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Keeping families together

KINSHIP NEWSIN THIS EDITION!!

THANK YOU ALLSTATE!HAPPY BIRTHDAY ‘CARING FOR

KIN’! KIN TOGETHER SUPPORT

GROUPS!SUMMER FUN !

KINSHIP CARE IN DERRY/L’DERRY - BELFAST - ANTRIM -

LARNE !PEOPLE OF THE YEAR AWARDS!

THANK YOU !CARING FOR KIN !

MICHELLE GETS MARRIED!TEAM KINSHIP CARE

Are you a grandparent raising your

grandchildren?!!

Kinship Care NI run !KIN TOGETHER !

Support Groups in Derry/L’Derry, Belfast, Larne

Cookstown, Draperstown Magherafelt and Antrim.!

!For more information

contact us free on !0800 022 3129

ISSUE 05 AUG / SEPT 2014

THANK YOU ALLSTATEAn absolutely fantastic day was had by all at the Allstate family fun day. A BIG kinship care THANK YOU goes out to Allstate Northern Ireland for organising the day to raise awareness and money for

kinship careers and their children. The day was made even more special thanks to Mayor o f Der ry B renda Stevenson for coming along and supporting children in kinship care.

Our 'Caring for Kin' Project is 1 year old.  The Project has been instrumental in providing advice, information and support to grandparents and older kinship carers in the Antrim and Mid Ulster area.  So far the Project has secured £105,867.40 in social security benefit and financial support for kinship carers and their children. We have provided telephone support including advice, information and support to 72 kinship carers. Well done to Michelle and all our staff, and thank you to the folks of Antrim and Mid Ulster for having us. Caring for Kin is extra proud to be hosting Northern Irelands first Grandparents Day on the 3rd October 2014.

HAPPYBIRTHDAY

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BELFAST!!CONTACT !

KINSHIP CARER !ANNMARIE MC HUGH!

TEL: 07752841543

DERRY/L’DERRY!!67 CARLISLE ROAD!

DERRY/L’DERRY!BT48 6JL!

TEL: 028 71 373731

LARNE!!CONTACT !

KINSHIP CARERS !ANN OR MANDY!

TEL: 07912624155!TEL: 07513839081

ANTRIM!!CONTACT !

MICHELLE DIXON!TEL: 028 94 488202!

Keeping families together

Our summer programme was packed with fun filled activities and events for everyone to enjoy.

@ Lisburn Leisure Centre

@ The Cinema

@ Leisure Land

@ Rathlin Island

@ Tropical World

@ The Park

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Keeping families together

!Thank you to everyone who nominated us as

part of the Big Lottery 10th Birthday celebration.  We received 101 nominations in total and

Kuddles alongside Cain and Colm took these to the Big Lottery Fund in Belfast.  We are now

through to the second stage and we have all our fingers and toes crossed our application is

successful.  We will keep you updated!

AMAZING RYAN!

Ryan Piltzer Young Carer of the Year 2014

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING !We are holding our AGM on Thursday 9th October

2014 at 67 Carlisle Road, Derry/Londonderry, !from 6pm-7pm.  !

Light refreshments and everyone is welcome.  !!RSVP Jacqueline on 028 71373731

Staff members Leann and Michelle delivered a Parents and Carer workshop

to social sector organisations.

Big Lottery 10th Birthday Celebrations

Ryan (22) is ‘Young carer of the year’ !!Ryan Pleijzier is still in shock after having being honoured as ‘Young Carer of the Year’ at the Derry Journal Derry People of the Year awards last week. Entirely worthy of the accolade, at 22, Ryan is the full time carer of his fifteen year old sister Megan. Last year, two days after Christmas, Ryan’s mother Catherine Cooley, from Foyle Springs passed away suddenly. ‘At the time I was in my final year at university in England’ said Ryan. ‘My mother had been in hospital, but was due to get out in time for Christmas. Then she was told that she was being kept in for longer. The day before Christmas Eve she got the news that she was very ill and then they took her into intensive care. She died on December 27th.’ Life very quickly turned upside down for Ryan and his younger sister.‘It was really tough for Megan. She was my mother’s carer really when she hadn’t been well, so Megan had to grow up pretty quickly. Megan and my mother were very close. When my mother died, we didn’t know what the best was forward was.’ Although Ryan and Megan have family living nearby, they didn’t know what their options were for remaining as a family, in their family home, going forward. Ryan approached Derry charity Kinship Care who he says have provided an amazing support to himself and his sister.‘Leann at Kinship Care was brilliant. She put me in touch with Parenting NI and through them I started learning parenting skills and other things. In a lot of ways I’m still getting used to not being a student. ‘ Ryan had been studying Marine Biology and Oceanography at the University of Plymouth. He’s hoping to be able to switch the final year of studies to the University of Ulster at Coleraine. ‘At this point most of my friends have finished and are off starting new jobs, but hopefully I’ll get back on track soon,’ he says. ‘In the meantime, I have plenty to do with looking after the house and doing the cooking. My cousins make sure I’m on top of the housework!’ Ryan also singled out his Aunt Marrion and Uncle Liam who he says have been a support to him and his sister. ‘I want to thank Kinship Care as well. If it wasn’t for their help and advice, Megan might have ended up in care,’ he adds.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS

CONTACT US

KINSHIP CARE NI - 67 Carlisle Road, Derry/L’Derry BT48 6JL!

Head Office: 028 71373731 ! Helpline: 0800 022 3129 ! Email: kinshipcare.ni@gmail.com Charity No: XT26555

Big thank you to everyone for donating clothes and toys for children in kinship care and to Buttle UK for providing essential items and practical support to kinship carers and their children. Thank you also to Belfast City

Airport, Comic Relief and the Community Foundation NI for funding our work with children in kinship care. For information on how you can make a donation contact us on 028 71373731.

Everyone at Kinship Care NI is over the moon with happiness for our very own Michelle Dixon. Michelle married the wonderful Ciaran O Neil in August. Michelle said her day was made extra special with a special appearance from Kuddles the Kinship Care Bear.

Keeping families together

End of Summer Celebrations We celebrated the end of our summer programme with a very special Kinship Summer Awards ceremony at Cafe Soul.

Culture Tech Experts

Movie StarsTop: We are Digital Champions thanks to the guys from Culture Tech.!Right: The Media Trust spent a day at our Kinship Care Support Service filming children, young people, volunteers and staff as part of 'Brilliant Britain'.  The day was a huge success and children had the opportunity to talk openly about their experiences growing up in kinship care.!Below: Team Kinship Care row, row, rowed their boat gently down the River Foyle !as part of the Feile boat race.

Next Olympic Rowers @ the Feile Boat Race 2014