Carers of East Lothian

Supporting people who care for family and friends

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You are here: Home / About CoEL / Get involved

Get involved

Carers' Panel – Share your views. Raise awareness. Campaign for change.

Join our Carers’ Panel to strengthen the collective voice of carers in East Lothian. This is a group of carers and former carers who meet on a monthly basis to discuss potential solutions to common problems, comment on service providers proposals and lobby for changes to improve the lives of carers and the people they care for.

If you would like to find out more about the Carers’ Panel, or sign up to the email list to receive the meeting agendas, minutes and Zoom invites, please call 0131 665 0135 or email centre@coel.org.uk.

All carers over the age of 18 are welcome, including carers who no longer have an active caring role, or who have been bereaved, but who wish to use their experiences to help others.

Please note the Carers Panel is a campaigning group rather than a support group. For more information about our peer support groups for carers, please call 0131 665 0135 or email centre@coel.org.uk.

Donate / Fundraise

Donate

We always need to try to raise money to continue the work that we do. If you would like to support our work please consider making a donation or becoming involved in fundraising for us.

To make a donation please go to JustGiving

Please do not forget giftaid!

Fundraise

We are always pleased if people want to fundraise for us. There are lots of different ways that people can do this:

  1. Sponsored Runs or Walks – You don’t need to run a marathon but there is nothing to stop you! Get your shoes on and ask others to sponsor you.
  2. Coffee Morning – Why not throw on the kettle and bake a cake, all in the name of charity?
  3. Quiz Night – Consider organising your own quiz night for charity! Charge people an entry fee or even a levy on every wrong answer.
  4. Garage Sale – One person’s trash is another person’s treasure? You can spring clean your home making money for CoEL.
  5. Sky Dive – Raise money for CoEL by launching yourself out a plane! Ensure you plan in advance so that you raise enough money.
  6. Pack Shopping Bags – Get a group of friends to pack peoples shopping bags at the local supermarket in return for a donation.
  7. Golf Match – Organise a charity golf match.
  8. Swear Box – Stick a swear box in the office or at home to raise money for CoEL. Every time someone swears they have to put a 20p in the box.

For other ideas see http://fundraisers-uk.co.uk/content/top-fifty-fundraising-ideas.php

It is important that we know who is raising money for us as a charity so if you are interested in doing so please make sure that you get in touch first. We will do what we can to support you.

Please also remember Gift Aid as this can add 25p to every £1 you raise. We can explain how you can use gift aid in your fund raising.

Volunteer

We are always keen to hear from people who are interested in volunteering and supporting our work with their time. This is a great opportunity to:

  • Become a part of our friendly team and meet new people
  • Help to support carers in the local area
  • Gain valuable experience and skills

There are many ways volunteers can get involved with Carers of East Lothian and we’d be delighted to hear from you if you’d like to know more.

Current opportunities include:

  • Volunteer Befrienders – Role Description – Befriender
  • Carer Events Volunteers – Role Description – Events Vol 
  • Carer Support Group Volunteers – Role Description – Groups Vol
  • Creative Wellbeing Volunteers –Role-Description-Creative Wellbeing Volunteer
  • Administration Volunteer – Role Description – Admin Volunteer
  • Time For Me Administration Volunteer – Role Description – Time For Me Admin Volunteer

All volunteers receive a full induction and relevant training, with ongoing support and expenses paid. If you’re interested in volunteering with us, please contact Catherine Cain on catherine.cain@coel.org.uk or call the office on 01316650135

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors is responsible for overall governance of Carers of East Lothian and setting it’s strategic direction. Membership is open to people who are carers or used to be a carer. It is an important role for CoEL as without good decision making at the top the organisation will not be best able to meet the needs of carers. For this reason we interview potential members of our Board before inviting them to join.

However, we are very keen to attract a diverse group of people onto our Board to ensure that CoEL can meet the needs of all carers. We are a welcoming and supportive group and if you feel you may have something to offer the organisation we would be delighted to hear from you.

Please note that when someone becomes a member of our Board they must also become a Charity Trustee and a Company Director. Certain people are barred from taking on these roles (for example people who are un-discharged bankrupts) and, because our staff are members of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme (PVG) and are Police checked, it is also necessary for Board Members to go through the same process. For more general information on the role of a Charity Trustee please see http://www.oscr.org.uk/managing-your-charity/trustee-duties/

Comments

Lifeline for carers. The support groups are a chance to share information and talk about problems.

Professional, caring, this team does an excellent job. Thank you.

When I contacted COEL the help I received was exceptional and the carers courses were so informative and made my...

An excellent service which has been invaluable. I have no hesitation in recommending CoEL's services to others if I think...

The workers with COEL give the best support and advice truthfully and accurately. No falseness at all. Absolutely the best...

CoEL helped and guided us through our challenges enabling us to see much clearer what we were doing and what...

Quick and helpful response with no fuss. Excellent service

I first contacted COEL some 4 years ago when my husband was first diagnosed with Alzheimers and got excellent advice...

Sensitive, awareness and attention to detail all impeccable. I could not have managed without it.

I now understand better what I need and need to do, with help at hand if needed.

I found CoEL staff very helpful and reassuring when I felt stressed at the form filling to claim benefits and...

I feel very well supported and have been impressed with the service.

Feel totally at ease when we use CoEL. Their knowledge is excellent.

I can't praise your organisation enough for all the help you provided in the past.

Staff member went out of their way to assist me in obtaining the service I required. Member was very understanding...

Having someone to listen to problems and give encouragement and make helpful suggestions (also help with filling in forms) has...

Very supportive, kind, nothing was any trouble, went out of way to help. Nothing but praise for all help given.

I benefitted from a home visit, and I feel now I'm not alone.

It was at a time we were not sure what to do regarding care options for my mother. CoEL were...

Friendly helpful and put you at ease.

The staff in the office were very helpful and supportive when I dropped in without warning a couple of weeks...

Just to know you are not on your own and there is someone else you can rely upon when times...

Contact us

The Carers Centre is open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday.

TEL: 0131 665 0135
EMAIL: centre@coel.org.uk
ADDRESS:
Carers of East Lothian
East Lothian Community Hospital,
Alderston Road, Haddington, EH41 3PF

Carers of East Lothian is a charity registered in Scotland Charity Number SC027000 and a Company Limited by Guarantee No. SC366908

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Happy to TranslateCOSCACarer Positive Employer in ScotlandScottish Charity RegulatorDisability Confident EmployerLiving Wage employer

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