Annual review 2007/08

In your area

East Midlands

Making a difference

Across our region we provide a diverse range of services from carer’s support to Horticulture. We are constantly looking at ways to provide further quality services in all parts of the East Midlands. We’ve also managed to reduce our infrastructure costs so that services now represent even better value for money.

Making it happen

• Rethink Carers’ Support, Nursing and Residential Homes services in the East Midlands have, within the last twelve months, seen a number of major developments and modernisations:
  
  
  • We set up a BME Drop in Carer Support Service in Leicester City.
    
    
  • In partnership with Lincolnshire Foundation Trust we secured an additional 80K for 08/09 to provide much needed extra carer support workers in the Lincolnshire area.
    
    
  • Funded by The Big Lottery Fund we rolled out our Carers Education Training Programme.
    
    
• We have improved the quality of our supported housing accommodation in Derby and Nottingham by working in partnership with Derwent Housing Association and Places For People.
  
  
• In April 2008 the Green Health Enterprise became the first commissioned Social Enterprise for adults with mental health issues in Derbyshire. The service is running public tea rooms and public commemorative woodland as an enterprise.
  
  
• During the last six months our new service, the North Nottinghamshire Horticultural Scheme’s Social Enterprise (NNHSSE) have been working to support and train people to gain direct work experience and receive an income from the enterprise.

Making an impact

• Our BME Drop in Carers Support Service engages more than 50 carers from 12 different communities. Carers in Northamptonshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire will benefit from the CETP and in Lincolnshire a special siblings course will educate siblings of people experiencing mental illness.
  
  
• Our Housing improvements have enabled us to strengthen our service level agreement with both Derwent Housing Association and Places for People. Improved communication on both sides means the tenants get an improved all round service.
  
  
• At Green Health learning programmes have been delivered to 63 adults with mental health issues in a range of programmes that totaled more than 300 attendances. User run service provision has also increased. Currently the management of Horsepool Hill and the grounds maintenance of the Country Park is entirely user run. The Derby Lodge Tea Rooms is 80% user run and the commercial plant nurseries are 50%.
  
  
• Our horticultural scheme will not only provide better quality of life for people experiencing mental health issues by increasing their employability,  but the goods the enterprise will produce will also benefit the wider community and raise positive awareness.  

Moving forward

• We will continue to work to secure funding for our carers services in the region and carry out our programmes according to plans. 
  
  
• Nottingham Community Housing Association in the Newark area has provided Rethink with five self contained and refurbished properties within the town centre. We have also been successful in winning a Corby Housing tender this year to provide a service and support to 12 tenants living near the town centre.

• With funding from the Learning Skills Council, Green Health Enterprise will deliver a rolling programme of Open College Network qualifications. It will also apply for funding to develop and deliver a range of environmental arts programmes, open a commercial Art Gallery and to provide trees for re-forestation programmes.
  
  
• We will work towards the realisation of the horticultural enterprise and build cohesive links with other similar initiatives within the organisation.

Moving you forward

If you would like to know more about our services in East Midlands please contact 01623 510992 or email jane.bacon@rethink.org.