Funding for Older People's Charities

It has been a long time since I last posted but I have been busy busy busy. I am proud to be still working for a charity for older pople. But there is sad news I'm afraid. There are several services we have not been able to get funding for. Those include toe nail cutting, befriending and advocacy. As a result we are going to have to charge for these services or lose them altogether which would be a great loss to older people in the community. Also the latter would mean, almost certainly, redundancies for important and valuable members of staff.

For many house-bound older people, receiving a 'befriender' into their homes is the only person that they see from one month to another. A friendly face to chat to them, make them a cup of tea, listen to their worries. It is vital to their well being. Also the Advocacy Service offers them a voice when they have no voice, a person they can trust, who will stand up for them and confront people they do not have the strength or confidence to confront. To help them with form filling, help them to understand difficult documents, to protect them from bogus people or neighbours who might take advantage of them. It will be a sad loss indeed. How can we ask these people to pay for this service when they often are already in debt or confusion and in need of financial help and advice?

Fund raising is the possible answer, but on an enormous scale. The local authorities, because of the cuts, cannot fund these services anymore, as a result, this is a sad day for the older members of our society.

And so to work ...

It is really hard to believe but I have been offered a full-time paid job!!!!

After years of depression, anxiety, lack of confidence I finally managed to pull off two interviews in two weeks, the first I came a close second, apparently, and the second I was offered the job. It is nothing short of a miracle. Not well paid but at last I will be solvent again. A fully paid up member of society.

I don't say it is not going to be hard but I will do my best and hope in time I will pick up the basics. Anyway it is cause for celebration.

So cheers everyone xx

Women's Refuge Chief Hands Back OBE

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/15/women-refuge-chief-protest-cuts

So the vulnerable are to be hit again, this time not by a husband or lover but by the 'Big Society' I wonder how you would feel Cameron if you had watched your father beat your mother to a pulp?

If you have then you should be ashamed. If you haven't then you should still be ashamed.

Take the time to read the comments attached to this link, some of them take my breath away.

The worse and the best of weeks

Those of you who have followed my blog from the beginning will know my story. Last week began a whole new chapter. The man, that I was escaping from when I entered the Refuge, has been charged with rape and his poor victim tragically died. The cause of her death is not yet known. Further tests are being carried out. He was originally arrested for her murder but has not been charged. Her injuries were found to be as a result of being raped. This poor woman was a mother of three children and it is believed she may have met him on the internet. I am in shock and can't believe that I ever had anything to do with such a monster. It makes me feel unclean and tarnished for life. But I am being self pitying and what I am really is very lucky. My heart goes out to this poor women's children because he has ruined their lives too. I hope he goes away for a very very long time.

The good news is that I have applied for two full time jobs. Both are local, one is at the office where I do voluntary work. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me and I will keep you posted. I haven't worked for such a long time, I can't remember what it feels like to have a wage coming in.

Art-is-an enigma

Since leaving the Women's Refuge I have been steadily painting. I have even sold a couple. I would very much like to sell more (if they are good enough) but it is difficult when one has limited income to a) frame them and b) find an outlet.

I have received praise from friends and acquaintances but art is very personal and subjective. I am self taught and therefore I have had no training in technique, as a result, my paintings would be considered 'Naive' or 'Primitive' and as such I have no idea of how to price them.

I did have an outlet at a local cafe, but there has been a change of management and art is no longer something they wish to display on the walls. I am not particularly knowledgeable about creating my own Web Site, I have dabbled but got confused, so I gave up.

If anyone who is reading this can be of some help I would appreciate a little advice.

A walk by the river

Sunday was a beautiful day. Blue sky and a real warmth from the sun. I have been pretty inactive since Christmas so I decided to go for a walk along by the river in search of Sammy. I donned my jacket, scarf and gloves and my exceptionally attractive green walking shoes and set off.

To get to the river I had to walk through the town. I was feeling a little self conscious with regards to my attire. Stripey purple socks over leggings and of course the above green shoes. I wished for a dog as a companion and as an indicator of my purpose.

I managed to pass through the town unnoticed, in fact I did the noticing, I noticed several others dressed in similar attire. All had dogs.

The path through the wood was very wet and muddy, slipping and sliding my way through I came across a family. A young boy was crying because he had got his boot stuck in the mud and therefore his sock and jeans were soaking wet and caked with gunge. I heard him wail through his tears ' This is the worse thing that has happened to me in all my life'. Chuckling I carried on my way.

Ahead of me I saw several rabbits hopping into hiding , passing through the boggy area that leads up to the river bank I spotted a Reed Bunting among the reeds and rushes. On reaching the river two swans were feeding on the mud flats and as always gulls and crows weaved and called above me. The sun was warm and I felt at peace with the world.

I strided on keeping a close watch on the river in case of a sudden dog-like head surfacing. I passed the moored boats, which seemed to be a favourite fishing ground for Sammy last year, but sadly no sign of him. I walked on for a further mile or so with only the sighting of a couple of dippers to brighten the river landscape. I decided to turn around as my tummy was rumbling and the vegetable soup that I had made earlier was definitely calling.

On the way back, beside one of the little riverlets, I spotted a heron, it seemed like a garden ornament in its stillness. Passing Sammy's feeding ground once more I stopped for a while and ate a few squares of chocolate. But finally I decided he wasn't coming and it was time to call it a day.

On re-entering the High Street, no longer self conscious because my green walking shoes were now a satisfactory muddy brown, I decided to treat myself to a coffee and a read of the Sunday Papers in 'Bill's'. The coffee was good and strong and as I cast my eyes around I noticed the woman from the Sainsbury's Ads and her daughter on the table next to mine. I observed them for a while then downed my coffee, sneaked an article from the Observer Review into my pocket and headed for home.

Bah! Humbug!

Well that's that then. Another year over (thank goodness) This year has GOT to be better than last.

How ungrateful I am. Last year brought me the best gift of all, a new grandson. So why the Bah! Humbug, you might ask? Well, the new government reduced my benefits by half and the possibility of finding work by 100000000 per cent. I have not managed to stop smoking. I have not managed to lose 2 stone. I have not managed to find the man of my dreams and I have not managed to improve my social life.

I spent New Year's Eve alone AGAIN! I went to bed at eleven. No parties to go to. No-one to go to the pub with.

Today I feel very down and just glad the whole thing is over and done with.

Think yourself lucky, you might think. You have a roof over your head and a lovely family. Well yes, and that makes me feel even worse. I have many things to be grateful for but I just feel downright miserable.

I did try. I put up decorations, bought everyone a present however small. I lit candles and tried to make my home pretty and welcoming but somehow this Christmas it just didn't work. Try as I might I just couldn't rise to the occasion.

So goodbye 2010 and good riddance. Hello 2011, umm well, lets see shall we...