Brent Carers Centre Christmas & New Year Closure

Welcome to our December Newsletter. With the Christmas and New Year holidays on the way, this edition contains useful information on services available over the Christmas and New Year period which we hope you will find useful.

There is an opportunity to apply for a free holiday in Blackpool, so if you are interested please fill in and return the form below by 24 January 2005. There are also details of a training courses we will be running in 2005.

Brent Carers Centre Christmas & New Year Closure

Brent Carers Centre will be closed from 4.00 pm on Thursday, 23 December 2004 and will re-open on Tuesday, 4 January 2005 at 10.00 am.

The Board of Directors

and the Staff of

Brent Carers Centre

wish you all an enjoyable and peaceful festive season

and Best Wishes for the New Year

FREE HOLIDAY FOR CARERS

Once again the Princess Royal Trust and Pontins Holidays in Blackpool have organised a free holiday for Carers in Blackpool during National Carers Week 2005 (Monday 13 – Friday 17 June).

This year each Carers Centre has been allocated 12 places. These places are for carers alone or with the person they care for. The names will be randomly picked at the end of the day on Monday 24 January 2005 (closing date for all applications).

If you are interested in applying for the holiday, then fill in the form below and send it to Brent Carers Centre by Monday 24 January 2005. Please note: Carers who went last year and carers who have been awarded the Holiday Grant this year will not be eligible to apply.

------

Application for a Holiday in Blackpool 2005

Name: Tel No

Address: ______

Post code ______Number of places required ______

------

Blackpool Holiday for Carers 2004

I took a number of carers and their families up to Blackpool for a week in Pontins during Carers Week and although the drive was long it was very pleasant with the expectation of a good week to be had. The whole of Pontins was taken over by carers which meant that everyone had an understanding of each other no matter who they were or who they were looking after. After a week of parties, events and entertainment, no one wanted to come back to London. It was a great getaway for everyone and I look forward to the 2005 trip.

John Sclocco, Senior Advice Officer, Brent Carers Centre

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SERVICES OVER CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR

SANELINE

Listening and information for people with mental health problems, their families and friends and professionals from 12 noon to 2.00 pm every day.

Phone: 0845 767 8000

SAMARITANS

You can phone the Samaritans at any time to talk if you are feeling low or lonely. You do not have to be suicidal to phone them. They are keen to support carers.

Phone: 020 8961 6181.

GAS EMERGENCIES

Transco Gas – 24 hour service. Phone: 0800 111999

HSE Gas Safety Advice Line. Mon – Fri 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, Saturdays 10.00 am – 4.00 pm. Phone: 0800 300 363

British Gas (Appliance checks). Phone: 0845 960 5040

ELECTRICITY EMERGENCIES

EDF Electricity - 24 hour service. Phone: 0800 783 8838

London Energy - 24 hour service. Phone: 0800 096 9000

PowerGen gas and electricity. Phone: 0800 183 1515 (for emergencies press 5)

WATER EMERGENCIES

Thames Water - 24 hour service. Phone 08459 200800.

BRENT COUNCIL SERVICES

There will be an emergency out of hours service when the offices are closed. Ring the Brent 24 hour council number on 020 8937 1234 which will have a recorded message.

REFUSE COLLECTION/STREET CARE

For information about refuse collection, collection of bulky items or special items, contact the London Borough of Brent on Monday – Friday 8.00 am to 8.00 pm. Phone: 020 8937 5050.

SOCIAL SERVICES (Social Workers)

During office hours: Mon – Thurs 8.30 am to 6.00 pm and Friday 8.30 am to 5.00 pm phone: 8937 1234.

Out of hours emergency service will operate when the Social Services’ office is closed. Phone: 020 8863 5250.

HOMECARE

All homecare users, who are at home over the holiday, will receive essential homecare services.

MEALS ON WHEELS

If you normally have meals on wheels service seven days a week, you will receive meals throughout Christmas and New Year if you are staying at home. If you normally have meals from Monday to Friday, frozen meals can be arranged for the Christmas and New Year holidays by phoning 020 8937 4045.

SERVICES OVER CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR

HEALTH SERVICES

NHS DIRECT

A 24 hour telephone help line staffed by nurses who can offer clinical advice and information about other local health centres. Phone 0845 4647.

FAMILY DOCTORS

All GPs provide out-of-hours emergency services. For urgent medical advice call your surgery and follow the recorded instructions. Local surgeries will have details of their opening hours over the holidays. You may want to check with them and make a note of this now or call to check before visiting.

COMMUNITY NURSES

If you are elderly or housebound and a community nurse visits you regularly, they will tell you when they are visiting over the holiday. Raise any concerns you may have now.

DISTRICT NURSING SERVICE – WINTER LINE

To make out of hours District Nursing referrals: Phone: 020 8969 2488.

DENTISTS

There are a number of dentists available between 5.00 pm to 10.00 pm for emergencies. Please note, patients must phone their own dentist first. A list of dentists will be given to patients.

PHARMACIES

The following two chemists are open every day of the year:

Bliss Chemist

50/56 Willesden Lane, Kilburn NW6 7SX

Phone: 020 7624 8000

9.00 am to 11.00 pm

Christmas Day: 9.00 am to 7.00 pm

New Year’s Eve: 9.00 am to 7.00 pm

Peace Pharmacy

14 The Broadway, Preston Road, Wembley Park, HA9 9JU

Phone: 020 8904 2071

9.30 am to 10.00 pm

Christmas Day: 10.00 am to 2.00 pm.

There is also a 24 hour service which gives recorded information about chemist opening times for Sundays and Bank Holidays. This operates all year round. The number if 020 8861 3138

SOME USEFUL NUMBERS

VOLUNTARY SECTOR ORGANISATIONS

Admiral Nursing Service ………………………………….. 020 8830 4459

Older Adult Services…………………………………….….020 8459 5020

Age Concern Brent………………………………………… 020 8965 7711

Asian People with Disabilities ……………………………. 020 8961 6773

Asian Women’s Resource Centre ………………………… 020 8961 6549

Association of Muslims with Disabilities ………………… 020 8459 3400

Black Women’s Advisory Service ………………………... 020 8961 6324

Brent Association of Disabled People…………………….. 020 8451 3822

Brent African and Caribbean Disabled

People’s Association …………………………. 020 8963 1731

Brent Bereavement Service ………………………………..020 8459 6818

Brent Crossroads …………………………………………..020 8459 7286

Brent Indian Association …………………………………. 020 8903 3019

Brent Irish Advisory Service ……………………………... 020 8459 6655

Brent Mencap …………………………………………….. 020 8451 5278

Brent MIND ……………………………………………… 020 8451 3200

Brent Samaritans …………………………………………. 020 8961 6181

Brent Triangle ……………………………………………. 020 8450 2454

Carers UK …………………………………………………0808 808 7777

Citizen’s Advice Bureau …………………………………. 0845 0505 250

Friends of African & Caribbean Carers

and Sufferers of Dementia ……………………………. . 020 8965 1112

Jewish Care ………………………………………………. 020 8922 2000

NHS Direct ………………………………………………. 0845 4647

ARE YOU THINKING OF GIVING UP SMOKING?

It is fast approaching that time of year when people begin to think about making New Year Resolutions.

We are hoping to run a smoking cessation group for carers early in the New Year. This is a relaxed forum where people attend six weekly sessions of one hour. The group will be facilitated by specialist stop smoking advisors. The group enables people to go through the quitting process together. People who have successfully attended one of these groups say that they couldn’t have given up smoking without the support of the group.

We will need at least 15 people to make the group viable. If you would like to give up smoking and would be interested in joining a group please contact Kathleen on 020 8453 2212 at Brent Carers Centre’s Primary Care Development Project.