FEBRUARY 2024 GLENFIELD GAZETTE ONLINE

GLENFIELD GAZETTE FEBRUARY 2024
THE BEST APRIL FOOLS JOKE
By Ted Cook
THIS IS about Peter, my middle son, who is the joker of
the family.
At the time he had two daughters at English Martyrs School. It was the
Easter holidays and the date was April 1st, and Peter thought it would be
a great idea to play an April Fools joke on the girls.
It being the school holidays the girls were planning on having a liein.
But at 8am, Peter woke them both and told them they had to go to
school. He said that the school had rung to say they needed to go in to
make up days lost. He got them up dressed in school uniform and drove
them to the school in Anstey Lane.
On arrival at the locked school gates he turned to them saying, “April
fools!” I still do not think the girls have forgiven him!
17
Are you an unpaid carer?
Grant to support
unpaid carers is
still available
UNPAID CARERS supporting someone living in
Leicestershire are being urged to check if they qualify for a
grant.
Carers looking after a person in the county who has recently been
discharged from hospital may be eligible through the Leicestershire County
Council scheme, funded by the Government’s Discharge Funding grant.
More than £55,000 of support has already been given to unpaid carers of
people in Leicestershire since the scheme began last year.
Carers often incur unexpected extra costs, including having to take time
off work or paying for cleaning, housework or short-term sitting services.
To qualify for the council funded grant, carers aged over 18 will need to
show that the cared-for person:
• Lives in Leicestershire and is also aged over 18
• Has been discharged from hospital during the past four weeks (at the
time of applying)
• Needs the carer for help and support to keep them safe
• Needs a level of support that has seen additional costs for the carer
since the hospital discharge.
The grant scheme is being administered by Voluntary Action South
Leicestershire (VASL) on behalf of the county council.
Councillor Christine Radford, cabinet member for adults and
communities, said: “The scheme has been open since last August to
support people looking after their loved ones and so far more than 150
unpaid carers have received a grant.
“Through these grants we have also been able to reach more than 120
people who had not had any previous contact with either the council or our
carers support service.
“This means we can give them both practical and emotional support and,
in some cases, help them recognise themselves as carers for the very first
time.
“I would urge anyone who is currently looking after a loved one who has
recently been discharged from hospital to contact VASL to see if they are
eligible to apply for one of our grants and find out more about the support
available to them.”
Carers must apply within four weeks of the person they care for being
discharged from hospital. The application form is available on the Support
for Carers website.(https://www.supportforcarers.org/what-weoffer/carer-support-hospital-discharge-grant)
Carers can also call VASL on 01858 468543 or email: maureen@
supportforcarers.org and the team will complete the application form on
their behalf.
Carers who received a grant from the previous round of funding in
2022/23 can apply again to the 2023/24 grant fund if they meet the
eligibility criteria – only one grant can be awarded to each carer.
My mother was so overprotective we were only allowed to play rock, paper.