Our newsletters are full of handy tips and news
Sign-up to our newsletters (just go to the very bottom of every page to sign-up) and never miss our popular articles and news stories. There are plenty of local events and ideas for disabled people, carers and friends in Bedfordshire and Luton.
Take a look at the latest issue of our email newsletter: Updated May 31st 2019
Welcome to our newsletter
New - Free wellbeing workshops
Learn techniques and skills that will help you to feel healthy, happy and able to cope.
For Bedford and Central Bedfordshire residents...
Thanks to funding from Bedford Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council we are able to provide a wide ranging support package including a series of wellbeing workshops.
Our Community Wellbeing and Creative Wellbeing Projects are full of practical support and include workshops for:
- Mindfulness
- Relaxation
- Stress management
- Meditation
- Empowerment
- Mindful art including Zentangle relaxing art, Aboriginal art and stone painting
Read the full details on our website.
The wellbeing workshops are being held at three locations: Dunstable, Bedford and in Leighton Buzzard.
Please contact us by email or call 01582 470900 for more information or visit our website.
For Carers Week we would like to invite you to the launch of our new Luton carers service, Carers Central, on 14th June 2019.
The event will be taking place at the UK Centre for Carnival Arts, 3 Saint Mary’s Road, Luton from 11 am to 2pm.
Thanks to Luton Council in partnership with NHS Luton Clinical Commissioning Group for funding this event.
Learn about all the free services and expert advice available for unpaid carers in Luton.
There will be presentations explaining the services from the Carers Central team, CHUMS, NHS Luton CCG and Total Wellbeing plus stalls and refreshments for all.
Find out about social prescription from Total Wellbeing, how CHUMS supports young carers and how Carers Central will help carers in Luton.
Get help and support from all these local organisations:
- Luton Asian Carers Service
- Carers In Bedfordshire (Carers Lounge)
- Luton Recovery College
- Community Action Bedfordshire (Voluntaryworks Luton)
- Total Wellbeing
- CHUMS for young carers
- Penrose Synergy
- Centre For Youth and Community Development
- Carers Eating Disorders Association
The Disability Resource Centre has recently received funding from Luton Council in partnership with NHS Luton Clinical Commissioning Group to provide a new carers service called Carers Central.
The main aim of the new service is to help carers in Luton to access support and advice by email, face to face, telephone & web.
This event will also be a good opportunity to network and gain a better understanding of services available to people within Luton.
Book your free place at this event
If would like to book a free place for this event please contact us on 0300 303 0201 or email; carerscentral@drcbeds.org.uk
Places can also be booked on eventbrite here.
World MS Day
Supporting the MS Therapy Centre in Bedford
We are always here to help with advice and support for people with MS. We’ll be at the MS Therapy Centre in Bedford on 27th June from 10am to 2pm helping visitors with lots of useful advice and information about our free services.
New - Free life skills courses
Training to help you move forward if you are looking for work or want to learn new skills.
Our Courses For Life are short courses that will help you to build your confidence, learn computer skills and to relax and feel calm.
We also offer an employment support course to develop the skills that will help you back into work.
These courses are starting soon.
Secure your place today.
Take a look on our website or please call us on 01582 470900 or email us to find out more.
Free riser-recliner seating demonstrations
Book your free space at our regular seating demonstrations on Thursdays… https://www.drcbeds.org.uk/seating-demonstration
A brand new walker and seat combined
Brand new in our disability equipment shop
The Carlett 900 is a shopping trolley and seated rollator in one. It is stable yet manoeuvrable; well suited for use about town thanks to its large rotating wheels, double system handbrake and double action safety brake.
Our price is £170 ex. VAT.
We are open until 7pm every Tuesday for carers
1-2-1 help with all your questions about care for unpaid carers in Luton.
Call 0300 303 0201 and chat to Lorraine and Levi from our brand new Carers Central team. They are ready to help you with any carer-related matter for carers in Luton.
We are out and about helping disabled people at venues across Bedfordshire
- 4th June – Usha will be at the Stotfold Carers Event, Shefford Health Centre from 10:30am to midday
- 20th June – We’ll be at the Carers Café, The Scout Hut, Grovesbury Road, Leighton Buzzard from 1pm to 4pm
- 24th June – See us at the Central Bedfordshire Care Conference at the Rufus Centre in Flitwick
- 27th June – Wendy will be at the MS Therapy Centre in Bedford providing advice and displaying some of the equipment from our shop, from 10:30am to 2pm
Fitness suite session times
Check the days and times for all the sessions in our fitness suite, which is especially designed for disabled people.
Vacancy for a new Trustee
You could be the person to help steer our charity through an exciting future.
The role of Trustee is to give senior staff a clear strategic direction, as well as support in the effective and efficient delivery of the charity’s services.
Disability advice
Our disability advice service is confidential, independent and free.
This service provides up-to-date information and advice to people of any age and with any disability, older people, their families, carers, friends and associated professionals.
The advice service is open to everyone, there is no formal referral process and it is free.
Please do ask us a lot of questions. We are all trained and ready to answer.
We can help you with benefits, carers, employment, sport, support groups, training and more.
Please email us to ask us a question, book a one-to-one appointment or call us on 01582 470900.
Our Facebook page has over 800 followers
With all the latest updates and news our Facebook page is an increasingly popular place to visit and now has over 820 followers and fans.
Calling all carers in Luton...
Your Carer Support Workers, Lorraine and Levi will be holding a carers drop-in session every 2nd Tuesday of the month at Luton Central Library from 10am to 12pm in the Well and Wise Room (situated on the ground floor).
In June we will have a stall at Luton Arndale Centre on Thursday 6th June from 10am – 3pm.
Come along and we’ll help you have an understating of the benefits and services you may be entitled to.
- Carers’ Assessments
- Carers’ breaks
- Place to come and talk confidentially
- Benefits issues like carers allowance, PIP or DLVA
- Money management
- Support into employment
- Applying for blue badges
- Benefits appeals
Mental Health Week
We fully supported Mental Health Week 2019 with our wide range of free services for disabled people and people with long term health conditions.
See our popular article which features a BBC radio interview with Graham Waugh, from BIG Health and Fitness.
Improve your health, confidence & wellbeing
We can help you to be happy with who you are, with our "This is me" support programme.
Inspired by stories such as The Greatest Showman, our "This is Me" programme of free workshops and 1-2-1 support is here for you.
We have found lots of inspiring videos, you can watch them on our website.
Part funded by the European Social Fund.
Thanks to our funders and partners, these new workshops are free for unemployed people with long term health conditions in Bedfordshire.
Please email us or call us for a chat about the best free workshops for you.
There's always something new at our disability equipment shop here in Dunstable
New disability equipment
Take a look at our demonstration kitchen plus a brand new shower/wet room, both with lots of thoughtful features. Please feel free to book an appointment with our highly trained team, at a time to suit you.
We have plenty of new items on display and for sale including a starlift, mobility scooters, manual wheelchairs, kitchen utensils, continence supplies, rollators, riser-recliner seating and more.
A trillion smiles for Amazon
We’ve joined the Amazon Smile program so when you shop at Amazon they’ll automatically donate vital funds for our charity.
If you are already an Amazon customer then please see our website to find out how the scheme will work, it’s as simple as a couple of clicks.
Regular Events
Benefits form-filling workshops on Mondays
The benefits form-filling workshops are designed to help you negotiate your way through the rather in-depth and sometimes confusing benefits claim forms.
Expert help with seating on Thursdays
Every Thursday we offer expert help with choosing the best chair. Our seating specialist is here to advise on getting the correct chair size, support to help maintain the correct posture and pressure care to prevent skin or muscle irritation.
PA drop-in sessions on Friday mornings
Find out what it is like to work as a Personal Assistant in care with a disabled person at our drop-in sessions every Friday.
Over 60’s coffee morning every Thursday
Come along to our weekly free social event for older people.
The popular social, informative and interactive regular event includes taster exercise sessions, an art & craft club, free
refreshments, regular free advice sessions and guest speakers.
New - Drop-in employment support sessions
Every Friday from 2pm to 4pm
At our free employment support drop-in our work coaches, Sharon and Shyrus will be available to help you 1-2-1 with looking for work.
Support Groups
Carers Support group
We hold meet-ups twice every month for carers in the Luton area. Join Lorraine and Levi for informative question and answer sessions.
Check our events calendar for full details.
Physical Health and Emotional Wellbeing (PHEW) Support Group
Get support from people with real life experience of managing their own health, and/or caring for our loved ones who have health conditions.
Addictive Behaviour Support Group
There is help for you every Monday here at The Disability Resource Centre from 4pm to 5pm, supporting people to tackle their addictive behaviours. Our group leader, John, started this new support group, volunteering his time as part of the SMART recovery programme.
Carers Eating Disorder Association (CEDA)
If you care for someone with an eating disorder, this support group could help you. The support group holds a monthly meet-up to share experiences, offer help and provide lots of sympathetic support. Please see the CEDA support group on Facebook.
Fibromyalgia Support Group
Come along to the Fibromyalgia support group meetings on the first Tuesday of every month. Check the support group’s popular Facebook page for updates and useful information.
Mindful Art Support Group
Join us on Mondays every week to enjoy a couple of hours of mindful art. You can learn new techniques, share your own skills and find a new way to relax.
Please consider donating to The Disability Resource Centre today so we can continue our vital services.
We have lots of useful information to share on Facebook and Twitter
The Disability Resource Centre
Poynters House, Poynters Road, Dunstable LU5 4TP
Phone: 01582 470900
Email: information@drcbeds.org.uk
Website: www.drcbeds.org.uk
Charity Number 1041712
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Improve your confidence. Reduce stress.
New course starts in February. We have just started the first group on this course and we’re now looking for more Luton residents to join the next course that starts in February.
We know and understand how difficult it can be to find work if you are a carer. You may struggle to find paid employment that fits around your caring commitments.
If you wish to return to work in some way, but are unsure how to start, then we can help with 1-2-1 support with our employment advisors.
For 2020 if you would like to make a difference to your family’s life just make contact to see how our Support Into Employment programme may be able to help you.
Learn all about becoming a volunteer for our charity at our special new volunteer event on Wednesday 5th February 2020. Read more about volunteering at The Disability Resource Centre.
Latest
Our fitness suite class timetable for 2020
Take a look at our class timetable for our fully equipped fitness suite, especially designed for disabled people.
Douglas Campbell OBE
Melanie Hawman, the CEO of The Disability Resource Centre said “We are very sad to hear of the passing of Douglas Campbell OBE who worked diligently to raise awareness of disability rights…
3rd December – The International Day of Persons with Disabilities
3rd December 2019 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Find out about the day from the United Nations website and watch a video from the UN Secretary General…
Related
About our Care Academy
Whether you are an employer or a personal assistant (PA) you can access a range of relevant and engaging workshops delivered by specialist trainers.
Disability equipment advice
We offer expert, impartial & free disability equipment advice. Book an appointment today.
Meeting rooms for hire
Hire our fully equipped meeting rooms with free wifi, a digital projector, tea & coffee facilities, flexible room space and on-site parking for over 100 cars, including 12 dedicated disabled parking bays.
Help for Carers in Luton
Have you heard about the free service for carers in Luton, Carers Central? We offer lots of free 1-2-1 help and advice. We can meet-up at a time and place to suit you…
Donate
Please consider donating to The Disability Resource Centre today so we can continue our vital services.
You can hire a wheelchair from our charity. The Disability Resource Centre hires out manual wheelchairs (including children’s wheelchairs) and other equipment like ramps, rollators, crutches and walking frames to help you with your mobility.
Hire our fully equipped meeting rooms with free wifi, a digital projector, tea & coffee facilities, flexible room space and on-site parking for over 100 cars, including 12 dedicated disabled parking bays.
On this form-filling workshop (held most Mondays) you will have help and guidance to complete your PIP or AA (attendance allowance) claim form.
Come along to our Friday drop-in session for 1-2-1 support from our employment coaches. We help people across Bedfordshire who are looking for work.
Every Thursday we offer expert help with seating and a full demonstration of all the chairs and riser-recliners we have in our shop. Our seating specialist is here to advise and help you choose the best seating.
For new or existing Personal Assistants (PAs) our free training will help improve your skills in a way that is specific to your role. We are holding monthly PA induction training sessions…