l give local help local - ageconcerneastbourne.org.uk...peter, upperton always on the menu •...
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A R T C L A S S E S l E X E R C I S E l B R I L L I A N T F O O D l L I N E D A N C I N G l R E A D I N G G R O U P S l C O U N S E L L I N G l
W A T C H I N G F I L M S l P L A Y I N G B I N G O l M A N I C U R E S l R E M I N I S C I N G l B E N E F I T S A D V I C E l V I S I T I N G F R I E N D S l H O M E F R O M H O S P I T A L l
S H O P P I N G T R I P S l K I N D P E O P L E l C H A R I T Y S H O P S l F R I E N D L Y S M I L E S l N I C E H A I R D O S l L O V E L Y C A K E S l
D I S C U S S I O N G R O U P S l T A I C H I l P L A Y I N G B R I D G E l
C R E A T I V E W R I T I N G l C R A F T G R O U P S l T A B L E T E N N I S l
W A L K I N G G R O U P S l B E L L Y D A N C I N G l C O M P U T I N G l A S S I S T E D B A T H I N G l
G A Y F R I E N D S H I P l N A I L C U T T I N G l P R A C T I C A LH E L P l L E A R N I N G F R E N C Hl A N D M U C H M O R E P L A N N E D l
Annual Report 2010 - 2011
Give Local Help Local
ACEastbourne_An_Rep_AW.indd 1 21/10/2011 10:17
2
Intr
“ It’s very handy here. Easy to get to..”
Richard, Willingdon
“ They do a good espresso in the Pantry…it’s a great place to meet.”
Peter, Upperton
Always on the menu
• Delicious, traditional home made meals
• Home made cakes • Speciality coffees
• A warm welcome • Friendly faces
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For some people, AGE Concern Eastbourne’s Venton Centre is simply a pleasant landmark. With the Pantry Café at the heart of the Centre, it’s a bright and welcoming place to meet friends. But for everyone who simply calls in for lunch or coffee there are a dozen others whose quality of life has been fundamentally improved by all that they have experienced here.
Introduction
Over the years, many thousands of people have found companionship, laughter, new interests and a wide range of life-enhancing activities within this optimistic, upbeat environment.
Others come here when they’re not sure where to turn. They may be recovering from illness, facing bereavement or redundancy, worried about finances or struggling to cope in any one of a dozen ways. Here they find practical help, professional advice, a degree of dependability and a continuity
of service and support that simply isn’t available under one roof, anywhere else. They find people who care about the challenges they face. They find help.
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Computer lessons are just one of many activities offered at the Venton Centre
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AGE Concern Eastbourne is the charity to turn to for practical information, professional guidance, new skills…or simply to meet friends or discover new interests. For those who are too frail or infirm to visit the Centre, our help will go to them.
At the charity’s Venton Centre, older people come to dance, to paint, to have a manicure, watch a film, learn to work a computer, get advice on everything from care homes to travel to claiming benefits, sing their heart out, have a laugh among like-minded friends or take part in an ever-growing programme of enjoyable and relevant pursuits.
And when people are depressed or simply lonely, they will find support and encouragement; kindness and understanding…and a whole range of activities (and friends) to help them re-discover their pleasure in life.
The environment of AGE Concern Eastbourne is conducive to relaxing, recharging and recovering. For some, the Venton Centre is a haven from a seemingly indifferent world. Others may see it as the place where they learnt to belly dance, paint, write poetry or regained the confidence to go out and get a new job.
Across the generations
AGE Concern Eastbourne exists to
assist anyone aged over fifty. Clients
range from the recently retired to those still in work, from people made
redundant and looking for new employment
right through to the very elderly.
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Our volunteers befriend people in their own homes, offering them friendship and company
ACEastbourne_An_Rep_AW.indd 4-5
ern Eastbourne is the
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e too ,
, to , watch
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et
The wider picture
Some people never visit the Venton Centre but benefit from its work within the community. External services provided by AGE Concern Eastbourne range from ongoing practical help and friendship when people are discharged from hospital and beyond to home visits to assist older people with completing complex forms, enabling them to claim any assistance to which they are entitled. Then, there is the charity’s team of volunteers, those largely unsung individuals who give generously and selflessly of their time, experience and talents. For many older people in the area, the support and friendship of an AGE Concern Eastbourne volunteer makes all the difference in the world.
AGE Concern Eastbourne is many things to many different
people. One thing everyone
agrees on is the fact that there’s
nowhere else like it.
A year of major changes
During the year reflected in
this Annual Report, today’s
AGE Concern Eastbourne
was still affiliated to the
national federation of Age
Concern charities.
Our last Annual Report stated
that the UK’s two major charities
for older people, Age Concern
and Help the Aged, were merging.
The intention was to create a
national umbrella charity - Age
UK. At the time of the last report,
our Trustees were examining the
pros and cons of this proposal.
Did we wish to be a part of this
new, centralised national charity?
What did we in Eastbourne
have to gain? Or to lose?
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We offer a shopping transport service to a local supermarket, five days a week
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Taking stock of its own achievements gave AGE Concern Eastbourne a new energy and confirmation of its current strengths and future potential. After almost 65 years as the charity dedicated exclusively to the wellbeing of older people in Eastbourne, the Trustees concluded that no one can match our knowledge of the town and the needs of its older residents. Our current services, future plans and insights were steeped in local knowledge. We needed to maintain our focus.
Most importantly, if we became a totally independent charity, we could truthfully claim that every penny raised locally would be spent locally. Those who funded our work would be supporting the people of Eastbourne.
Specifically. Exclusively.
A positive decision
After much consideration, we concluded that the quality and variety of our services would not be enhanced by becoming part of a larger, centralised national charity. We researched and evaluated the impact that a decision to ‘break away’ might have on future funding, progress and expansion. We decided to go it alone.
Today we are an independent charity, focused entirely on serving the needs of the people of Eastbourne. The year 2010-2011 was the final year during which we were accountable to anyone outside of the town.
Starting afresh
AGE Concern Eastbourne became an independent, stand-alone charity on 1st April 2011. Considerable preparation had taken place in the run-up to this new launch. With a new visual identity and branding, we were prepared to take our charity forward.
‘Give Local. Help Local’ became more than just a slogan for the new charity. A statement of fact and of intent, it summed up the ‘new’ charity’s work in the present and its plans for the future.
The path to independence6
“
Our volunteers span all age groups
ACEastbourne_An_Rep_AW.indd 6-7
oncluded that the quality and ould not
oming part alised national
s
f the people
became an independent, stand-alone charity on 1st April 2011.
e in the run-up to this
e
became
act f intent, it summed up the
esent
Our brilliant volunteers
AGE Concern Eastbourne is,
and always has been, a work in
progress. With a small team of
11 full time and 13 part time
staff (as of 31st March 2011),
the charity listens to, adapts and
evolves its provision to meet the
ever-changing needs of those
who seek its services.
With the charity’s staff at the
centre of activities, much of
the practical, hands-on work
is delivered by a team of over
225 volunteers. Without these
remarkable people, the charity
could not exist.
Between them, AGE Concern
Eastbourne’s army of volunteers
have given almost forty seven
thousand hours of their time
and expertise during the twelve
months reflected in this Report. Should they have been paid even the minimum wage, their invaluable input would have amounted to a wages bill in excess of £280,000.
They continue to work for free. For many older people, ongoing contact with an AGE Concern Eastbourne volunteer is a lifeline.
Working together
None of the services provided by AGE Concern Eastbourne is offered in isolation. Our services complement those of other organisations and cross-referral is standard practice. Clients come to us in a variety of ways. We are in regular contact with local GPs and hospitals, social services, occupational therapists, Citizens Advice Bureaux, respite centres, other charities, friends, neighbours, family members and carers. Some clients contact us direct.
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“ Our approach is holistic. If for instance a client has had a fall, on discharge from hospital he or she will have had rehab…but still may not be walking too well…all the good work of the rehab team can be easily undone. That’s where we like to help. Our rehab exercise class is specifically for people who’ve left hospital. Gently, and over time, we can encourage and support the client, helping them make progress. It’s how we approach everything. One gentle ‘step’ at a time”. Sue Grimer, Community Services Manager
Avril Littleton, Volunteer of the Year and Mayor Carolyn Heaps
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Activities and Services
Activities can be anything from exercise classes to creative writing groups, from ‘Over the Rainbow’ group meetings to computer courses, a community choir, table tennis or French language classes.
Services range from professional, legal services and expert advice on welfare rights through to practical services like hearing aid battery replacement and transport for shopping trips.
Occasional, seasonal or client-driven services and activities also take place; Flower Arranging Workshops in the spring…or the regular meetings of World War Two ‘Land Girls’ in the Pantry Café.
Keep fit with one of our physical activity classes
Shellac nails are becoming increasingly popular
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Last year we spent over £382,000
providing activities and services to
local people.
Each month, AGE Concern Eastbourne presents fresh, updated programmes of activities and services at the Venton Centre.
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Activities at a glance
Services at a glance
Practical services
Venton Centre Hairdressing Salon
Beauty treatments and therapies
Nail cutting
Assisted bathing
Chiropody
The Pantry Café
Contractor Call
Shopping Transport
Hearing aid battery replacement
Information services
Welfare Rights information/advice
Housing and Council Tax Benefit Service (Eastbourne Borough Council)
Friendship and support services
Forget Me Not,
Home from Hospital
Befriending services
Day Club
Grandparents as parents support group
Appointment-only services
Free financial advice
Free legal advice
Free Will writing
Tax Shop
Pensions advice
Physical activities include:
Line dancing.
Belly dancing.
Tap dancing.
Tai Chi
Exercise and dancercise classes (various)
Walking for Wellness
Creative activities include:
Creative writing and poetry circles
Reading group
Community choir
Art groups
Craft group
Games include:
Bridge
Table Tennis
Bingo
Courses include:
French for beginners
Computer tuition
Group activities include:
Monthly film matinee
Current Affairs Discussion Group
Over the Rainbow Group
Reminiscence Groups
ses, , table tennis
gular meetings
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Additional activities take place at the seafront and the harbour, from where our Walking for Wellness groups set out on their travels…
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What our services mean to people10
Imagine never being able to sink into a warm, scented bath. Or living a hand-to-mouth existence because you never have a penny to spare and don’t realise you’re entitled to more. Imagine watching that huge, damp patch on your ceiling gradually spreading, and not knowing who to call because you are afraid…and there are so many ‘cowboy builders’ out there.
Imagine not being able to cut your own toenails because your arthritis says you can’t reach. Or being afraid to admit to anyone that you can’t cope when you leave hospital…just in case you are taken into a care home…and lose your independence forever.
Imagine spending most of your pension at the over-priced ‘convenience store’, because it’s difficult to get to the supermarket unaided. Then imagine spending the rest of your pension at the local hairdresser. The place where the girls talk over your head and give you the standard ‘old lady’ shampoo and set. But you need
to stay neat. Try and keep your standards up. So it’s better than nothing.
Imagine feeling left behind by a society that seems governed by mobile phones and computers that you can’t get to grips with. Imagine feeling lonely. Sidelined. Irrelevant. Imagine the days of silence with nothing but the tele to break the monotony because you can’t find the energy to go out.
Now imagine meeting people who care about you. Who will understand you because they share your concerns. Imagine getting help from kind strangers who become friends. Imagine meeting people who really appreciate all those things that you find daunting. Imagine laughter and relaxation. A good cup of coffee and a home-cooked lunch in a lovely café. Imagine getting around more. Looking better. A bit of attention. Learning new skills so you’re back in the swim. Imagine laughter. People who share your memories. Imagine a bit of fun and companionship. It’s all here. Waiting.
Home-made cake is bad for the figure? So what!
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Why we are different
AGE Concern Eastbourne
complements the work of
other organisations in order
to improve quality of life for
older people. While statutory
authorities are under pressure to
meet ever-increasing demands
for even basic services, we
assist our clients in countless
ways that help to improve their
wellbeing. We offer services that
no other organisation can match,
either in scope or delivery.
A good example is ‘Home from
Hospital’, a service available to
those who are about to leave
hospital or have recently
been discharged.
If an older person (or their
relative or friend) is worried
about coping after leaving
hospital, one of our trained
volunteers will be assigned to
visit that person in hospital,
then follow up with home visits
to help the client get back on
their feet.
The volunteer will collect
prescriptions, go shopping,
cook light meals, accompany
the client to follow-up hospital
appointments, provide back-up
information and assistance and
introduce their client to clubs
and organisations that may be
beneficial in helping to sustain
recovery.
No older person will be left to
cope unaided. And once they
are recovered from illness,
should it be apparent that they
are lonely, frail or will remain
housebound, our Befriending
and Forget-me-not services
can build on the work that has
already taken place.
Our Befriending Service is
available to all older people who
would benefit from a regular
visitor to offer friendship and
support. In addition, ‘Forget-
me-not’ provides telephone
befriending, ensuring a regular
contact call to brighten the day.
Statutory services are not
designed to provide these kinds
of backup and support services.
Yet the value of these services is
clear. They help ensure that no
older person need be left alone
or isolated. In years to come,
such services can only become
more significant.
. Sidelined.
o out.
s
eciate all those things that
ood
f attention.
11
Our befriending service offers friendship and support
21/10/2011 10:17
During the past year:
• 1,369 clients came to us for information and advice.
• We advised on everything from benefi ts to health, housing to legal matters, care home funding to travel, pensions and other fi nancial matters to consumer issues. And more besides.
• We helped clients to claim a total of approximately £710,000 in welfare benefi ts. Some had previously been refused these benefi ts. Many went on to claim additional allowances to which they were entitled.
• Our outreach team provided a specialist welfare benefi ts visiting service, helping raise additional income for those
unable to visit the Centre.
Facts and figures12
300
250
200
150
100
50
02008/2009 2009/2010 2010/20112008/2009 2009/20102008/2009 2009/20102008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011
250
200
150
100
50
0
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/20112008/2009 2009/20102008/2009 2009/20102008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011
Three year defi cit
reduction trend
Retail growth fi gures for our shops for the last three years
ACEastbourne_An_Rep_AW.indd 12-13
ts.
ts. Many
ere
aise
13
• Of additional money raised, much was spent locally. We assist our clients. In turn, they too help support Eastbourne’s shops and suppliers.
• Trained volunteers assisted 291 frail, older people who were ‘Home from Hospital’.
• Trained volunteers made 1456 befriending visits and in excess of 5,800 telephone befriending calls (our ‘Forget me Not’ service).
• We referred over 657 people to registered, vetted and approved trades people through our Contractor Call service, tracking the progress of each job.
• We invested signifi cantly in our retail operations. Shops were refurbished and refi tted and staff and volunteers trained to the highest standards. Turnover reached £236,000; 9% better than the previous year and 39% better than the year before that. The shops deliver unrestricted profi t which directly funds the work of the charity. During the last year we introduced Gift Aid into our shops and claimed back over £5,000 from the government as a
result. At year end, plans were progressing to open a new shop in Polegate.
• We ran aff ordable computer courses for beginners and improvers and an introduction to digital photography.
• We took over 1,107 people supermarket shopping in our minibus; charging £6 per head for a door-to-door service.
• The Venton Centre had a major facelift and refurbishment. A bold new colour scheme, logo and identity was adopted at year end, refl ecting a modern, forward-thinking organisation.
• Around 500 clients visited the Venton Centre each week. This represented an increase in footfall compared with last year.
• We received approximately £55,000 in legacy income during this year.
“ In 2000, we had only one retail shop. By autumn 2011, there’ll be fi ve.”
ear cit
eduction
21/10/2011 10:17
Looking to the future
AGE Concern Eastbourne is
committed to the ‘big society’; to
the responsibilities we share and
the concern we have for each
other. What do we want for the
future? To be able to continue
with what we do, to improve it,
enhance it, expand it.
The need for our services
becomes clearer with every
passing day. And as more of us
live for longer, demand will grow.
AGE Concern Eastbourne can do
so much more for the people
of this town. In doing so, we
can improve quality of life for
thousands of older people. At the
same time, we can help relieve
the pressure on everyone from
hard-pressed carers to over-
stretched statutory services. As a
community, the more we are able
to help promote the wellbeing
of older people, the happier and
healthier older people will remain.
For those who cannot visit the Venton Centre, our Welfare Rights outreach team are ideally placed to help clients in their own home
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“ www.ageconcerneastbourne.co.uk (click on donate).
Goods can be donated to any of our shops in Grove Road, Green Street, Hampden Park or Polegate High Street.
Or you can text BNQY 21 £10.00 to 70070 to donate ten pounds to our 2011/2012 shopping transport mini bus appeal.
We have the commitment. The expertise. The enthusiasm. The determination. But we’re a small charity. What do we need? It’s simple. Money. You can donate by logging on to:
ACEastbourne_An_Rep_AW.indd 14-15
Karen Dean of HARC
Gaby Hardwicke Solicitors
Jessica Gisby of McCarthy Webb Solicitors
Christine Haniver of Cornfield Law Solicitors
Lawson Lewis & Co. Solicitors
Stephen Rimmer Solicitors
Andrew Dixon Smith of Care Fees Investment Ltd.
Plummer Parsons (Accountants)
Caladines (Accountants)
DWP (Local Pension Service)
Eastbourne Borough Council Housing & Council Tax Benefit Department
Hearing Resources Centre
T.O.P.S.
East Sussex County Council
East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service
Rotary Club
Eastbourne Homes Plc
East Sussex Trading Standards
CRUSE Bereavement Care
Eastbourne College who have been providing a free internet course delivered by their students for our clients for the last four years and also allow us to park our minibus on their grounds
Blacks Leisure Group Plc - Simon Roberts and Dawn Burchett who deliver a Saturday walk once a month for our walking for wellness
Sussex Downs College - Therapy and beauty students come to the centre twice a year providing free sessions for our clients
Finally, thank you to our valued staff and 220 volunteers who donated their valuable time throughout the last year.
Thank you
. At the
es. As a
e able
emain.
am
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“ We’ll send a card when one of the group is ill. And birthdays. Of course! And if someone is in hospital, I’ll go visit! We’re family. It’s like that.”
Jean, Day Club Volunteer
“ The lady had broken her leg. She lived in a tenth floor flat. We made sure she had good meals and everything else she needed….”
Sue Grimer, Community Services Manager
(click on donate).
to donate ten
During the past year, the following companies and organisations have offered us both financial and practical support. We want to thank them all.
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“ It made such a diff erence to my mum’s fi nal years, coming to classes and the Day Club. She got her old spark back. I’ll always, always be grateful.”Sue, Old Town
“ The phrase ‘sorry, we can’t help you’ is never uttered here.”Pearl, Willingdon Trees
Annual Report 2010 - 2011
Give Local Help Local
“ It made such a diff erence to
Company limited by guarantee number 495839.
Trading Company Number 3796445. Registered Charity Number 1101578
AGE Concern EastbourneThe William & Patricia Venton CentreJunction Road, Eastbourne BN21 3QY
Tel: 01323 638474. For further information about AGE Concern Eastbourne please email;[email protected] [email protected]
www.ageconcerneastbourne.co.uk
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