At this time each year I write to you about the progress we have made with the Norfolk Millennium Trust for Carers. It is eleven years since we launched the Appeal and to date we have raised £950,335.33.
We continue to invest all the money donated. With this income we give grants to Norfolk’s unpaid carers. Our trustees at the regular six weekly meetings distribute this income to applicants who meet our criteria. This year we have been able to help 173 Carers and 2 Carers’ groups. Since we began giving grants in December 2000 we have helped 1252 carers and 46 carers’ groups.
At the moment the Carer’s Allowance is the equivalent of £1.52 per hour, and even that disappears once someone begins to draw his or her pension. Meanwhile it is estimated that the unpaid work of carers saves the UK some £87 billion a year – more than the total budget of the NHS. A survey published earlier this year found that three out of four carers admitted to finding their role so stressful that it had led them to “breaking point”.
What we provide may seem small to you and I who accept our lifestyle as typical of most, but just imagine if you had to do your washing by hand (in some cases several loads a day) and wring the clothes with your painful arthritic wrists. Or be turned away by the launderette because you were taking soiled bed linen to wash every day - you would appreciate the washing machine you cannot afford to buy yourself. It is obvious from the letters of appreciation we receive that the assistance is greatly valued by Norfolk’s unpaid carers.
It is not unusual for us to be asked for help for young carers perhaps identified through their school by the Young Carers Support worker. Being worried about the home situation and tired by extra responsibilities they get behind with schoolwork. A computer from us makes all the difference. The needs of children who have to act as carers represent a growing, and often heartbreakingly acute, problem.
If respite can be arranged by Social Services, Crossroads or other family member - we can make a contribution towards a social or leisure activity that provides relief from caring – a short break or perhaps a days pampering somewhere. We are always willing to consider applications of any kind from carers who cannot afford to self-fund – as long as it meets our criteria. We must be sure that the help requested will be of real benefit to the carer and that the benefit will be worth the cost involved.
If they have not already done so we ask our applicants to request a Carer’s Assessment hoping this may flag up additional help. Quite frequently applicants do not realise they are entitled to this.
If we are unable to provide a grant for something – motorised scooters for example – we try to signpost applicants to other organisations. We have found that SSAFA are particularly generous to ex-servicemen and their dependants.
Power packs for wheelchairs, an expensive piece of equipment, are regularly requested, carers being referred to us by the Wheelchair Services. We distribute about 44 a year. The demand is ever increasing because of the rising numbers of elderly carers in Norfolk. The capital grant from the Geoffrey Watling Charity restricted to the purchase of power packs for wheelchairs and a smaller one from the James Tudor Foundation, expired in the summer. For three months we maintained an applicants’ waiting list to reissue returned machines no longer needed through bereavement. We are most grateful for a subsequent £12,000 grant from the Geoffrey Watling Charity received this month for the same purpose. These machines cost in the region of £500 and we are the only organisation to supply them pro bono to applicants who meet our criteria.
You may have learnt earlier this month from the national news or the press that according to new research some 80% of government funding set aside to help carers has not reached the front line. The government gives money to Primary Care Trusts but often does not ring-fence it, meaning the trusts sometimes spend it on other things. Care Services Minister Phil Hope has suggested that MPs should help ensure the care trusts are spending the money as intended. We will certainly be following this up.
There is a National Strategy for Carers, pledging an end to “carer poverty” by 2018; it is vital that this should be carried through. Everyone knows that the financial climate is tough as far as public money is concerned. But think how much harder this makes the position of the carer.
Our modest running costs have for ten years been covered by contributions from grant giving charities prepared to give core costs but not to donate to endowment trusts. I regularly approach such organisations. However although we anticipate a third gift of £1,000 from the Martin Laing Foundation in December, I have to report that this year we have had to use some of our income to cover running costs.
We could not manage without our invaluable part time Administrator, Joy Pickering. Working for only six hours a week she maintains the databases, accounts and general administration. She is a remarkable administrator and we value her reliability and efficiency beyond measure. Our other outgoings are postage, telephone, stationery, public liability insurance, printing of guidance leaflets and application forms, printing ink and software.
Our Appeal is tantalisingly close to our target of £1 million – there were some who predicted we would never even reach the halfway point. I retain the hope that I will one day win the Lottery and thus be in a position to make a huge donation!
We still have some Christmas cards for sale, one designed by a young carer. Once again they will be available from the Christmas Card Shop at the Assembly House or from this address.
We continue to benefit pro bono from professional bodies and greatly appreciate their support: Martin & Acock handle the payroll and prepare the accounts; Mills & Reeve provide legal advice and we enjoy free banking services from NatWest; Barratt and Cooke manages our portfolio of investments.
People sometimes ask me if we will stop when we reach our target. The answer is emphatically no! The Trust is an enduring one and will I hope carry on long after I am gone! I’m sure there will still be carers out there needing a bit of help.
Finally I want to thank our trustees who give priority to our six weekly 8am meetings and throughout the year provide support and encouragement to Joy Pickering and myself.
