Archive for February 21st, 2012

Film highlights how to be Carewise

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

The financial challenges facing elderly people who need care and support are highlighted in a new film from West Sussex County Council.

The film gives details of the newly launched Carewise West Sussex scheme. This unique scheme is designed to give help and advice to people who need long term care and also to their families or representatives.

With nursing care fees reaching £80,000 a year many elderly people feel forced to sell their home to meet the soaring costs. Yet only a few seek specialist financial advice that could save their home.

This failure to find advice also means that some receiving care soon run out of money to pay for the support they need in the future.

Yet many could have avoided these problems if only they had taken specialist financial advice. The problem for many people has been finding the right advice they could trust.

But now with the support of its Trading Standards department, West Sussex County Council has teamed up with Age UK West Sussex, The West Sussex Forum and the Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA), a not-for-profit consumer organisation, to create Carewise. Nationally this is a groundbreaking scheme to help older people who need care funded from their own income and savings.

Peter Catchpole, County Council Cabinet Member for Adults’ Services, said: ”With a rapidly ageing population it is vital people make the right decisions at a critical time in their life.

“This video is a useful introduction to the Carewise scheme and the help and advice it offers anyone who needs long term care.”

The film can be seen if you navigate to www.westsussex.gov.uk/video and click ‘People’

 

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MP Henry Smith shows support at Trade Skills 4 U

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

Crawley MP Henry Smith got the chance to meet several prospective electrical apprentices as he visited our dedicated electrical centre in Crawley, West Sussex.

As part of National Apprenticeship week, we are holding three taster days for young people looking to learn about apprenticeships and what a career in electrics could offer them.

“To get support from Henry on a day like today is fantastic; he was able to get his message of support across to the students themselves  and help them realise what a lucrative career electrics is,” said Carl Bennett, Managing Director of Trade Skills 4U.

“Carl Bennett and Trade Skills 4U are doing incredible things here; the facilities are excellent and they really care about young people and their futures. Electrics are a stable and worthwhile career option and I am extremely grateful for the work they are doing at Trade Skills 4U,” Said Henry Smith MP.

As part of our on-going support for electrical apprentices, we are holding electrical taster weeks throughout the year for those who are looking to get some hands on experience to see if this career is for them.

These young person’s Apprenticeship taster weeks cost £120.00 for 5 days of training and can be made bespoke by schools or colleges looking to encourage students to take up this type of learning after they finish school at 16 or after college at 18.

If you are from a school or college and are interested in this type of event, call us on 01293 529777 and ask for Chloe.

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Work starts on traffic calming measures in Worth Road Crawley

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

Work has started this week on new traffic calming measures in Worth Road, Crawley.

Work on the £100,000 West Sussex County Council scheme is being carried out by Balfour Beatty and is expected to take seven weeks.

The improvements will include:

• A new puffin crossing near Crawley Lane to assist school children and people visiting the doctors’ surgery.

• Installation of eight sets of speed cushions spread throughout the length of Worth Road to contain traffic speeds.

• Construction of a pedestrian refuge island between Blackwater Lane and Hillcrest Close.

• Provision of an uncontrolled crossing ‘build-out’ near the Community Centre.

• Renewing the red road surfacing of the School Safety Zone at the western end of the road and the additional area of red surfacing at the eastern end near the Balcombe Road junction.

Two and three way traffic lights are expected to be used during the work. Some disruption is expected for motorists but every effort will be made to keep this to a minimum.

Pieter Montyn, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “These new road safety measures will greatly benefit many local people, particularly pedestrians who regularly need to cross Worth Road.”

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