Quarriers

Quarriers through the eyes of a work experience student

2012-01-27T16:56:00.004Z

This week, our External Relations Department have had the pleasure of showing 15 year old Greg the ropes whilst he was on work experience with us. We don't often get to hear what it was like in their words and so we thought we'd give Greg the opportunity to write a guest blog post, just for you! Here is this week in his words:

"This week has been an adventure. I have done many different jobs, learnt lots of new things and met and worked with lots of new people. I did many interesting things but the thing I found most interesting was finding out how Quarriers use the social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. It was a real eye-opener as I realised how something I use everyday can help a place like Quarriers change so many people’s lives.

I also enjoyed doing other tasks which gave me an insight as to how Quarriers works. The tasks ranged from shredding paper to researching for possible fundraisers. I found the research quite interesting as it was something I had never really thought about before.

I am very grateful to everyone I have worked with as they have made me feel very welcome. I have enjoyed my weeks work experience here very much and I’m sure I’ll miss it a lot more when I get back to school on Monday."

On behalf of all the team who you met this week, thank you too. It was great to meet you and we hope we have managed to show you a glimmer of what we do.

What does family mean to you?

2011-12-14T11:37:00.001Z

This morning we received a lovely email from somebody in response to our recent competition. It really means a lot to us when we hear personal stories of what our work means to people. Here's what she wrote:

I know I am too late to enter the competition but I wanted you to know why I believe in family and why I believe in Quarriers.

My grandmother's brothers and sisters were all split up in the 1880s after their parents died to be closely followed by their grandmothers- the boys sent to Quarriers village and then as farmers boys to Canada, the girls sent to family who didn't really want them and made them work for them.

My grandmother, Janet Dawson, wrote to each one of them every week to make sure her family stayed together and always knew each other and what they were doing. When she married she offered them all a home and one of the boys returned from Canada as a young man - he was a teenager by then - and the girls returned to use her home as their own.

By the way, my grandmother was 12 when she started to send her letters! Quarriers and family - these words go together as well now as they always did.

Thank you for continuing your wonderful work.

If you would like to share what family means to you or have a story related to Quarriers work and the impact it's had on your family, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email.

Quarriers Noel Lunch raises £61,000!

2011-12-05T14:06:00.001Z

On Friday 2 December Quarriers held their 18th Noel Lunch at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow. This year saw a record number of tables booked resulting in a packed room full of companies and their clients.

The day started with a performance from Craigholme School choir as people took their seats. The Noel Lunch was chaired by Phil Genoe from Faxco and guest speaker Roger DeCourcey and Nookie Bear entertained the audience as well as hosting the main auction.

Each year the Noel Lunch focuses on one area of work and this year it supported the Scottish Epilepsy Centre. The audience were shown a film detailing the key facts of epilepsy and how it affects people in Scotland. It also showcased plans for the new centre to be built a few minutes from the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow.

Through amazing generosity and support for the new Scottish Epilepsy Centre, this years Noel Lunch managed to raise a truly staggering £61,000. Without the support of the Noel Lunch committee and the many individuals and companies who attend the event, this simply would not have been possible.

A special thank you to the events major sponsors - 'Friends of Quarriers' - Faxco, Tunnock's and Buchanan's. And also to the other sponsors who help make the event happen - Marriott Glasgow, Burn Stewart Distillers, Cameron Presentations, Enid Reid Flowers, The Creative Cell and Gavin Watson & Reid Printers.

Find out more about how your company can get involved by visiting our website - www.quarriers.org.uk

And you can discover more about our plans for the new Scottish Epilepsy Centre right here.

A poem beyond our expectations

2011-11-30T11:44:00.001Z

This time last week, Quarriers kicked off a year of celebration for our 140th anniversary by holding an event in Glasgow's Central Station.

Many of you will have passed through the station that day and will no doubt have seen our exhibition area on the main concourse. Some of you will have been handed a free cotton shopping bag and hopefully you'll have read about the work we do inside.

And then there was our amazing competition to win an iPad 2 where we asked you to tell us what family meant to you. (you can still enter here > www.itsafamilything.org.uk)

Whilst waiting for a train that day, somebody went far beyond our expectations and wrote us a poem. It's an act of kindness that has amazed us all. If you're the person who wrote it and you're reading this, thank you so so much!

Here's the poem.

Quarriers

Quarriers have been on the go
Since the year 1871
Helping families much more than we know
Making sure a great job is done
They’re now celebrating 140 years
Their values are very strong
Through individuals needs and fears
They make them feel they belong
Being family to those needing support and care
Their services are dynamic, relevant and exciting
Meaning someone valuable is always there
With open arms that are inviting
They aim to be very creative
Instead of focusing on the problems
They find solutions which are an alternative
No matter from where it stems
They recognize the challenges families face
And their support is very passionate
Allowing families to stay in one place
The staff at Quarriers are really great
Working to help fulfill aspiration
Is a small part of what they do
The staff are determined with dedication
To help less fortunate families get through
If you could become a volunteer
Then this would really be ace
You’d help to make someone’s future more clear
And put a smile on their face
So if you can help or have something to say
Which could help you be one of our warriors
Get in touch with one of our staff today
So we can welcome you to Quarriers

by Lynda Johns

Why we need your votes

2011-11-21T12:10:00.001Z

For the last few weeks we've been asking you to vote for Quarriers' Steps & Stages service in North Ayrshire. You've heard staff and families tell you what the service means to them in a short film they made. You've read about what £50,000 will pay for, and in case you haven't, a sensory/chill out area for the kids who use the service.

Steps & Stages, like so many of Quarriers services, has a major impact on people other than those they directly support. Like friends or extended family members. Like Andrew's granddad.

Andrew has been locked away in his own world all his short life. He can’t do any of the things five-year-old boys love doing like pretending to be the captain of the Scotland football team in his back garden. He's confined to a wheelchair, paralysed due to a severe physical disability and permanently hooked up to oxygen tanks. Andrew’s condition means he frequently spends time in hospital.

His mum and dad both suffer from debilitating bouts of depression, triggered as a result of the daily struggles they face as a family. This means granddad tends to care for the family – but he also suffers from poor health.

Andrew’s situation is far from unique. There are many parents across Scotland buckling under the strain of caring for a child with a severe disability or life-limiting conditions. Many struggle to cope with the burden of providing round-the-clock care for their children. They also find themselves trapped in poverty as they are unable to work as they need to provide constant care.

Quarriers' Steps & Stages gives parents like Andrew’s back their hope, allowing them to get a well-deserved break while their children get the chance to have as close to a normal childhood as is possible.

Steps and Stages can be best described as a travelling children’s centre that is a lifeline for the 80 families it supports across Ayrshire. It supports parents who care for children with severe disabilities like Andrew or who suffer from autism or learning disabilities as well as families facing a whole range of challenges.

Every day they give a helping hand when it is needed most to care for the children. This means mum or dad can go back to work or spend precious time with their other children – taking the pressure off and helping to keep families together.

Steps and Stages staff provides regular care for Andrew. This gives granddad a chance to get a much-needed break from his duties as the main carer for the family – and Andrew gets to have fun with staff.

Parents regularly tell us Steps and Stages has transformed their lives – but they would love it if we had a permanent base where children can visit. Your vote would help us to create a space for the children we support like Andrew in which to build a chill-out room full of soothing bubble tubes, enchanting fibre optic lights, soft play equipment, toys and music.

This opens up new experiences and sensations to children with disabilities or life-limiting conditions. It will offer them a safe space to play and have fun. The children will also be able to mix with others from different backgrounds and this will boost their confidence and self-esteem.

For Andrew this would mean so much and enable him to show off one thing he does have in common other five-year-old boys – his beaming, bright smile.

So please, vote now - www.votethatcounts.org/quarriers.htm

As well as your vote, we really need you to ask your friends, family and colleagues to vote too. If you know of any large offices, can you get them all to vote? Anything you can do would be a huge help for the families supported by Steps & Stages.

Thank you!

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of those involved.

Today is Quarriers 140th anniversary

2011-11-18T11:49:00.001Z

This very day we celebrate 140 years of Quarriers.

On 18 November 1871, William Quarrier opened the first night refuge in Renfrew Lane, Glasgow. From there the vision of William Quarrier transformed from recognising the needs of the people of Scotland to a determination to provide innovative, caring support for those who need it most. This was delivered first through the night refuges, then the City Orphan Homes, Orphan Homes of Scotland, Quarriers Homes and now Quarriers.

Please join us in sharing your Happy Birthday messages in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

From all of us at Quarriers, thank you for your ongoing support whether it be via a donation, doing an event for us, volunteering your time or by simply commenting on our posts on Facebook and Twitter.

Take a step into our heritage by looking through some of our historical photos. The photo you see above is the very first City Orphan Home which still remains today (although not as an orphan home) next door to St Andrew's in the Square in the Merchant City, Glasgow. If you visit the building today, you just make out 'City Orphan Home' etched into the stonework.

www.quarriers.org.uk

Vulnerable children in Glasgow given funding boost

2011-10-14T14:52:00.000+01:00

Quarriers’ pioneering family centre serving Greater Easterhouse and its innovative project for school children in Pollok have received a major funding boost from Inspiring Scotland’s Early Years Early Action Fund.

Quarriers Family Resource Centre in Ruchazie, set up 10 years ago, has secured funding to build an extension to its popular nursery which will double the number of places for vulnerable children under three.

The extension, due to be completed in January, will also allow staff at the centre to provide additional services including play therapy to help children with hyperactivity and disruptive behaviour.

And Quarriers has been given additional funding to extend the scope of its innovative Pollok-based Quarriers Opt In project.

This supports children aged 10-13 in the surrounding areas, much of which fall within the most deprived areas of Scotland, displaying learning and behavioural difficulties before they move from primary to secondary school.

Now the project will be extended to also support children throughout Greater Pollok moving from nursery to primary school. The service will be help with learning, improving social skills and managing challenging behaviour.

Parents will also benefit from the new service as they will be given help in practical parenting skills and increased positive interaction with children in group session as well as by working with volunteer parent peer mentors.

It is anticipated that around 50 children and their families will be supported in the first year of the project. Quarriers chief executive Paul Moore said, “The Early Years Early Action Fund award for both projects will help Quarriers to continue to provide vital support for some of the most vulnerable children in Glasgow.

Read more about our family centres here.

Quarriers host 1st Volunteer Awards event

2011-09-12T16:14:00.000+01:00

Posh frocks, best suits and kilts were to the fore as over 150 staff, volunteers and guests celebrated the 1st Quarriers' Volunteer Awards at Paisley Town Hall on Thursday, 1 September. The glamorous evening was hosted by Renfrewshire Council who’s Provost, Celia Lawson, welcomed all to the generously provided civic reception.

After a well received dinner Volunteer Co-ordinator Louise McGinty introduced Quarriers' Chairman, Trish Godman as compere for the Awards Ceremony. Trish highlighted the relevance of the awards as 2011 is European Year of the Volunteer. In addition Quarriers Volunteer Centre had been short-listed for the 2011 UK National Charity Awards and, earlier this year, Quarriers successfully completed the “Investing in Volunteers” UK quality standard.

Then it was time for the Volunteer Awards themselves. First up was the award for the Corporate organisations who have provided volunteer support to Quarriers. This was won by Zurich insurance who have undertaken a number of employees challenges in Quarriers' services. Lorna Sloan and Stephanie Cameron from Zurich accepted the beautiful crystal glass star trophy presented by James Andrew, President of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.

Lorna said “I was happy to be involved in fundraising and undertaking the employee challenge with Quarriers. It was a real honour to be nominated and no one expected to win. Everyone at Zurich is delighted at winning and for the recognition of our efforts”.

Next David Millar from UNUM presented the “Young Volunteer” Award which was won by Kara Price for her work with the “Go4IT!” digital inclusion project. As Kara was on holiday in Spain Kara’s mother Susan Price and her gran Sheena Davidson accepted the award on her behalf.

Kara said “Firstly I would say I was honoured to even be nominated and then to win, I thought my mum was kidding. I was overwhelmed with winning and felt proud that my work makes a difference to people's lives and is appreciated”.

Trish herself then presented Long Service awards to Anne Johnston, Yvonne Phillips, and Amanda Duff, all of whom have volunteered for over 10 years with Quarriers.

Celia Lawson then presented a special “Best Volunteer” award for people supported by Quarriers. Lachie Mackinnon was a delighted recipient while Archie MacKay also received a Highly Commended plaque.

Lachie said “I feel very honoured to have received the top volunteer along with Archie McKay and would like to thank the training department for nominating me for this award. The Volunteer Department does a fantastic job recruiting volunteers to help support all our residents and providers”.

The participants in the “My Hero” award had been nominated by people supported by Quarriers. Caroline Tumath from Quarriers' Discovery Group presented the award to John McAvoy who had been nominated by James Gillies.

John said “My wife and I had a fantastic time at the awards ceremony and I am over the moon at winning the award. I never expected it especially when you think of the number of volunteers that support Quarriers. They all do a fantastic job and so do the staff. A big thank you Louise you were brilliant”.

The “Best Volunteer Contribution to Quarriers” was presented by CEO, Paul Moore to Laura Gray for her work in supporting the residents of Kinelin Road.

Laura said “I was absolutely ecstatic to win the award. Quarriers is the first organisation that has given me a chance and I value the training and experience provided by Quarriers. This has increased my skills and self confidence and winning the award is unbelievable. A big thank you to all the staff, people Quarriers supports and their families for making me feel a valuable part of the team”.

Finally Louise McGinty was invited to accept the Investors in Volunteers Award on behalf of Quarriers from Provost Lawson.

Louise said “Undertaking the Investing in Volunteering assessment allowed us to address all our processes, policies and procedures. Having achieved the award we are confident that we provide a quality volunteering service and we recognise and value our volunteers through the achievement of the award. Thank you to all the staff, volunteers and people who use our services. This would not have been possible without everyone being involved – this award is for Team Quarriers”.

At the end of a packed evening the feedback from those attending has been very positive. Well done to all the award recipients and a big “thank you” to the many staff and volunteers who played their part in planning and organising to make the event such an outstanding success.

Official list of Quarriers' Volunteer Awards 2011 recipients:

Corporate Volunteer Team - Zurich
Best Volunteer - Lachlan Mackinnon
Best Young Volunteer - Kara Price
Best Volunteer Contribution - Laura Gray
My Hero Volunteer - John McAvoy
Long Serving Volunteer - Yvonne Phillips, Amanda Duff and Anne Johnston

Official list of Quarriers' Volunteer Awards 2011 'Highly Commended' recipients:

Corporate Volunteer Team - Dundas & Wilson and Life Technologies
Best Volunteer - Archie MacKay
Best Young Volunteer - Fiona Carr
Best Volunteer Contribution - Epilepsy Appeal Committee (Aberdeen) and Gary Lindsay
My Hero Volunteer - Anney Denny

You can see all the photos here > http://www.flickr.com/photos/quarriers/sets/72157627660495668/

Mayor celebrates success of Quarriers Swindon Supported Living Service

2011-08-24T11:46:00.000+01:00

Swindon Mayor Ray Ballmann was the guest of honour at a garden party to celebrate the success of Quarriers Swindon Supported Living Service.

13 adults with learning disabilities are supported by the service in their own flats. The service has transformed the lives of people living in the flats, helping them to grow in confidence and in one case secure a part-time job at the Great Western Hospital.

Dozens of people including local councillors and council officials attended the celebration which took place in the project garden which benefited from a recent makeover by staff from the Swindon base of Zurich Insurance.

Quarriers project manager Delesha Tyler said: “It was wonderful to see so many people who have been involved in the service at the celebration. Since Quarriers set up the service two years ago we have achieved so much – and this is evidenced by the fulfilling lives now led by the people we support in their own tenancies.”

Mayor Ballmann added: “I thoroughly enjoyed the Quarriers garden party at the supported living service. It was very interesting to have the opportunity to talk to the residents of the flats and staff. A tour of the flats added to my knowledge of this fantastic service.

“It is truly a flagship development and we need more inspiring supported housing services like the one which Quarriers runs which enable people to live fulfilling lives with support in the own homes.”

Haydon Wick Ward Councillor David Renard, who attended the celebration, said: "The conversion of the building two years ago from older people's accommodation to supported living for those with learning disabilities has been a resounding success.

“It has transformed many lives and the evidence of that is clearly demonstrated by the comments made by residents and their families about just how much of a success this service has become.”

Gill Hughes, from Zurich Insurance who volunteered on the garden makeover team, said: “It was wonderful to be able to see the fruits of our hard labour at the celebration event."

Quarriers throws its support behind Homeless World Cup goalie

2011-08-17T16:35:00.002+01:00

A young Glasgow goalkeeper who two years ago found herself living on the streets of the city is aiming for glory with the Scotland women’s Homeless World Cup team on their debut in the tournament which kicks off this weekend.

Caz Dunlop has never even played a competitive football match – but the 25-year-old is confident her country can defy the odds in the competition which takes place in the French capital, Paris.

Scotland’s women team are the rank outsiders for the tournament of 16 nations. They will find out their opponents when the draw is made on Saturday 20 August at the Stade de France – the day before it all gets under way in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.

Taking part in the tournament will cap a remarkable year for Caz who recently moved into her own flat and also played a lead role in Ken Loach’s latest film, Angels’ Share, which is set in Glasgow and due out next summer.

“Everything seems to have come together in 2011 – and now I can’t wait to play with the Scotland team in Paris,” said Caz, who grew up in care and found herself homeless in 2009 after a relationship with a flatmate broke down.

“I’ve always had a passion for football – but I’ve never played a game for a team. I’ve just taken part in a few kick-abouts in the park. Hopefully that will not matter and the team will make a mark in the tournament against other more fancied countries like Brazil and Italy.

“To win would be amazing. I’ve never been abroad let alone to France so to win the Homeless World Cup under the Eiffel Tower would be unreal. I’m sure we can make history to become the first Scottish women’s team to win.”

When she became homeless Caz turned to Quarriers and a place was found for her in our James Shields service which offers accommodation to young people from Glasgow with no where else to go.

Caz had taken an apprenticeship in car mechanics before becoming homeless. She decided, though, to follow another of her passions – acting – while living in the Quarriers service.

Castlemilk-born Caz enrolled on a dance and drama course at college but benefit rules meant she had to choose between education or a roof over her head.

She was forced to leave college but thanks to Quarriers activity manager Paul Mitchell, who organised regular kick-abouts in a local park for residents at James Shields, Caz was discovered by Scotland head coach David Duke.

Now the future is looking very bright. Caz added: “I’ve been involved in acting since I was a teenager and was lucky enough to get a major part in Ken Loach’s new film Angels’ Share.

“I feel very fortunate but am determined to make sure I grasp all the opportunities that come my way – I am only too aware of how life can change for the worse very quickly.”

There is a strong Quarriers connection running through the Scottish team as head coach David was a resident at its James Shields service and assistant women’s coach and Celtic midfielder Amanda Burns is a youth inclusion worker for us.

The Homeless World Cup kicks off in Paris this weekend and runs until 28 August. Keep up to date with all the action on their website.

We'll also be posting news on our Facebook page and tweeting about the team's progress on Twitter so watch out for that.

Our link with Canada

2011-07-01T17:20:00.000+01:00

1 July 2011 sees Canada celebrate Canada Day. And for those of you who follow Quarriers on Facebook and Twitter you'll know that we've published a variety of facts and information about the links we have with Canada.

Between 1869 and 1939 over 100,000 children were migrated from the United Kingdom to Canada, 7,000 of them from Quarriers, or Orphan Homes of Scotland as we were known back then.

It is estimated that around 250,000 Canadians are descended from the 7,000 orphans sent to Canada.

Each child who was sent to Canada was equipped with a large wooden trunk that contained a vast array of items that would prepare each child for their new life. These included clothing for the different seasons, handkerchiefs and of course a bible.

Within Quarriers Village, although without a coastline, there was a purpose built ship called the James Arthur which prepared the children for the long voyage that lay ahead for them. They would learn sea faring skills aboard the ship.

Travelling to a far away land a very scary prospect for a child to take on board, and even when they arrived in Canada they still had a long journey ahead of them. Hard work awaited each child and the vast majority went on to work on farms.

We've given you just the tip of the iceberg in this blog and highly recommend you visit the amazing online and interactive exhibition produced by IRISS. You can listen to child testimonies, see the route of the journey and even go through each item that was included in each child's trunk.

Canada is very much part of Quarrier's history. As we celebrate our 140th anniversary this year since William Quarrier established Quarriers Village we remember those who made that frightful journey to Canada.

If you live near to Glasgow we're pleased to tell you that we have an exhibition at Scotland Street Museum which runs until 1 October this year. It highlights the story of former Quarriers child Annie Blue who migrated to Canada. You can also see many artifacts and see the film 'Til We Meet Again', a recreation of life in Quarriers Village made by local children who live there today.

Take a look at some old photos of Quarriers Village on our Flickr page.

If you're looking to find out more information about a relative who lived in Quarriers Village we have a Genealogy and Records Service. We employ an After Care Worker who can help you trace your family history.

Youth Justice consequential thinking programme

2011-06-30T16:50:00.000+01:00

Quarriers' Youth Justice Project in South Lanarkshire works with young people who are involved in offending behaviours and who are aged 12 to 18 years old, male and female. As part of our structured and focused programmatic interventions we have developed a Consequential thinking and Victim Empathy programme as we recognised that the majority of the young people we support required focused work in this area. The programme runs over a five week period with each week focusing on a different aspect of consequential thinking. The programme is fun and interactive, and provides the young people with a safe environment to explore their own thoughts and feelings. The main topics that we cover throughout this programme are; external influences on behaviour and how this impacts on making choices, diffusing aggression, dealing with anger, and how behaviour affects others.

The consequential thinking and victim empathy programme is one of our more popular programmes which we have had a positive impact with and that young people respond well too. Part of this programme incorporates a visit to Polmont so that young people can see for themselves the realities of prison life. In our experience many young people who have not been to prison tend to glorify it and view it as a ‘holiday camp’, however the structured visits to Polmont shows them the harsh reality of prison life for young people who offend.

For the visits, the young people taken along are placed in the shoe’s of young people in prison and are looked after by two prison guards from the moment young people arrive they are treated as each young offender in prison would be treated. This involves walking in line, arms by their side and not speaking. When arriving at the halls, the guards allow young people to go inside a cell and lock it behind them to show how compact it can be, this process last for around 10-15 mins to allow the young people time to see what it’s like being in that environment for a period of time. After this the guards do a question and answer session in which anything can be asked about prison life and often generates some interesting and informative feedback. This is followed by the part which seems to have the biggest impact on anyone who has visited up to now. The young people get to meet two prisoners, who are due to be/have been in Polmont for a long period and they give the views of a prisoner and the difficulties that can bring. The young men in Polmont we have met so far are very open and honest about the day to day life of being in prison and their particular ‘story’.

Below is a couple of quotes from the reflection logs a young people who were involved in the first visit;

“It was completely different from what I actually thought prison was, I didn’t think it was going to be really really bad but it was. It gave an insight to what prison is actually like and it’s not exactly a place anybody wants to be”

“I realise that I am responsible for my decisions and that I will think carefully about them in the future as I don’t want to end up in prison”.

This emphasises the impact the visit’s have had on young people and in the long run is something we hope can have a positive impact on many more young people we work with.

Lynnette Oldman - Quarriers' Epilepsy Fieldwork Manager

2011-05-20T11:47:00.000+01:00

Lynnette Oldman manages Quarriers team of Epilepsy Fieldworkers in the north east of Scotland covering Aberdeen, Banff, Buckie, Elgin, Peterhead, Ellon and Fife. As part of National Epilepsy Awareness Week Lynnette has written a short guest blog about her role. She is seen above on the right at an epilepsy awareness event.

"I joined Quarriers in 2001. Prior to this I managed a Day Service for adults with disabilities in Grampian. Initially I had a dual role as Fieldworker/ Manager but as demand for the service increased I became Project Manager and a new Fieldwork service was developed in Fife. My background in Social Work was complimented and enhanced by the training Quarriers provided in Epilepsy and related topics.

The variety of the work in the community is one of the reasons I enjoy my job and remain with Quarriers. No two days are the same and it is gratifying to see the difference we can make in a persons life by liaising with them, their family and other professionals. Be it to access employment or training, help with benefits or housing and social problems or signpost on to a service that can assist.

Training and liaising with both primary and secondary care helps to provide a holistic service and advocating on a persons behalf or empowering support groups locally allows individuals to have their voice heard.

Living in a rural area can mean difficulties with transport for people with epilepsy as many services are centralised. Fieldworkers are based across Grampian and the flexibility of the Fieldwork service allows it to meet people’s need.

As a Practice Teacher I facilitate social work students on placement with the team. This helps to ensure that future Social Workers do have an understanding of the needs of people with epilepsy, and along with the ongoing training opportunities available through Quarriers keeps my skills up to date."

Quarriers Scottish Youth Parliament Candidates

2011-05-19T11:36:00.000+01:00

Every couple of years we encourage the young people we support to run in the Scottish Youth Parliament elections. If they're successful, they'll become an MSYP - Member of Scottish Youth Parliament in much the same way as a general or local election where you vote for who governs the country or your local consituency.

This year we have four candidates - Yvette, Sean, Alan and Charlene. They have each created a short video clip outlining why young people supported by Quarriers should vote for them. Successful candidates will represent all young people supported by Quarriers and advocate on behalf of them at the Scottish Youth Parliament meetings.

All the video clips are on Quarriers' YouTube Channel, or you can click on the names below to watch each individual candidate.

Yvette
Sean
Alan
Charlene

Useful links:
http://www.quarriers.org.uk/
www.syp.org.uk/

William Quarrier's Case for Support

2011-05-16T14:36:00.000+01:00

Quarriers have been supporting people with epilepsy since 1906. William Quarrier laid the foundation stone for the Colony of Mercy (now the Scottish Epilepsy Centre) in Quarriers Village near Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, in 1903 shortly before his death the same year. The Colony of Mercy officially opened in 1906.

But it's William Quarrier's vision that led to there being a Colony of Mercy at all. In 1901 he made a case for support, a plea to get people to help with 'financial assistance. Here is that 'Case for Support' as it was written then:

"For many years it has been in our hearts that some provision should be made in Scotland for relieving the lot of the sane epileptics, but the claims of the extending Homes and Sanatoria have hindered us from taking any steps in the matter. A friend having recently offered us some financial assistance, we feel that God is directing us to bring the needs of this affected class before His Stewards with a view to the establishment of a Colony somewhat on the same lines as that carried out so successfully by Pastor Von Bodelschwingh, at Bielefield, in Germany, and by others in America.

To gain information regarding the English institutions, when in London attending the Congress on Tuberculosis, we visited the Chalfond St. Peter Colony for Epileptics in Buckinhamshire. We also visited the Maghull Home for Epileptics, near Liverpool, established twelve years ago.

Scotland is behind other civilised nations in having no place but the poorhouse and asylum for such affiliated ones, and as it is computed that there are 4,000 in Scotland alone, there is need that something be done to ameliorate their condition.

Many families are burdened by the presence of an epileptic, whose life of involuntary idleness frequently increases the disease, and leads to mental disturbance, necessitating at last removal to an asylum, whereas, under proper treatment, such an end might have been avoided. We have letters from fathers and mothers telling us they are at their wits end to know what to do with an affected son or daughter, and from missi0on workers and others, appealing for help for cases met with in their districts.

The claims of these sorely stricken ones should call forth universal sympathy, and we hope to see the day when Scotland will have a Colony of Mercy, national in its character, and dominated by the Spirit of our Lord and Master Who on earth said of such, "bring him to Me".

William Quarrier, 1901

15-21 May is Epilepsy Awareness Week. You can keep up to date with all of our epilepsy related activity through the following links:

http://www.quarriers.org.uk/
http://www.quarrierscharity.blogspot.com/
www.facebook.com/quarriersfans
www.twitter.com/quarriers

Blankets and furniture urgently needed for Glasgow night shelter

2010-12-23T14:37:00.000Z

Quarriers and a group of like minded organisations who support homeless people in Glasgow have got together to organise a temporary night shelter for people who find themselves on the streets in the cold weather for whatever reason.

The severity of the weather we're experiencing has meant that some of the options that people currently use are not viable, i.e. rough sleeping or outdoor make shift shelters.

The temporary night shelter will run for 10-12 weeks by staff from the Glasgow City Mission and volunteers. It will provide shelter, warmth and a hot cup of tea or coffee.

The shelter still needs more armchairs and seats. We're looking for padded chairs that can be lined up next to each other for people to lie down on comfortably that are covered in a material that can be wiped down easily. The best we've found so far are the kind of chairs you might find in a doctor's waiting room, ones with no arms, that fit next to each other without too large a gap.

The shelter also needs donations of blankets or sleeping bags.

If you can help, please contact Andy Lowe - andrew@glasgowcitymission.com or Rab Donald - a.r.donald.05@aberdeen.ac.uk

Thanks for your help.

Santa arrives early for Quarriers' kids

2010-12-20T11:26:00.000Z

Kind-hearted employees of Life Technologies turned Santa on Friday for children supported by Quarriers. Each of Life Technologies 500 employees were asked to bring in a wrapped gift for a child. Not content with this generous donation, General Manager for Europe, Peter Silvester has added £1,000 worth of gifts from Toystore Hamleys.

A team of Life Technologies staff hand delivered the gifts to Quarriers Head Office on Friday 17 December: Peter Silvester, General Manager; Sharon Vinci, HR Leader; David Robertson, Corporate Communications along with Katie Coupland and Joanne Lumsden. They were received by Director for External Relations, Laurie Gardner, Sandra McFadyen, Lead Manager for Children and Families and Tricia Imrie, Direct Marketing Manager and thereafter distributed to Quarriers Family Centres.

Laurie Gardner, Quarriers said: “Generous donations like these from Life Technologies make a huge difference to children we support at Quarriers. Many children affected by poverty just don’t have toys and if they do are very often hand-me-downs or broken. As vital as our ongoing work with families is, it’s still so important to remember that generosity from others makes a huge difference to children’s lives, in particular at Christmas. We’d like to offer a heartfelt thank you to each and every employee of Life Technologies.”

Peter Silvester, General Manager of Life Technologies, EMEA said: “We normally have a staff Christmas lunch but decided instead, that we should help make this time of year a little better for some less fortunate families near us. Everyone here has been showing Christmas spirit, wrapping up the toys they generously donated for Quarriers. I hope the children enjoy them.”

This special Christmas support helps the work of Quarriers’ family centres. In Glasgow, 38,056 children depend on benefits of some kind, 35,000 have additional needs and 10,258 receive social work support. For these reasons and because of the positive impact Quarriers can have on people’s lives, Quarriers’ work with family centres is part of the focus of our Christmas appeal which can be found at quarriers.org.uk

Quarriers response to Scottish Budget

2010-11-17T16:45:00.000Z

Paul Moore, chief executive of Quarriers said: “Shaving £1billion off expenditure was no doubt a harrowing task today and we particularly welcome that the finance secretary clearly recognised the need to thoroughly review the future delivery of public service.

“We sincerely hope this process will fully involve, and utilise the expertise of the voluntary sector, calling on organisations, like Quarriers to apply innovative solutions to the problems engendered by the cuts – as we have been doing for some time. This will be a crucial element in this process to ensure any cuts do not – must not –affect the quality of service or care to the most vulnerable in society. This review, if executed properly, can pave the way to develop a robust strategy which will enable the continuation of the right support at the right time for the right people across Scotland.

“We also welcome the budget increase for the third sector, but once again the government must work closely with us all to ensure the effective use of this increase, particularly in light of the budget cuts, and impending restraints from these across the public sector in Scotland.

“It seems clear that partnership working – government working closely with the voluntary sector – is the only way of safeguarding the most vulnerable in society and ensuring sustainability of the sector in the future, so we can continue doing what we do best.”

Quarriers response to the Spending Review

2010-10-22T15:04:00.000+01:00

Paul Moore, chief executive of Quarriers said: “We welcome the Chancellor’s commitment to using the expertise of the voluntary sector to develop and deliver the new Work Programme. We, like others, have a wealth of knowledge and experience which will help to ensure that the Programme is fit for purpose and delivered in a co-ordinated and timely fashion.

“However, the proposed benefit reforms could be a real threat to the most vulnerable in our society, many of whom we deal with on a daily basis. We would urge decision makers to consult organisations like Quarriers, who have first-hand experience of what is needed to protect and help vulnerable groups in our society. This must not be about cutting services or assistance– that is not an option – this is about developing innovative, value for money solutions to continue the provision of the right level of support to people who need it.”

Related links: Paul Moore speaks on BBC Radio Scotland (scroll to 1:08 and 30 seconds to hear the clip).

Have you seen the First Minister?

2010-09-30T16:06:00.000+01:00

If you've been keeping up with us on Facebook and Twitter you'll know that the First Minister visited a few of Quarriers' services meeting a whole host of people we support.

He was personally invited by Florence McQuilter who is supported at Quarriers' Calvay Project who cater for adults with physical and learning disabilities.

We uploaded a few pictures to our Flickr page which you can see right here.

Do something amazing

2010-07-07T10:47:00.000+01:00

At 150ft tall the Titan Crane has stood on the banks of the River Clyde for over 100 years, a true symbol of the industrial age and a fantastic Scottish landmark.

We’re giving you the chance to participate in a free-fall abseil from this monster structure and raise money for Quarriers at the same time. There are two dates to choose from – 21 and 22 August.

No previous experience is necessary and a dedicated team of expert instructors will be there to talk you through the basics of abseiling, including how to control the speed of y our descent. You will be provided with all the abseil equipment, all you need to bring with you on the day is comfortable clothing, sensible footwear and perhaps a few friends and family to cheer you on!

There is no maximum age limit and no weight restriction for this event. If you’re under 18 we require the consent of your parent or guardian before you participate.

To take part in this unique challenge it costs just £20 to register and you need to raise a minimum of £95 in sponsorship. You can talk it over with Bryan and Alan in our Events team who will be on hand with tools to help you raise the money.

Call: 01505 610017
Email: events@quarriers.org.uk

The most effective way to get sponsored for this event is by setting up an online fundraising page. You can do this through Justgiving and you can have a custom page within minutes! Take a look at Marc and Carolyn's pages to see what they look like.

On Facebook? Check out our Facebook Titan Abseil Event Page.

Quarriers oldest resident celebrates 93rd birthday

2010-07-05T15:22:00.000+01:00

Quarriers were delighted to wish its oldest and longest resident a very happy birthday. Florence Gusthart, who celebrated her 93rd birthday last week, has also been supported by Quarriers Epilepsy Services for 53 years, coming to live in Quarriers Village on 23 September 1957 to help manage her epilepsy.

Florence began having seizures when she was 15 years old. At that time, nobody really knew what was wrong with her. The family doctor ordered that she remain housebound and that she shave all her hair off. She wasn’t allowed to go anywhere for several months and received a visit from the doctor every day. During that time her sister Elizabeth got married and she was not allowed to attend the wedding, instead a party was held at the house so she could be part of it.

Her dad is Argentinean and she was one of 12 children, a twin to her brother William. Her mother died when she was very young and so she was brought up by her father and her older siblings. These days the only family member to visit her regularly is her nephew who comes through from Edinburgh each month.

Eventually, Florence came to Quarriers and lived in what was then known as the ‘Epilepsy Colony’. She worked in the kitchens in the main building each Sunday. She also polished the floors until they were spotless.

There was a huge stigma surrounding epilepsy and at the time Florence came to Quarriers, there wasn’t any medication that was proven to control seizures. Instead, doctors used to send her on long walks to neighbouring towns Kilmacolm and Bridge of Weir to get as much fresh air as possible as it would ‘help her epilepsy’. If Florence had a seizure for example on a Saturday morning, she wouldn’t be allowed out in the afternoon.

It’s very different today and it’s very rare that Florence has a seizure as her medication controls them. She is very happy at Quarriers and is supported to lead as independent a life as possible. She goes to the local shops, dancing and meets up with other people in the village.

QUARRIERS CELEBRATES STATE-OF-THE-ART SENSORY ROOM

2010-06-09T15:40:00.002+01:00

Today at Quarriers we're celebrating the official launch of our brand new state-of-the-art sensory unit at our Countryview short break service for children with disabilities.

Claire Oliver and Lisa Imlach, representatives of the People’s Postcode Trust who awarded £10,000 towards sensory equipment, unveiled a plaque at the re-fitted Sensory Room.

Heather Fraser and Joanne Dallachy officially opened the Sensory Garden (pictured here). They are both mums of children who use Quarriers Countryview Service who trekked with Quarriers to Peru to help raise £35,000.

A bit more about Quarriers Countryview Service.
Quarriers Countryview Service is a lifeline of support for families with a disabled child. Quarriers' Countryview Service is a short break service that offers support to families with children affected by multiple physical and learning disabilities. Currently 84 children and young people and their families living with this situation are supported by Quarriers Countryview Service through the provision of respite breaks in a warm and caring environment. This vital service provides short breaks for up to 8 children at any one time, aged between 5-18 years of age.

Quarriers Countryview Service is part of Quarriers Children and Families services.

Meet our new man at the top

2010-06-09T10:26:00.003+01:00

Paul Moore is the new Chief Executive of Quarriers and joins us from Action for Children where he was Strategic Director for the north of England.

He's worked in a variety of roles over the years in the area of children and young people, working in local government for 29 years before moving to the voluntary sector four years ago.

Paul is 54 years old and has two children, one in Northern Ireland and one at Aberdeen University. He was born in Dumbarton and in his words 'remains a son of the Rock'! He lived in Manchester for 27 years where he was a season ticket holder for Sale Sharks although he now intends to transfer his allegiance to Glasgow Warriors! His primary means of relaxation is cycling.

ANNABEL GOLDIE VISITS QUARRIERS FOR NATIONAL EPILEPSY WEEK

2010-06-07T15:00:00.003+01:00

Annabel Goldie, West of Scotland MSP received a warm welcome from people at care charity Quarriers' Westview and Coach House Services in Greenock today, Monday 7 June.

Ms Goldie visited Quarriers for an informal visit as part of Quarriers awareness-raising activities for National Epilepsy Week (13-19 June). The people Quarriers supports took this opportunity to discuss with one of their regional MSPs the issues that are important to them, and ask her any relevant questions they have.

Annabel said:
"My visit to Quarriers in Greenock has redoubled my admiration for this outstanding organisation and the life-enhancing work that it does. The staff are brimming with energy, ideas, and enthusiasm and their hard work and dedication is a credit to Quarriers. During my visit, I had the opportunity to speak with some of the people whom Quarriers helps and answer their questions. I very much enjoyed our chat because it is those living with epilepsy who understand best what needs to be done at a policy level to ensure that health and support services are responsive and comprehensive.

"Epilepsy is a challenging condition and one that can make people feel out of control, never sure when the next seizure will strike. But through its imaginative and innovative support, Quarriers helps people take control of their lives. Epilepsy Week is an opportunity to raise awareness of epilepsy in the wider community and to let people with epilepsy know there is support available. I wish the staff and volunteers at Quarriers every success for Epilepsy Week. I hope this campaign contributes to our understanding of epilepsy and encourages sufferers to come forward and receive the support they deserve."

Ms Goldie also met with; William Prentice, Quarriers Project Manager; Paul Moore, Quarriers CEO; and Kate Sanford, Policy Officer.

Quarriers Westview and Quarriers Coach House services provide residential services for people with disabilities including epilepsy. Quarriers also provides supported living services for people in their
own tenancies in the surrounding area. Quarriers is the largest provider of epilepsy services in Scotland. Quarriers Epilepsy services include the Scottish Epilepsy Centre, Scotland's only assessment centre as well as fieldworkers in Aberdeen, Central & South Aberdeenshire, Lanarkshire, Moray, North Aberdeenshire and Fife.

Celebrating the work of our volunteers

2010-06-03T12:32:00.003+01:00

This week is National Volunteers Week and we're making sure all our volunteers receive a great big thank you for their contribution to Quarriers. We're also encouraging new volunteers to come and see what they can do for us!

A couple of our volunteers have kindly talked to us about their experience at Quarriers:

Daniel is a a volunteer befriender at Quarriers Stopover Service in Glasgow for young homeless people. Daniel tells us how he became a volunteer "My story began as a 28 year old looking for a career change. Having worked in factories, hotels, pubs and building sites for 12 years as an unskilled and unqualified general handyman, I decided I wanted a career which was befitting to my personality in the care industry.

As I lacked any care work experience, it was quite difficult to seek employment so I decided to do a part time access course for one year to enable me to begin a social work degree. Again, my lack of related work experience was a stumbling block to get a place on a degree course! So after being recommended to gain experience by volunteering, a quick search on google pointed me in the direction of Quarriers.

After a telephone conversation with Louise at the Quarriers Volunteer Centre, an opportunity was presented to me to apply for a volunteer position with a project called Stopover.

I went down for a chat with the depute project manager called Brian and we chatted about what the projects aims are, what they wanted from a volunteer and what I wanted to gain from such a position. It was all very informal and friendly and after completing the application forms it was a case of waiting for the disclosure to come through which took 6 weeks before I could begin volunteering.

Stopover is a service providing supported accommodation to 15 homeless young people aged between 16 and 24. My role as a befriender is to visit some of the young people on a weekly basis and provide a bit of companionship for them. Normally we go for a walk into town, have a coffee, visit a museum, go shopping, have lunch and chat about anything and everything.

I'd be wrong to say my voluntary position is purely for the benefit of the young person. I look forward to visiting on Mondays, catching up with the staff and seeing what the latest news regarding the young people's housing situation is.

I originally began this work at Stopover to gain experience in order to make it easier to find employment in this industry, and also because to begin a social work degree course, having voluntary experience helps a lot.

But now it's like a mini-job which I'm paid for in something far more important than cash, that is satisfaction. It's good on a human level to help people who need assistance as the young person knows I'm there for no other reason than to be a friend. Not for financial rewards, and not because I'm a superior or a professional who knows best.

At first, the thought of working with homeless young people seemed daunting, simply because I'd never been exposed to this problem, but now I realise, I haven't been exposed to it because society likes to pretend issues like this don't exist, thank goodness Quarriers do!

All kinds of people volunteer, for many reasons. What are yours?"

Russell is a volunteer befriender for Quarriers Village Supported Living for adults with physical/learning disabilities. "Having lived in Bridge of Weir for most of my life I knew about Quarriers so when I had more time on my hands I thought I'd find out about any voluntary opportunities within the organisation. The website was very useful in providing an overview of the many activities that Quarriers supports, and also gave real life examples of the experience of volunteers. My application was processed very efficiently and I soon became involved in two projects:- the internet club and befriending a number of residents within Quarriers village.

The residents are great to work with as are the staff. There is a very positive atmosphere with much fun. I'm very impressed with the high standard of care offered by Quarriers, supported by the staff who are completely focussed on giving each resident support that is tailored to their own needs. As a volunteer I feel much more included within the organisation than I had anticipated, which makes the experience even more rewarding."

If you would like to volunteer for Quarriers you can call Louise McGinty, our Volunteer Co-ordinator, on 01505 616109 or email louise.mcginty@quarriers.org.uk

All our volunteer opportunities are advertised within our jobs section on our website.

Quarriers World Spring 2010

2010-05-19T17:19:00.001+01:00

Have a look at our latest newsletter, Quarriers World, with news from across your charity.

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THE SPRING THING 2010 SHOW; Mon 24 May - Sun 20 Jun

2010-05-17T12:13:00.002+01:00

Come and join Quarriers at ‘The Spring Thing 2010’ - a new exhibition by Wilson Davis Fine Art showcasing work from over 30 of Scotland’s finest artists, including Aspect Prize 2009/10 winner Patricia Cain, Emma S Davis, Barbara Rae, Alan King, Alexandra Gardner, Georgina McMaster, Charles Jamieson, George Grant, Jason Pyper Davis, Denise Findlay, Tom Shanks, James Watt, Marion Drummond and the late James D Robertson.

The exhibition also brings together stunning ceramics, glasswork and jewellery collections from several of Scotland’s most talented designers.

Quarriers is delighted that for every customer quoting our special code ‘QUARRIERS’ DONATION’, the lovely people at Wilson David Fine Art will donate 5% of the sale price to Quarriers.

This offer is available to staff, family members and friends of Quarriers and applies to any item for sale in the exhibition – original artwork, signed limited edition prints, jewellery, ceramics, glassware, gifts and even framing – for the length of the exhibition (Monday 24 May – Sunday 20 June). Just quote ‘QUARRIERS DONATION’ when you buy, and we’ll make sure that 5% of the sale price goes to this fantastic charity. We’ll e-mail the customer and Quarriers a confirmation of the donation and the total amount will be presented to Quarriers at the end of the exhibition.

Please feel free to pass on this code to any family members and friends, and help us raise more funds for Quarriers. It can’t be used in conjunction with any other offer, but for every £100 spent by you, your family, colleagues and friends, £5 will go directly to Quarriers.

We’re open every day: Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm and weekends from 10am – 4pm.

You can find us at:
Wilson Davis Fine Art
Faith Avenue, Quarrier’s Village
Bridge of Weir PA11 3SX

Telephone 01505 610810
E-mail info@wilsondavis.co.uk
Web www.wilsondavis.co.uk

'Housing young people is like a revolving door'

2010-04-26T14:47:00.004+01:00

12 charities including Quarriers have joined forces to call for the Scottish Government to introduce a new legal duty on local authorities to help bring an end to the cycle of homelessness.

Quarriers have joined Shelter Scotland who have spearheaded the coalition which has written to Housing Minister Alex Neil asking for an amendment to new legislation which would force councils to carry out an assessment of all the needs of homeless people.

Phil Robinson, chief executive of Quarriers, said: "Although we agree with the main thrust of the Housing Bill, there is this revolving-door problem where young people get allocated a house, then because they can't get the right support, they end up losing the tenancy.

"Not only is it difficult for young people to deal with that but it keeps people in the system where they are using up resources.

"A more joined-up, one-door approach would be beneficial and, in the long-term, save money."

CASE STUDY
Rebecca Docherty was only 16 and still at school when she became homeless. Her social worker referred her to Quarriers who helped find her a tenancy. Quarriers continued to support her, giving her the skills to live on her own, accompanying her when she went to speak to council officials and encouraging her to attend network groups so she could meet others in her situation.

Workers from Quarriers visited Rebecca, who suffered from depression, and offered emotional support while also helping with day-to-day tasks, such as shopping. Rebecca, now 20, maintained her tenancy for three years before moving back in with her mother, who has bipolar disorder.

Rebecca now volunteers with Quarriers and says: "It's not just about getting the tenancy, it's about the support that comes after - that's really important. A lot of young people would not have been able to sustain a tenancy and if this (legislation) were in place it would help a lot more people."

Read the Housing Bill proposal on access to support to prevent homelessness.

Helping adults with a disability to vote

2010-04-16T11:25:00.002+01:00

This week saw Quarriers team up with Inverclyde Council to run a mock election.

Adults with physical/learning disabilities were invited to come along and find out about the voting process and how to cast their vote. Everyone has a right to vote and therefore people need to know just how easy it really is. Voting has to be made as accessible as possible and include those with a disability.

Iain Cuthbertson, Quarriers' Inclusion Manager said: "It is about encouraging people to vote. Some people feel intimidated when they go into a polling station so this was an opportunity for folk to come along and see what is involved."

Inverclyde Council election staff were on hand to explain what happens when a voter arrives and how to vote for the candidate of their choice. There were mock voting booths and a dummy ballot box.

Alistair MacTaggart from the Electoral Registration Office was able to explain how to check that you are registered to vote, and also the alternative methods of voting if getting to a polling place is difficult.

He said: "If you are not on the register you can’t vote. It is as simple as that. Nearly everyone is entitled to vote but they must have registered by Tuesday 20 April."

People's Postcode Lottery boost to sensory experience

2010-03-31T10:36:00.003+01:00

Quarriers have been successful in being awarded £10,000 from the People's Postcode Lottery for it's Countryview service for children with disabilities.

Countryview – A lifeline of support for families with a disabled child
Quarriers' Countryview is a short break service that offers support to families with children affected by multiple physical and learning disabilities. Currently 84 children and young people and their families living with this situation are supported by Countryview through the provision of respite breaks in a warm and caring environment. This vital service provides short breaks to up to 8 children at any one time, aged between 5-18 years of age.

The focus at Countryview is to provide a friendly, fun and safe environment where children have the opportunity to socialise and be involved in new activities. Countryview is a truly beautiful, peaceful place where the staff have established a reputation for providing a very high level of skill, care and love to the children. This opportunity for a short break provides parents with the chance to spend time with their other children as well as having a break from caring and time to recharge their batteries.

Soothing and calming the frustrations of disability through sensory therapy
Having a disability, whether this involves difficulties in communicating, learning, moving around or doing other everyday things can be extremely frustrating for children. This frustration can manifest itself in challenging behaviour, self harm and aggression. The children can also become agitated and restless. However these harmful frustrations can be reduced through therapies like sensory stimulation which can be adapted to suit differing levels of ability ensuring that everyone can benefit from it. Sensory stimulation can help to promote interaction and communications, whilst also helping to reduce stress, tension and aggression, and provides a calming effect on those who are restless or agitated.

Developing a wonderful sensory experience at Countryview
Quarriers Countryview is able to provide sensory stimulation to the children in a dedicated sensory room and sensory garden, both of which offer a variety of relaxing and therapeutic outlets. The families who use Countryview are very passionate about the centre and have carried out lots of fundraising over the years to help provide extra facilities and equipment, contributing to the provision of both the sensory room and garden. However, specialist sensory equipment is expensive, limiting the amount that can be purchased.

Knowing the wonderful benefits which sensory therapy offers, staff want to improve the overall sensory experience for the children at Countryview. They would like to do this by refreshing the sensory room with more up-to-date equipment and replacing a number of pieces which are worn, as well as introducing some new pieces to the room. They would also like to further develop the sensory area within the garden, particularly in time for summer. These highly beneficial sensory resources are extremely well used and popular with all the children and staff would love to update and develop them to ensure that all the children can continue to enjoy the benefits of sensory stimulation on a more regular basis.

Quarriers supports WWF's Earth Hour 2010

2010-03-23T14:18:00.003Z

Quarriers has asked all of its services across Scotland and South West England to switch off their lights this Saturday night as part of WWF's Earth Hour 2010.

They'll be joining a billion people worldwide as they switch off their lights to support climate change.

And we're asking our friends and supporters to do the same. It's simple really. At 8.30pm this Saturday 27 March, switch off all the lights in your home or wherever you are for an hour. Together with everyone else, it will make a real difference.

For more information on WWF's Earth Hour, visit their website: http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/about_earth_hour/

Or watch the video:

Minister helps launch key new housing working group

2010-03-19T11:54:00.003Z

Housing Minister, Alex Neil MSP, visited Quarriers Stopover Project this week to launch the Supported Accommodation Working Group and find out more about the project. He's seen above with Dr Phil Robinson, chief executive of Quarriers and a couple of young people who use the service.

After launching the new group the Minister took time to meet some of the young people and staff as well as taking a tour of the accommodation.

The Supported Accommodation Working will work towards the development of a network of supported accommodation across Scotland providing important help to groups at particular risk of homelessness.

Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil said: "This project is a fantastic example of how young people at risk of becoming homeless can benefit from a helping hand.

"Ensuring people don’t slip through the cracks because they need extra help is paramount to preventing homelessness – supported accommodation can make a big difference to helping people get their lives back on track.

"That is why the Scottish Government has taken the important step of establishing a working group to look at this issue and to report back on the potential of developing a network of supported accommodation across Scotland for those at risk of homelessness.

"We look forward to the recommendations of this group, and in the meantime we are continuing to do all we can to meet our ambitious goal of ensuring all unintentionally homeless people have a home by 2012."

Quarriers Stopover service provides a high level of support to some of the most vulnerable young people in Scottish society, who find themselves homeless and in need of help.

Dr Phil Robinson, chief executive of Quarriers said: "It is fitting that the Housing Minister chose Stopover for this launch. Our project assesses and provides short-term crisis accommodation for young people, aged between 16 and 25 who are having difficulty gaining access to other homeless provision in Glasgow or who have fallen through the ‘safety net’. This working group will significantly help progress towards a formal network ensuring young people, such as those we care for, have access to the help they need."

Stopover is located on the south side of Glasgow housed in new purpose built premises which have been designed to meet the needs of the young people.

When a young person is admitted to Stopover they are allocated a key-worker who works closely with them to draw up a care plan from the initial assessment. Care plans focus on the issues identified and they are reviewed on a regular basis with multi-agency involvement.

Stopover accepts referrals from across the city and is a resource for all of Glasgow’s young people. It works collaboratively with housing, social work, addiction and mental health services ensuring that a strategic response is developed for young people as they move through the project on to more secure and, if necessary, supported accommodation.

Each young person has their own bedsit accommodation and there are communal facilities to promote social inclusion, training and are designed to combat social isolation with a training suite, an IT suite, interview rooms, a large training kitchen and communal living room. The newly built premises also provide barrier free accommodation.

The service is delivered 365 days a year. Stopover is staffed 24 hours a day, operating an on-call system, providing care, support and guidance to young people.

Co-located with Stopover is Quarriers Learning and Development Project, which aims to tackle employment, development and training issues for young people.

People with disabilities need you to sign this petition

2010-03-18T12:13:00.002Z

Whenever the Government produce public materials, it's taken for granted that every person will be able to read, see or hear the information that's provided and make an informed choice on political issues that affect them.

Unfortunately, it's not as straightforward as you would think. These materials are not all published in an accessible format for every person. It's people with learning, audio and visual disabilities who are forgotten about when it comes to accessing these materials. And every single person has a right to make their own mind up when it comes to politics.

Please join Quarriers by signing this Government petition asking for these materials to be made more accessible. Just click on the link below and you'll be taken straight to the petition page:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/easy-read-docs/#detail

What you can do next:
1. Email the link above to your friends, family and colleagues and ask them to sign the petition.

2. If you're on Facebook, we have posted the petition link on our page. Just click the 'Share' link above the comments box and post it to your own profile. Here's our Facebook fan page.

3. If you're on Twitter, either copy and paste the petition link into your own tweet and ask your followers to sign it. Or just re-tweet our tweet from earlier which you can see on our Twitter page.

Thanks for your support.

On top of the World for Quarriers

2010-03-03T14:26:00.003Z

Quarriers wants to say a heartfelt thankyou to Portpatrick man Marc Sheehan, 48, for trekking to Everest Base Camp to help raise vital funds for the charity. Marc, who is part of Quarriers Father’s Group at their Break-a-way service in Stranraer believes the trek to Everest Base Camp was the single hardest thing he’s ever done.

Talking about what made him take on the Everest Base Camp trek for Quarriers, Marc lists the 5 most important factors for him:

1. My wife, who believed in me

2. My daughter, who needed to believe

3. My Dad dying from Cancer - he was a mountain man, and wanted to think I could do it – he sadly died 6 months before I got there

4. My own ambition – a lifelong wish to prove myself to myself and others

5. To raise a great deal of money for a great charity

Taking part in the trek included a year’s training, asking for donations from family, friends and complete strangers, but Marc firmly believes it was all more than worth it.

Marc says:

“I raised money for an enormously worthwhile charity and I have also had the experience of a lifetime. I made many friends among the Nepalese people, and hope to return for more adventures.”

Marc and his family are supported by Quarriers Break-away Service and they know that caring for his 7-year-old daughter who has a disability is really hard work. That’s where Quarriers Father’s Group at their Break-a-way service helps.

Marc continues:

“Being part of the Quarriers Dad’s group means a lot to me. Friendly faces, people at the end of a phone, monthly meetings and summer activities all add up to a great break from the daily life. But for me the greatest benefit has been the invaluable information available through Quarriers extensive and knowledgeable network.”

And it’s not just Marc who benefits. His daughter Emily is invited to many events, and has a great time at those she is able to attend. As a family they access the Quarrier’s team for support on many issues affecting them.

You can help support Quarriers now by taking part in our 10 minute teabreak.

Anyone interested in getting involved should log onto www.10minuteteabreak.co.uk, where a fundraising pack which includes posters and invitations can be downloaded or email the Quarriers team at teabreak@quarriers.org.uk

Quarriers

2010-02-12T15:12:00.001Z

Our Charter launches with MSP football match

2010-02-05T16:07:00.003Z

Today, 5 February, 'Our Charter' was publically launched at Hampden Park, Scotland's National Football Stadium.

It kicked off, literally, with a team of MSPs who played a full 90 minute game against a team of young homeless people who Quarriers support. Unfortunately the score line was11-3 to the MSPs, but this was not a true reflection of the game. The young people worked really hard and battled on and the three goals were superb.

The young people had an opportunity to stand pitch side on the actual Hampden Park pitch where they were photographed alongside the MSPs.

The Charter was officially launched after the match at a buffet lunch overlooking the pitch. Phil Robinson, Quarriers' Chief Executive opened the launch and introduced Alex Neil, Minister for Housing and Communities who spoke about the Government's role in supporting young people with housing problems. He was followed by Tam Bailey, Children's Commissioner for Scotland. Tam talked about his first hand accounts of meeting young people across Scotland who were experiencing homelessness.

The Condemned film was shown to everyone which was launched in June 2009 and was made by young people. You can watch it here.

Finally there was a Q&A session where the young people were invited to ask questions of Alex Neil MSP and Tam Bailey.

'Our Charter' has been developed by young people for young people. It sets out clear aspirations of the young people about how they want to be treated as individuals, the type of housing they feel they should be offered, the support that should be available to them and information they need to access.

We really need you to show your support for this Charter. To do this please visit http://www.youngpeoplescharter.org.uk and sign up. It will take less than 30 seconds. You can also watch the young people talk through the Charter or read it in full.

Please share the Charter with all your friends, family and colleagues as we need as many people signed up as possible so we have a chance of making the information contained in the Charter a reality. Here's what you can do now:

1) Sign up to 'Our Charter'
2) Email the link to as many people as possible - www.youngpeoplescharter.org.uk
3) Join our Facebook Cause
4) Grab the Bebo skin
5) If you write a blog, write about the Charter
6) Tweet about it on Twitter

We'll be adding updates on all the developments of Our Charter over the coming months on the website. We'll also share these on Facebook and Bebo, so link up with us to stay up to date.

Thank you for your support.

First Minister recognises voluntary sector support for vulnerable young people

2010-02-02T16:38:00.003Z

Young people supported by Quarriers recently attended a reception at Edinburgh Castle where they met First Minister Alex Salmond and Children's Commissioner Tam Baillie. The event was called 'Festival for the future - investing in Scotland's children and young people' and was designed to highlight how young people show strength in adversity with help from charities like Quarriers.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "I would like to personally acknowledge the tremendous work done by Aberlour, Action for Children, Barnardo's Scotland, Children 1st and Quarriers. The dedication, skills and enthusiasm of these five excellent organisations makes a real difference to the lives of the young people they support.

"Unfortunately some children in Scotland continue to face hardship and abuse, but the Scottish Government is determined to do all that it can to give our young people the best start in life. Our Getting it Right for Every Child programme aims to provide support to children who need extra care, tackle poverty, create an early years framework and give young people more choices to help them achieve their full potential.

"I would like to pay tribute to the resilience and achievements of all of the young people who are attending this evening's event and the voluntary and charitable sector as a whole, for the vital part it plays in creating a better Scotland."

Tam Baillie, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People said: "I have first-hand experience of the valuable work these five charities undertake with children, young people and families across Scotland. The services they provide are helping to improve the lives of the most vulnerable members of our society. These charities also have a track record of innovation and I look forward to their working closely with councils and health boards, to develop more services for children, young people and families in the future."

Dr Phil Robinson, chief executive of Quarriers, said on behalf of the five charities: "We continuously work to improve the lives of Scotland's children and young people. Every young person has an important role to play in the nation's future, and we are dedicated to providing additional support to those who need it most, so that they become an active part of our society.

"This event is an opportunity to celebrate the efforts of all, especially the young people, and we are grateful to the First Minister for his recognition. Maintaining and developing services for children and young people in Scotland should be a priority and we are all fully committed to driving forward initiatives to address the issues faced by Scotland's children and young people."

The young people were able to meet the First Minister and ask him questions first hand about their issues and also share with him their experiences of being homeless. They're seen here in the photos at the event.

Quarriers News

2010-01-28T16:27:00.001Z

Give your tax repayment to Quarriers

2010-01-25T21:51:00.003Z

Did you know you can donate any tax the Government owes you to charity?

All you have to do is complete the 'Would you like to give your tax repayment to charity?' form included in your Tax Return pack. It's an easy way to make a donation - and you can use Gift Aid to increase the value of your gift.

It's done through a scheme called SA Donate. You'll need a special Charity Code to complete the form - the code for Quarriers is: PAK41QG

You can give all, or just part, of your repayment. You don't need to work out your tax bill to fill in the form - if you don't know how much the Government owe you, you can tell them to send them the full amount, or just tell them the maximum you'd wish to donate.

For more information on how to donate any tax owed to you to charity, go to www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/faq.htm

How your next holiday booking can help Quarriers

2010-01-20T13:53:00.004Z

At this time of year we're all thinking of when or where our next holiday will be. And in an attempt to put a smile on our faces we trawl the travel agents for the latest holiday deals. How satisfying it would be then if you were to book a holiday, save money compared with the high street travel agents and ensure a donation goes to Quarriers.

Well you can do just that. Non-profit company Travel2Give generates around £30 for Quarriers with every holiday booked through them. Our very own Marketing Manager Tricia Imrie tried them out last year and said: "I decided to put Travel2Give to the test with my own holiday requirements last year. I saved around £400 on my holiday compared with other leading tour operators. I have nothing but praise for them after my experience."

Why not see what Travel2Give have to offer for your next holiday booking or flight requirements.

All donations will help Quarriers to continue to support the most vulnerable people across Scotland and the South West of England.

To book your holiday call Travel2Give on 01563 528300 or visit their website to find out more at www.travel2give.co.uk/quarriers

a great big Quarriers thank you to MSP Trish Godman

2009-12-15T16:28:00.001Z

Patients and staff at Quarriers Scottish Epilepsy Centre were delighted when West Renfrewshire MSP Trish Godman turned Santa for the day when she handed over an 8ft Christmas tree. Trish nominated the local charity to receive a free Christmas tree as part of a scheme for MSPs run by the Forestry Commission for Scotland.

Trish met with Service Co-ordinator Gerard Gahagan to hand over the tree.

Says Gerard:

“People can stay at the Scottish Epilepsy Centre for up to six weeks to improve their epilepsy treatment and to receive an accurate diagnosis for their epilepsy, so we try to make the centre as homely as we can. And this gift from Trish makes all the difference.”

The local MSP said:

"I am delighted to see the tree has gone to such a good home. Working with Quarriers on numerous issues as the local MSP, I knew the charity was a deserving recipient of this free tree."

Each year the Forestry Commission offer MSPs the chance to nominate a charity or organisation in their constituency to receive a free Christmas tree. The Forestry Commission then harvest and transport a tree direct to the local recipient.

Trish added:

"This is an excellent scheme from the Forestry Commission that has helped add a bit of festive sparkle for the staff and residents of the Scottish Epilepsy Centre."

Quarriers Scottish Epilepsy Centre is an Independent Hospital and the only residential assessment centre in Scotland. Quarriers is committed to highlighting the need for access to specialist epilepsy assessment services to support patients having a correct diagnosis and improve treatment options for people with poorly controlled epilepsy, the social impact of epilepsy and therefore the need for fieldworkers and is working towards more consistency in referrals to the Scottish Epilepsy Centre from across Scotland.

Thank you from Quarriers Family Centre

2009-12-14T14:44:00.003Z

We had an amazing response to the emergency clothing needed for one of the families supported by Quarriers Family Centre who were in a house fire last week. Below is a personal thank you from the Family Centre on behalf of the family they support:

Hello to everyone I am overwhelmed by the positive response that we have got for the family. Absolutely amazing so thank you all very, very, very, very much. Who says that the sense of community is lost? Its amazing! We have enough clothing now and shoes so thank you!! We just need to get housing sorted for them which I sense is going to a be struggle!

The only thing that we require now are Christmas gifts for the children. If anyone has any unopened gifts that are unwanted that would be amazing. Allison and I are unfortunately not able to pick gifts up as we have a lot to organise for all the families at the moment. So if possible people could leave them at Family Centre directly, call us for directions on 0141 774 8202.

A HUGE THANKYOU AGAIN to everyone from Emma and Allison and the family we are supporting.

A family urgently needs your help

2009-12-11T11:33:00.002Z

Quarriers Family Centre in Ruchazie, East Glasgow, have an urgent appeal. They are currently working with a family with nine children who were involved in a house fire yesterday (10 December). All of the family are okay, however the fire has destroyed everything so as well as being homeless they don’t have any clothes, shoes or belongings. First and foremost we are asking people if they can donate clothes and shoes.

We appreciate any donations of this nature, however we're specifically looking for the following:

Boy aged 5-7 needs clothes and shoes size kids 9.

Boy aged 7-8 needs trousers (size 8-9 years) and shoes size kids 12.

Girl age 11 needs a warm coat. Hat, gloves and scarf would also be appreciated. She also needs shoes size 3.

Girl Age 13 needs shoes size 4.

Girl size 10 needs shoes size 6.

Girl size 14 needs shoes size 5.

Teenage boy needs shoes size 8.

Teenage boy needs shoes size 10.

Teenage Boy shoes size 8.

Woman size 16-18 needs shoes size 5.

Man XXL needs shoes size 12.

The family also need towels, pillows, pillow cases and a big pot and pan. If anyone has spare toiletries such as aftershave, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, perfume, make up or hair dryers and hair straighteners the teenage boys and girls would greatly appreciate this.

There's never a good time to lose everything, but having nothing at Christmas time is a reality this family will face unless we can provide as much as possible to help them through this difficult time.

If you can help in any way please contact Emma Wilson or Allison Mathesion on 0141 774 8202.

If you know anybody else who may be able to help, please share this message with them.

Thank you very much.

Quarriers Christmas e-card

2009-12-10T15:46:00.002Z

This Christmas we've not only saved a whole load of trees, but we've also saved a wad of cash too by producing our Christmas card online instead of sending out loads of paper ones!

It's a simple animation that adds some magic and sparkle to your Christmas. Please feel free to send it on to your friends and family. Not only will they get a nice Christmas card to make them smile, but you'll also be telling them a little bit about Quarriers.

View our Christmas card right here.

How many sleeps till Christmas?

2009-12-10T14:26:00.004Z

Find out by adding this fun widget to your social network page or blog. We've produced a simple countdown to Christmas which can be added to most social network pages and blogs for your friends to see. Just click on the link below and select which social network/blog you want to add it to.

Get your countdown to Christmas today.

Fred Macaulay raises the roof at Quarriers Noel Lunch

2009-12-08T14:24:00.003Z

Quarriers annual Noel Lunch saw over 350 people fill a room at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow on Friday (4 December) to raise money for us through an auction and raffle.

Guest speaker, broadcaster and comedian, Fred Macaulay had everyone in tears as he took to the stage to entertain the crowd. He also led the auction, managing to get people to dig even deeper than ever before into their pockets to bid on some fantastic prizes. These included a hospitality package to Wimbledon, a 5 star hotel trip to London including theatre tickets, white water rafting experience and even a round of golf with Fred Macaulay at Loch Lomond.

Before the auction took place, Roger Mills, Chairman of Quarriers, introduced a short video about a family whose daughter has a disability. She is supported at one of Quarriers respite services meaning her parents get a welcome break. They each spoke about how they cope with raising a child who requires intensive support 24 hours a day.

A massive £46,500 was raised for Quarriers on the day, until one of the main sponsors Faxco raised it to £50,000, massively beating last years total.

Quarriers would like to thank their main sponsors Faxco and TSG. Other sponsors include Cameron Presentations, Marriott Glasgow, Enid Reid Flowers, Tunnocks, Golden Casket Group and Burn Stewart Distilleries. The event couldn’t have happened without all of their input.

In the photo is left to right, Tom O'Hara (Noel Lunch Chairman), Fred Macaulay and Roger Mills (Quarriers Chaireman) displaying the cheque.

Help a family get a start in life

2009-11-20T11:09:00.003Z

Quarriers Family Centre in the East of Glasgow is supporting a mother and her one year old son as they move into their own home for the first time. However, although they have a roof over their head, they have nothing to make their new house a home! They also have no family around or any local support, except from Quarriers.

The Family Centre are looking for items that will help make their new house a warm family home. Please check your lofts, cupboards and anywhere else where you may have something spare that you would be willing to donate to the family:

Bed
Chest of drawers
Wardrobe
Curtains
Sofa
Paint
Wallpaper

If you have any of the above items or anything else you think might help make an empty house a home, please contact Quarriers Family Centre on 0141 774 8202. They have a minibus and can collect items if necessary.

Thank you.

*Photo is for illustration purposes only and is not of the mother and child.

Take a look at our brand new Facebook fan page

2009-11-09T15:30:00.004Z

We've just launched a branded and functional Facebook fan page.

We've been dabbling with Facebook for several months now and as well as having a main Quarriers friend page, we also set up a fan page. This made it easier for us to send updates to all our fans in one hit and also place more information about events, news about our services and all our Twitter updates under one tab.

However, we've gone one step further and developed a fan page that looks more like a website. So now you can get away from the Facebook blue and in its place you'll see the following:

- A slideshow representing the four areas of our work: Adult Disability, Children and Families, Epilepsy and Young Adults

- The latest Twitter updates including an option to click and follow us on Twitter

- Some of our overseas treks

- A bit about Quarriers including a drop down where you'll see further information about the four areas of work

- Links to where you'll find Quarriers online including our official website, Bebo, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

- Our latest blog entries

So, without further ado, if you're on Facebook then we would love it for you to go to our fan page and click 'Become a fan' to link up with us. Take a look at our brand new fan page right here: www.facebook.com/quarriersfans

Please tell us what you think about the new fan page on Facebook, Twitter or place a comment on this blog post.

We hope you like it.

Help stop the freeze on Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland funding

2009-11-06T10:10:00.002Z

You may have read of the dispute between Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group. This has meant the foundation has had to suspend its grant making activities for the foreseeable future.

Lloyds TSB Foundation is funded by 1% of the profits from the bank. This arrangement has funded projects across Scotland to the tune of £84 million. But the future of the Foundation is now under threat following recent moves by the Lloyds Banking Group. The Bank has taken steps to change the terms and conditions of the Foundation but the foundation is resisting these moves.

Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland has supported many of Quarriers services over the years. We are dismayed at the loss of funding to the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland by the banking group. However Quarriers is very proud to see the foundation take such a strong stand not just for the foundation but for the Scottish charity sector as a whole.

Please join us in showing your support for the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland by:

Signing a petition to the Prime Minister to intervene to save the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland in its current form - click here to sign

and

Joining Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland’s Facebook page - click here to show your support

Quarriers Annual Review: Looking forward to a better a life

2009-10-29T16:08:00.004Z

We're pleased to be able to show you our brand new Annual Review for 2008/2009.

Take a look here: Quarriers Annual Review

We decided to do it a bit differently this year and rather than just print it out, we've developed it online. Not only does this save Quarriers a huge amount of money on print and postage, it also means we're able to include film clips of real people actually talking to you about the support we offer them.

You may also notice that we've re-branded into four key areas of work; Adult Disability, Children and Families, Epilepsy and Young Adults.

We hope you like what you see and would love to hear your feedback. Here's how to get in touch:

Email us at hello@quarriers.org.uk

Or post a comment on this blog, our Facebook Fan Page or on Twitter.

Quarriers Festival of Choirs - We need you!

2009-10-28T11:24:00.003Z

Don't worry we're not asking you to sing!

Every year at Christmas time we organise a carol singing event in Princes Square shopping centre in Glasgow. From Wednesday 9 December until Thursday 24 December we will have groups singing for all to enjoy. We have various groups including schools, churches and community groups. Each choir sings for around 2 hours and helps to collect money around the shopping centre. All of the money collected goes towards Quarriers services across the country.

The event has grown in recent years and we now have choirs sing at Silverburn shopping centre in Pollok and the Oakmall shopping centre in Greenock. We are in Silverburn at various times from Monday 14 December – Thursday 17 December. The Oakmall centre dates are Saturday 12, Monday 14, Tuesday 15, Thursday 17, Friday 18 and Saturday 19 December.

We urgently need volunteers to help us count money, supervise the groups and collect money if required. We are looking for people to help for the majority of the choir singing. Any time you have would be welcome, even if it's just for a couple of hours on one of the dates above.

If you think you can help, please contact our Events Team on 01505 610017 or email events@quarriers.org.uk

What would you do?

2009-10-12T20:25:00.003+01:00

We have been offered an exciting opportunity to advertise on a 20' x 2' (that's feet) advertising hoarding at Murrayfield Stadium in Scotland, the home of Scottish rugby. The advert will be positioned at ground level directly behind one of the goals.

The trouble is, it's such a last minute opportunity that we're not entirely sure what to do with it! And that's where you come in. We want your ideas for how to make the best use of the advert. We'll consider all ideas but we really want you to get your thinking caps on and come up with something imaginative.

Is it a fundraising opportunity or do we use it to simply raise awareness of Quarriers? Or both? It's entirely up to you.

Email your ideas to hello@quarriers.org.uk We'll keep you updated with the progress.

We look forward to hearing from you all.

CANADIANS RETURN TO THEIR QUARRIERS ROOTS

2009-10-02T14:12:00.012+01:00

A group of 57 Canadians visited Quarriers Village this week to re-trace the steps of their descendents, some 38 child migrants who were sent to Canada in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The visit coincides with the 180th anniversary of William Quarrier’s birth on 29 September 1829 at Cross Shore Street, Greenock. The archway from William Quarriers’ original house is now located within the war memorial in Quarriers Village.

Activities have included a presentation by Ellen Daly and Neil Ballantyne entitled 'The Golden Bridge: Child migration from Scotland to Canada 1869–1939' - the period in which the Canadians ancestors emigrated to Canada. This was followed by a presentation by Andrew Morrison about The Canadian Descendants of Scottish Home Children. The group were also treated to historical tours of Quarriers Village.

A highlight of their visit included a dramatic presentation entitled 'Till we meet again' written by Quarriers Service Manager Michael Lewis and performed by Lourdes Theatre Group, Cardonald. Michael used Quarriers' Narrative of Facts (a predecessor to our Annual Reviews) and carried out research within Quarriers' archives to ensure the play, set at the turn of the 19th Century, is based on real incidents and real experiences of children. The main character, Annie Blue, is based on a real girl and the story follows Annie in a realistic and balanced way as she prepares to leave for Canada. The cast included a narrator and five performers aged 9 to 17 years (Michael’s daughter and three nieces) as well as a keyboard player.

The group were joined by Trish Godman MSP who said: "As the MSP for West Renfrewshire, I have always had strong links with Quarriers, both locally and in the Scottish Parliament supporting their work and making sure their needs are heard and addressed. Therefore, I was delighted to speak at the Quarriers Homecoming Event on Monday.

"This day held personal significance for me. My grandfather's two brothers were brought up in Quarriers before they were sent to Canada. Now I represent Quarriers as part of my constituency I consider it a privilege to be able to support the charity in their homecoming events and look forward to working with them in the future."

The trip also included a tree planting ceremony at Quarriers Head Office, Quarriers Village. During an emotional ceremony a maple tree was planted by 1-year-old Keira Shurtliff, great-grand-daughter of Henry Irvine (a Quarriers Home Child) and 4-year-old Declan Burke, great-grandson of Catherine McCallum (also a Quarriers Home Child). Each direct Canadian descendant placed a wooden maple leaf in honour of their 38 relatives.

Genealogy sessions followed with 15 family groups, all of whom were presented with new information about their relative, as well as birth certificates, where available, being handed over to the families from Quarriers.

A presentation was made by Quarriers VIP group (Voices In Projects) – a group of young people representing Quarriers Homelessness services – regarding Quarriers recently launched campaign entitled CONDEMNED: The reality of life for young people experiencing homelessness. This enabled the Canadian visitors to link the needs of their ancestors with the needs of people in modern day Scotland.

Dr Phil Robinson (CEO of Quarriers) received, on behalf of Quarriers, a plaque signed by all the Canadian descendants including a photo showing a group of Quarriers boys and girls heading for Canada. This was presented by Debby Ferrar whose ancestor was pictured in the scene. Phil Robinson said: “This visit is really important for Quarriers. Over quite a few years now we’ve tried to connect with descendents of the child migrants who went over to Canada from Quarriers. Sadly we’re not aware of any of the first generation migrants still with us. This visit is about letting the descendents know we’re here for them and are still aware of their family history.”

Useful links:
Golden Bridge online archive
Andrew Morrisson's research into Canadian descendents
Lourdes Theatre Group

DONNY THE DOG MEETS QUARRIERS YOUNG PEOPLE

2009-09-25T16:29:00.002+01:00

Donny the dog and her owner Lorraine, Education Officer from Dogs Trust Glasgow, visited Quarriers Stopover Project this week.

Lorraine and Donny explained about responsible dog ownership. She talked about how to look after dogs, the cost of owning a dog and even demonstrated a microchip scanner and how to clean up after your dog! It was a fun and entertaining session including a 10 minute film about the dogs that are rehomed by the Dogs Trust.

The young people have experienced homelessness and are supported by Quarriers through the Stopover Project. They were invited to actually visit the Dogs Trust centre in Glasgow at a later date to see behind the scenes and meet some more dogs.

You can watch what happened by watching our short film as we joined the young people and Donny at Stopover.

Some of the young people can be seen here with Lorraine and Donny as they posed for a photo!

KILWINNING GREAT GRANDMOTHER SCOOPS QUARRIERS FIRST PRIZE

2009-09-23T15:18:00.002+01:00

Care Charity Quarriers today handed over a first prize cheque for £1875 to Mrs Elspeth Coull from Kilwinning. The 78-year-old great-grandmother won the money in Quarriers’ first ever prize draw which helped to raise over £13,000 for vulnerable people supported by Quarriers.

Says Mrs Coull on winning first prize:
“I was elated! It was great. I couldn’t wait to call my friends and family and tell them the news. My family were really delighted and said it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.”

When asked how she was going to spend the winnings Mrs Coull said:
“My granddaughter and her children are coming over from Canada and winning means that I can now afford to take them to Puerto Rico in the Canary Islands for a break. The money will come in handy and allow me to really spoil them.”

Tricia Imrie, Quarriers said:
“Our heartfelt congratulations go to Mrs Coull, and we hope that she and her family have a fantastic holiday. We’re delighted to say that Mrs Coull has donated part of the prize money back to Quarriers. Thank you also to the thousands of supported who took part in the prize draw for Quarriers. ”

Rafters take to the water for Quarriers

2009-09-18T14:56:00.002+01:00

Five brave white-water rafters are aiming to raise more than £500 for care charity Quarriers’ Break-a-way service in Stranraer which provides family-based short break care for children with a disability.

The rafters taking part were Morag and Dougie Smith of Dumfries and Sheila Oliver, Kate Adams and Rachel Oliver from Stranraer. The rafters are keen to support Quarriers local service as sponsorship organisers Marc and Julie Sheehan’s daughter is supported by the service.

Sheila Oliver works and lives in Stranraer and organised the day: “Taking part in the white-water rafting for Quarriers was amazing and we all had great fun. It was tiring but we’re definitely going back to do it again. We even carried our boat over fences to get it down to the water and then carry it back again. I always need an adrenaline fix each year and this was one of the best ever!”

Julie cooks up funds for Quarriers

2009-09-16T16:29:00.002+01:00

Paisley girl Julie Cook has raised over £100 (and counting!) with sponsorship from university friends for Quarriers by taking part in the Great Scottish Run. Julie really enjoyed the day thanks to her partner, two children and the cheers and encouragement from the crowd which created just the right atmosphere to help her keep going despite the wet weather. Julie said: “I chose to run for Quarriers because my wee cousin is supported by the charity. My aunt has only ever said good things about Quarriers and I wanted to support a local charity too. “
Julie, who is currently a student nurse and working part time as a carer plans to keep going to her Jogging Buddies on a Tuesday night.

Thanks for voting

2009-08-03T11:34:00.004+01:00

All of us at Quarriers would like to thank you for voting for us to be in with a chance of being the Glasgow Twestival charity.

Unfortunately we ended up in third place behind CHAS and NSA Scotland. But we're not down in the dumps about it, far from it. By giving us your vote and asking all your friends/family to vote too, you have helped make people aware of Quarriers and the work that we do.

Quarriers have only been on Twitter for a few months and we now have over 100 people following us. It's been an exciting few months and we'll continue to share things with you on Twitter.

Although we didn't win the vote, we'll still be going along to the Twestival which will happen on Thursday 10 September at The Living Room in Glasgow from 7pm till midnight. There will be live music, an auction and raffles all raising money for NSA Scotland who got the most votes. If you would like to come along and join in the fun, you can buy tickets at http://www.amiando.com/tweegies.html Tickets cost just £7 until Friday 7 August or until the first 100 are sold at which point they'll go up to £10 so buy them now whilst they're cheap!

Thank you once again for voting, without you we wouldn't have even got to third place - not bad considering we were up against over 20 other charities! If you would like to see the final number of votes Quarriers received go to http://tweegies.uservoice.com

Sally Buxton Psychic Night for Quarriers

2009-07-28T16:30:00.002+01:00

Join Quarriers and renowned psychic Sally Buxton on Thursday 27 August at David Lloyd Leisure Centre, Renfrew. Tickets cost £7 and are available from Carol, Marc or Claire on 01505 616053 or email us on hello@quarriers.org.uk

Quarriers needs your vote!

2009-07-27T10:50:00.002+01:00

That's right, we need you to vote for Quarriers. And no we're not running for Prime Minister or anything like that!

If you've heard of Twitter, you may have heard of a Twestival. They take place around twice a year in over 140 countries with each country attempting to hold a Twestival in as many cities as possible.

A Twestival brings together a large community of people who 'tweet' on Twitter. It's a fun packed night of live music, an auction and raffles.

And that's where you come in. The charity who receives the most votes by Friday 31 July at 12pm will receive all the money raised at this year's Glasgow Twestival. That leaves less than 5 days to get your votes in!

Voting is the easiest thing you could possibly do today! Here's how:

Go to http://tweegies.uservoice.com
Scroll down to Quarriers and click on 'vote' and then the number 1
Tell as many people as possible to do the same!

We told you it was easy. But we really really do need every single vote. At the time of writing this, we're in 2nd place and were up until the weekend neck and neck with No Strings Attached Scotland. We really need to close the gap fast and get every vote in as quickly as possible.

Thanks for your help.

Quarriers in BBC documentary

2009-07-15T11:25:00.003+01:00

Did you see us on the telly last night? Quarriers Family Services featured within a BBC Frontline Scotland investigation into whether more children should be taken away from their families and into care. If you missed it, you can watch it on BBC iPlayer. (4.30mins and 27.15mins) 'Home is where the Hurt is' looked at the assumption that family is the best place for a child. The system currently says children should only be taken away from their parents as an option of last resort. You can also listen to Mary Glasgow, Head of Quarriers Children & Families Services speaking on Good Morning Scotland (2.37mins) about the documentary.

Quarriers Pirates at T in the Park

2009-07-03T16:44:00.007+01:00

Only a week to go until Quarriers return to T in the Park! And Friday 10 July is 'Fancy Dress Friday' at the music event. Our staff and volunteers will be suitably dressed as pirates and will be selling various pirate themed merchandise so festival goers can do the same.

If you're going to this year's T in the Park then pop along to Quarriers' marquee and say hello. There will be lots going on including:

Lucky dip with lots of prizes included pirate themed goodies
Fantastic prizes to be won including tickets to see Lily Allen, Reverend & The Makers, Pete Docherty and Ray Lamontagne
Access to your Facebook and Bebo accounts
Face painting

Our marquee will be located near the Slam Tent so come and have some pirate fun. Yarr.

Condemned campaign gets going

2009-06-15T14:41:00.006+01:00

On Tuesday 16 June the Quarriers Condemned campaign will be officially launched at the Scottish Parliament.

The campaign launched publically at Q2, a conference for young homeless people which was held at Hampden Park last week. Many of the young people appear in a supporting film and were really pleased to see themselves up on the screen! So far, the campaign has attracted attention from the likes of the BBC and STV and also many of the major Scottish newspapers.

So what exactly is the Quarriers Condemned campaign? 'Condemned' highlights government policy on the state of housing, flaws in the benefits system and rural housing for young people. It centres around four key issues detailed below:

The continuing use of substandard housing for young homeless people

No young person should be condemned to live in housing of an unacceptably poor standard or in a location where their safety is compromised.
A benefits system that is fundamentally flawed

No young person should be condemned to living in in-work poverty or remaining on benefits.
Barriers to moving forward

No young person should be condemned to move into an empty house or face the prospect of years of paying off rent arrears.
Rural housing for young people

No young person should have to endure the vicious cycle of repeat homelessness because of a lack of affordable rural housing.

How can you get involved?
There's lots of ways you can show your support for the Condemned campaign, here's how:

Watch the Condemned film - We want as many people as possible to see the film that has been produced by the young people Quarriers supports. Use the link below and watch it now, then tell as many people as possible to watch it too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnE5yi8-2Bc

Join us on Bebo - We've changed our entire Bebo page to reflect the look and feel of the Condemned campaign. We know the majority of people who have a Bebo account are between the ages 16 and 25 and so we'll be keeping the page up to date with the latest developments of the campaign.

http://www.bebo.com/
Join our Facebook Cause - We've set up a Facebook Cause on Facebook which allows you to show your support by simply signing up. Obviously it helps to be on Facebook, so if you are then use the link below and show your support for the campaign.

Join our Facebook Cause here

For more information on each of the issues in the campaign go to our website at http://www.quarriers.org.uk/

Launch of Quarriers Carers service

2009-06-12T17:02:00.007+01:00

We’re really pleased that our Moray carers service is now operational. It has been a busy few months with the following things happening:

To coincide with Carers’ Week 8-14 June 2009, Quarriers Carers Centre in Elgin will officially launch its services to the people of Moray and is the perfect opportunity for you to come in and say hello to the new team pictured left.

We invited Richard Lochhead MSP who was able to attend. Picture here are Elaine Bradley, Service Manager, Richard Lochhead MSP and Phil Robinson, Quarriers CEO.

We’ve also launched a Telephone Helpline operating Monday to Friday 10am-3pm and Saturdays 9am-3pm. At all other times an answer machine facility will be available. The helpline number is: 01343 555031

We’ve created and distributed our first newsletter packed full of information for carers. We’re encouraging local carers to register their details so that they can access our services. This means that we can include them on our mailing list for newsletters, updates, training invites and so on. If you would like to register please contact us on: 01343 556031 or alternatively pop into the Elgin office at 25 Batchen Street if you have a moment. If getting out of the house is difficult we can possibly send someone round to you.

We’re currently recruiting people to sit on the carers advisory group.

Details of the training programme requested by carers will be sent out later this month

Raising awareness of epilepsy

2009-06-08T11:12:00.003+01:00

Michael McMahon MSP was invited by Quarriers to join Epilepsy Fieldworker Helen MacDonald on Friday 5 June as she raised awareness of epilepsy with young people at Brannock High School near Motherwell.

Although Epilepsy Awareness Week happened last month, Quarriers continues to talk to school kids about what to do if they see somebody having a seizure.

Helen MacDonald is one of many Quarriers fieldworkers but the only one who frequently visits schools within North Lanarkshire. As well as providing a quiz for the kids to test their knowledge of epilepsy, she also shows them a video which explains the most common types of seizure.

They also got to try their skills at constructing a brain and Michael McMahon MSP even joined in on the act. He’s seen here with all the children along with Helen.

Michael said: “My congratulations goes to Quarriers for showing the initiative to provide this important information to young people. As with most things, if we can teach our young people to understand subjects like this, it will help the general community with any fears they have about epilepsy.”

Quarriers celebrates volunteer week 1-7 June

2009-06-02T16:47:00.001+01:00

It’s Volunteers week. From 1-7 June 2009 Quarriers is inviting people from across the UK to celebrate 25 years of volunteering and register with us as a volunteer. This is your chance to volunteer with Quarriers and be part of something amazing!

We’re celebrating by arranging two employee challenges. The first will be taking place during Volunteers Week on Tuesday 2 June when approximately 12 volunteers from the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow will be undertaking a garden makeover for Brian who is supported by the Glasgow SLI Project. The challenge will include clearing an overgrown garden and patio area, re-establishing a vegetable patch, repairing a fence and cutting back bushes and hedges. This will allow Brian to get enjoy the garden again as well as the fresh vegetables from his vegetable patch. Everyone taking part is looking forward to getting stuck in and not afraid of getting their hands dirty. The second will take place in July when 10 volunteers from Glasgow legal firm Dundas & Wilson will work alongside the parents and children from Quarriers Family Resource Centre, Ruchazie to re-design the garden at the Centre, creating a safe outdoor play area and a place for families to meet and relax.
For further information contact Louise McGinty, Volunteer Co-ordinator 01505 616109 or email volunteer.centre@quarriers.org.uk

Kilimanjaro

2009-05-01T11:15:00.005+01:00

Walk in the footsteps of the stars! Chris Moyles, Sheryl Cole, Gary Barlow, if they can do it, so can you.

Standing at an impressive 5,895m over the African plains, Mount Kilimanjaro is the world's highest free-standing mountain and also, one the world's seven highest continental summits.

This challenging trek is on of the most stunningly beautiful hikes in the world - join us as we hike to the roof of Africa!

As well as the satisfaction of reaching the summit, you'll also have raised vital funds for Quarriers and the people we support every single day.

For more information call Bryan or Alan on 01505 610017 or email events@quarriers.org.uk

Or visit our website to read about all our fundraising events.

Press volunteer opportunity

2009-04-27T14:58:00.002+01:00

Any good at PR? Then we're looking for a volunteer. Get in touch if you think you can help out for a few hours a week.

Quarriers needs you to care

2009-04-17T16:46:00.001+01:00

Leading Scottish care charity Quarriers is asking local people across Glasgow, Wishaw, Renfrewshire, Shotts and Forth to support its fundraising campaign to raise vital funds for the most disadvantaged people in Scotland.

The door-to-door recruiters, who all carry authentic photographic ID, want to talk to people about Quarriers’ work in supporting families, homeless young people, carers and people with epilepsy.

Morag Fleming, Head of Fundraising at Quarriers, said: “Door-to-door fundraising has proven to be extremely successful in informing people about the charity as well as helping to raise vital funds. If you do only one thing for charity this year, sign up to a monthly direct debit with Quarriers. This is an entirely safe way to support Scotland’s charity, and allows us to plan long- term support for the people who need our services.”

Quarriers is a member of the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA) a voluntary self-regulatory body for organisations involved in fundraising by direct debit on the street and door-to-door.

Happy Easter

2009-04-15T10:47:00.000+01:00

Hope you all had a happy Easter!

Quarriers Family Centre gets cracking with Easter celebrations

2009-04-09T11:52:00.003+01:00

Big-hearted Co-op staff hopped in to Quarriers Family Centre, Ruchazie with some Easter goodies. Over 40 Easter eggs and treats, accompanied by the Easter Bunny himself, were delivered to the centre in Ruchazie by stretch Limousine - much to the excitement of the children and their parents attending the centre’s party.
Trevor Chandler, Service Co-ordinator, at Quarriers Family Resource Centre said:
“The children, parents and staff at the centre were blown away by the kindness shown to us from Co-operative Funeralcare. It’s the little things like this that mean the world to some of the families we support.”
Quarriers would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to Co-operative Funeralcare and all who donated Easter Eggs to the family resource centre.

Quarriers nominated for Evening Times Glasgow Community Champion Award

2009-04-08T16:52:00.004+01:00

Quarriers Glasgow South West Carers Centre has been nominated for an Evening Times Glasgow Community Champion Award. The awards are for individuals and groups who support the local community. The Govan and Craigton nominations ceremony took place in the
Pierce Institute on Thursday 26 March and featured on Sunny Govan Radio. The Carer’s Centre was nominated for a Team Award and one of their carers, Wilma Monaghan, was nominated for the Neighbour Award. The Carer’s Centre was runner up in their category and Wilma won a trophy for her contribution in the community. Wilma will now progress to the final ceremony in Glasgow City Chambers.

£62.993 funding increase for Quarriers from LORI

2009-04-08T16:41:00.002+01:00

Lorn and Oban Reuse Initiative (LORI) has secured £62,993 of increased funding for care charity Quarriers. The funds will help provide quality affordable furnishings to young homeless people from the Oban and Lorn area moving into their first tenancies, together with the provision of volunteering and employment opportunities.The project has been supported with drive, enthusiasm and commitment from Quarriers Executive and Oban Rooftops Project Manager David Lyon.

Quarriers Moray Carers Service

2009-04-08T16:24:00.001+01:00

Quarriers Moray Carers Service, Elgin officially opened on Wednesday 1 April. The service is on track to move into permanent premises at 25 Batchen Street. Quarriers has set up two temporary telephone lines, through which we will offer as much support as we can. They are: Tel: 01343 567 004, Mobile: 07792 362184

Quarriers has recruited April Charlesworth as Project Manager for the service, with a further five staff recruited and due to start at the beginning of May.

To help set up this project in new premises, Lorraine Augustin, an experienced Quarriers project manager of 12 years, will work at the project for 6 weeks. Lorraine has significant experience of working successfully with families and carers and inducting staff and will provide a valuable and practical extra pair of hands at this important time.

Lorraine Augustin said:
“This is an exciting challenge and I’m happy to contribute to the development of such a worthwhile service, bringing the high quality standards synonymous with Quarriers to the Moray Carers Service.”

Elaine Bradley, Quarriers Service Manager said:
“We’re delighted at Quarriers to have the opportunity to support local Moray carers and look forward to seeking their views on how best to shape the future service. We’re planning to set up an advisory group for the service and would seek carers to be represented. We’re pleased to be expanding Quarriers’ reach into Moray and linking the service to our other carers’ services thereby contributing to a national voice for carers.”

Quarriers has significant experience in supporting people across Scotland and in the local area. With regards to carers, Quarriers runs:
· Glasgow South West Carers Centre
· Break-a-way, an innovative short break service in Dumfries
· Many respite services for adults and children with a disability
· Family Placement Service (shared care)
· In the local area, Quarriers has an epilepsy fieldworker responsible for people in Moray: part of a 7 strong team across Aberdeen, Fife and Lanarkshire.

For more information, please visit www.quarriers.org.uk

Scottish Epilepsy Centre in top 100 Health Employers list

2009-03-23T15:27:00.002Z

Yet another achievement has been reached at the Scottish Epilepsy Centre, managed by Quarriers, who won a place in the top 100 Healthcare Employers list. They secured 64th place out of the 100 listed employers.

The influential list, researched on behalf of Health Service Journal and Nursing Times, is based on the results of an exclusive poll of the employees of registering organisations. The editors of the HSJ and NT said: “The Healthcare 100 is the first attempt at applying a robust process to identify the UK’s top healthcare employers. Good employment practice is the key to achieving the vision of safe, effective care that enhances the patient experience.”

Alistair Henderson, joint director of NHS Employers, said: “These employers recognise the importance of staff engagement and are finding new ways to listen to and respond to staff.”

Starbucks take a teabreak for Quarriers

2009-03-10T15:48:00.004Z

On Friday 6 March, two branches of Starbucks took time out to hold a 10 Minute Teabreak for Quarriers.

The two Starbucks stores hold Aroma Labs on a regular basis and they're designed to raise awareness of the variety of coffee that is on offer. The staff explain to customers about where the different types of coffee come from and show off the ingredients used to demonstrate the various smells from each of the coffee regions - Asia, Africa and South America.

Quarriers teamed up with the two Starbucks stores based in The Fort Shopping Centre near Glasgow to run a 10 Minute Teabreak as part of the Aroma Lab. The stores were decorated with 10 Minute Teabreak balloons, tent cards and moneyboxes to help raise money for Quarriers.

Alex McMullan, Manager of Starbucks within Borders Bookshop, said: "Although we only found out about this event last week, we wanted to do everything we could to help out. The Aroma Lab was the perfect opportunity to make this event a high profile one within our stores. I didn't realise just how much work Quarriers does."

The teams in both stores made a fantastic effort on behalf of Quarriers including Mark McNally and Marisa Kerr from the high street store, and Alex McMullan, Deborah Allan, Julie Raeside and Charlene Coyle from the store in Borders.

10 Minute Teabreak

2009-03-06T10:42:00.004Z

Text 'break' to 84424 and you could win a meal for two at The Corinthian in Glasgow.

It'll take less than 20 seconds to send that text and you will be helping Quarriers continue to support hundreds of vulnerable adults, children and families every single day of the day.

Today is official 10 Minute Teabreak day and we want you to have a cuppa for Quarriers. Grab your friends, family or colleagues together and get them to have a cuppa with you for a small donation.

If you don't have time for a 10 Minute Teabreak, then why not simply give us a couple of quid and help the people we support anyway. It's really easy, just go to www.justgiving.com/10minuteteabreak

The small print:

You can enter this competition by text message only. Entries must be received by Sunday 15 March 2009. Text entries incur a charge of £1.50 for entry. There are no premium charges benefitting the promoter for entering by text. The winner will be notified using the mobile number provided when entering. Entrants must be 18 years or over. Anyone connected with the organisation of the competition may not enter. By entering the competition you agree to receive further communication from Quarriers by text and telephone. If you want to stop receiving these contacts text 'Stop Q' to 84424. The promoter is Quarriers, Bridge of Weir, PA11 3SX. Registered Scottish Charity No SC001960.

Equipment & Adaptations Consultation Event

2009-02-24T15:20:00.003Z

Do you or someone in your family need special equipment or adaptations so that they can stay at home?

Do you provide services - health, education and/or social care - to people who use equipment or adaptations?

Quarriers are holding an Equipment and Adaptations consultation event at The Beardsmore Hotel in Clydebank on Tuesday 3 March between 10am and 3pm.

New draft guidance has been developed to inform local health and social care partnerships and to create a more consistent approach to providing equipment and adaptations across Scotland.

The Scottish Government is keen to hear the views of people who use equipment and adaptations, providers of health and social care services and other stakeholders about this new guidance.

This event:

provides the opportunity for your views to be recorded and taken into account when the guidance is finalised. You can comment individually and/or take part in a group discussion which will be recorded and submitted to the Scottish Government
is FREE and includes lunch
is open to anyone who is interested - whether you use equipment and adaptations, or you care for someone who does
is open to service providers in health, education and social care

Please come along and have your say. To attend the event or for more information call Amy Phillips on 0131 244 4041 or email amy.phillips@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Come and work for us

2009-02-19T15:18:00.003Z

We're looking for a Trust & Grants Officer to join our Fundraising Team near Glasgow. Click here for more details and to apply online.

Trust and Grants Officer

£24,503 - £28,062.

Job ref - 8450

1,876 - That's the number of people being directly supported by Quarriers projects that are funded through trusts and grants - and, indirectly many thousands more.

Who we want:

As an enthusiastic, committed, and creative individual, you will want to make a difference to even more lives in the future. Joining an award winning department, you will play a key role - building relationships and securing funds from grant-making bodies for projects ranging from Easterhouse to Oban to Moscow or Nepal. This makes every day different.

What you'll need:

You will have a degree or equivalent and at least two years fundraising experience. You will need proven interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to produce clear crisp copy, make a compelling case for support and develop productive relationships.

As part of our commitment to the safety of the people we support, we utilise a comprehensive selection process.

Where to get more information:

For an application pack, visit www.quarriers.org.uk/jobs or contact our Recruitment Hotline on 0870 118 7935 8am-10pm.

Closing date:Friday 13 March 2009

Interview date: Monday 30 March 2009

Everyclick for Quarriers

2009-02-18T11:28:00.004Z

Use Everyclick.com as your search engine and raise vital funds for Quarriers.

Every time you use Everyclick.com to search for something, Quarriers will receive a penny per click through. We launched this yesterday and in one day alone, we raised over £19 simply by putting it on Quarriers' Intranet.

The money raised from Everyclick.com will help Quarriers support vulnerable children, adults and families every day of the year.

So get searching now and help us raise some cash. Just go to www.everyclick.com/quarriers to make sure the money goes to Quarriers.

Competition Time

2009-02-16T14:28:00.004Z

Quarriers launches 10 Minute Teabreak competition on Facebook. A £25 Amazon UK voucher is up for grabs.

All you have to do is to post a photo of you and your friends/colleagues having a cuppa, with a 10 Minute Teabreak logo somewhere in the photo, to the 10 Minute Teabreak group on Facebook. 10 Minute Teabreakers are being asked to have their Teabreak in the most unusual place they can imagine.

For more details on the competition, visit the 10 Minute Teabreak group on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=60956615265

You'll need to register if you haven't got a Facebook account, it only takes a couple of minutes! As well as the competition, there's loads more stuff to see on the group page.

10 Minute Teabreak

2009-02-12T11:04:00.004Z

On Friday 6 March 2009, hundreds of people across the country will be having a cuppa for Quarriers.

have a cuppa...

...and give someone else a break

A 10 Minute Teabreak is one of the quickest, easiest ways to raise money for the thousands of vulnerable adults, families and children Quarriers supports every day.
Bryan McCall, Events Manager says: “Once you get down to it, the fundraising itself is all pretty simple stuff – leaving a collection box on a table, selling home made cakes, holding a raffle or auction. But the key is to find something that brings everyone together to do these things in the first place and a tea break is such a great reason.”
Bryan continued: “We’re offering people a FREE event pack full of ideas to make their 10 Minute Teabreak a success, posters to advertise your event and even a free teabag to get you started!”To receive your 10 Minute Teabreak pack, email teabreak@quarriers.org.uk or call the Events team on 01505 610017.
Are you on Facebook?
We have a 10 Minute Teabreak group full of news, events and photos at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=60956615265
Don't have time for a 10 Minute Teabreak?
You can make a donation at http://www.justgiving.com/10minuteteabreak

Quarriers is now on Twitter

2009-02-11T13:04:00.000Z

Twitter is currently taking the world by storm and so on Wednesday 11 February 2009, anybody on Twitter can now find Quarriers and keep up to date with news and events!

Quarriers creates a blog

2009-02-11T12:18:00.000Z

On Wednesday 11 February 2009, Quarriers created a blog. We'll post updates on new events, Quarriers in the news, what Quarriers have been up to and much much more.