Good Companions

Annual Report

2018

Beth Brown, Co-ordinator&

Clare Ashton, Chairman of Management Committee

Registered Charity No: 1144729

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Index

Section Page Number

Background ………………………………….......... 1

Aims of Good Companions………………………. 2

Management Committee ……..........…………… 2

Volunteers .............................................................. 3

Recruitment & Training.......................................... 4

Overview of 2018…..………..................................... 5

Rivergreen Friendship Group ………...………… 6

Lakehead House Friendship Group ...................... 7

Parkgate Friendship Group …………………………. 8

Highbank Friendship Group ……………………… 9

Home Visiting Scheme………………………………… 9

Marketing………………………………………… 10

Funding................................................................... 11

Conclusion ............................................................... 11

Quotes………………………………………………….. 12

Referral Statistics .......................................Appendix 14

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Background

Good Companions was established in December 2001 in response to a survey carried out within the Clifton, Wilford and Silverdale areas of Nottingham in 1999 by the Social Action Research Project. The survey identified a large number of older people living alone and socially isolated due to lack of available support from family, friends, statutory or voluntary services.

A Health Action Group was set up by the local Nottingham City Council Area Committee, which undertook further consultation with older local people, statutory services and other interested parties. As a consequence, a decision was taken to set up a home visiting scheme for these areas to address this unmet need and Good Companions was established. It was supported by an initial 3 year grant to fund a part-time co-ordinator and set up costs. The visiting scheme would utilise to meet with service users in their own homes on a regular basis for conversation, friendship and support.

In 2003, the Visiting Scheme was supplemented by the formation of a weekly Friendship Group. This was in response to requests from service users themselves, as well as the recognition that older people would benefit from making new friends outside their own homes, increasing their independence, self-confidence & social interaction, thus reducing their social isolation. The Group provided a regular meeting point at a consistent venue where service users can socialise and enjoy interactive activities. This group, now referred to as the ‘Rivergreen Friendship Group’, was followed in 2009 by the ‘Lakehead (House) Friendship Group’ following the request for visitors from several residents.

In 2018, Good Companions were successful in applying for funds from the People’s Health Trust, using money raised through the Health Lottery in the East Midlands. This was for a project, entitled the ‘Clifton Friendship Project’ (CFP), to set up 2 additional Friendship Groups with funds to cover set up costs and for a part-time co-ordinator for 2 years. The project requires service users to be involved in the design and delivery of the project and to develop stronger connections between people, enabling friendships between service users and improving their social networks. In August 2018, the ‘Parkgate Friendship Group’ was launched and the second, the ‘Highbank Friendship Group’ in January 2019.

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Aims of Good Companions

The organisation focuses on three clearly defined aims:-

‘To provide a voluntary visiting scheme for the older person in the Clifton, Wilford and Silverdale areas’

‘To offer support and friendship’

‘To offer some clearly defined and practicable support for the older person’

Management Committee 2018

Officers

Chairman Clare Ashton Vice Chair Ian Malcolm Treasurer Christine BreetonSecretary Lois Brough

MembersBeth Brown Co-ordinatorAlma Davies VolunteerErika Parfrement Volunteer Ruth Spiller VolunteerPat Stevenson Service user representative–Rivergreen Friendship GroupChris Walker Volunteer

The Management Committee met regularly during the course of the year.

Good Companions is also represented on other Committees, as follows:-

Bridge & Clifton Area Committee (Area 8)

Clifton Advice Centre Management Committee

Age Friendly Nottingham (AFN) Steering Group

Volunteer Co-ordinator & Managers Network (NCVS)

Nottingham Health & Wellbeing Loneliness Group2

Good Companions employs a part-time Co-ordinator for 10 hours per week which have been extended during the year to support the Clifton Friendship Project & the increasing activities of Good Companions and reports to the Management Committee. This is made up of 10 local people, some of whom have been involved with Good Companions from its inception. However, it would be very useful to increase the number of people on our Management Committee with people from the local community.

Volunteers

The service that Good Companions provides would not be possible without the commitment and invaluable work carried out by our team of volunteers, as follows:-.

Jenny BoothAndrew BowlerLois BroughAlma DaviesArthur GriceVictoria HannGeorge King Marie McGoldrick Erika ParfrementCarol Pink (until October 2018)Ruth SpillerLisa SwaitheChris Walker

Volunteers are always required as the number of our service users increases. Andrew Bowler is able to help at the Friendship Groups, when he is not working. Following advertising on our Facebook page, four people expressed an interest in volunteering. Lisa Swaithe helps at our Rivergreen Friendship group whilst also home visiting. Carol Pink, Jenny Booth and Victoria Hann also visit people, although Carol unfortunately had to discontinue in October due to other commitments. Chris Walker joined Good Companions in June 2018 to help at our Rivergreen group and later began to help at our newly opened Parkgate Friendship group. In addition, a small number of volunteers have been recruited to help our Rivergreen group on a monthly basis. Some of our volunteers also visit our service users whilst they are in hospital or in a care home, whether for respite or long term care. In 2019, we plan to further advertise for volunteers through different media – facebook, posters, leaflets, local Clifton News.

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Recruitment and Training

As a voluntary organisation, Good Companions maintains an ongoing recruitment process to enable the service to continue and expand to meet the needs of its users. The Scheme relies upon ‘word of mouth’, referrals, local publicity and attendance at Community events to generate interest from potential volunteers, without whom it could not function. In 2018, we renewed our advert on the ‘Do It’ website, courtesy of Nottingham Council for Voluntary Services (NCVS). We are also displayed on the Ask Lion website. In November, we produced new leaflets which included information about volunteering.

Each potential volunteer completes an application and equal opportunities form for initial assessment as to suitability before references are taken up and the person is invited for interview. Upon acceptance, an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service is obtained as Good Companions service users are regarded as vulnerable adults.

Every volunteer is provided with an Induction into the policies and procedures of the scheme, including an insight into their role and the aims and objectives of the Scheme. Volunteers receive ongoing support and encouragement, &, for those undertaking home visiting, particularly during the matching process when the Coordinator accompanies them on initial visit(s) to the service user, whom it is proposed they should visit.

There are also regular Volunteer Meetings, where all volunteers receive mutual support from other volunteers and from the Coordinator who attends. It is chaired by the Management Committee Chairman. Volunteers also occasionally meet for lunches and other social events, and this encourages a strong sense of belonging and friendship between volunteers.

Good Companions considers that a sense of identity and purpose is central to the well-being of its volunteers and that the safety of the service users is of paramount importance. The established Identity Card system instituted in 2007 continues and every volunteer possesses photographic identification confirming their involvement with the Group. Volunteers are encouraged to wear their badges during any visits to service users, at the Friendship Groups and other Good Companions activities.

In 2019, we plan to organise dementia training, and provide updates on GDPR and safeguarding.

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Overview of 2018

Referrals have continued to increase this year for both home visiting & the Friendship Groups (See Appendix).We maintained strong links with Debbie Straw, Care Coordinator, who now also undertakes social prescribing, and with Julie Ellender, who was appointed as a Community Together Connector by Nottingham City Council. The Chairman was also invited to speak to health professionals at the Parkside Day Unit at Lings Bar. However, referrals have also been received from family members, NHS staff, social workers, volunteers and through local advertising.

Rivergreen Friendship group on a Tuesday continues to thrive; and Lakehead Friendship Group on a Thursday continues to meet with family members regularly in attendance. Non-residents have been encouraged to attend and 6 non-residents have attended at various times over the year.

Sadly, 11 service users have passed away this year, 4 of which were being visited in their homes. We also lost George Allsopp in January - he had been a valued volunteer for many years.

Towards the end of 2017, a small project group was set up to put a bid together to set up 2 further Friendship Groups in Clifton. This was submitted to the People’s Health Trust early in 2018& due to the hard work of our Honorary Fundraiser, Andrew Price, was successful, with a grant of approximately £25,000 over a 2 year period being awarded. The first group was launched in August in Parkgate Community Centre and is increasing in numbers & plans are in place to start the other group in Highbank Community Centre in January 2019.

In September, 10 people from Good Companions saw Sweet Charity at the Playhouse and the Co-ordinator, Chairman & a service user attended the Vicky McClure ‘My Dementia Choir’ at the Royal Concert Hall. We were back at the Playhouse in December, when 50 people enjoyed the pantomime ‘Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood’.

The annual Clifton Older People’s Christmas party, organised by Good Companions was held at Rivergreen Methodist Church Hall on 11th December 2018. It was well attended with the Nottingham Ukulele Orchestra, two players from Notts County football team and the Sheriff of Nottingham in attendance. The catering was organised once again with the help of Ann Massarella and a

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group of external and internal volunteers, which included staff from the Wilford Co-op, A453 Tesco and Rivergreen Medical Practice. Many raffle prizes were received from local businesses. After Christmas, volunteers enjoyed a meal at the Ferry Inn, Wilford.

In 2018, we increased our fundraising with the help of our fundraiser. This included a donation envelope collection around Clifton & Silverdale in August, bag packing in the summer at the Ruddington Coop, a collection at the Wilford Bonfire night and various bag packing events at Christmas with volunteers helping at all the events. In addition, various grants were applied for & most were successful. As a result of all these activities, the finances of Good Companions have improved immeasurably but more needs to be done to maintain our financial situation in the future. Christine Breeton took over as Treasurer in January 2018 and, during the past year, set up an online bank account and registered us for gift aid.

This year, we continued to increase our publicity through our facebook page. Value Web designs in Clifton created a new website for Good Companions and an email address. In 2019, we plan to update and complete our website.

Finally, we would like to thank everyone for their help and support over the last year.

Rivergreen Friendship Group

The Friendship Group continues to meet at Rivergreen Methodist Church Hall on a weekly basis each Tuesday morning. In 2018 we met for 48 weeks of the year.

The average weekly attendance at the group was 16 service users and 7 volunteers. The register for the Friendship Group at the end of 2018 contained 37 people versus 27 at the start of the year. On a snowy week in February we only had 6 service users in attendance. This was not helped by the fact that many service users were also ill or in hospital. Otherwise we always had over 12 service users attending. The most attendees we ever had was 22. By the end of the year 12 service users were using our taxi service. During the year, 25 new people started to attend the group. When regular service users have not attended for a while, they are contacted. In May we took off two people who had not attended for a while and in October, we took five people off the register for the same reason. We also had several members pass away over the year or move away.

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Refreshments continue to be provided at nominal cost and service users enjoy a regular weekly quiz. Bingo and the raffle also feature each week. In 2018 a service user began to call our bingo. When he is away, volunteers have begun to have a go at calling bingo too. The prizes are purchased by Good Companions being combined with those donated by the service users and volunteers themselves. We provide either a £5 Wilkos or Morrisons voucher for the winner of the last game of Bingo. In 2018, Alma Davies asked local businesses to donate our raffle prizes to keep our costs down. We receive £10 worth of prizes from both the newly opened B & M and Lidl each month. Southside taxis give us £5 a month whilst Silverdale newsagents and Barton Green convenience story also donate prizes. The A453 Tesco also donates our milk each week.

In addition, we have had a Friendship Group Christmas Party, (as well as our larger annual Clifton Older Person’s Christmas Party). In 2018 we have increased our extra activities at the group. We have had two visits from Karen’s slippers who bring shoes and clothes for our service users to buy. We had pancakes in February, visits from Lisa Swaithe’s dogs, crafts with Activity Match, talks from AGE UK, Ruddington Co-op, library home service, Silverline, Co-op estate planning and Nottinghamshire police cadets. We also treated the service users to mini manicures.

The taxi service to transport service users still operates and is regularly used. Although we are continuing to provide taxis for twelve service users, we make a small charge (£4) per week for this, to help to meet the cost of the taxis. The charge was previously £2 however we had to increase it due to demand for more taxis.

Lakehead House Friendship Group

Lakehead House Friendship Group has run for 47 weeks during 2018. The attendance has been on average 5 or 6 service users each week. However, each week, additional family members of the service users also attend. The highest attendance of service users was 9 in November. The lowest attendance was 1 person in April however apart from this we had at least 3 service users attending each week.

At the end of 2018, we had 12 service users on the register in comparison to 7 at the start of the year. Unfortunately, 4 of our Lakehead service users passed away during the year. However, over 2018, we welcomed 6 new service users who were non-residents plus 1 lady who moved into Lakehead House in August.

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2 of these new users also regularly attended our Rivergreen group. It was nice to see them engaging in both groups and enjoying them. 3 of our Lakehead service users were originally visited at home but began to come to our groups albeit for a few weeks. One gentleman even stopped having a home visitor and instead felt able to attend both groups and also choosing to call our bingo numbers twice a week. This is a good example of how we can encourage some people to socialise by creating a relationship with them first through home visiting.

We enjoy welcoming family members to attend the group too. We regularly have between one and five family members attending. This creates a lovely atmosphere for our service users. It is nice to see them all catching up each week, reconnecting with past friends and making new friends. Unfortunately, we are the only regular activity which happens in the common room now. (The Wednesday coffee morning that the residents held has ceased to meet since the summer due to no-one being well enough to run it).

We offer a weekly quiz, Bingo and refreshments. As there is no charge to use the room, the only cost involved is for the prizes and refreshments, so 50p is requested to play bingo.

A rota system is now in place for the volunteers to assist with this group. Volunteers have kindly agreed to attend on one morning a month to ensure regular cover for the group. We use a lockable cupboard in Lakehead House, in which we store our weekly prizes.

The residents at Lakehead have also attended social events organised by Good Companions, including watching Sweet Charity, our annual trip to the Christmas Panto and the Christmas Party at Rivergreen.

Parkgate Friendship Group

Working in partnership with the Parkgate Community Kitchen, this was launchedon Friday 17th August 2018. It had been widely publicised using leaflets, posters & social media. The group meets weekly on a Friday at the Parkgate Community Centre 11am to 2pm during which service users have enjoyed social conversation over refreshments, a quiz, lunch at the Parkgate Community Kitchen (with social interaction with other local people of all ages) & bingo. In addition, 2 Nottingham Police cadets attended the group to discuss ‘Distraction burglary’ & both local Councillors & the local Community have visited regularly.

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There has been an average attendance of 10 service users, with a core group of 16, with some of them attending the pantomime & the Christmas party organised by Good Companions. It is often a very lively group & its users include previous members of the Nottingham Click group in Clifton, which was discontinued due to funding cuts.

We are very grateful to the Parkgate Community Centre & the Community Kitchen for their co-operation & partnership working during our first few months. As there had been delays in appointing a CFP co-ordinator, our current Co-ordinator has assisted with many of the administrative aspects of the group & the Clifton Friendship project. The group has been supported by volunteers & Eric, the dog.

Highbank Friendship Group

It is planned for the second friendship group to be launched in January 2019. This will be held weekly on Monday mornings 10am to 12 midday at the Highbank Community Centre and will be run initially on the same basis as our other Friendship Groups. A new volunteer has been recruited to help run this group together with existing volunteers. It has been promoted in a similar way to the launch of Parkgate Friendship Group through leaflets, posters & social media.

Home Visiting Scheme

As mentioned previously, new referrals continue to be received from various sources including Social Services, District Nursing Services and direct approaches from individuals and their relatives or friends.

The Coordinator visits the potential service user personally to assess individual needs and to impart information on the scheme and answer any questions that they, their family or friends, may have.

Every effort is made thereafter to link a service user to a volunteer with whom they can forge or strengthen common bonds of interest, outlook and personality.

The Coordinator then speaks to the Volunteer proposed to be matched to the Service User and accompanies them to an initial meeting with the Service User to provide a supported introduction and further assess compatibility. If both the Volunteer and Service User are agreeable, a date and time for their next visit is arranged.

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Our volunteers visit or telephone service users on a weekly basis to provide friendship and support and, from time to time, complete a visitor report which enables the coordinator to assess any issues or concerns identified by the volunteers, in relation to the well-being and best interests of the service user. Additionally, the volunteers meet with the Coordinator regularly to update her regarding service user welfare and to raise any issues or concerns they may have. This facilitates discussion to resolve problems and provide collective support.

The process of report and assessment enables early recognition of issues which may necessitate the involvement of relatives, statutory and other services.

Marketing

Good Companions retains a presence on the ‘Do It’ website via the Nottingham Council for Voluntary Service as well as on the NCC ‘Ask Lion’ and, as well as our own Good Companions Facebook, has regularly appeared on local Clifton, Silverdale & Wilford Facebook pages. Articles have been printed in the local Clifton News, particularly concerning the Clifton Friendship Group, & our Friendship Groups are advertised on the diary page. In addition, verbal reports on the Good Companions have been given at meetings of the Area 8 Committee & the AFN Steering Group meetings.

In 2018, a Marketing group was set up to review our website, and to design new leaflets, posters and banners. These were available in November, since when the 2 pop-up banners have been used at local events & at the Friendship groups. Leaflets have been widely distributed, including the AFN Ageing Well Day in the Old Market Square, Nottingham, & the Rivergreen Medical Practice ‘Flu’ clinic.

We also updated our office equipment and now have a laptop, external hard drive and printer, although issues remain with connecting to the internet in the office (which is necessary for the printer). However, our computer issues are being addressed with the assistance of Dave Thomas, NCVS Volunteering Development Officer .As the GDPR regulations came into effect in May, the data we record & store was reviewed and new forms produced for service users and volunteers. However, further work is still remains to meet GDPR.

Funding

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Funding remains a constant area of concern for any organisation, particularly with the current financial climate and cuts to voluntary & social services. However, with the help of our fundraiser & volunteers, and friends of volunteers, various fundraising activities have taken place during the year which have contributed to our funds & also raised our profile in the local community.

As summarised in an earlier paragraph, the fundraising activities have been wide ranging, from bucket & envelope collections to bag packing at local supermarket stores; and these will continue next year both in summer & around Christmas. In addition, several collection tins have been distributed to various venues in Clifton & Wilford, which is helping to increase our funds. We are also grateful to those businesses in Clifton, who regularly provide items for refreshments, & raffle & bingo prizes for our Friendship Groups, as well as for the Christmas party raffle.

Grants have also been awarded by a number of Trusts to enable us to purchase new equipment as well as increasing our Co-ordinators hours & setting up the new friendship groups. We had also been chosen by the Ruddington Co-op as one of their charities in their charitable giving scheme called ‘Co-op Causes’ which has been much appreciated. We have also received several donations in memory of loved ones who have sadly passed away.

It’s been a very good year for fundraising although with more volunteers we could have achieved an even better outcome. However, we are pleased with the result and hope we can exceed the amount raised this year, next year, to ensure the continuation of Good Companions.

Conclusion

2018 was a very busy year; and a year of ‘modernisation’ in many ways with the purchase of new office equipment, our own email address, & improved financial systems. Through the Clifton Friendship Group with funding from the People’s Health Trust, a new Friendship Group was started with another group planned to commence in the New Year. Our numbers of both service users and volunteers have continued to increase and we have raised our profile through fundraising and marketing. In 2019, we plan to continue to expand and modernise Good Companions and appoint the part time Co-ordinator for the Clifton Friendship Project.

Quotes from volunteers and service users

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‘We have been with Good Companions for almost 14 years. We belong to the group of volunteers who visit people at home to provide company for them. The visits are twofold, they enjoy our visits as well as we love being with them. We also take part in group sessions at Lakehead House and the Friendship group at Rivergreen. Joining Good Companions has helped us to deal with our own sorrows and we’ve made lots of new friends in the process. It gives our lives a purpose and it makes us feel useful despite our age!”

“At the moment I am unable to leave the house very often but I really enjoy having a visit from Jenny. I look forward to her visits each week.”

“I love helping with Good Companions on a Tuesday. All of our users pep me up for the day and I sing my heart out on the way home which I never normally do.”

“Please pass my thanks to everyone involved as Mum has settled so quickly and looks forward to seeing everyone at the group meetings. Mum particularly enjoys the quizzes and asks me the questions to test me! I am sure Mum’s memory is improving with such great companionship and conversation.”

Appendix: Referral statistics

Number of referrals Good Companions received12

2017 2018

Social services 4 17Community Connector - 9Care Coordinators 8 15Nursing services 3 1Relatives/self 5 19Good Companions volunteer 4 21Other 5 7Total 29 89

‘Social Services’ includes Social care reablement, Nottingham City council social care, Community care officers, Adult safeguarding and other social workers‘Nursing Services’ includes District Nurses, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists.‘Other’ includes Age UK, Red Cross, Nottingham City Home scheme managers, hairdresser, Support Workers from various organisations, Parkgate Community Kitchen staff and other service users.

At the time of printing this report in May 2019, we have already received over 30 referrals this year. This is a good indication that our service is well recognised and utilised by both organisations and individuals.

Outcome of referrals

2017 2018Friendship group 18 52Visiting scheme 5 * 8

Denied help/no further contact 8 29

*Two people had home visitors but then began to attend the group

We had quite a few referrals from professionals in which we did not get any further contact from the potential service user or their family despite us trying to speak to them. We also had a few people pass away or circumstances changed when we contacted them so we had no further contact with them.

Gender of referrals

2017 2018Male 6 30Female 23 59

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