Cornerstone News issue 2, 2014

CornerstoneNews

www.cornerstone.org.uk

CornerstoneNews Issue 2, 2014

Annual Dinner raises £50,000 In April, our 11th annual dinner at The Marcliffe at Pitfodels, Aberdeen managed to raise more than £50,000, which is fantastic! This was the last time the event will be held at the landmark venue before it closes its doors later in the year, having helped Cornerstone raise nearly £500,000 since the first dinner in 2004.

Around 300 people attended the dinner and enjoyed entertainment by the topical musical comedy duo, Vic Rodrick and Annie Gunner Logan, who specialise in political parody.

Above: Guests from Woodview and Gift Corner, our social firms in Stonehaven.

Right: Our fantastic event team, excited (or nervous) for the busy evening to follow. Guests enjoying the evening’s entertainment from Vic Rodrick and Annie Gunner Logan.

Charity auctioneer Alex Fleming kicked off the fundraising, with guests being invited to snap up more than 40 lots, including: a luxury break for two at the Waldorf Astoria Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh, a week at a luxury apartment in Austria and a private gourmet dinner at The Marcliffe for 10.

Our Chief Executive, Edel Harris, said “The dinner was, once again, a great success and I am delighted that the event raised such a remarkable amount of money through the generosity of our guests.

“Special thanks to our sponsors this year, BP, Petrofac and CNR for their amazing generosity, and to all our wonderful guests who came along to help support the work we do.

“We would also like to wholeheartedly thank Stewart Spence and his staff at the Marcliffe for the support they have shown Cornerstone over the last 11 years in hosting our fundraising dinners. They have always pulled out all the stops and ensured all of our events have been successful.”

VIEW FULL PHOTO ALBUM HERE

http://goo.gl/PeYFMg

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Looking for a holiday that is suitable for your needs?Domaine du Sourire is a small family-run holiday complex in France which caters for the needs of all guests, including children and adults with disabilities. There are four newly renovated gites (cottages), 3 of which are adapted for wheelchair users. A qualified carer is available to offer respite care whenever necessary.

Domaine du Sourire is the result of 3 years of hard work to convert a derelict farm into a gite complex, specifically designed for people

with disabilities, but available to all.

Onsite facilities ensure guests have a fun and relaxing stay and include:

• Solar-heated swimming pool • Soft Play Room• Sensory Room• Sensory Wall & Garden• Crazy Golf• Basketball Area• Boules/Bocca Court• Swings, sandpit & wooden walkway

w w w . d o m a i n e d u s o u r i r e . c o m

Dundee’s Lord Provost, Bob Duncan, had his first experience of visiting housing support services earlier this year. The Lord Provost visited three of our Dundee city services and he was very impressed by the highly personalised services that he saw. Spending time chatting with a number of people we support and with staff, he commented on how happy everyone seemed and how motivated staff were.

Not only was this the Lord Provost’s first visit to Cornerstone’s housing support services, but it was also the first for our new Regional Director for the East, Howard Elliott.

Beginning his career in the NHS,

Pay i n g a v i s i t to o u r Dundee city services

Regional Director for the East, Howard Elliott.

Howard subsequently went on to work in both the voluntary and independent sectors. Prior to joining Cornerstone, Howard worked for Care UK, where he was responsible for both operational management and business development of learning disability services.

Howard commented: “With the advent of self directed support, these are exciting times for social care in Scotland. I look forward to working with my team over the coming years to build on the successes achieved to date in the East and to seek to emulate the achievements that have been realised in both the North and West regions.”

Lord Provost, Bob Duncan, kindly being shown round our Dundee city services.

Committed to supporting people with Autism

With our Operational Manager (Key Account, Moray) and Autism Portfolio Holder, Xacquelina Bello, we are developing and implementing new and effective ways to support people with Autism.

In West Dunbartonshire, we are current ly developing Bax ter View, an innovative purpose built development which will provide homes for people with autism and other complex needs. The future residents are currently living outside of West Dunbartonshire, where they have been supported in accommodation that does not suit their changing needs and is remote from their families and local communities. This build will be completed later this summer.

Cornerstone is also focussing onimproving staff training by introducing an Autism awareness E-learning package, which will be available shortly. This awareness course will be backed up by person specific training where needed to ensure staff have the knowledge

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects over 500,000 people in the UK. That’s 1 in every 100 people. This figure could be even greater, as some people choose not to get a diagnosis or receive support.

Individuals on the Autism spectrum share difficulties in three main areas: communication, social interaction and social imagination. In addition to these difficulties, over 70% of people on the spectrum have an accompanying learning disability.

The amount of support a person on the spectrum may require will vary. Some people are able to live relatively independent lives, requiring minimal support from family, friends and possibly a care provider.

Asperger’s Syndrome is a form of Autism and people with this condition often have average or above average intelligence. Their difficulties can appear more hidden compared to those with Autism, as they have fewer speech problems but can still have difficulties with the understanding and processing of information and understanding social rules.

Cornerstone Community Support Services currently support 270 people on the Autism spectrum across Scotland. Many of these individuals live independently and just need a little help accessing their communities, developing friendships or finding employment.

specific training where needed to ensure staff have the knowledge and understanding of Autism that is needed to give them the confidence to support the people we support effectively.

To discover what services are on offer in your area, please visit our website or contact your nearest office. If you have a more specific question relating to Autism, please send an e-mail to:[email protected]

The latest pictures from our Baxter View development in West Dunbartonshire.


Raise awareness in your community about Cornerstone and the greatwork we do by becoming an Events & Campaigns Volunteer. Our opportunities provide you with something that is both fun and worthwhile.

Raising awareness of the work we do is not only greatly beneficial in spreading the word but also helps us to raise vital funds to improve the quality of life of the people we support.

Volunteer at our events this Summer

Shared Care Scotland has awarded our Dundee based Children’s Activity Club funding to operate between 2014-15. Thanks to these generous funds, we will be able to provide five activity clubs each week.

The purpose of these clubs is to offer parents and carers a break and time out from their caring role. The respite this service offers can be vital, allowing for tasks and duties to be completed that there may not be time for otherwise.

We are very grateful that this funding has allowed us to continue offering this service. If the activity clubs are something you could benefit from, please contact the Dundee office on 0141 5507580 or emaila n n i . r e i d @ c o r n e r s t o n e . o r g . u k

Shared Care Scotland has awarded our Dundee based Children’s Activity Club funding

We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Yvonne Kelly to the post of Older People and People with Dementia Manager. With Yvonne in post, we are looking forward to making a longstanding commitment to develop services for older people and people with dementia across Scotland. Yvonne will be based in our Glasgow office and will be responsible for working towards developing specialist care for people with dementia living in the community. Yvonne will also focus on staff development, ensuring we make the best use of the qualifications and training available to staff.

Developing care for older people and people with dementia

We have a wide range of events and activities where you can offer your support such as fun days, fundraising dinners, concerts and activity challenges.

Does this sound like something you’d like to get involved in?

Just get on the phone to James McQueen on 01224 256051 or [email protected]


The Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust Concert

starring Russell WatsonThursday 21st August 2014

Enjoy an evening of entertainment for five people at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, on Thursday 21st August 2014 to see the acclaimed classical sensation Russell Watson. This event is being made possible by BP and the Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust, who have arranged this event in aid of Cornerstone.

For full details and to book tickets CLICK HERE

The Bourtreehill Mum and Baby Group is a new group Cornerstone has established to provide new mums with a warm, safe and secure environment to bond with their baby (0-12 months). Meeting at the Towerlands Community Centre, the group is free of charge to all parents and will run every second Thursday from 10:30am - 12:30pm, until February 2015. We will be delivering block sessions, each lasting 12 weeks and we will be supporting 8 mums and their babies in each block. After each block, we will be supporting a new set of mums and their babies. Each session lasts for 2 hours, with the first hour focussing on an

activity to strengthen the bond between the parents and their children. This is achieved through activities such as: baby sensory, baby massage, positive play, baby first aid, healthy eating, weaning and cooking activities.

The second hour of the session provides an opportunity for parents to socialise with each other, talk to other new parents and make lasting friendships. We aim to meet the needs of the parents and their families by providing them with the necessary additional support to learn parenting skills, bond with their child, benefit from peer support and increase their confidence and self esteem.

For more information about this group, please contact either Catherine on 01294 219052 or Melissa on 01294 219054.

New Mum and Baby Group in I rvineCornerstone News Issue 2, 2014 5

http://goo.gl/8ennuS

Rona is a Collie-cross and, after successfully passing the Therapet assessment, has been volunteering with some of the people we support in Stonehaven. We caught up with Rona to find out more about her volunteering.

What made you decide to be a volunteer?

“My owner decided to take semi-retirement and she thought it would be good fun volunteering. Eventually she decided to try Therapets. Interestingly, her son, who really is my alpha male by the way and who works for Cornerstone, had been thinking along the same lines. I can only assume ‘great minds think alike’ as I daren’t suggest that ‘fools seldom differ’.”

Getting to know our first animal volunteer, Rona

Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth GamesEdel Harris, Cornerstone’s Chief Executive, has been selected to be a volunteer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Edel is very excited to be a ‘Clyde-sider’ and told us that: “The reasons for putting myself forward as a volunteer include wanting to raise the profile of the work of Cornerstone in Glasgow; raising the profile of volunteering generally; using my experience as a way of encouraging more people to volunteer in our sector; to be part of an amazing event and to have an experience I will probably never have the opportunity to repeat.”

For those of you lucky enough to have tickets, keep an eye out for our Chief Executive and give her a big cheer if you see her. However, it is not just Edel getting involved, it seems every part of Cornerstone is being influenced by the up-coming Games. We have events happening across the country to celebrate and even have some very lucky individuals chosen to carry the Queen’s Relay Baton.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more as we announce the details in the run up to the Commonwealth Games, taking place in Glasgow 23 July - 3 August.Edel on her first day of ‘Clyde-sider’ training.

What does your volunteering involve?

“My volunteering is really enjoyable as I get to meet great people who love to see me and stroke me, I even get given extra treats most visits. Then one of the ladies takes me for a walk along with her carer and my owner. This I really enjoy as I get to sniff about new places and it is so much better than lying in my bed dozing.”

Do you feel your volunteering has been beneficial for the people we support?

“I think the lady who takes me for a walk enjoys holding my lead and making sure I keep up with everyone. I think it makes her feel happy and confident. The other ladies and gentlemen all seem to enjoy stroking me and giving my tummy a rub... I like that.”

When you are not volunteering, what do you like to do?

“When I am not volunteering I love to go for long walks with my doggy mates, I have 5 of them. I just love playing ball and can do, even if I say so myself, some truly amazing high ball catches. Just ask my alpha male, as he trained me. I also enjoy swimming, although this doesn’t happen as often as I would like due to humans thinking wet doggy smell is not so good.”

Rona taking her humans for a walk along the Stonehaven seaside.


18TH JUNE11AM - 3PM GLASGOW

COME ALONG TO OUR FREE SPORTS DAY!

A summer of sport is heading to Glasgow. To celebrate, Cornerstone is hosting an Alternative Games fun day for the people we support on Wednesday 18th June!

East End Healthy Living Centre183 Crownpoint RoadGlasgow G40 2AL

11am-3pm

There will be a huge variety of activities on offer, from football and space hopper races, to make-up challenges, skittles and more! You’ll also have the chance to throw wet sponges at some very brave Cornerstone team members… who could resist?!

The event is free but places are limited. To reserve your free spot or sign-up as a volunteer on the day, please call Sharon Irvine on 0141 551 8954 or send an e-mail to [email protected]


Cornerstone Alternative Games logo, created by the very talented Cara.

Transition support in West DunbartonshireMoving On Transition Service is a partnership project between SHARE Scotland and Cornerstone to provide a range of options for young people with additional support needs including autism, ADHD and Learning Disability. This free service provides support to enable you to learn new skills, gain confidence and plan for your future.

If you are aged over 15, at school in West Dunbartonshire, have a learning disability, an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), then you can ask a family member, your Social Worker or Pastoral Teacher to refer you to the project.

If you are a student at The West College, Scotland (formerly Clydebank College) aged 25 or under and have a learning disability, an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), then you can contact us directly. If you prefer, you can ask a family member, a college lecturer or your Social Worker to refer you to the project.

Contact details for Moving On Project staff:

SHARE Scotland 6B Moorpark Court33 Dava StrretGovan, G51 2JA Tel : 0782 8556040 [email protected] Cornerstone Beardmore Business Centre 9 Beardmore StreetDalmuirClydebank, G81 4HA Tel : 0141 9411012 [email protected]

My mini-break to ‘The Big Smoke’

I recently went to “The Big

Smoke” for a four day mini-

break. I was accompanied by a

member of Cornerstone staff and

my Cornerstone Volunteer. We

flew from Aberdeen very early

and arrived at our hotel just in

time for lunch. My hotel was just

a stone’s throw from Buckingham


Palace! An ideal location for me as

I am very interested in The Royal

Family. The hotel was absolutely

wonderful. After settling in, we went

exploring. We decided to visit Harrods

in Knightsbridge and do a spot of

shopping.

The next day brought with it beautiful

sunshine and so after having a feast of

a breakfast, we walked along the road

to Buckingham Palace. The Queen

was in residence but sadly we didn’t

see her, she was most likely occupied

with Queenly business! We filled the

rest of the day with a very interesting

cruise along The River Thames and

visit to The Tower of London.

One of the highlights was an evening

trip to the theatre. This was within

walking distance of our hotel and we

watched “Wicked”, which was about

the witches from The Wizard of Oz.

What a spectacle it was, we had a

thoroughly lovely evening and were

captivated from start to finish.

Our final day was upon us and

I visited Buckingham Palace for a

final time. We then enjoyed a two

hour bus tour of Greater London and

the city. We saw many interesting

sights and very much enjoyed the

commentary by the tour guide.

I had such a super holiday and

continue to talk about my fond

memories to this day.

J.

Inaugural memorial lecture in memory of Cornerstone’s founder, Nick BaxterThe first Nick Baxter Memorial Lecture was held on May 20th 2014 in recognition of Nick’s ground-breaking work and entrepreneurial spirit, at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen.Nick, who passed away in 2013 after a short illness, set up Cornerstone Community Care (as it was then known) in 1982 in Aberdeen, when he brought together a small group of parents to campaign for services to be based in the community for people with learning disabilities.

The inaugural lecture was delivered by award-winning entrepreneur, business woman and author, Jo Haigh. As a partner with fds Corporate Finance, Jo spoke to the audience about her life and highlighted the many hurdles she had overcome on the path to success, from childhood through to present day.

She has recently won the Sunday Times Non-Executive Director of the Year, been named as a finalist in the CBI Woman of the Year Awards and has written five best-selling books, with a sixth on the way.

Jo commented: “I was honoured and thrilled to be asked to speak at such a prestigious event. I hope that my story provides an insight into the possibilities available to anyone based on the fact that if I can achieve something, so can anyone.”

Being able to hold this memorial event for Nick is wonderful and would not have been possible without the help of our sponsors Social Investment Scotland (SIS) and PwC, and the support from Robert Gordon University.

The full lecture can be watched on our YouTube page by clicking on the image below.

“As founder of Cornerstone Nick was always a strong advocate for people with learning disabilities and did so much to change attitudes and improve the lives of so many.” Edel Harris, Cornerstone’s Chief Executive

First image left to right: Kevin Reynard PwC Partner, Alastair Davies Chief Executive of Social Investment Scotland, Carolyn Clarke PwC partner, Simon Kinsella PwC Associate, Peter Nicholson Cornerstone Chairman, Edel Harris Chief Executive of Cornerstone, Louise Baxter and Francesca Adair.Middle and last image: Jo Haigh delivering the first Nick Baxter Memorial Lecture.

Nick Baxter collecting his Ernst and Young UK Social Entrepreneur of the Year award 2009.


WATCH ON

http://goo.gl/93nEJV

Cornerstone has successfully completed the reaccreditation process and achieved the Investing in Volunteers quality standard across all our regions of operation. An independent assessor met and interviewed Cornerstone volunteers from many different roles across the country. This award shows Cornerstone’s commitment to involving volunteers as well as the impact they have made on the organisation as a whole.

We are always looking for more volunteers to help support the work we do, from big corporate teams to someone with a couple of free hours a week. We have opportunities for every volunteer to make a significant difference to someone’s life.

Recognit ion for our ongoing commitment to our volunteers

Additional support for families in the WestFamilies of children with special educational needs in the Glasgow area will receive support from a new project that has received a £380,241 boost by the Big Lottery Scotland. Cornerstone’s Growing Together project is one of six providing practical help for parents to share in the £1,629,008 from the Fund’s Investing in Communities programme.

The Growing Together project supports around 200 families and is currently delivered across four partnership primary schools in the Broomlea, Croftcroighan, Hampden and Langlands areas of Glasgow. The project’s aim is to help parents who often face complex challenges when caring for their child, to become more confident and improve their connections with the community.

The funding will allow us to provide a range of services and materials for

the families the project supports, including information packs, direct support in the home from care workers, after school activities, support for siblings and workshops aimed at developing skills. Parents will also be actively encouraged to take longer term responsibility for the management of aspects of the projects, including holiday and parent clubs.

Susan Lorimer, our Children’s Services Manager said: “Each family will have its own unique journey and support will be tailored to meet their individual requirements and personal challenges. By providing this valuable support service Cornerstone can lend assistance to people in times of need and enable families to enjoy fulfilled and valued lives.”

Our volunteer Heather, Middle, who befirends both Kate and Shirley, pictured. Watch Heather’s story by clicking the picture.

Cornerstone News Issue 2, 201410

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How the Community Care Act helped us grow This year, several of our services are celebrating 21 years of providing care and support in the community. In 1993, the NHS Community Care Act introduced a change in the way social care was provided in Scotland. It is because of this act, and other social care policy that followed, that we were able to open these services which are now celebrating this milestone birthday.

Our Regional Director for the North, Jayne Findlay, discusses how the introduction of the NHS Community Care Act was an important milestone in the development of community care.

What did the NHS Community Care Act introduce?

“The Act was part of the movetowards more individualised care. It called for people with a disability to have access to the appropriate support in their own homes or in the local community, as opposed to being cared for in long stay hospitals. With the emergence of community care the hospitals began to be closed down. This was a time of rapid expansion to meet the increase in demand for more community based services.”

How did the Act change the way social care was delivered?

“When I worked in a long stay hospital for people with learning disabilities, residents stayed in huge dormitories with no privacy, there were around 30-35 people living there. In 1993, things were changing with many much smaller residential care services opening. Staffing levels were much higher and this resulted in a more personalised service. The residential home I became manager of in 1993 was home to 4 people, and there werenever any less than 2 staff members on at any one time to support them. “ What were the benefits for residents who moved from long stay hospitals to community care?

“When in hospitals with a large number of other residents, people tended to behave like a collective group. However, upon moving from hospitals into more ordinary houses in towns and villages, these same people quickly developed their own personal tastes, interests andopinions. The things we take for granted, like choosing toiletries andclothing from high street shops,were all new to the people being supported and allowed them to

experience greater independence. Supported people were able to have one to one time where they felt listened to and could assert their own desires. If they wanted a pub lunch or to go and do a bit of shopping, staff were able to support them to make this happen. When people are treated as individuals they learn to express their own individuality, this was really special to see.”

The changes this Act introduced were hugely important in the development of social care and have enabled Cornerstone to become the charity it is today. Providing an individualised and person centred service remains at the heart of everything we do. We look forward to continuing to provide a quality service for the people we support, over the next 21 years and beyond.


21 Days, 21 Challenges... are you ready?To help us celebrate the 21st birthdays of some of our services, we have launched our 21 Challenge. The 21 Challenge asks you to take on one, some, or all of our 21 exciting fundraising ideas to raise money for Cornerstone. Head to the fundraising section on our website to download your ideas pack and begin your 21 Challenge today!

21CHALLENGE

CLICK HERE

http://goo.gl/IrcJtt

There are lots of ways you can support Cornerstone

Make a donation

Fundraise for us

Become a member of Cornerstone

Visit our social network pagesBecome a Volunteer

Attend Cornerstone events

More information can be found on the following pages:

Or to find out more, please contact us at any of the following regional offices:

North: 01224 256000Central: 01382 220238West: 0141 5507580

Cornerstone Charity

@CornerstoneScot

Cornerstone

CornerstoneScotland

Every day, Cornerstone provides vital care and support services to adults, children and young people with disabilities and other support needs across Scotland. Our employees play a critical role in making a difference to the lives of the people we support, enabling them to lead full and happy lives. Supported by CNR International, the Star Awards give Cornerstone the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the excellent work our staff and volunteers do every day.

We invite the people we support, their family members, volunteers, our staff and supporters to nominate our employees and volunteers for a Cornerstone Star Award. Nominating is easy: can you think of a Cornerstone Star who deserves a nomination?

Nominations open on June 9th and close on June 27th. To find out more about the categories and how to nominate someone, please visit our website or contact [email protected]

STAR AWARDS

www.cornerstone.org.uk

Cornerstone News issue 2, 2014

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Transcript of Cornerstone News issue 2, 2014