Perth &

Spring Newsletter May 2012

Page 2: Foreword Welcome to the first edition of our local newsletter! I hope that you all Introducing our enjoy it. Team The work of WRVS in is like a closely guarded secret even Page 3-5: amongst our own! With this newsletter we hope to start to address this Introducing Our along with improving our communication to you, our volunteers. In this Services issue we will highlight the work that our team of 688 volunteers carry out Service Update throughout Perthshire. Since I joined in May last year I have been struck by this gap in knowledge amongst some of our volunteers. Also many people Page 6-7: I speak to out-with the organisation are unaware of all that we do or how Spotlight on valuable our work is. Why is this? Internally, I am sure, because of the old Emergency Response Recovery and department led structure of the organisation. Now, with our new Hub Resilience Service structure, we are integrating our services locally and other volunteering opportunities are opening up for those that want it. Perth was chosen as Page 8: one of only four sites in the UK to spearhead this new structure and plans Investing in to widen this out throughout are well on the way. From your Volunteers point of view I am sure that you are too busy doing what you do to have V Enable 2012 time to tell people about it – could be! We need your help not only to do the voluntary work but to promote the work that you do. Many people Page 9: throughout Perthshire have benefitted and we need to spread the word Scams and increase awareness to help us continue to grow services locally.

Page 10 The introduction of this newsletter came from speaking to volunteers at Disabled Parking our open meetings in January where it was recognised that we had to put Update mechanisms in place to improve communications locally. As requested we Carse Shop and Drop Service will continue with small, local meetings and details of our next meetings are enclosed. I would welcome contributions to the next newsletter, Page 11: Interesting news connected to older people, events in your area they Local Resource should know about etc. One thing I would Database love to do and I am sure others would Events Listing appreciate is a look back at the origins of our services locally and how they have developed. Page 12: Many of our volunteers have been with WRVS Thank you probably for more years than they would care Survey to remember, if this interests you, please get in touch. Any suggestions or feedback are more than welcome.

Joan Maclean, Locality Manager Introducing Our Team

Barbara Macphee joined as an administrator in 2008 but with the increased demand on our services her role has evolved to Office Co-ordinator overseeing our ever expanding social transport network and our IT systems. She is your first port of call for anything office related, the lady in the know! She supports our team of 5 volunteers who dedicate time weekly to helping out with many projects. Barbara came to us with years of IT office experience and keeps us all in line!. Full time, available 08:30-16:30 (Fri 08:30-15:00)

May Smith, Service Co-ordinator is our longest serving member of staff. May started many years’ ago as a meals on wheels volunteer and since joining the team has helped co-ordinate most of our services at some point. She now takes charge of our Good Neighbours and Home from Hospital Services, Lunch Clubs & Social Clubs. Available 9:00-15:00

Caroline Scott , Assistant Services Co-ordinator also joined us as a volunteer in Jan 2011 quickly moving on to a post with us and now runs the Transport to Day Care Service, Books on Wheels and Telephone Support Service. Like all our staff Caroline comes to us with varied experience including being a boat captain in the Virgin Islands! Available Mon, Wed, Fri: 08:30-12.30 and Tues and Thurs 08:30-15:00

Sylvia Tasker , Service Co-ordinator has worked for us at Perth Royal Infirmary since 2007 managing the cafeteria, shop, welcome desk and trolley services and runs a very busy ship. Volunteers tell us they work harder there some days than they did in their paid jobs! Many of our volunteers have worked there for oodles of years so don’t let that put you off!

Pauline Richardson is our Assistant Services Co-ordinator at PRI helping Sylvia to run services as above. Pauline does a lot of work with our younger volunteers, supporting them through their Duke of award and covers the weekend. Available: Mon, Tues, Fri: 14:30-18:30 and Sat: 13:00-17:30 Sun: 14:00-15:30

Elizabeth (Liz) Drummond, PRI Administrator is our gad-about! As well as helping to keep the ball rolling at PRI, she helps out at the office, focusing on recruitment of volunteers. Available office: Mon & Tues 09:00-16:30, Wed-Fri at PRI 11:00-18:30 Welcome desk volunteers required – 9-12pm, 1-4.30pm shifts usually monthly Cafeteria/shop – Tues afternoon fortnightly, 3 hours and flexible hours for reserves (shifts are always 3.5 hours) Trolley volunteers for Saturday and Sunday am

Joan Maclean, Locality Manager – “I joined the team in May last year, with a background in Catering Operations Management (private and public) and Social Work Management. It’s been a pleasure to be involved.”

New appointment: June Malcolm . We are delighted to announce that June joined our team in January this year as Assistant Services Co-ordinator at Perth Royal Infirmary primarily assisting Pauline to run services at the weekend. June has recently started up our trolley service at the weekend with the support of our young Duke of Edinburgh volunteers. This addition to our services is much appreciated by both patients and staff on wards.

We would encourage any of our volunteers who have grandchildren looking for work experience to suggest PRI to them as all who come to us report a positive experience with some continuing to volunteer after achieving their award.

Official office opening hours are 09:00-15:00 Monday to Friday

2 Perth & Kinross Introducing Our Services/Service Update

All of our community services have the aim of supporting older people in the community, making sure they are safe and well and that they do not become socially isolated. Services now available to older people throughout include:

Good Neighbours service : It aims to reduce isolation, build Volunteers always required as confidence and enable clients where possible to get out and about referral volumes vary but we and participate in community events. A volunteer will pop in for a currently have outstanding chat and a cup of tea or you can arrange to go out together to the referrals in Blairgowrie, Bridge shops, the library, a coffee shop, to the loch shore, wherever! of Earn, Abernethy, Aberfeldy, Referrals may be due to age, illness or disability. When family and , Comrie, , St friends live too far away to help, WRVS Good Neighbours provide Madoes, Perth and Scone – essential support and company. time commitment varies and Other requests include - shopping, respite for carers, trips to often there is a degree of bank/PO, prescription collection, reading newspapers/letters, filling in flexibility but normally around forms, This is not a definitive list and we always try and two hours per week. accommodate our older people as much as we possibly can. Where we are not the best people to support we will signpost to appropriate services. Our volunteer outcome co-ordinators are doing great work in the community and are the first introduction to WRVS for new referrals helping to define and access appropriate services for them. If you are interested in this role please contact us. We would particularly like to hear from anyone in the area. Home from Hospital, part of our good neighbours service where older people coming out of hospital are given up to 6 weeks of free, short term support to help them settle in back home and with the aim of preventing re-admission into hospital and any delay in discharge. It enables them to return home with confidence. Typical support given by volunteers is shopping, prescription collection and transport to appointments. Just having someone in that initial period after discharge helps them to regain their confidence and independence until they can manage themselves. order and then carry out the shopping on behalf of people who are unable to do for themselves.

Shop Drop service is a new service currently only run- We require volunteers in Errol/ ning in the Carse of Gowrie but with volunteer support area approximately four we hope to open it out to other areas. Volunteers either hours per rota day – input can be collect or take a telephone shopping order and then weekly, fortnightly, monthly as part of carry out the shopping on behalf of people who are unable to do for themselves. Please see article later on. a rota system or reserve only

Telephone and nutritional support: this gives We would like to develop this service into a short to medium term support for older people telephone befriending service either this who need help adapting to the council’s frozen could be long term or short term or to meals service, building confidence through support someone recently discharged from support and encouragement until service users are hospital able to manage on their own. Our Call In time service will check people are up and about and “Blether together ” – if remind them they have a delivery that day or just you can spare half an provide a friendly voice and reassurance. hour weekly please contact the office. Tel: 01738 633 975 3 Service Update

WRVS lunch clubs are run in partnership with Perth and Kinross Council and we currently have four running Urgently required : in Perth, Abernethy, and Crieff. Except club is in danger of closing due to for Crieff all our lunch clubs have activities for their lack of referrals and we also need more service users. Volunteers work on a rota basis volunteer support – can you help? Commitment is two hours fortnightly averaging three hours monthly input. We also have September-March and we also require volunteer co-ordinators who manage the service. drivers. Perth Lunch Club requires volunteers – three hours per day on rota Our social day clubs run intermittently throughout the basis year in , Burrleton, Balgeggie and Muthill and Drivers required to transport people to provide a place to meet and catch up with friends, over Abernethy, Bridge of Earn and Perth lunch a cuppa with entertainment and social activities. Our clubs co-ordinators also arrange speakers to come to the clubs. Please note that Fiona Mathews, Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Advisor based at Murray Royal Hospital would be happy to come along and talk at the clubs. She can be contacted on: 01738 562 358.

Books on wheels —one of our oldest services now running from many libraries throughout Perthshire: Mill Street covering Perth, area, Abernethy down to Kinross and the Carse; Kinross; Blairgowrie; Crieff; Comrie; Breadalbane; Scone libraries all running their own services. Our volunteers can take books, films, CD/DVD’s and audio tapes to anyone who is housebound, helping them to continue to enjoy a favourite pastime whilst providing friendly, social contact and making sure they’re safe and well.

Regular and reserve volunteers required for Perth Mill Street Library Service

Social transport is a much needed service 124% increase in demand for our social particularly in out-lying areas where it can transport network in this past year be difficult for people to access public This is an amazing achievement and demand transport. Our team of drivers take people continues to increase but we need more of our on trips to shops, visiting friends/family, volunteers to become involved to sustain current days out or attending medical services let alone increase. We would dearly like to appointments. These are the most usual relieve some of the pressures on existing service requests that we get and often drivers will volunteers. The value of this service cannot be provide reassurance & company when overstated. Drivers build up trusting relationships attending medical appointments or will with regular service users and can be a crucial linchpin to accessing other services if circumstances help people to shop. Service users often change. ask for the same drivers and build up a Current opportunities: rapport with them. Blairgowrie and Perth various times and reserve drivers, Perth, and Stanley. Driver to Carnoustie, full day, 6 times yearly.

4 Perth & Kinross Many thanks to three of our transport to day In partnership with the council our Transport care drivers who recently retired after a to Day Care Service drivers assist people to substantial input to this service: Joe Duffy, attend at a day care centre by providing John Mathieson & Jack Herschell. They leave a transport between the service users home and big hole in the service and we are now in the the centre. This requires a regular commitment position that we are seriously struggling to from volunteers and involves escorting the support all the clients that we currently have. person from their home to the car, centre am and back safely home in the afternoon. We If you can help, even on a temporary basis would appreciate contact from any volunteer until new volunteers come forward, we would who would be interested in providing love to hear from you, particularly for Scone, Perth, Abernethy, Bridge of Earn and support by being an escort to the driver. Bankfoot/Stanley areas...... and not forgetting…..Our successful ..... and what we would like to do. We aim to services at Perth Royal Infirmary which look after people from the community and include our cafe/shop at the main to and from any hospital stays. What we entrance, along with the volunteers at our wish to do is also continue to provide that welcome desk who guide and assist support during a stay in hospital for anyone visitors to PRI and trolley services which who is without family support. If you would visit each ward. The volunteers help us to be interested in providing support to people raise funds which are gifted back to the on ward at PRI, please contact us for more hospital for them to spend on much details. It is our intention to pilot a service needed equipment for the benefit of the in one of the wards at PRI. whole community. WRVS shops offer confectionery, newspapers and magazines, We could do none of the above without a large toiletries, refreshments and gifts for team of volunteers. We would welcome calls from any of our existing volunteers who may be patients, visitors and staff in hospitals. Our interested in supporting another service. Even if cafés are a place where staff, patients and you have as little as an hour to spare this could visitors can relax and enjoy refreshments be of benefit to us or would you consider being away from the wards and waiting rooms. one of our reserves – very valuable to us and ease Our trolley services bring items from the the pressure of regular volunteers? WRVS hospital shop up to the ward, helping patients feel less dependent on If you or anyone you know would benefit from visitors for their practical needs. any of the above services, please contact us at our Tay Street office on 01738 633 975.

DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX!

This is what we would like to promote. Email is the cheapest and quickest method for us to communicate with you and we are always looking to keep costs low. Please help us by giving us an email address. For your next newsletter & correspondence by email -

Simply email: [email protected]. Tel 01738 633 975 5 Spotlight on Emergency Response Recovery and Resilience Service

We work in partnership with the Emergency Planning Dept of Perth & Kinross Council to support them and the Blue Light Services in the event of an emergency or Crisis. We can be asked to attend emergencies large and small, from gas leaks affecting a few houses to floods affecting many thousands. We support the rescue workers, individuals and families involved and work in partnership with other organisations to set up support centres providing shelter and basic welfare needs. We also work with those affected at the recovery stage after an incident to support older people in the community. Volunteer roles include: Community Resilience Volunteers and Team Leaders. Due to the nature of emergency work, hours are unpredictable and may include some unsocial hours. Training requirements include initial training with refresher training every two years . We urgently require Team Leaders! If you feel you could help in this Volunteering Role, please do let us know when you receive the Invitation letter.

Tasks can include:

• Providing volunteers to staff or manage various types of rest centres • Feeding of emergency responders and/or those affected by the emergency • Sourcing and distribution of appropriate emergency clothing for those in need • Providing practical & emotional support through provision of telephone help lines or face-to -face meetings &/or visits • Providing telephone help lines, drop in centres, individual visits, leaflet drops, • Mobile units & other single points of contact for the community. Signposting individuals to relevant specialist organisations and information • Enabling regaining of confidence and independence through the provision of assistance with shopping, collecting prescriptions, offering companionship etc • Sourcing & distributing appropriate bedding (e.g. blankets, sleeping bags) • Sourcing & distributing of hygiene packs (e.g. wash kits, toiletries) and/or advice • Listening and comforting, providing a sympathetic ear to individuals

What it has recently meant

• Support feeding communities when power went off for an extended time • Support following a road accident • Helping to set up a rest centre and feed individuals stranded on A9 due to snow

6 Perth & Kinross Spotlight on Emergency Response Recovery and Resilience Service

We have local teams in the following areas (in brackets are numbers in teams): Aberfeldy (4), Abernethy (2), (8), (3), Bankfoot 95), Blairgowrie (12), Bridge of Earn (4), Comrie (5), Coupar Angus (6), Crieff (14), (3), Dunkeld (5), Errol (30, (3), Kinloch (2), Kinross (4), (9), (30), Perth (53), (8), Scone (17), Stanley (7).

In the event of an emergency, in the first instance volunteers in that area will be called out but you may be asked to assist in other areas dependant on availability of local volunteers and the scale of the emergency. We would encourage as many as possible of our volunteers to support this service in their local area.

In particular, at the moment, we are looking for 1 Volunteer Team Manager who will be the main point of contact, and 6 Team Leaders- North Perthshire, East Perthshire, West Perthshire, City of Perth (2), and Kinross-shire. Refresher Training for the Team Leaders is now available and will be held in June, and a separate letter of Invitation will go out to all our RRR Volunteers.

We appreciate that there has not been new training available for quite some time, and we do apologise for this. At the last Volunteer get together and thank you event in Perth, a number of our RRR volunteers attended and were updated on all WRVS services locally, but for others who were not able to attend, you will have been reading in your ACTION magazine all about our services and our new Hub Structure. We apologise for not having had a recent Get together, and very much hope to see you at the next local Volunteer Meeting, and that you will be able to continue supporting our RRR service in whatever way you can.

Getting You to the Emergency! We would like to hear from any volunteer who has a 4x4 vehicle or has a relative, partner or friend who drives one and who would be willing to assist in a local emergency. Often the problem we have is difficulty in getting willing volunteers to rest centres. The person driving the vehicle does not need to be police checked when helping out, if accompanied by a WRVS volunteer with a disclosure. Expenses can be claimed at the normal 45p per mile rate.

Tel: 01738 633 975 7 Investing in Volunteers: We got it!

We heard at the end of last week that WRVS has been accredited with the Investing in Volunteers (IiV) Award which demonstrates that our volunteer management adheres to good practice and shows our commitment to volunteering and effective volunteer management.

On behalf of WRVS Perth and Kinross, I just want to express our thanks to our volunteers who turned up for the official assessment meetings on 14 March and took the time to express their views about their role in WRVS.

Assessors were given an accurate picture of WRVS, warts and all, and we are very proud of our part in the organisation achieving this award. The fact that we were chosen as one of only 8 sites in the UK to be assessed for the award is testament to the good work carried out by all. Each of our local services were represented extraordinarily well by Janet Knight, Irene Logan, Val Aldridge, Stuart Dingwall, Doreen Laughlin, Ian Brown, Joyce Robertson, Mary Macgregor, Alison Brownlee, Brian Bingham, Ian Boe and Mike Dennis – Big thanks!

V Enable 2012 - How can volunteering help improve the care of older people in Tayside?

This project is a partnership between NHS Tayside and Volunteer Development Scotland with the aim of mapping the scale and scope of volunteer contributions at a local level. We have provided information to them on WRVS services in Perthshire. They held workshops over the last couple of weeks in local areas to “explore how volunteering can be developed to improve the well being of older people in Tayside”.

Your ideas, thoughts and experiences are valued and if you would still like to contribute please see contact details below.

For more information, please go to the VDS website – www.vds.org.uk – and click on the VEnable link, call Margaret Starkie at VDS on 01786 479 593, or email [email protected].

8 Perth & Kinross Scams

Barbara our office co-ordinator and Irene one of our volunteers recently attended a SCAMS informa- tion day set up by our community police and came back with useful information which we wish to share with you. Victims of any type of SCAM are usually the elderly, trustworthy, hard working or wealthy who never report it – please help us to help our older people.

• In Perth and Kinross the banks, social services and trading standards are working in partnership with Tayside Police in targeting the criminals in this area.

• Friends and family of the elderly and vulnerable should be alert, offer advice and get help if they think someone is a victim of a SCAM.

• Common SCAMS are fake lottery and prize draws, bogus psychic predictions, get rich investment cons, miracle health cures. All these can be a telephone call, email, post or even doorstop selling.

• Telephone scams can be avoided by registering with the free Telephone Preference Service (TPS ) it is a central opt out register whereby individuals can register their wish not to receive unsolicited sales and marketing, contact telephone company e.g. BT. Call barring can be set up on withheld numbers. 08450 700 707 www.tpsonline.org.uk

• Royal mail opt out service stops unaddressed mail being delivered. 08457 034 599 [email protected]

• Tayside Police have a Nominated Neighbour Initiative which is a door step check on all callers. The nominated neighbour is chosen freely by householder who then shows a card to all door stop callers with “I do not recognize you “for more information call Lesley McDonald 01738892642 @ Tayside Police.

• For SCAMS relating to utility companies, contact trading standards 01738 476 476.

• To prevent bank fraud NEVER give anyone your bank account details. Never send money to anyone who says you have won the lottery or any big prize. Never call back anyone who has asked to check your bank details over the telephone and saying they are sending a new bank card. They then have your details and will send a fake card. If in doubt call you bank immediately.

• If you suspect a SCAM call Consumer direct 08454 040 506.

• Tayside Police have personal alarms for sale which are cheaper than buying on internet etc, Personal alarms for £2. When activated these omit a high pitched noise which will deter and disrupt criminal activity. Alert Multi function Alarm £6.00 & Motion Detector Alarm £12.00.

Further information is available from WRVS office in Tay Street, 01738 633 975

Tel: 01738 633 975 9 Disabled Parking Update

Late last year we were informed that we would not be given organisational badges and that rules for disabled badges generally are being tightened. We have spoken to Richard Valentine, Parking Superintendant, of parking services about the problems we have. He has assured us that he will make the parking attendants aware of our “Volunteer on Duty” cards. These cards DO NOT allow you to park on double yellow lines or in disabled bays. You are legally not allowed to park in a disabled bay without having a blue badge or having the blue badge holder with you and this now applies to residential parking spaces too - which are now for the use of any blue badge holder and penalties are legally enforceable. It will let the parking attendant know that you are away from your car but will be returning imminently. You will have 5 minutes observation time to obtain your service users “Blue Badge” if they have one. Although this is not always practical it is the only assistance available to us at this time .

Carse of Gowrie Shop Drop Service wins a Bronze

Carse of Gowrie Shop Drop Service wins a Bronze, Securing The Future Award for Improving Services Through Partnership ……presented to Jackie Doe representing Perth & Kinross Healthy Communities Collaborative and Joan Maclean WRVS Locality Manager (missing from the event was Stuart Dingwall who transferred over from Jackie’s team and was instrumental in supporting the transfer of the service. He now volunteers at PRI as well!).

This service was piloted in the Carse area by Jackie Doe’s team and we took it over in November of last year. This weekly shopping delivery service was implemented across the Carse of Gowrie for residents over 60 years of age experiencing difficulties with their grocery shopping including physical or psychological difficulties. To complement this service an additional support element was incorporated so that customers could receive help with the unpacking and storage of their shopping within their home or practical help and advice to complete shopping lists. This service has the added benefit to the user of social contact with the volunteer, who takes time to chat and discreetly checks on the well-being of the older person.

It is now being run by two teams of volunteers, one which covers the Invergowrie area and the other Errol and surrounding areas. A huge thanks and congratulations to Stuart and Graham Cox and newest recruit Joyce Johnston and to the team of ex meals on wheels ladies who came up trumps for us in Invergowrie - Sally Paterson, Glynis Walker, Moira Borwell, Winnifred White, Sarah Stewart, Kate Lyall, Betty Brown.

10 Perth & Kinross Local Resources Database/Events Listing & Marketing

Help Us to Help You:

Can you keep us in touch with what is happening in your area? Distribute marketing leaflets locally?

We have just trained another six volunteers as outcome co-ordinators. An important part of their role is being knowledgeable about services and events in their area. We are looking for volunteers who would be willing to assist us in gathering information on services available in their local area e.g. clubs, reading groups, exercise classes for older people. Any events coming up which would be of interest and help other volunteers e.g. where a good neighbour volunteer could take their service user - market day, best local walks, picnic area. Volunteers would need to have access to their own computer. We are open to any suggestions you may have and would greatly appreciate any help. We intend for this to be an on-going exercise. We would also look for a volunteer to support with marketing in their local area ensuring our service leaflets are in all public areas older people or their family and friends attend. This is crucial to our aim of reaching out to those people in our community who while not accessing statutory services would benefit from our volunteer support.

Social Return on Investment…We look forward to the release of the Social Return on Investment Project which all active volunteers contributed to in July and August 2011. This assesses both qualitative and quantitative data of services against costs of providing it. Service Users, family, friends and volunteers were interviewed for this project to assess not only the financial but social benefits our services create. It will make for interesting reading.

Annual Community Services Report This past year has certainly been challenging embedding our new structure, new staff, new systems, piloting projects for WRVS UK but we are all still relatively sane and still here! I would like to share some good news from our yearly report to Perth and Kinross Council.

Demand for our services increase year on year • 124% increase in demand for our social transport network • Runs to day care centres by our drivers increased even though their volunteer numbers reduced, huge credit to all involved who put in an amazing amount of work • 33% increase in good neighbour support • 224% increase in social day club activities • 7% increase in lunch club users On average we have 87 volunteers out daily in the community carrying out voluntary work. WRVS is all about prevention and lessening social isolation all of which you do, preventing people from requiring other services and supporting them when they do. We are achieving our aims of helping older people have choices and control over their lives and we need your continued support to continue to expand on what we have already achieved.

Tel: 01738 633 975 11 Thank You

..and finally, the office team would like to take the opportunity to pass on our sincere thanks for your hard work and commitment behind these statistics. The massive increase in social transport referrals is amazing in itself and a credit not only to the drivers who support the service but the volunteers who regularly commit their time to run this service in our office: Janet, Val, Irene, Maureen, Margaret - a huge thanks, we could not do this without you. Thanks to Trish who is taking some time out and welcome to our new office volunteers, Isobel and Moira…and we would welcome more support from any volunteer who could come to us with office skills (word/excel etc).

We are not able to regularly communicate with all our volunteers our personal thanks for all that you do. Like you, we are busy getting the job done! But we are amazed and continually thankful. We will continue to work hard to raise the profile of the voluntary work that you do and do all that we can to secure and develop our services .

Contact Us

Perth and Kinross Service Hub Opening times 18 Tay Street Perth Monday: 09:00 - 15:00 PH1 5LQ Tuesday: 09:00 - 15:00 Wednesday: 09:00 - 15:00 Telephone: 01738 633 975 Thursday: 09:00 - 15:00 Friday: 09:00 - 15:00 Email: [email protected]

Registered charity 1015988 & SC038924 l WRVS, Beck Court, Cardiff Gate Business Park, Cardiff CF23 8RP Tel: 029 2073 9000 l Fax: 029 2073 91111 l Email: [email protected] l © WRVS 2012 WR30787