🎙️✨ Exciting news!

On Wednesday, three incredible young carers had the amazing opportunity to join Magic Radio live from their London studio for a very special set of interviews — all thanks to our wonderful friends at Cash for Kids 💛

We’re so proud of Jess and Andrew for bravely sharing their experiences as young carers on air. They spoke from the heart, and we know their words will inspire so many others.

The Cash for Kids team couldn’t have been more welcoming — we even got a behind-the-scenes tour of the studios! 🎧

Stay tuned — the interviews will be published soon!

You’re invited to join a special online workshop designed just for you. This session will:

🔹 Share key findings from the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) survey

🔹 Give you the opportunity to help shape the action plan in response

Carers registered with the Involvement Network will be eligible for the hourly involvement rate (£13.85) — but all carers are warmly welcome to take part.

🗓️ To express interest:

📧 Email: involvement@swlstg.nhs.uk or nazia.choudhury@swlstg.nhs.uk

📞 Call: 0203 513 5775

🔗 Or click here: https://forms.office.com/e/27arB81ma

(Use the form to register, get the joining link, and organise payments if applicable.)

💻 Need help joining online? Let us know in advance — we can assist with digital access or offer alternative ways to take part.

Your voice matters. We’d love to have you with us 💙

"Join our free 4-week Carers Information and Support Programme (CrISP 1), which we will be starting on Thursday 29 May 2025.

We will be starting our next CrISP 1 workshops on zoom starting on Thursday 29 May 2025.

These 4 workshops provide an opportunity to improve knowledge, skills and understanding for those caring for a person with dementia, in a friendly and confidential environment.

CrISP 1: Understanding dementia after diagnosis:

For people who care for a family member or friend newly diagnosed or in the early stages of dementia. Topics include:

• What is dementia?
• Legal and welfare matters
• How you can support and care for someone with dementia
• Support services in your borough and planning for the future.

 CrISP 1 workshops will be held on-

Thursday 29 May              10.30-12.30

Thursday 5 June               10.30-12.30

Thursday 12 June             10.30-12.30

Thursday 19 June             10.30-12.30

Booking is essential.

Please contact Joanna Newton Joanna.Newton@alzheimers.org.uk

KingstonOffice@alzheimers.org.uk

Tel. 020 7423 5115"

Come along for a relaxed morning of chat, new friends, and engaging talks on a variety of topics – no booking needed!

Starting June 2025, Tea and Toast will now run once a month, on the last Friday of each month (excluding August and December).

🕤 Time: 9:30am – 11:30am

💷 Cost: Just £1

Pop in for a warm drink, a bite to eat, and great company – we’d love to see you there!

📅 Tuesday 3rd June

🕥 10:30am – 12:30pm

📍 Art Therapy Studio, Elizabeth Newton Building, Springfield University Hospital, SE17 0YF

Led by Renata Russo, Art Psychotherapist, and co-facilitated by Zoe Hannam, this workshop offers a gentle introduction to art therapy—no experience needed. The focus is on self-expression and emotional wellbeing, not artistic skill.

🧠 What is Art Therapy?

It’s a powerful way to explore thoughts and feelings when words are hard to find. Through drawing, painting, collage and more, you’ll learn techniques to support relaxation, reflection, and healing.

👣 Look out for yellow signs on the day.

🚗 Parking available via the RingGo app on Springfield Drive (spaces limited), or nearby residential streets—please check signs for restrictions.

📞 Need help finding us? Call Zoe on 07725 048331

💌 Only a couple of spaces left!

Email maura.davies@swlstg.nhs.uk to reserve your place.

📅 Thursday 5 June 2025

🕘 9:00am – 11:30am

📍 Springfield Hospital, 15 Springfield Drive, SW17 0YF

If you’re a carer, family member, or friend of someone who has received care from SWLSTG Mental Health Trust in the last 5 years, we invite you to join our first Listening Event.

This is your chance to share feedback and help shape and improve the services we offer.

💬 What to expect:

• Breakfast & networking

• Workshop-style conversations

• Open discussions with Trust staff, carer centres & lived experience members

• Connect with other carers

This event supports the 2025 Carers Week theme: ‘Caring About Equality’.

🎟️ For tickets and enquiries, contact:

📧 involvement@swlstg.nhs.uk

If you have any special needs or support requirements, please let us know in advance.

We’d love to see you there!

📅 Wednesday 14th May 2025

🕓 4:30pm – 7:00pm

📍 The Malden Leisure Centre, KT3 4TA

A open and supportive event focused on your wellbeing.

✅ Safe space to chat with Mental Health clinicians

✅ Free mental health resources & support

✅ Free contraception and smoking advice

✅ Blood pressure, height & weight checks

Whether you’re looking for advice, support, or just someone to talk to, this is a safe and welcoming space for all.

No need to book – just come along!

Proudly supported by local services. 💙

We’re delighted to share a powerful new short film created by our partners at Young Carers Illustrations and filmed by acclaimed Japanese documentary filmmaker Mari Yamamoto.

Following the success of Ana Graça’s charming picture book Young Carers in Bunnyland, their team held a series of creative workshops with young carers—including participants from Kingston Young Carers.

These workshops invited children to share their ideas for new illustrations and storylines. Now, inspired by these conversations, Ana is beginning work on a second picture book.

This moving short film highlights the importance of identifying young carers at an early age and features Ana using Kamishibai—a traditional Japanese form of storytelling—to engage the children in meaningful discussion.

Kingston Young Carers have played a vital role throughout the project, helping shape the stories, choosing character names, and contributing to the creative process in a truly collaborative way.

Eighteen-year-old Helen Abdullah, a Kingston young carer, shares her own experience in the film. She explains how being identified as a young carer at just five years old changed her life—and how the support she received from Kingston Carers’ Network (KCN) made a real difference. Helen also speaks passionately about the many young carers who go unidentified for years and miss out on the help they urgently need.

This film is not only a celebration of young carers’ creativity, but also a call to action to ensure every young carer is seen, heard, and supported as early as possible.

Our partners at the RNIB want to understand your motivations to volunteer, what stops you from volunteering, and what might encourage you to get involved with a volunteer role in the future.

Got a spare 15 minutes?  Complete their latest Voice of the Customer survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RWX5Y9P.  

Thank you.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on on our services: Take our annual survey online.

The survey is being carried out by Carers Trust who are a major national UK charity solely focused on improving the lives of carers. Kingston Carers' Network is a Network Partner of Carers Trust who work locally to support carers, giving them access to help, advice and breaks from caring.

Who should complete the questionnaire?

The questions should be answered by you, as the carer who has accessed help and support from Kingston Carers’ Network. If you need help to complete the questionnaire, the answers should be given from your point of view – not the point of view of the person helping. Your answers should all relate to support you have received from Kingston Carers' Network not for example from your local authority.

Young carers from Kingston are playing a leading role in a national push to better support the UK’s youngest carers. Their contributions to the Young Carers Illustrations Project will be showcased at the upcoming Young Carers Alliance webinar on Wednesday 7 May, from 11am to 2pm. The free online event will focus on the critical theme of Supporting Younger Young Carers.

Kingston’s young carers were instrumental in shaping Young Carers in Bunnyland, the heartwarming picture book at the centre of the Illustrations Project. They provided creative input on illustrations, story elements, and even chose the title and named the main character, Honey—a six-year-old young carer who represents many of their own experiences.

The book was proudly launched by Kingston Carers’ Network at our Dream Big event at Chessington World of Adventures on 2 November last year. Since then, Young Carers in Bunnyland has become a runaway success, selling out so quickly it required a reprint just 19 days after its initial release.

Accompanying the storybook is About Me, a specially designed pre-assessment workbook that supports age-appropriate conversations with young carers under eight. This resource is now being used by both Kingston Carers’ Network and Kingston’s Early Help Team to help ensure even the youngest carers are seen, heard, and supported.

Despite the fact that there are no lower age limits for young carers’ rights across the UK, many services only begin offering support from age 8 upwards. This needs to change—and the upcoming webinar is an important opportunity to help shape the future of support for younger carers.

We warmly encourage anyone working with young people—or simply passionate about their wellbeing—to join the conversation and be part of the change.

Attendance is free. For more information or to register, visit this link

From Carers UK

We are very concerned by the proposed cuts to disability benefits and the impact this will have on carers, disabled people and their families.

We are particularly concerned about the following:

1. Proposed changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) which are likely to affect carers’ entitlement to Carer’s Allowance (CA) – currently, over half of Carer’s Allowance awards are tied to PIP as it is a gateway benefit for claiming CA.
2. Many carers have health conditions or disabilities themselves and could lose both PIP and CA as a result of the proposed changes.
3. The financial impact of tightening eligibility to essential disability benefits, including PIP, could mean even more carers will struggle to afford essentials like food and heating.
4. New claimants for the Universal Credit (UC) health element will receive less financial support relative to existing claimants. This would affect the household income of carers and their families who apply for the benefit for the first time after April 2026, where the carer is living with the person they care for.
5. The reduction of the UC health element by £47 a week will also have a very severe impact on claimants.

We understand that many carers will rightly be very concerned about the Government's proposals and the impact they will have on them and those they care for.

It is important to note that the Government has confirmed there will be no immediate changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP). If someone is getting PIP now and could be affected by the changes the Government is planning to make to eligibility, the changes will apply at award reviews which take place after November 2026.

We will be responding in full to the Government's consultation on the proposals and encourage you to do so too. We will be engaging with carers and will also be organising a webinar for affiliate organisations shortly to talk through the changes in detail. Please find details about the Consultation, which will close on 30 June 2025, here.

If you have any questions regarding the Green Paper, please get in touch with us at policy@carersuk.org

Carer’s Allowance overpayment debts have surged by 71% in recent years, unfairly burdening unpaid carers due to a flawed and confusing benefits system.
These overpayments have had a devastating impact on thousands of unpaid carers, saddling many with crippling debts, with many experiencing financial hardship, anxiety and ill-health as a result.

While the Government launched an independent review last October, we are deeply concerned new overpayment debts continue to be issued. DWP official figures show that the total number of outstanding overpayments increased by over 9,000 between May 2024 and February 2025, to a staggering 143,922.

This scandal needs to stop. That’s why we’re calling for Carer’s Allowance overpayments to be halted until the Government fixes the flaws in an unfair benefits system.

We need your help to raise awareness of this crucial campaign:
🖊️ Write to your MP.
📢Share the campaign on social media and encourage family and friends to get involved.
🗨️Tell Carers UK about your experience of overpayments here.
🔍Find out more on Carers UK’s website and read their report detailing carers’ experiences of overpayments.
Thank you for your support!

Kingston Council want to learn more about your experience of the safeguarding service in the borough and have asked Healthwatch Kingston to collect independent feedback. Share your thoughts about what worked well, what could be improved, and whether you felt listened to.

Your feedback will remain confidential and will be used to improve safeguarding services for the future.

Have your say and help make safeguarding more personal: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YHJQBZQ 

If you have any questions, or would like help accessing or completing the survey contact Scott Bacon:

By telephone on 07421 071820 or by emailing scott@healthwatchkingston.org.uk

Kingston Council works closely with Kingston Carer’s Network to organise the Kingston Carers Board. This Board is helping to deliver The Kingston All Age Carers Strategy, and brings together organisations that offer information and support services to unpaid carers in the borough. The Carers Board are always keen to hear from as many carers as possible.

Work with us to help design social care services for you and people you care about. Get involved and have your say by joining the Carers Board. We value the insights of people with lived experience, and we recognise them as ‘experts by experience’. An expert by experience is someone who has personal experience using health and social care services, including family members and carers. We want to partner with experts by experience to co-produce our services. Co-production means working together equally to design services and make decisions that work for everyone. It's based on the principle that people who use a service are best placed to help design it.

The next meeting is on Tuesday 20th May (1-3pm). This is an opportunity to get to know the Board and find out about what we're working on. The meeting will be in person in Kingston and carer's travel expenses can reimbursed. 

If you would like to join the Board or to find out more please email: adultscommissioning@kingston.gov.uk or call 020 8547 5000. 

Let's work together to make a positive difference. 

• Almost a quarter of young carers say no one else can provide the care they do
• Two-fifths worry too much about the person they care for to take a break
• 72% miss out on the school holidays, nearly half miss out on friendships and almost one in five say they’re missing time out of their education

More than half of young carers can’t get a regular break from caring, while almost a quarter say there’s no one else to provide the care they do, an alarming survey has found.

The findings have been released by Carers Trust for Young Carers Action Day on 12 March. The time young carers spend on their caring role means young carers often miss out on education, friendships, holidays and many other things their classmates take for granted, the survey showed.

The survey of 423 young and young adult carers found nearly one in five rarely or never get a break (17%), while 40% said they got one only some of the time. Just 15% said they could take a break whenever they wanted.

Asked what stopped them getting a break, almost a quarter (23%) said there was no one else to provide the care they give. Two-fifths (40%) said they worried too much about the person they care for to take time out from looking after them.

One young carer said:

“I feel bad for taking breaks and when I have time for myself I’m always thinking that I could be doing something else to help out. It’s isolating because I can’t meet up with friends. I can text but it’s just not the same. Everyone’s planning their holidays and trips but I know I can’t go on holiday.”

Almost three-quarters of young carers (72%) said they miss out on the holidays because they provide care, the survey showed.

Many also felt they were shut out of a lot of the things most other children get to do. Nearly half (49%) miss out on friendships, and 46% on hobbies. Almost two-thirds (65%) said they lacked time to themselves and nearly one in five (19%) felt they were missing their education.

Young Carers Action Day is an annual campaign organised by Carers Trust with its network of local carer organisations. It aims to highlight the challenges faced by the UK’s one million young carers (under-18s) and the hundreds of thousands of young adult carers aged 18-25. At least 16,000 young carers in the UK, some just five years old, are caring for 50 hours a week or more, according to the most recent census data.

This year the theme of Young Carers Action Day is “Give Me A Break”. It was chosen by young carers themselves to show their need for respite but also to be given a chance in life by schools, employers and politicians.

Carers Trust is calling on the UK Government to ensure all young carers have access to a properly funded break from their caring role. Politicians, education providers, employers and other organisations are also being asked to sign the Young Carers Covenant, a pledge to help young carers improve their lives.

Kirsty McHugh, Carers Trust’s CEO, said:

“Across the UK, children as young as five are spending huge amounts of their free time caring for others. We know this can have a devastating effect on their education, wellbeing and future prospects. It is simply wrong that, as a country, we are asking so many children to take on so much.

“Those in power need to give young carers a break. If we want young people to thrive, as well as those for which they care, we need to give these young people the chance to take time out from their caring duties.”

Young carers across the UK take their message to governments

On Young Carers Action Day, Carers Trust will be giving a group of young carers a break by taking them on an open top bus tour in London. The bus will be stopping at Westminster where politicians are being invited to hop aboard, meet the children and hear their concerns directly.

The day before, young carers from Hartlepool Carers Centre will hand in a letter to 10 Downing Street. It will ask for the Prime Minister’s support for the Young Carers Covenant and cross-government action to improve opportunities for young and young adult carers.

In Scotland, there will be a mass gathering of young carers at Holyrood where they will meet MSPs, share their experiences and call for more support. There will also be a roundtable discussion with decision-makers about better access to breaks for young carers. A Young Carer Action Day Parliamentary Debate will take place in the Scottish Parliament Chamber with over 100 young carers in attendance.

In Wales, Carers Trust’s Youth Council of young carers supported by local carer organisations across the country will join together at the Senedd. They'll be quizzing MSs about how they can work towards a country where young carers are supported to access the short breaks they need and they'll have a chance to hear from former young carers about the breaks they've had in life in their careers and education. 

For the fifth year in a row, Create and Carers Trust are partnering for a special showcase of artwork made by young carers during four Young Carers Action Day 2025 projects. These have taken place across the four nations of the UK. The online showcase is on the “Give Me a Break” theme and highlights the importance of giving young carers time off from their caring responsibilities to look after their own wellbeing. This year’s showcase will feature puppetry, photography, prints and collages specifically created for the day by young people in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

As we count down to Young Carers Action Day this coming Wednesday, Kingston Carers’ Network is thrilled to host a special workshop led by acclaimed children’s book illustrator Ana Graça. The brilliant Brazilian-born artist and author of Young Carers in Bunnyland is visiting the UK not only to promote her book but also to connect with young carers, gathering their ideas for a follow-up picture book.

Young carers from Kingston played a vital role in the development of Young Carers in Bunnyland, contributing ideas for illustrations and storyline elements. They even chose the book’s title and named its main character, Honey, a six-year-old young carer. Kingston Carers’ Network proudly hosted the book’s launch at our Dream Big event at Chessington World of Adventures on 2 November last year. Since then, Young Carers in Bunnyland has been a runaway success, selling so quickly that it required a reprint just 19 days after its release!

Accompanying the picture book is a pre-assessment workbook, About Me, designed to help our service—along with Kingston’s Early Help Team—facilitate age-appropriate conversations with our youngest young carers.

Our young carers are incredibly excited to reunite with Ana during her visit from Rio de Janeiro, making the most of this wonderful opportunity to share their experiences and ideas once again.

Kingston Carers Network was delighted to see our friends from the Young Carers Illustrations Project presenting at the Houses of Parliament on Monday, 24 February.

MPs attending the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Young Carers and Young Adult Carers heard about the valuable resources developed with our support. These included the world’s first picture storybook for young carers, Young Carers in Bunnyland, and the pre-assessment booklet, About Me.

Our Young carers from Kingston played a key role in shaping these resources, contributing ideas for illustrations and storylines. They even chose the book’s title and the name of its main character—Honey, a six-year-old young carer.

This work was also featured in a joint report with the University of Plymouth on “Younger Young Carers,” which you can view here. 

We’re incredibly proud of our young carers for their creativity and contributions to these groundbreaking resources!

When a loved one is admitted to a ward it can be a daunting and confusing time for their family, friends and unpaid carers. You may feel isolated and confused, and events may feel out of your control. This session provides a space to meet others in similar situations, get information from the ward to help understand your position and gain general pointers on the importance of self-care and how it can support recovery.

What will I get from the course?:

• Develop a better understanding of the ward, where you’re at and what can happen next
• Learn techniques to lower stress and centre yourself
• Understand what resources are available

Wednesday 5th March, 4pm to 6pm, Springfield Hospital, Trinity Building, Seminar Room 2, SW17 0YF

OR

Tuesday 1st April, 4pm to 6pm, Online.

Contact 020 3513 5818 or recoverycollege@swlstg.nhs.uk

These will take place on the last Friday of every month during our regular Tea & Toast event.

Vilma, our Benefits and Tribunal Representative will be available from 9.30am to 10.30am to answer general benefit-related questions. At 11am, Vilma will be available for a one-to-one session, which can include form-filling or support with specific benefit queries.

Please note: The individual support session at 11am must be booked in advance by emailing benefits@kingstoncarers.org.uk.

Proceeds from the event will be shared between Kingston Carers' Network, Momentum, and other Rotary charities. The more tickets bought mentioning KCN, the greater the support for us so gather your friends, family, and colleagues for a fantastic night out!

🔹 Doors open: 6:30 PM
🔹 First race: 7:00 PM
🔹 Tickets: £25 per person (includes fish and chip supper)

To book, transfer £25 per person to the Rotary Club of Surbiton (Account No: 00403323, Sort Code: 30-98-62) using the reference Surname + Race Night + number of seats. Then, email Toni Twaite (family.twaite@gmail.com) with attendees’ names. No paper tickets will be issued — confirmation will be sent via email.

Join us for a night of racing, fun, and fundraising — all for a great cause!

For more information, contact ikrose@gmail.com.

In 2023, Kingston’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) reviewed health at all ages in Kingston.

The draft Kingston Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-28 sets out the priorities proposed for action across the Kingston Partnership Board using data from the Kingston Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

The new draft strategy does not cover all aspects of health and wellbeing in Kingston, but a small number of priority areas for the Board to take joint action on. These priorities have been set out in three life stages:
Start Well - birth to 19 years
Live Well - working age adults, 20 to 64 years
Age Well - older adults, 65 years and over

Share your thoughts
You can share your feedback on the draft Kingston Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-28 by completing the survey on the Kingston Let’s Talk website.

If you are involved in local groups and forums that would like to share their thoughts, please ask them to get involved too.

If you have any questions or if you need the documents in an alternative format, please get in touch by emailing jlhws@kingston.gov.uk OR calling the council’s contact centre on 020 8547 5000 and ask for a member of the Public Health team to call you back.

We’re proud to be supporting Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2025! 

This week is all about challenging misconceptions, breaking down barriers, and celebrating the incredible strengths and talents of neurodivergent individuals. 

Together, let’s create a more inclusive world that understands and champions neurodiversity in all its forms.

From Neurodiversity Celebration Week:

This year we're bringing you more panel discussions than ever before, with inspirational speakers from a range of backgrounds and professions. The discussions will all be focussing on key neurodiversity topics, and aim to educate while inspiring conversations about neurodiversity.

All events are free of charge and open to all. Please do sign up to as many events as you like and share with your networks, so we can all join together in celebrating different minds!

Please note that these events are being recorded, to increase accessibility for all around the world. Links to the recordings will be sent via email post-event, so please make sure you register for the events so that you don't miss out! Find out more...

My name is Njoud Al-Hurr, and I am a fourth-year PhD student at UCL in the Centre for Transport Studies. I am doing research on how sandwich carers travel, their needs, what types of challenges they face in transport, and how this affects their well-being and quality of life.

As you know, sandwich carers are a significant group facing numerous challenges. Various caregiver groups, including adults with children, single parents, and females, have been extensively studied in transport research. These studies underscore each group's unique challenges, influencing policymakers' decisions. However, the needs and challenges of sandwich carers still need to be explored in transport planning and decision-making processes; therefore, they are unconsidered. My research aims to bridge this gap by identifying interventions to enhance transport for sandwich carers, improving their overall quality of life. We can contribute to a more inclusive transport system that benefits sandwich carers and society by addressing these specific needs. 

I am particularly interested in collaborating with your organisation due to its commitment to supporting carers in the UK. I am recruiting sandwich carers for interviews. Specifically, I plan to recruit 32 full-time adult sandwich carers. If you are interested in taking part in this research please contact me on njoud.hurr.20@ucl.ac.uk

From RNIB

Our Focus Is You

At RNIB, we know sight loss also affects friends and family, who, in many cases, are the main support for blind and partially sighted people.  To help manage these challenges, RNIB have created a Focus on Friends and Family course.

Who is it for?

For adults of all ages who have a friend or family member with a visual impairment.  There is one session a week over four weeks which last one hour each.

What will I get out of it?

You will get practical advice, information and guidance on organisations, products and services that are available to help you.  There will also be plenty of opportunities to learn from and discuss personal experiences and share top tips.

When is it?

Starting on Tuesday 4 March 2025 at 6.30pm for one hour over four weeks with future dates and times being added.

Interested?

Contact the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 stating that you would like to sign up to the Focus on Friends and Family course or email the Living Well with Sight Loss team directly at LWWSLEnquiries@rnib.org.uk

From Sherwood Grange Care Home:

From Carers Trust:

This Young Carers Action Day, we want our policy priorities to be shaped by the ideas and experiences of young carers. To do this, we're holding a policy workshop for young and young adult carers aged 13-25, to talk about how decision makers, but also teachers, doctors and other professionals who support young carers could 'give them a break'. We'll talk about equity of life chances- what they want to see to 'give them a break' to achieve what they want to achieve in life, and about their hopes and concerns for the future. 

Are you a young carer who would like to see their views and ideas taken to Westminster? We'll be holding a workshop on Thursday 6 February, 6pm-7:30pm, online.  Please fill in the sign-up form below if they would like to take part. There is a £30 Love2Shop gift voucher on offer for each young carer who participates in the session, as a recognition of their time and contribution.

Click Here : https://forms.office.com/e/1yavSZEK7h

If you would like to join in but can't make the workshop time, please complete the form, where you can tell us you can't attend but want to contribute in another way. We will then be in touch to support you. 

From SWLStG Mental Health NHS Trust:

Join us at one of our monthly wellbeing workshops

Musical Reflection Workshop

Thursday 6^th February 2025, 1:30pm-2:30pm

Gentle Yoga

1.00pm to 2.00pm, 17th February, 17th March

Art Therapy

10.30am to 12.30pm, 4th March

February’s Musical Reflection workshop will be facilitated by Rachel Bell, Music Therapist in the Wandsworth Arts Psychotherapies Service.

During this workshop a range of instruments will be available to explore and use for creativity. Rachel will guide you through a selection of music activities that will encourage connection with yourself and connection with those around you through sound.

This group promotes wellbeing whether you have lots of experience playing music, or none at all.

No musical skill is required to benefit from this group.

If you would like to reserve a place, please contact Maura at maura.davies@swlstg.nhs.uk

Sessions will be held at:

Springfield University Hospital, Elizabeth Newton Building (via Entrance 11 on attached site map) – Wandsworth Art Therapy Centre - Springfield Drive, London, SW17 0YF.

Warmest Regards

Maura Davies

Peer Support Worker (Carers)

Involvement Team

My working day is Tuesday

T: 020 3513 5775

E: involvement@swlstg.nhs.uk

W: Get involved (swlstg.nhs.uk)

From Alzheimer's Society:

Join our free 4-week Carers Information and Support Programme (CrISP 1), which we will be starting on Tuesday 11 March 2025.

We will be starting our next CrISP 1 workshops on zoom starting on Tuesday 11 March 2025.

These four workshops provide an opportunity to improve knowledge, skills and understanding for those caring for a person with dementia, in a friendly and confidential environment.

CrISP 1: Understanding dementia after diagnosis:

For people who care for a family member or friend newly diagnosed or in the early stages of dementia. Topics include:

• What is dementia?
• Legal and welfare matters
• How you can support and care for someone with dementia

• Support services in your borough and planning for the future.

 CrISP 1 workshops will be held on

Tuesday 11 March, 10.30am to 12.30pm

Tuesday 18 March, 10.30am to 12.30pm

Tuesday 25 March, 10.30am to 12.30pm

Tuesday 1 April, 10.30am to 12.30pm

Booking is essential.

Please contact Joanna Newton Joanna.Newton@alzheimers.org.uk

or KingstonOffice@alzheimers.org.uk or call 020 7423 5115

An independent review is currently being undertaken to establish:

• how overpayments of Carer’s Allowance linked to earnings have occurred
• what can best be done to support those who have accrued them
• how to reduce the risk of these problems occurring in future

About the review

The Terms of Reference for the independent review on Carer’s Allowance overpayments is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-carers-allowance-overpayments-terms-of-reference. It is currently in evidence gathering stage until late March and is due to report to Government in early Summer 2025.

Carers UK report on Carer’s Allowance overpayments

Carers UK used the evidence collected from over 138 unpaid carers to publish a policy report and recommendations in July 2024 and, alongside a group of carers affected by overpayments, we went to meet with two Government Ministers at the time. Please do have a look at the report for information about their recommendations.

The review is now looking for carers who have been affected to give evidence directly at one of two engagement session.

These will take place on Tuesday 25 February 2025 at 5-7pm and Monday 24 March at 11am-1pm. Please contact CA.OverpaymentsReview@dwp.gov.uk for an invitation to either of these.

Written submissions

The independent review team would also welcome any written submissions you would like to provide to CA.OverpaymentsReview@dwp.gov.uk by 24 March 2025.

Free training available to carers. Find out more and book online: www.aimsol.co.uk/training

The Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames (RBK) is working with We Are Group to deliver free Digital Skills training. This initiative is funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is designed to support job seekers within RBK overcome barriers to employment.

How we help
We offer personalised, one-to-one training that increases digital confidence and capability. By teaching participants how to use digital devices, online services as well as CV writing techniques, we help to enhance their employment prospects.
Each participant receives three 2-hour sessions delivered in a setting of their choice. After completing the training, a tablet and 40 GB of data is gifted to the resident so they can continue their digital journey.

During the training, participants will learn:

• Introduction to the Internet and Online Safety
• Navigation skills for electronic devices
• Managing Files, Folders, Shortcuts, and Apps
• Email Basics
• Utilising Online Forms and Shopping Services
• Introduction to Word Processing
• CV Writing and Job Search Techniques
• Digital Money Management

The free Digital Skills training is exclusively for job seekers within the The Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames aged 16 and older who are not confident using a device or do not have access to one.

Do you know someone who could benefit from Digital Skills training? Refer them to our service by visiting bit.ly/kingston-portal