## **JIGSAW Worcestershire Mental Health Relative and Carer’s Support Group** ## **Annual Report – 7[th] June 2021** We were unable to hold our AGM in May 2020 due to the global pandemic and the lockdown in the UK. There was no meeting in April 2020, but in May we were able to hold our first Zoom meeting followed by another one in June. It took a while to get used to holding online meetings and learn how to run a Zoom session. We are extremely grateful to Darius Baria, our marketing/website manager, for his skills in advertising our meetings throughout 2020/2019 and enabling us to host them online. We have kept members informed of our activities through our newsletters, Facebook page and our Twitter account. Some have been able to keep in touch via email and by text messages. ## **Covid-19 Grant** We were invited to apply for a Covid 19 grant from the **Worcestershire Community Foundation** and in July 2020 **we were awarded £3,400** for which we were extremely grateful. This grant has enabled us to keep the group and our online presence going through the lockdowns. We hope to recommence our face-to-face meetings in the summer as lockdown restrictions ease. We have a new venue at the Malvern Victoria Bowls Club in Malvern Link. ## **Attendances** Due to the Covid restrictions, we have not been able to hold any face-to-face meetings of any sort. Unfortunately, some of our regular members weren’t able to join our meetings on Zoom so our attendances throughout the year have been lower than usual at 176 (down from 233 last year). However, we have attracted 22 new carers and we were able to hold a total of 11 meetings. Our highest attendance was 26 in March 2020. Not all carers are confident attending meetings online and some do not have access to the internet. For some carers gaining support from their own homes can prove difficult if they live with the cared for individual. On the plus side having online meetings have enabled us to reach carers who would find it difficult to travel across Worcestershire to attend face-to-face meetings. ## **Website Statistics** Darius has continued to develop our web page and promote awareness of the group through our newsletters, Facebook page and our new Twitter account. The website has been adapted so a much higher percentage of people are now able to access our site on mobile phones and tablets. Jigsaw Annual Report – 7[th] June 2021 _Page 1 of 4_ Website statistics for the last financial year April2020/March2021: - There were 1,145 visits to the website - Up 16% on the previous financial year (Apr19-Mar20) - This averaged 3.1 visits a day - 85-99% of the visitors were from the UK. The majority were from Worcestershire and the Birmingham area ## **Newsletters** There are currently 220 subscribers. This was slightly down from the previous financial year (225). There were a handful of people who unsubscribed, as well as Mail Chimp (email marketing platform) automatically deleting contacts that had numerous ‘bounce backs’ due to emails that were no longer valid. The most common cause was due to people changing jobs/companies. Our newsletter is called **JIGSAW NEWS for CARERS** . It is a digest of news and information from a variety of organisations (both local and national) which we think may be of interest to carers in Worcestershire. The format of the newsletter has been improved allowing readers to click on the news items that are of particular interest to them. The JIGSAW NEWS for Carers can now be accessed via a ‘NEWS’ button on the home page on the website. This will be updated every two weeks or so. ## **Facebook** There are now 119 people who currently follow our Facebook page. This is up 13% from the previous financial year (105 people). ## **Twitter** Our Twitter account was launched at the end of September 2020, and we already have 65 followers. - o - **Committee meetings** were held in September and December 2020 and March 2021 **The AGM** was delayed until September 2020 - Aileen Clough retired - Viv Austen and Angela Davison joined the committee - Polly Clare took over as chairperson from Jen Costigan ## **The Office Bearers are:** Chairperson: Polly Clare Treasurer: Cyrus Baris Secretary: Sue Nichols ## **Policies** Current policies include: - Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Dec 2020 - Data Protection Nov 2020 - Register of Systems Dec 2020 Jigsaw Annual Report – 7[th] June 2021 _Page 2 of 4_ ## **Meetings** It has been a very challenging year for everyone, but we were able to hold a total of 11 meetings via Zoom. There were 4 Open Meetings to welcome new carers and 7 meetings with guest speakers. Starting off in July, we welcomed back Andy Down, Deputy Chief Pharmacist, who held a Question-and-Answer Session on **Psychiatric Medication** . Louise Seeney and Phil Morgan from the Worcestershire Mental Health Adult Mental Health Management Team gave a talk about the **Home Treatment Service.** They were joined by Margaret Reilly from Healthwatch Worcestershire who shared the findings from their comprehensive Covid-19 survey and how it relates to carers. Vicky Hitch, Manager of **New Opportunities Worcestershire** (NOW) told us about a pilot scheme in the Malvern and Wyre Forest Area which was being developed to provide extra support to patients in the secondary mental health service with their recovery from mental illness. The scheme is community based and would enable service users to develop social skills, motivation, and confidence. Vicky wanted carers’ views about the development of the service and the idea of eventually having Recovery Colleges which would be rolled out and available in the counties Worcestershire and Herefordshire. Amanda Wright from the **Worcestershire Wellbeing Hub** gave a talk about the **Time to Change initiative** designed to end mental health discrimination. She gave an update on **Worcestershire Healthy Minds Service** which supports people, aged 16 and over, who are experiencing problems such as stress, anxiety, low mood and depression. They help people improve their mental wellbeing through a range of interventions such as short courses, talking therapies, and self-help information. Stuart Bryan gave a talk about the **Worcester Withdrawal Group** which provides support to people who are taking prescription medication and want to cut down and stop taking medication. Benzodiazepines (diazepam), sedatives (sleeping tablets) and some antidepressants lead to dependency and withdrawal difficulties. The group provides a safe space to discuss the problems caused by prescribed medication Coping methods and alternatives to prescribed medication are explored. The group is peer led and not run by medically qualified people, so participants will always be encouraged to further discuss any health concerns with appropriate professionals. Karen Ingrams, the lead for the **Complex Needs Service** and Dan Watson, Clinical Liaison Practitioner, gave a presentation about the new treatment and service in Worcestershire designed to work with people with Borderline/Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder. The new treatment model is called Structured Clinical Management and it helps people to address their personality difficulties. Mark Peters, Mental Health trainer and coach, gave a talk about **Adverse Childhood Experiences** . The approach helps people to overcome past trauma and to develop resilience and wellbeing in the present. Jigsaw Annual Report – 7[th] June 2021 _Page 3 of 4_ ## **Feedback forms** These are sent out electronically to everyone who attended the meeting. We ask for anonymous feedback about how helpful they found the meeting and what we could do to improve our future meetings. This has certainly helped us improve our meetings on Zoom. ## **Donations** We gratefully received a donation from Mr and Mrs Murray for £10 in May 2020. Then in December, Anita Wilczynska, a local hairdresser raised £100 for JIGSAW by holding a raffle of small ornamental Christmas trees made from pasta shells. ## **Networking and Signposting** We continue to maintain contact and have links with many other organisations throughout Worcestershire such as: - **Healthwatch** - independent consumer champion – giving the public, patients and users of health and social care services in Worcestershire a voice. - **Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust** – Adult Mental Health Services - **Link Nurseries** - a community-focused horticultural centre providing therapeutic and vocational services and activities for people recovering from mental - **Malvern Mindfulness** - Offering Mindfulness based health interventions - **Worcestershire Association of Carers (WAC)** - a local charity offering information, advice and support to all carers. - **Community First** - specialise in providing high quality advice and support to community groups and organisations in Hereford and Worcestershire, to help them grow and meet the needs of the communities they serve. - **Asset Based Community Approach (ABCD) public health team.** They are based at County Hall in Worcester and their aim is to build up beneficial links between community organisations. ## **Training and workshops** Unfortunately, we have been unable to attend any face-to-face events this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, but we have advertised various webinars run by other organisations on our website. ## **Pilates** Our Pilates sessions continue successfully online with Debbie Sankey on Tuesdays at 6.45pm and Fridays at 4.30pm. Sessions are £6.00 paid in advance. ## **Christmas 2020** We were unable to hold our annual Christmas meal this year due to Covid restrictions Jigsaw Annual Report – 7[th] June 2021 _Page 4 of 4_ JIGSAW - WORCESTERSHIRE MENTAL HEALTH RELATIVE & CARER'S SUPPORT GROUP ## INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity for the year ended 31 March 2021. As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in,any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or - the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ## Gordon Whittaker 1 June 2021 ## **JIGSAW - WORCESTERSHIRE MENTAL HEALTH RELATIVE & CARER'S SUPPORT GROUP** ## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021** |INCOMING RESOURCES
Donations and Legacies
Worcestershire Covid-19 Response Appeal Grant
Funds Transfer
TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Room Hire
Social Respite
Speakers
Telephone
Stationery
Web Site Management/Marketing and Publicity
Computer/Projector Costs
Sundry Expenses
Mindfulness Training
Funds Transfer
NET INCOMING/(OUTGOING)
RESOURCES
TOTAL FUNDS BROUGHT FORWARD
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
**TOTAL CASH FUNDS**|Unrestricted
Funds
£
110
0
110
0
0
30
72
34
1,721
0
45
1,902
-1,792
1,962
170
170|Restricted
Funds
£
3,400
3,400
50
34
1,723
200
2,007
1,393
0
1,393
1,393|Total Funds
2021
£
110
3,400
0
3,510
0
0
30
122
68
3,444
200
45
0
0
3,909
-399
1,962
1,563
1563|Total Funds
2020
£
698
209
1,740
2,647
105
180
60
120
81
2609
834
96
120
1,740
5,945
-3,298
5,260
1,962
1962| |---|---|---|---|---| ## **JIGSAW - WORCESTERSHIRE MENTAL HEALTH RELATIVE & CARER'S SUPPORT GROUP** ## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES 31 MARCH 2021** |**Liabilities**
Web Site Management/Marketing and Publicity|2021
£
643|2020
£
0| |---|---|---| The Statement of Financial Activities were approved by the Board of Trustees and signed on their behalf by: Trustee Date