Tuesday, 14 October 2014
Monday, 22 September 2014
EVENING GAZETTE NEWSPAPER 22ND SEPTEMBER 2014
Challenge of resort’s secret army of carers
They are the hidden army of thousands, suffering alone without and semblance of support.
Blackpool’s secret army of carers look after those who they hold dearest to them with unquestioning love and loyalty.
And in the face of such silent self-sacrifice to their parents, siblings, spouses and friends, Blackpool’s unpaid carers are now being urged to come forward and get the help they need.
New statistics show there are more than 16,000 people across Blackpool voluntarily looking after others.
While this number may seem high in itself there are many more, including young children, who are feared to be off the radar of the authorities and struggling to cope – with the stigma of caring for sufferers of alcoholism and drug addictions among the reasons why they refuse to come forward.
Fylde Coast Carers Centre (FCCC), which has around 3,000 people on its database, says the official number of 16,319 resort carers is not surprising.
“The biggest issue to us is there will be many more thousands above that who will not be recognised,” says FCCC’s chief officer Michelle Smith.
“It may be because of the very word ‘carer’ – people see that word and don’t recognise that means them.
“For others it’s around stigma. If you’re caring for a partner or a parent with mental health issues or alcoholism or drug problems, they may not wish to make themselves known for different reasons.”
She added: “Our biggest challenge is in helping people to identify themselves and come out.”
Among the 3,000 on FCCC’s books are between 300 and 400 young people.
Blackpool topped the Lancashire league table for the number of registered unpaid carers within its boundaries.
In Wyre the number was 13, 837, while in Fylde it was 9,187.
Michelle explained the resort’s demographics accounted for such a high number in Blackpool.
She said: “We’ve got a higher level of older people and a lot of people with a lot of complex problems living in poverty. The focus from us is to get these young people into employment, education and training.
“A lot of them have very low aspirations and believe their lot is as a carer.
“Our job is to try and help them overcome these barriers.”
Sarah Poyner, from Bispham, serves as a full-time carer for her 40-year-old husband Chris – aided by their three daughters Katie, 10, Louise, 15 and Lily, seven.
Former builder Chris had a heart attack followed by a pulmonary embolism, and is now confined to a wheelchair and can no longer work.
He needs help washing and dressing himself along with other day-to-day issues which need tending to.
While the couple have taken the decision to home-school their three daughters – Sarah, 41, believes schools could do more to be understanding towards young carers.
She said: “I know quite a lot of people with children who do help their parents.
“The schools just aren’t made aware of that and they don’t understand that they care about that parent while they’re at school, worrying about whether their mum or dad is going to be poorly or need to go to hospital while they’re there.
“These children get picked on and bullied because they’re worrying about their parents.
“I’ve heard from other people how a teacher will give a whole class detention and the child will say they’ve got to get back home to look after their mum, but the teachers just don’t seem to be made aware of the fact that they actually do.”
Sarah, a former nurse, says that care has just become part of her life but admits others are struggling under different circumstances.
She added: “A lot of people don’t know there is a carers’ centre and if you want somebody to talk to you can pick up the phone.
“Sometimes people just need a bit of advice and not many people know where to turn. People just need to be made aware of where you can get that support.”
“There should be some sort of funding so carers can get training in things like first aid, so they don’t feel isolated.”
On October 18 Blackpool is at the heart of a national Best Breakfast campaign run by the Carers Trust. It is the first ever national fundraising campaign to help raise money to support unpaid carers in the UK and give them a break from their caring role.
The trust is encouraging people to wake up to the realities of caring by hosting a breakfast or lending support.
To find out more visit www.britainsbestbreakfast.org
Monday, 15 September 2014
WEEK 1 - 8TH SEPTEMBER 2014
This year Louise is classed as being in her final year of Key Stage 4 - Year 11 and set to sit her IGCSE's this summer 2015. We will be continuing to follow the edexcel IGCSE syllabus for Mathematics, English Literature, English Language, History and Geography. This will be studied with a view to continuing to college to study childcare.
Katie is in her first year of Key Stage 3 and what is classed as her first year of High School - Secondary Level education. This year we will continue with a wide variety of learning subjects and topics. These subjects will be Mathenatics, English, History, Geography, Art, Science, DT and ICT.
Lily is in her first year of Key Stage 2 and what is classed as her first year of Junior education. This year we will continue with a wide variety of learning subjects and topics. These subjects will be Numeracy, Literacy, History, Geography, Art, Science, DT and ICT.
In addition to there individual subjects as a group they will also go swimming, library, cooking and various other pursuits and activities. There will also be a number of field trips and visits to various places relating to our individual subjects.
Wednesday, 6 August 2014
Monday, 14 July 2014
Monday, 9 June 2014
Saturday, 24 May 2014
Friday, 9 May 2014
WK 28 - 5TH MAY 2014
Our learning week beginning Monday 5th May 2013
It was a shorter week than usual this week. Monday 5th May was a bank Holiday and on Friday 9th May we went away on holiday.
Louise was concentrating working on the MEP maths unit Number Patterns and managed to complete the unit. No literacy work was done this week.
In Geography Louise has been continuing with topic of "Population and Settlement". In particular she has been looking at the different characteristics of land use zones of urban areas in LEDC's and MEDC's.
History this week has been looking at the failure of the Schleffen plan and the lead up to the start of trench warfare.
Katie has been doing research into names found on the various war memorials of the Fylde Coast. The aim is to find a soldier she can compile a lapbook about and follow his journey through the war.
She has been doing maths revision this week to reaffirm what she has learnt this session.
There has been no direct Literacy or Geography work this week.
Lily has been doing work from her books and reading. She has worked when she could but she had to visit the hospital on Wednesday regarding her broken leg which took most of the day so she has not had a lot of spare time.
Louise, Katie and Lily have been to their clubs on Tuesday this week but because Monday was a Bank Holiday Louise's clubs were not on and with going away on Friday Louise did not go to her Thursday or Friday groups.
The girls are all looking forward to their holiday this next week.
It was a shorter week than usual this week. Monday 5th May was a bank Holiday and on Friday 9th May we went away on holiday.
Louise was concentrating working on the MEP maths unit Number Patterns and managed to complete the unit. No literacy work was done this week.
In Geography Louise has been continuing with topic of "Population and Settlement". In particular she has been looking at the different characteristics of land use zones of urban areas in LEDC's and MEDC's.
History this week has been looking at the failure of the Schleffen plan and the lead up to the start of trench warfare.
Katie has been doing research into names found on the various war memorials of the Fylde Coast. The aim is to find a soldier she can compile a lapbook about and follow his journey through the war.
She has been doing maths revision this week to reaffirm what she has learnt this session.
There has been no direct Literacy or Geography work this week.
Lily has been doing work from her books and reading. She has worked when she could but she had to visit the hospital on Wednesday regarding her broken leg which took most of the day so she has not had a lot of spare time.
Louise, Katie and Lily have been to their clubs on Tuesday this week but because Monday was a Bank Holiday Louise's clubs were not on and with going away on Friday Louise did not go to her Thursday or Friday groups.
The girls are all looking forward to their holiday this next week.
Wednesday, 7 May 2014
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
WK 26 - APRIL 21ST 2014
Our learning week beginning Monday 21st April 2014
This week has been a shorter week than usual. Monday was Easter Monday and the girls enjoyed a day of fun and eating their Easter eggs.
On Tuesday we had our annual inspection from the Education officer for Blackpool Borough Council. She was here for about three hours and looked at all aspects of their work and spoke to all three girls about what they had been doing and their progress. She also looked at their environment for learning and will now produce a report of her findings in due course.
This week Louise has been working on the MEP maths unit of Number Patterns.
In English Louise has started to study the novel "The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde".
In Geography Louise has continued with unit "Population and Settlement".
In history Louise has been working on researching the "Schleiffen Plan" and how it shaped the start of the First World War.
Katie has been studying the mep maths book and continuing to complete the exercises and work.
In English she has started to read the novel "War Horse".
In History and Geography, Katie has continued to look at the places the First World War took place and the role of animals in it.
Katie has been studying the mep maths book and continuing to complete the exercises and work.
In English she has started to read the novel "War Horse".
In History and Geography, Katie has continued to look at the places the First World War took place and the role of animals in it.
Lily has been continuing to use her maths and English work books.
This week the girls have been to all their clubs or activities.
Wednesday, 23 April 2014
MESSY CHURCH FRIDAY 18TH APRIL 2014
This time Messy Church was held on Good Friday.
They sang songs.
They made Easter bread with poppy seeds on.
They played games.
They made Easter baskets and chose 5 items each to put in them.
They made a spinny wheel.
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