Carers' Centre Programme

Weekly - with free refreshments

Activity	Date and time
Drop in for advice and info on Learning disabilities	Thursdays 2.00pm - 5.00pm
Drop in for advice and info on Dementia	Wednesdays 2.00pm - 5.00pm
Drop in for Stretching for Joy - an easy stretch class that promotes relaxation and well being.	Mondays 12.30pm - 1.30pm
Drop in for Gentle Keep Fit. A charge of £1 is payable to the instructor.	Wednesdays 12.30pm - 1.30pm
Drop in for Carers Central - make connections over coffee & cake	Fridays 10.30am - 12.30pm
Ring for an appointment for Counselling for carers - talk in confidence to a trained professional	Wednesdays 10.00am - 1.00pm
Ring for an appointment for Benefits Surgery - help with form filling and support with other issues	Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays from 10.00am
Ring for an appointment for Law for All - advice on housing, family, benefits, debt and employment (45 minute appointments)	Alternate Thursdays 9.30am - 12.30pm
NEW Ring for an appointment for a Carer's Assessment - with Ealing Council's outreach worker for carers	Last Tuesday of every month 10.00am - 3.30pm: 31 Aug, 28 Sep, 26 Oct
Ring for an appointment for Holistic Therapies - massage, stone therapy, reflexology, hopi ear candling, facials, manicures & pedicures, eyebrow/lash tint	Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays 10.00am - 4.00pm £20 for 60 mins. £10 for 30 mins.

Monthly - with free refreshments

Activity	Date and time
Ealing Mencap Transition Group welcomes carers of young people with learning disabilities. For info call Gabriel Jones 020 8567 9185	The next daytime meeting will be on Wednesday 22 Sep, 10.15am -12.00pm
Ealing Mencap Carers Together Group - campaigning around learning difficulty. For info call Alka Tripathi 020 8280 2263	10.30am - 12.30pm on: 26 Sep, 21 Oct
Coffee mornings for former carers of people with dementia. For info call Isabel Kosky at Alzheimer's Concern Ealing 020 8568 4448	Thursday 10.30am - 12.30pm on: 19 Aug, 23 Sep, 28 Oct

Caring with Confidence programme cancelled

On 1st July the care services minister Paul Burstow announced his decision to terminate the Department of Health's Caring with Confidence training scheme, on the grounds that "it was not delivering value for money or giving carers training where it mattered." This means the course that had been scheduled to commence at the Carers' Centre on 14 September has been cancelled.

"We can now ensure that the money does much more to benefit carers on the ground," said Paul Burstow. The Carers' Centre will keep its carers informed of any developments.

Counselling service comes to the Carers’ Centre

In response to requests from carers, free counselling is now available at the Centre on Wednesday mornings. Our trained counsellor is Susie Hack (pictured) and you can refer yourself directly to her at the Carers’ Centre - details below. Your first appointment will help you decide if regular counselling is right for you. If so, Susie will offer an average of ten sessions of fifty minutes each - usually weekly or fortnightly.

"You may be finding it hard to cope with your emotions and how you feel about caring" says Susie. "I can provide a confidential, non-judgemental and safe environment for you to talk about a wide range of issues, both past and present."

To book an appointment, talk to Reception on 020 8840 1566, or email carers@ecil.org

Carers Central – every Friday

Come and join our weekly get together for creating contacts and friendship, over fresh coffee and home made cake. We have occasional special guests to talk about something we're interested in, ranging from healthy eating to how Ealing Council manages its billing for services. Let us know what you’d like to hear about.

If it's your birthday, give us a week's notice, and we’ll be pleased to lay on a birthday cake for you. Let fellow carers and the Centre’s team help you blow out those candles!

Carers Central takes place at the Carers' Centre every Friday between 10.30am-12.30pm.