 | Chrissy Dunlop
Training Co-Ordinator | My role is to to assess the training needs of Carers and to plan, implement and evaluate the programme of training to meet those needs. To equip Carers with information and skills to meet their everyday caring responsibilities and to become involved with the policies and planning of services that effect their lives. |
 | Barbara Symonds
Family Support Worker | I am the Adult Development worker for the North of the County .I organise and run monthly support groups in Kington and Weobley. I also attend the Hereford Carers In Mind support group. I source useful contacts to speak at these meetings , I do my best try to arrange a variety of subjects for Carers during each quarters programme to cover enjoyable topics , practical issues and provide useful tools to enable Carers to carry out their caring roles. I also attend events and community activities to raise awareness of carers issues and the profile of Herefordshire Carers Support. |
 | Helen Whitmore
Family Support Worker | I am the Carer Development Worker for Ross and the Golden Valley. I was a Secondary School teacher in Essex for over 25 years and moved to Herefordshire in 2007 looking for a lifestyle and career change. Before joining Herefordshire Carers Support in November 2010, I worked at Services for Independent Living, helping disabled people to gain information about Personal Budgets and assisting them to find the right support. I care for my disabled daughter who is in her twenties, so have a good understanding of the issues and challenges Carers have to face. |
 | Sally Preedy
Family Support Worker | My role as Carer Development Worker is to provide information, advice, support and opportunities for adult carers within the county. I provide support for carers in an area of the County that runs from Bromyard in the North of the County, back towards Ledbury and Ross boundary and West towards Hereford and part of the City. I also facilitate and run the Adult Support Groups in Bromyard, Ledbury, and Leominster and share running the Hereford group with my colleagues, Helen and Barbara. My previous working experience, that spanned a period of 25years, had been working within Adult Social Care, more specifically the provision of Domiciliary Care and Quality Assurance. Latterly, I worked with Age UK Hereford and Localities both as a Locality Manager and the Co-ordinator of Day Opportunities and Footcare Services.
Besides my work experiences, on a personal note, I have first-hand experience of being a parent carer for my 12 year old daughter who has a severe learning disability and know only too well the challenges my family and I encounter on a daily basis and as she gets older. |
| Cathy Hayes
Parent Carer Support Worker | My role is to support parents of children under 18 who have a physical or learning disability. I cover the whole of Herefordshire. My work involves raising awareness of Parent Carers and their issues with other organisations who provide services for their children. I offer emotional support and information to parents and facilitate a support group for those Parent Carers who enjoy meeting with other parents who are in a similar situation to themselves. |
 | Katherine Fellows
Independent Support Co-ordinator | I am the Co-ordinator for the Independent Support Service. We provide information, advice and support to families who are going through the EHC Assessment Process. |
 | Ed Roberts
Young Carers Support Co-ordinator | My role is supporting Young Carers aged 8-25 years. Fortnightly we have Young Carers Clubs in Leominster, Marden, Ross and Hereford where we make sure the Young Carers are able to chill out, join in on some structured activities and mainly have fun! We liaise with schools and attend meetings to support our Young Carers with their education. We also arrange fun trips and activities throughout the year. |
| Susan Brace
YC Community Development Worker | I'm the Young Carer Community Development Worker and promote identification, recognition and support of young people aged 8 - 25 years who have caring responsibilities. I am responsible for developing links with schools, colleges and other relevant organisations in local communities across Herefordshire to raise awareness of young carers. I also coordinate our Young Carer Clubs across the county, running activities and making sure everyone gets the chance to unwind and have some fun! |
 | Hilary Lewis
Health Services Link Worker | As the Health Services Link Worker, I am responsible for raising awareness and understanding by GP Practice staff of carer's needs and expectations and the support services which are available to them. I will be encouraging GP's to identify and record patients as carers on their patient records and to signpost them to HCS.
For most of my working life I have been employed in care and support services and I understand the role of the carer as I have been a part of the family support network to my father during his terminal illness. |
| Mandy McCabe
Project Lead: Carers in paid employment | I joined the team at HCS in August 2015, initially working alongside Hilary as a Health Link Worker, raising awareness of Carer’s needs to all clinicians and staff across the NHS in Herefordshire.
My background is mainly in the corporate sector but I made a decision to change roles and care for my Mum on a full time basis in our home during the last five years of her life. We had just relocated to Herefordshire and looking after someone with complex issues without any prior knowledge of how to obtain help and advice seemed daunting at times. I fully appreciate some of the challenges as well as the rewards that face many Carers and I am dedicated to improving the experience, ensuring that as many people as possible can benefit from the services of HCS.
I now have a new role as Project Leader, working specifically with Carers in Paid Employment. I will be looking at ways to assist both carers and their employers in achieving mutually agreeable working experiences. I will investigate difficulties faced and suitable options to achieve satisfactory resolutions. I will be showcasing best practice to employers who wish to benefit from successful working models.
By working together with a common goal, we can ensure that the correct information, opportunities and support are made easily accessible for all carers and that the valuable skills gained by carers in the paid workplace are not lost. |
An Adult Carer
Parent Carers
A Young Adult Carer
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