Carer’s Week: Mon 7th – Sun 13th June 2021

Carer’s Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify themselves as carers and access much-needed support.

New research shows 72% of carers have not had any breaks from their caring role since the start of the pandemic.  They have lost, on average, 25 hours of support a month they previously had from services or family and friends before the pandemic.

This year Carers Week is shining a spotlight on the lack of breaks that carers have been able to take in the past year, and the worrying impact this is having on their health and wellbeing, as well as their ability to work and live a meaningful life beyond caring.

To address this situation, they are calling on the government to urgently increase funding for carers’ breaks by an additional £1.2 billion, so all carers providing significant hours of care can take a break.  They are asking you to write to your MP by clicking the link HEREand that you please forward any response you receive from your MP to policy@carersuk.org, so that they can follow up with them, if you are happy to do so.

 


For Carer’s Support in Dorset – Click HERE.

Carer’s Allowance:

Carer’s Allowance is the main benefit for carers. If you are looking after someone for 35 hours a week or more, you may be eligible. Carer’s Allowance is currently £67.60 a week (2021-22) and is taxable income.
The Government has also confirmed that providing emotional support counts towards the Carer’s Allowance threshold of 35 hours of care a week across the UK. These measures have been extended until August 2021.
To make a claim for Carer’s Allowance – Click HERE.

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Farmers! Please Submit Your Evidence

Cameron Farquharson’s cow Gladis made the national news last week, sadly for tragic reasons.  Her death has highlighted the need for farmers to have more say in taking care of their livestock in dealing with dogs off their leads.

When Cameron announced the very sad news on Facebook the following day, he begged, as all our local farmers repeatedly do to “please please please adhere to the notice on the gate and KEEP YOUR DOGS ON A LEAD!” He added ” We cannot afford in financial terms and for mine and my children’s mental well-being to continuously deal with these distressing losses.”  His post was shared over 10,000 times and made the BBC news.

Cameron and his family, who run Redlands Coppice, are now working with a group of farmers, farming related businesses and an MP to bring about a change in the law to give livestock more protection which they are calling Gladis’s Law They are trying to make contact with as many local farmers, smallholders holders and general livestock owners who have experienced dog attacks or worrying on their livestock in order to collate as much evidence of the problem as possible. Gladis’s Law would make it an offence for dogs to be off lead on farm land or land with animals grazing.

Sign up to be kept up to date of their progress on Gladis’s Law HERE.

Please message/submit your evidence through Facebook to: Cameron Farquharson HERE or Rachel Hayball HERE at your earliest convenience. Thank you.

Cameron’s family were “overwhelmed by the kindness shown” to them, as a family…. “so many we are not able to respond personally to each individual person as we would like. We have made this short video to introduce you to our hairy coos and say a personal thank you.

 

Gladis died on 27th May on Eggardon Hill when dogs (reportedly Labradors) chased her to death killing both her and her full term unborn calf. R.I.P. Gladis x

Dorset Police Rural Crime Team also released a two and a half minute video on Facebook on Saturday about putting dogs on a lead which you can view HERE.

If you are a farmer needing livestock worrying signage, please send their team an email: ruralcrimeteam@dorset.pnn.police.uk with the best name and address to send to and the quantity that’s required. Maximum of 4 signs per address.

Cameron has now launched a special Facebook page HERE to gather support.

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