support and has a ladybird that was new to Britain in the late 1990s – the Bryony Ladybird. We eventually found one of these large, orange-red ladybirds along with their larvae. At this point we decided to head back, going round the back of Seven Island Pond, stopping briefly to watch a Green Woodpecker on the ground. I’m glad we didn’t let the poor weather stop us going out, as we still had an interesting time and a memorable occasion. All parts of this walk can be reached by walking from any of the 118 bus stops on Commonside East. For more information about Carers Support Walking group Contact Susan Bowman on 0208 646 7515 7
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Page 3 and 4: T H U R S D A Y Mens Group Held on
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Page 9 and 10: Triangle of Care T he launch by Car
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