This was to have run from 10.30 on 21st February. 

We apologise for this, but should you have any queries, questions or need any support in respect of caring for adults with Learning Difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact our specialist worker, Martina on 01903 528689.

Manager Nick Hurley has setup wheel chair lazer tag, dance mats, Punch and Judy show and much more.

If any family books on to this day before the 7^th of February then they also receive free lunch tea/coffee etc and a variety children’s food box which is stated in the leaflet.

If you can’t open the attached then I’ll be happy to re send it in a different format.

If you are interested please contact Nick Hurley, Impulse Leisure Lancing nhurley@impulseleisure.co.uk

Tel:01903524621

http://www.impulselesisure.co.uk

Worthing Library are starting a new children’s book club, beginning in March 2012.

Details from Children’s Librarian Frances Maloney below:

We would like to invite your child to join a free “Chatterbooks” group which will start at Worthing Library in 2012. This is an ideal opportunity for your child to become involved with the local library, to develop their literacy skills and interests and to meet other children.

Chatterbooks was set up by the Reading Agency as a public library initiative. Each child will receive a free Chatterbooks draw string bag with goodies enclosed which, we hope, will encourage them to enjoy books and stories. It also enables them to record the activities they have participated in and the books that they have shared.

The project will consist of a series of six meetings held at Worthing Library, each lasting around 90 minutes. The first meeting will take place at Worthing Library in March 2012. After this initial session there will be five consecutive weekly sessions. We will also be inviting storytellers along to some sessions. We plan for the final session to be a family celebration event with guest storytellers. Light refreshments will be offered at all sessions.

There will be a limited number of places so please do book a place as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. At this stage we would like to know which days would be most suitable, please tick your preferred option below; the most popular time slot will be chosen.

If your child is interested please complete the form below, indicating your preferred time, and return to me at Worthing Library no later than Friday 3 February 2012. I will contact all the interested children by Friday 10 February 2012 to confirm if your child has succeeded in getting a place.

If you have any queries please contact me on 01903 704809 or email me on frances.maloney@westsussex.gov.uk

  Come and find out about us, Worthing Leisure Centre, The Children and Family Centres, Adur and Worthing Health and Wellbeing Hub, Mind, Age UK and more.

People in West Sussexcan continue to use the AskDES service to buy and sell second hand disability equipment thanks to ICIS. AskDES was previously run by the charity Voice for Disability which has sadly had to close. AskDES enables people to sell or give away disability equipment that is no longer needed and to buy second hand equipment such as a walker, mobility scooter and many aids for daily living. The cost of advertising equipment is free for anything under £100 and only £10 for items that cost more. The advertisements are published on the AskDES website for up to a year. To advertise your item go to the website www.icis-info4life.org.uk and click on the AskDES button. For help with buying or selling and for more information about AskDES ring ICIS on 01903 859929. ICIS is a charity that helps people inWest Sussex find services and support. Registered charity no: 1095945.

Carers Direct are hosting live Twitter Q&A sessions every Monday in January from 5-7pm where carers can post any questions or comments they may have. Two advisors, Gemma and Katy, will be on hand to answer any questions.

Carers can follow at @carersdirect, and can ask any questions for the sessions using #carersQA. If anyone can’t make the sessions, they can still post their questions which will be answered during the next live session.

We’d be really grateful if you could pass this information on to any carers you are in contact with that may wish to participate.

Kind regards,

Carers Direct

Information drop in morning being held on wednesday 11th January 2012 from 10.30 at Kingstone Bucci children & Family Centre Shoreham.  This is being hosted by West Sussex Parents Forum and is open to all parents/carers with children with a disability or any additional need.  These sessions will be happening every month in different parts of the county so if you would like to know more please check out the website www.westsussexparentsforum.co.uk.

Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I LEARN.

Hey, keep staring at me and you just might cure my Autism. Then we can work on YOUR social skills.

If you keep on trying, you’ll get the hang of it…

Routine, structure, patience, and most of all LOVE!

‘Normal’ is a dryer setting.

If you have met one person with Autism, you have met one person with Autism.

Autism Rocks! (and rolls and spins and flaps and loves and laughs)

See my potential.

You don’t have to have a disability to be different.

I may not be where I intended to go, but I am exactly where I’m meant to be.

I just want to continue to exist, but you continue to question my very existence.

I do not suffer from Autism, but I do suffer from the way you treat me.

Autism is not a tragedy. Ignorance is the tragedy.

People with AUTISM… do not lie, do not judge, do not play mind games. Maybe we can learn something from them.

I’m just like everybody else… only different.

Just because I can’t speak doesn’t mean I have nothing to say!

Not being able to speak is not the same as not having anything to say.

You all laugh because I’m different, I laugh because you’re all the same.

Sainsbury’s has today announced a major new initiative to help identify and support the nation’s hidden carers.

Hidden carers are people that despite having a caring responsibility do not recognise themselves as carers. Encouraged by the results of a successful trial earlier this year where Sainsbury’s stores in the South West worked with the Torbay Care Trust to identify hidden carers, Sainsbury’s has agreed to partner with the Department of Health to roll out a similar scheme nationwide.

Sainsbury’s identified hidden carers by first looking at research which showed that a typical supermarket has hundreds of customers each week who purchase groceries separately for others while doing their own shopping, a practice common amongst carers. Sainsbury’s colleagues were then coached by the Trust to identify these customers and to ask them whether they had caring responsibilities. If a customer indicated that they did have caring responsibilities they were pointed towards trained members of Torbay Care Trust team who were based in the store.

Pharmacists working in these stores also received coaching to help identify customers that provide care for ill or disabled loved ones. If a customer collected a prescription on behalf of another person the pharmacist would simply direct them to the Torbay Carers staff again based in-store. Carers often collect prescriptions for those they have responsibility for with up to 85 per cent of prescriptions nationwide not collected by the patient.

These two simple initiatives led to over 140 people signing up to the Torbay Carers Register in a couple of months, around double the number of new joiners the Register would normally expect. Signing up to the Register meant that the carers could gain access to the help, support and expert advice they need from local carers’ organisations. By expanding the initiative it is hoped that Sainsbury’s and the Department of Health will be able to identify many more hidden carers.

As well as this new initiative a number of Sainsbury’s stores across theUKwill also be actively supporting local caring organisations during Carers Week (13 – 19 June). Colleagues in the stores, led by Sainsbury’s Diversity Champions, will be raising money for local carers’ organisations and stores will also host representatives from carers’ organisations in an effort to increase awareness of the valuable work they do in the local community.

Jacki Connor, Sainsbury’s Colleague Engagement Director, said: ”All our stores play an active role in the communities they serve so we are delighted to announce this new initiative. Research shows that around 6.4 million people in theUK care for sick or disabled loved ones but many are not receiving the help and support they need. When we launched the trial inTorbay we learnt that not only were many of our customers carers but a number of our colleagues working in store too. Simple initiatives like this can make a big difference and we hope it will play a part in identifying thousands of hidden carers across the country.

“I hope that this new partnership will help increase awareness of an issue that affects millions of people across the country.”

Paul Burstow, Minister of State for Care Services said: “I am delighted to support Sainsbury’s on this valuable work. We know that many people with caring responsibilities do not identify with being a carer – they see themselves first and foremost as a mother, father, son or daughter. This means they can miss out on accessing vital information, advice and support.

“Sainsbury’s work with Torbay Care Trust is a fantastic example of how business can link up with the public and voluntary sector to support   carers within the local community.”

Imelda Redmond CBE, Chief Executive, Carers UK, said: “CarersUK welcomes this announcement – all such initiatives which help carers to identify themselves and come forward for support are to be applauded. We also welcome the recognition of our recent research which highlights the massive contribution that unpaid carers make and the importance of ensuring they get the help they so urgently need and deserve. We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with Sainsbury’s on this and other initiatives to support carers in the workplace and beyond.”

James Drummond, Lead Officer for Carers Services for Torbay Care Trust, said: “We are delighted that our partnership with local Sainsbury’s stores has been so successful and that carers across the rest of country will soon be able to benefit from similar schemes.

“Torbayis not alone in having many hidden carers of all ages. The work which Sainsbury’s is doing to help these vitally important members of our communities recognise their role and access the available support can make a huge and life-changing impact to so many people.”

In December last year Sainsbury’s announced that it had become the first retailer to sign a partnership with leading charity Carers UK. As a result of this, Sainsbury’s has joined the Leadership Group of Employers for Carers, a membership forum of employers committed to working carers, chaired by BT and supported by the specialist knowledge of Carers UK. Sainsbury’s is now working with Employers for Carers and Carers UK to ensure all of its HR policies are carer friendly.

The care provided by theUK’s 6.4 million carers is worth £119 billion each year, an increase of a third on the 2007 figure of £87 billion. The research from Carers UK shows that each carer saves the state on average £18,473 each year.

 Please click on the picture to follow this link to find out more.