www.suffolkfamilycarers.

org
UK Registered Charity: 1069937 ANNUAL REVIEW 2010
LOOKING FORWARD
Brian Parrott, Chair, Suffolk Family Carers.

“This year had always promised to be a prelude to a much more challenging

year for Suffolk Family Carers in 2010/11, regardless of the election results.
Writing this in autumn 2010, the prospects for 2011/12 and beyond feel
more worrying. Not so much for us as an organisation, but importantly for
Family Carers and the people for whom they care. So much of this care
is publically funded - whether through the voluntary sector, local government
or NHS.

Suffolk Family Carers exists to represent and advocate for the interests of thousands of individual Family
Carers across the county, mostly hidden in local communities, giving support privately and doing all sorts
of very personal caring tasks for relatives and friends. In the future Suffolk Family Carers will need to play
our part even more effectively. Sometimes it may mean us running or providing services directly to people,
perhaps in a different way to now, as long as doing so is compatible with our main objective.

We await the real detail of the Government’s public expenditure plans for 2011/12 and beyond and
a fuller understanding of what new opportunities could flow from the ‘Big Society’ initiative. At this time
it is imperative that the Trustee Board as well as the Chief Executive and staff are as ‘ahead of the game’
as we can be - picking up and interpreting signals, being flexible in our thinking and willing to contribute
to new initiatives (or perhaps abandon old ones).

As Chair it is immensely reassuring to me, but more importantly to every Family Carer or potential
Family Carer in the County, that we have such a strong, willing and able group of Trustees and such
an able and forward looking Chief Executive and staff team. My huge thanks to all of them”.

Board of Trustees: Brian Parrott(Chair), Andrew Moore (Vice Chair), David Eagles (Treasurer), Mary Ede,
David Johnson, Pat Leigh, John Hill, Ann Lewington, Terry Ward, Dennis Weston, Mark Wilson, Sue Thomas,
Jean Zoller.

Patron: Ruthie Henshall. Special Friends: Joanna Lumley, Nicky Slater, Becky Jago, Rob Dunger.

FAMILY CARERS NEED YOUR HELP

Please cut out and return to: Suffolk Family Carers (address overleaf)
Please come and get involved:

As a volunteer – reception duties or at the Family Carers café.

As a telephone befriender.
Become a business supporter or member of Suffolk Family Carers.
Help with fundraising or make a donation – we have a new Community Fundraising Pack to help
you in your fundraising.

Name: Email:
Address: Telephone:
2010 FINANCIAL REPORT
Statement of financial activities. For the year ended 31 March 2010.

INCOMING RESOURCES UNRESTRICTED RESTRICTED TOTAL TOTAL

Incoming resources from
(£) (£) 2010 (£) 2009 (£)
generated funds:

- Voluntary income 102,575 2,222,982 2,325,557 1,857,644

- Activities for generating funds 15 9,971 9,986 47,239
- Investment income 5,359 — 5,359 49,218

TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES 107,949 2,232,953 2,340,902 1,954,101

RESOURCES EXPENDED
Cost of generating voluntary income 26,027 36,976 63,003 73,566
Charitable activities 288,159 1,904,491 2,192,650 1,812,455
Governance costs 30,548 11,738 42,286 41,224

TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED 344,734 1,953,205 2,297,939 1,927,245

NET (OUTGOING)/INCOMING
RESOURCES BEFORE TRANSFERS
(236,785) 279,748 42,963 26,856
Transfers between funds 187,128 (187,128) — —

NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS (49,657) 92,620 42,963 26,856

Fund balances at 1 April 2009 177,494 720,675 898,169 871,313

Fund balances at 31 March 2010 127,837 813,295 941,132 898,169

All of the above results are derived from Where our money came from in 2008/09. Reserves:
continuing activities. £941,132

Please note Statement by Trustees – Suffolk County Council 69% Un-restricted:

This information gives a summary of the Lottery Funds 6% £127,837 (14%)
income and expenditure arising during the NHS Suffolk 13%
Grants 3% Restricted:
year. It is reproduced from the full audited £813,295 (86%)
Fundraising &
financial statements; a copy of which is Donations 7%
available from our Finance Team. Interest 2% 14%
86%
“Statement by Ensors Chartered Accountants - In our opinion the summarised
financial statements are consistent with the full annual accounts”
FAMILY CARERS CAFÉ OPENS ITS DOORS

In the Big Lottery Fund’s Peoples Millions competition 7,181 people voted for Suffolk Family Carers, and
£49,580 was won to create a café providing a community resource where Family Carers can drop in to gain
information, access employment and volunteering opportunities and all kinds of support services. It is also
a wonderful space to socialise and share experiences with other Family Carers.

“I WAS DELIGHTED TO HEAR ABOUT THE OPENING OF YOUR NEW

CAFÉ FOR FAMILY CARERS AND HOPE IT IS A GREAT SUCCESS”
— Joanna Lumley, Special Friend of Suffolk Family Carers.

— Suffolk County Councillor Colin Noble popped by to meet Family Carers at the café and listen
to their views on the various carer support services provided by the Charity.
 “SOMETIMES I THINK I LEAD A BUSY LIFE BUT I KNOW THIS IS NOTHING
WHEN COMPARED WITH THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION THAT SUFFOLK’S
FAMILY CARERS DEVOTE TO LOOKING AFTER FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES”

I cannot emphasise enough the positive financial impact that Family Carers have on our society: without their
contribution, our services would face a far greater strain at a time when we must rely on strong communities
more than ever before.

ALL OF THIS IS WHY SUFFOLK FAMILY CARERS IS SUCH A CRUCIAL AND VALUED-
PARTNER FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
Suffolk’s multi-agency strategy for Family Carers - launched this year - sets out a compelling vision for
supporting and empowering Family Carers, whether young or old. Suffolk Family Carers plays a central role
in supporting this strategy.

Our close partnership working with Suffolk Family Carers is already reaping many rewards. This includes
facilitating much needed breaks and respite opportunities for Family Carers, and supporting Family Carers
to receive relevant information and guidance, helping them to live a life of their own, alongside their caring
responsibilities.

County Councillor Colin Noble.

Portfolio Holder for Adult and Community Services, Suffolk County Council.
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
Suffolk Family Carers is a well-established charity aiming to help family carers lead fuller lives by providing
a diverse range of services, support and recognition.

Our work as a charity is all about:

• GIVING FAMILY CARERS VITAL INFORMATION AND SUPPORTING THEM

IN THEIR CARING ROLES.

“I WAS BEGINNING TO FEEL SHORT

OF HELP AND NOW FEEL SUPPORTED” “I FEEL I HAVE A LIFE NOW”

• SPEAKING UP FOR FAMILY CARERS AND INFORMING THEM OF THEIR RIGHTS.

• HELPING FAMILY CARERS TAKE A BREAK FROM CARING AND HAVE
A LIFE OF THEIR OWN.
“ALLOWED ME TO HAVE A COUPLE OF DAYS AWAY TO CATCH
UP ON THE EVERYDAY MAINTENANCE OF MY OWN LIFE!”

“BEFORE BEING PUT IN TOUCH WITH SUFFOLK FAMILY CARERS, I FOUND

THE STRESS OF BEING A FULL TIME CARER QUITE OVERWHELMING. I NOW
KNOW THAT I CAN OBTAIN A FEW HOURS RESPITE TO RELIEVE THE STRESS
BY DOING SOMETHING FOR MYSELF”.

• OFFERING FAMILY CARERS OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET AND GIVING

THEM SOMEONE TO TALK TO.

• GUIDING FAMILY CARERS TO LEARN NEW SKILLS, BUILDING SOCIAL CAPITAL

AND INVOLVING THEM IN LOCAL COMMUNITY LIFE.
FAMILY CARERS IN SUFFOLK
• 29% ARE MALE
• 71% ARE FEMALE
• 92% ARE AGED OVER 24
• 2% ARE AGED BETWEEN 16-24
• 6% ARE UNDER 16
• 95% ARE WHITE BRITISH
• 5% ARE FROM BLACK & MINORITY
ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS
(Based on inclusion & diversity survey, 2010).

FUNDRAISING HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2009/10

Vital funds are being increasingly raised from community fundraising events including marathons, cycle
rides, sponsored swims, coffee mornings, cake sales – you name it, we want Family Carers to be involved
and to benefit from all of the marvelous charity events being held in our county. As ever, we are grateful
to all of those people who have participated in a challenge or event and have already donated to us.
We now have a new enthusiastic Fundraising Committee comprising of staff, trustees and volunteers with
support from Rob Dunger at BBC Radio Suffolk and our Patron Ruthie Henshall. Turning ideas into ac-
tion – we have a fundraising pack to inspire and advise fundraisers and there will be home collection boxes
for small change available soon. Every penny matters to us this year and you can be assured that all monies
raised in the community will be well spent to support Family Carers.

Charity Festive Evening at Bourne Garden Centre/Suffolk Food Hall - Over £3,000 was raised
from a Charity Festive Evening held at Suffolk Food Hall and Bourne Garden Centre. Our Patron Ruthie
Henshall was a special guest and Rob Dunger from BBC Radio Suffolk was our master of ceremonies for
the evening. We were entertained with live music from the Heebee Geebees and the Family Carers choir
and there was a raffle and auction of celebrity signed Christmas baubles – Joanna Lumley signed one for
us too and her continued support is much appreciated.

Fashion Show at Holbrook Village Hall – A fashion morning to raise funds for Suffolk Family Carers
and the Holbrook Church Fabric Fund was held at Holbrook Village Hall. Volunteers modelled pieces from
the Artichoke Collection (www.artichokecollection.co.uk) and the audience had an opportunity to browse,
try on and purchase outfits. The event was well attended and also supported by cosmetics and accessories
stands. Over £600 was raised to be split between the two causes.
HELPING FAMILY
CARERS TO LIVE
FULLER LIVES
SUFFOLK FAMILY CARERS RUN A WIDE RANGE OF TARGETED
PROJECT WORK FOR FAMILY CARERS AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO
JUSTICE, IN A SHORT ANNUAL REVIEW DOCUMENT, TO THEIR MANY
ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE YEAR – HERE BELOW ARE JUST A FEW
KEY SERVICE AND PROJECT AREAS.

Carers Week 2010 Celebrations with special guest Nicky Slater

• BOOSTING YOUNG CARERS
8% of Family Carers in Suffolk are under 24. We want to enable children and young people with
care-giving responsibilities to fulfil their potential. By working in partnership with young people, their
families and other agencies we help them to achieve this - providing information, support and training,
and promoting informed choice.

One of our main projects – BOOST – has involved taking Young Carers on a three day/two night break
from their caring role, involving them in peer support groups looking at the issues that affect them as
a Young Carer. We use Activity Centres where the Young Carers sleep, have all their food and take part
in a number of activities such as canoeing, abseiling, archery & orienteering to name just a few; plus
organised team games to enable them to get to know each other better.

Half of each day is spent working in small groups with the BOOST Co-ordinator. This time is spent
talking about ‘how caring makes me feel’; getting to know other Young Carers in a similar situation and
also looking at coping strategies and how to take better care of themselves. Within the session on coping
strategies we also work with the Young Carers to ensure that they develop their support network including
telling someone at school.

“I LEARNT STRATEGIES FOR CALMING DOWN

AND I CAN TELL PEOPLE MY PROBLEMS”
“I DON’T HAVE AS
MANY WORRIES NOW”
• ADULT CARERS SUPPORT
We want to ensure that Family Carers in Suffolk have access and full knowledge of services available to
them and those that they care for.

Our team of carer support and advocacy workers, each covering a local area, support and guide Family
Carers so that they can feel less isolated, be able to have a break from their caring role and look after their
own physical and mental well being. They assess needs, set up support groups and events.

“IT’S HARD FOR ME TO GET BREAKS LIKE THIS”

• HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE SUPPORT

We provide a service to Family Carers within the hospital setting. Working closely with ward staff, social
care staff, and in hospital forums we ensure that Family Carers are supported during their hospital stay.
By providing support and information to Family Carers during times of increased pressure and change,
it is hoped that they will be enabled to continue in their caring role should they wish to, and to make
informed choices that will enable them to maintain their own health and well-being. Three hospital bases
are covered: Ipswich, Waveney and West Suffolk
• SUFFOLK FAMILY CARERS CENTRE
The Centre is the central resource in Suffolk for Family Carers to access information, support and training
and education. It allows us to develop outreach opportunities with partner organisations that would enable
the service to be taken into the more rural areas of the County. The centre enables us to promote outreach
activities and offer a befriending project, like Talk & Support.

A programme of training days, information days and regular therapy sessions, have been very well
attended and have enabled Family Carers to be better supported and informed.

• TRAINING AND EDUCATION

Through various projects we offer training and education sessions to Family Carers to help them
overcome barriers to learning and facilitate return to future employment. We help with confidence
building, CV writing and information sessions that inform them of opportunities to improve their skills
when they are ready to return to the workplace.

• FLEXIBLE RESPITE PROJECT

“IT IS A LIFE SAVER! AND THE ONLY WAY I COULD KEEP ON GOING”

This project pays for care to the person being looked after to allow 530 Family Carers a break from their
caring role, enabling them to participate in local events, take up exercise, have a short break away or have
some quality time with family or friends.

This year the project helped Family Carers all over Suffolk have 3600 separate breaks.

“BECAUSE OF THIS PROJECT I WAS ABLE TO REALISE A DREAM AND

GO BACK TO MY FAMILY HOME IN SCOTLAND. THIS HAS MADE ME
FEEL LIKE A NEW PERSON. I FEEL I CAN COPE A LOT BETTER”
95% of Family Carers in a recent evaluation said that using the Flexible Respite Project had given them
the opportunity to improve their health and wellbeing.

The project – in partnership with Age Concern - also works to support Family Carers who are looking
after a younger person with dementia (under 65) so they can gain a break from their caring role.
 CASE STUDY: BETTY AND AMANDA
Betty lives in rural Suffolk caring for her husband who had suffered a stroke, and
experiencing depression and anxiety. Betty is unable to drive and also has Arthritis
which makes it difficult for her to go out on her own.

She was matched with Amanda, a Talk and Support volunteer, and received weekly
telephone calls from her. Amanda provided emotional support to Betty, as she cared
for her husband. Betty found it very difficult to see her husband so weak, and really
valued having someone to talk to about her feelings and how things were going.

Sadly, Betty’s husband died but

Amanda continued to phone Betty
once a week to support her through
her time of bereavement.
Betty is now doing well, and is
adjusting to living on her own.
She has just started volunteering
for Talk and Support as she wanted
to help someone in the same way
that Amanda helped her.

In Betty’s own words:

“SUFFOLK FAMILY CARERS GAVE ME A SHOULDER OF

SUPPORT WHEN THINGS BECAME DIFFICULT. I KNEW THAT
WHEN THE PHONE RANG ON A THURSDAY, A FRIENDLY VOICE
WAS THERE TO LISTEN AND ASSURE ME I WAS DOING
EVERYTHING I COULD TO HELP MY HUSBAND. SADLY HE DIED,
BUT SUFFOLK FAMILY CARERS OFFERED ME SUPPORT FOR
SEVERAL MONTHS AFTERWARDS. ALWAYS THE SAME FRIENDLY
VOICE, WILLING TO LISTEN AND OFFER SUPPORT. THANK YOU
SUFFOLK FAMILY CARERS”
SUFFOLK FAMILY CARER’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE, JACQUI MARTIN, MAKES
A CLARION CALL FOR FAMILY CARERS TO BE VALUED AND SUPPORTED

“ The challenge is now on to ensure that, with the financial challenges the country faces, Family Carers
of all ages are not forgotten, but supported, empowered and involved in developing services that enable
them to continue in their role. They must have a choice as to the task they undertake, a choice whether to
employ help and also, in some cases, a choice not to take on that caring role.
Saving the country billions of pounds each year, Family Carers have been called the “hidden army” or the
“shadow health and social care service”.

• THIS YEAR WE HAVE HELPED 11,107 OF THEM.

Supporting carers correctly is the most cost-effective way of saving money; it prevents crisis intervention,
inappropriate admission to hospital and delayed transfer of care. Without support, Family Carers’
physical and mental health is put at risk and Young Carers have difficulties at school.

• FAMILY CARERS SAVE THE UK AND THE LOCAL SUFFOLK ECONOMY

BILLIONS OF POUNDS EACH YEAR.
 Ruthie Henshall, Patron

1,512
Total number of face-to-face
contacts with Family Carers

1,137
Total number of Young Carers
we are in contact with

350 10,487
Number of Young Carers actively supported Total number of 1:1 telephone
calls to Family Carers
11,107
Total number of Family Carers
we are in contact with
 95%
of all charity income goes on direct
1,638 services to Family Carers
Total number of new Family Carer referrals

5,382
Number of Family Carers
actively supported

345
Family Carers from minority
ethnic communities helped
269
Whilst supporting Family Carers the charity has worked
with 269 other voluntary and statutory organisations.

The Caring with Confidence Team

Many Family Carers ignore their own health and well-being because they have neither the time nor the
money to do otherwise. If I want to go to my GP I just go. But Family Carers sometimes have to pay for
someone to sit with the person they care for so they can go to the doctor. You have to pay for respite if you
need an operation and need to recover; you have to pay for a replacement if you want to take a holiday.
Family Carers want to be recognised and valued, supported and listened to; to be informed of their rights
and entitlements; to be supported to maintain their own health and to have a life outside caring.

• EARLY SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION IS KEY - PREVENTION IS CHEAPER

THAN CRISIS INTERVENTION.
So now the challenge starts again. Family Carers are everyone’s responsibility. We need to ensure they
have the right information and support as early as possible and that they have a choice as to whether to
care or not and to stay in work or not. We need to ensure employers are sensitive to their needs, that
services are available and flexible and that families are not forced into financial disadvantage.

So the challenge is on - to support that hidden army in a positive way. Here at Suffolk Family Carers - with
all our partners, Trustees, staff and volunteers - we do just that.”

GO TO:
WWW.SUFFOLKFAMILYCARERS.ORG
OR TELEPHONE 01473 835400
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
ALL OF THE CHARITY’S PROJECT
AND WORK ACTIVITIES.
FAMILY CARERS SHOULD
CONTACT OUR HELPLINE:
0844 225 3099
(MONDAY - FRIDAY 9AM TO 4PM)
FAMILY CARERS HELPINE:
0844 225 3099

“CARERS WILL STAY FIRMLY ON THE GOVERNMENT’S RADAR.

THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK MAY BE STORMY – BUT BY WORKING
TOGETHER, BY THINKING CREATIVELY AND BY FOCUSING ON
PRIORITIES WE CAN ACHIEVE MORE RECOGNITION, MORE SUPPORT,
A BETTER LIFE, AND A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR CARERS”
— Paul Burstow, Minister for Care Services,
Department of Health, 2010

“WITHOUT FLEXIBLE RESPITE I WOULD

NOT HAVE ANY TIME OFF AT ALL. “YOUR HELP RELIEVES
I FEEL I HAVE A LIFE NOW” THE STRAIN AND ANXIETY
— Family Carer I HAVE AS A CARER”
— Family Carer

Suffolk Family Carers Printed on 100% recycled paper

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T: 01473 835400
F: 01473 835444
E: enquiries@suffolkfamilycarers.org

www.suffolkfamilycarers.org

Registered UK Charity No: 1069937 and a Company Limited

by Guarantee registered in England No: 3507600