external newsletter november december 2013
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External newsletter november december 2013TRANSCRIPT
• Have you heard about our new rapid response service?
• More services coming soon to Basildon
• Fantastic achievements by our staff at the regional Great British Care Awards
• Introducing the Hub @ Harlow
• We’re looking for people to join our growing team, do you have what it takes?
• Get organised for Christmas with the help of our Work Based Training units
®Newsletter 7November 2013
Festive greetings from all at Essex Cares
As you will read later in this newsletter, we have a great deal going on across the organisation over the festive season, including craft fairs, Christmas lunches and gift ideas for your loved one. All the details can be found on our website so make sure you take a look and pop along and see us if you can.
Since our last issue, we have seen our staff teams gaining high praise and recognition in the form of The Great British Care Awards celebrations. You will read over the page about the successes but I just want to reiterate how proud I am, as a Managing Director, for
the work and achievements which are taking place throughout Essex Cares on a daily basis.
Finally I’d like to wish you, and your families and loved ones, a very happy festive season, and all the best for the 2014.
[email protected] 035 9770
Liz ChidgeyManaging Director
Rapid Response Service
We’re launching a new service this month in West Essex. The Service, known as Rapid Response, delivers short-term care to individuals in a crisis situation. This enables care and support to be provided to individuals in the comfort of their own home rather than being admitted to hospital, or remaining in hospital for longer than necessary.
If this pilot is successful, this service could be rolled out across the whole of the county. For more information please visit our website www.essexcares.org.
New services available in Ashleigh, Basildon
Our services in Basildon are growing! We already run services for adults with learning disabilities from Ashleigh Wellbeing & Activity Centre, providing activities that promote independence and socialisation. From arts and crafts and cooking to dance workshops and ten pin bowling in the town centre, the variety and choice for customers is vast.
The centre also operates its own café and garden services unit which offer catering and horticulture projects to the general public but also offer additional services to customers in the form of work based training. The café and garden services offer trainees a chance to learn the skills that are needed in paid employment, in an environment that encourages and boosts confidence.
The centre is about to add even more strings to its bow, with the upcoming opening of a state of the art IT suite, sensory room and a brand new older persons service.
Essex Cares NewsletterNovember 2013
State of the art IT Suite
The IT suite is built with equipment specially designed for use by those with physical and learning disabilities, including touch screens, large button keyboards and height adjustable desks. The suite offers customers at Ashleigh an extra experience, but will also be offering courses to members of the public and opportunities for local organisations to hire the room to
deliver their own courses or sessions.
Older People’s Service
Our new older people’s service will be running from the centre 9am - 4pm, five days a week, supporting up to twelve customers every day. The service will offer customers activities that encourage independence, interaction and socialisation with
peers and mental stimulation, including games, sensory activities, massage, mental stimulation and reminiscence.
For more information please see our website or get in touch with the Ashleigh Wellbeing & Activity Centre directly on 01268 282834.
Sensory Room
The newly refurbished sensory room offers a relaxing and stimulating experience for our customers, with special lighting, music, and objects that develop sense. Like the IT suite, this facility will be available to the customers at the centre as well
as being available to hire to individuals and other community groups.
Essex Cares NewsletterNovember 2013
The Hub @ Harlow, our first fully integrated service, will be opening in the New Year, based at the former Pyenest site.
Work has begun on the redevelopment of the building and the team are all very excited to open to the public in a few months time.
The Hub @ Harlow is intended to support the whole community and will provide an extensive list of services all at one purposely developed site, including:
• Older people’s services• Learning disabilities services
• A café and garden centre run by trainee adults with learning disabilities• IT facilities• Information point• Clinics• Facilities to hire• Equipment and telecare displays and trials
Th Hub@ H��l��
The Great British Care Awards
The Great British Care Awards run a series of regional events throughout England before holding a national final in the summer of 2014, and are a celebration of excellence across the care sector. We were shortlisted as finalists in four categories for the East of England and in one category for the South East of England:
• Facing stiff competition, Café Goodman were a finalist for the Putting People First Personalisation Award.
• Lorraine Griffin, who heads up our Mid Essex Reablement Team, was a finalist for the Home Care Registered Manager of the Year Award.
• Louise Simpson, from our Outreach Service, was nominated and announced as a finalist for the Dementia Carer Award.
• Sue Cranford, Registered Manger for the Regaining Independence Service in West Sussex, is a finalist in the Frontline Leaders category .
At the recent awards ceremony held in Peterborough for the East of England region, Faye Gatenby, a Development Coordinator in our Sensory Service, was announced as the winner for the Dignitiy in Care Award. Huge congratulations.
Top: Our finalists were interviewed before the awards ceremony. Middle: Celebrations in full swing at the Peterborough Arena. Middle: Congratulations to our winner Faye Gatenby. Bottom: Congratulations to South East region finalist Sue Cranford.
2013Regional Winner
Essex Cares LimitedVictoria House
Victoria RoadChelmsford, Essex
CM1 1JR0800 035 9770
Volunteers are very valuable to us as an organisation and enable us to deliver the very best service possible to our customers.
If you, or anyone you know, would like to get involved in volunteering at Essex Cares, please contact our human resources team on 01245 343 050.
Recruitment
As our services grow we need to grow our team to be able to support and assist the growing number of customers that need a helping hand from us. To enable us to do this we’ve launched a county-wide recruitment campaign including a radio advert which you may have heard on Heart, Dream 100, Chelmsford or Southend radio.
A job in any of our services is rewarding, so if you think you know someone who may like a rewarding career in social care please point
them to our website where they can find out more and apply. We have full time and part-time roles which are flexible to fit around the other
important things in life.
Get some fantastic Christmas presents for your loved ones
Are you looking for the perfect Christmas present? Our Work Based Training units might have just what you’re looking for.
Saffron Carpentry, formerly Shire Hill, produce a wide range of hand made, high quality garden furniture, household goods and other items made to order. For just £39.99, the metre tall wishing well planter would make a perfect gift for a gardening enthusiast. Or how about a set of
hand made chopping boards, place mats or even some kindling to warm up those cold winter nights. Contact Saffron Carpentry on 01799 513878 or email [email protected] for more information or to place an order.
Print 4 You, based in Brentwood, specialise in personalised Christmas cards, putting photos on to canvas as well as converting VHS tapes to DVDs. Canvases start from just £10 and come in a variety of sizes up to 70cm wide. DVDs can be produced from just £7.50. For more information please contact Print 4 You on 01277 222135 or email
Our cafés across the county are not only open throughout the festive period, but they also hand make delicious Christmas cakes and puddings for you to enjoy. Get yourself a fully iced six inch cake for £12.50, and an eight inch cake for just £16. Contact Noah’s Café on 07871 197041, Treetops Café on 01206 871320, Greenacre Café on 01245 477280 or Barley
Twist on 01268 271042.