Notice of Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The 29th AGM of Central Carers Association (CCA) will take place on Wednesday 11 June 2025 at 10.00 am, followed by a memberโ€™s lunch in the Carers Centre at 1a Bank Street, Falkirk, FK1 1NB. If you live in the Clackmannanshire area and need travel assistance, please contact the centre using the contact details below. Those who cannot attend in person will be able to join the AGM via Zoom.ย  ย 

CCA is the local voluntary organisation that support carers in Falkirk and Clackmannanshire and is the managing body of the Carers Centre. Full membership of CCA is open to all carers 18 years of age and over in Falkirk and Clackmannanshire, and associate membership is open to young carers under the age of 18. By becoming a Member of CCA, you will be demonstrating your support for the work of the organisation and strengthening its voice as a body that represents carers. Full Members are also entitled to vote at the AGM. The current annual subscription fee is ยฃ5 for full or associate membership.ย  If you would like to become a member, please contact us on 01324 611510 (option 1) or via email: centre@centralcarers.co.uk.ย 

Summer 2024 newsletter now available!

The summer 2024 edition of the Carers Centre’s newsletter has now been sent out to all carers and organisations currently on our mailing list to receive information by post or email. If you haven’t received a copy of the newsletter, you can download the digital version by clicking below.

In this latest edition:

        • Excellence for Carers Award 🏆
        • Become a Board Member 📌
        • Forth Valley Carers Card update 💳

If you’ve missed this edition but would like to sign up to our e-mailing list to receive future newsletters, you can do so here.

 

Young Carers Action Day!

It’s Young Carers Action Day!

Young Carers Action Day (YCAD) raises awareness about young carers (YCs) and young adult carers (YACs), the challenges they face and the support they need. This yearโ€™s theme is Fair Futures for Young Carers which will be focussing on why caring should not be a barrier to learning, earning or being able to get on in life – but for many, it is.

Being a young carer shouldnโ€™t be a barrier to a young personโ€™s dreams. It should be a stepping stone to a brighter future. Together, letโ€™s create a future where young carers can dream without limits.

You can find more information and resources on YCAD at Carers.org/YCAD or get involved on social media using the hashtag #YoungCarersActionDay

Winter 2023 newsletter now available!

The winter 2023 edition of the Carers Centre’s newsletter has now been sent out to all carers and organisations currently on our mailing list to receive information by post or email. If you haven’t received a copy of the newsletter, you can download the digital version by clicking below.

In this latest edition:

        • We bid a fond farewell to one of our longest serving members of staff 👋
        • We have information about our Christmas Lunches and ‘5 Days of Christmas’ Prize Draw 🎄
        • and much more!

If you’ve missed this edition but would like to sign up to our e-mailing list to receive future newsletters, you can do so here.

 

Summer 2023 newsletter now available!

The summer 2023 edition of the Carers Centre’s newsletter has now been sent out to all carers and organisations currently on our mailing list to receive information by post or email. If you haven’t received a copy of the newsletter, you can download the digital version by clicking below.

In this latest edition:

        • We bring you an update on Young Carers Action Day 2023! 🎉
        • We have staff info and updates, with interviews as well as all the comings and goings in the last 6 months 🔄
        • As well as info about our plans for Carers Week 2023, including our prize draw 🎫
        • and much more!

If you’ve missed this edition but would like to sign up to our e-mailing list to receive future newsletters, you can do so here.

 

Young Carers Action Day!

It’s Young Carers Action Day!

Young Carers Action Day (YCAD) raises awareness about young carers (YCs) and young adult carers (YACs), the challenges they face and the support they need. This yearโ€™s theme is Make Time for Young Carers which highlights two things that are really important for YCs and YACs:

  • The need for professionals and responsible adults to make more timeโ€ฏto listen to young carers and young adult carersโ€ฏexplain the challenges they face, so we can better understand the support young carers and young adult carers actually need.
  • Once they understand the sort of support thatโ€™s required, responsible adults then need to make time to put that support in place.

For YCAD this year we’ll be Making Time for Young Carers with some exciting group activities! We’ll also be sharing some brilliant stop motion animations created by our Young Carers’ Voice group.ย 

You can find more information and resources on YCAD at Carers.org/YCAD or get involved on social media using the hashtag #YoungCarersActionDay

Summer 2022 newsletter now available!

The summer 2022 edition of the Carers Centre’s newsletter has now been sent out to all carers and organisations currently on our mailing list to receive information by post or email. If you haven’t recevied a copy of the newsletter, you can download the digital version by clicking below.

In this latest edition:

      • Weโ€™re sharing the story of Stewart, a carer in Clackmannashire, and his carer support journey
      • We have updates from our Young Carers Project
      • Information about our monthly Professionals Afternoon
      • and much more!

If you’ve missed this edition but would like to sign up to our e-mailing list to receive future newsletters, you can do so here.

 

Election of the next carer representative to Clackmannanshire IJB

At the next Clackmannanshire Carers Forum, taking place on Thursday 18 November, a vote will be taken to elect the next Clackmannanshire carer representative to Clackmannanshire & Stirling Health & Social Care Partnership’s Integration Joint Board (IJB).

There is one nominee for this post, Paul Morris. You can find out more about Paul below. If you would like to attend the forum, please contact Nicola Weedon on 01324 611510 (option 2), or email nicolaweedon@centralcarers.co.uk.

 

My name is Paul Morris.ย  I am fatherย to two boys, married and work full time as Project Manager for the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal.

 

I, alongside my wife Susan, am a full time carer to my eldest son, around all aspects of his life and across every aspect of my own.ย  My family lives in alloa and has done so for 20 years.ย  I have lived in Clackmannanshire since I was a toddler.

 

My eldest son, Lachlan, is a bright, outgoing 14 year-old boy, who attends Alloa Academy.ย  He has quadriplegic choreo-athetoid cerebral palsy and requires support in every aspect of life. Lachlan communicates using an eyegaze device, the Tobii i-12+, which also acts as his window to the world via the worldwide web.

 

Educated to postgraduate level, I haveย two decades of work experienceย in policy, politics and economic development.ย ย I have worked with elected representatives at all levels and developed policy and strategy documents in many fields, including two manifestos at Glasgow level, a report on the Scottish Labour Market in 2006, a Social Enterprise Strategy for Glasgow and others.ย  This work experience has provided me with valuable insights into the processes in place to effect change.

 

Alongside my extensive experience through work, I have been a trustee of Cerebral Palsy Scotland (previously Bobath Scotland) since 2015.ย  This national, multi-million pound charity, provides support to children and adults with motor difficulties associated with cerebral palsy.

 

My biography is available on LinkedIn.

Carers Week 2021 – Manager’s Report 2020-21

The last year has certainly brought about more unusual challenges than we might have expected going into 2020!

Here’s a review of what we’ve been able to carry out since the beginning of the pandemic, and the ways in which we’ve adapted to continue helping as many carers as possible!

Carers Week 2021!

“This year, carers across the country are continuing to face new challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people are taking on more caring responsibilities for their relatives and friends who are disabled, ill or older and who need support.

 

They need to be recognised for the difficulties they are experiencing, respected for all they are doing, and provided with information, support and understanding. So during Carers Week, we’re coming together to help Make Caring Visible and Valued.” ~ www.carersweek.org

 

Carers Week 2021 will run from Monday 7 June until Sunday 13 June. To celebrate Carers Week, we have put together an extensive programme of events running throughout the week, including: The Big Carers Week Raffle!, a Cool Creatures Watch Party, and more! To find out more about what’s happening, click this link!

Please note, all of our Carers Week activities and groups will use Zoom, so if you would like any help with accessing Zoom, please contact us on 01324 611510 (option 4) or email centre@centralcarers.co.ukย and one of the team will be happy to help.

For carers who have no access to the internet, our support workers are here daily and available to help with any information, advice or support you need as a carer. Please call us if you need to talk on 01324 611510.

Patricia Cassidy, Chief Officer of Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership said: โ€œI hope this Carers Week not only celebrates the invaluable work of unpaid carers across the Falkirk area, but also helps raise awareness of the many different ways someone can be a carer.

 

โ€œMany people donโ€™t realise the support they provide for their family member, close friend or even their neighbour, could make them a carer. I would encourage everyone to share the campaignโ€™s messages, and if they see themselves in the stories of carers, please access the wonderful support provided by the Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre.