There are many new and exciting things going on for Oaklea & Right2Work

at the moment from developing extra care housing for the elderly, exploring the possibilities of developing a training and visitor attraction, and tendering for an extension of the

Right2Work contract with South Lakeland District Council.

Branching Out brings together not only some of our plans for the future, but helps celebrate the work going on within the Oaklea Group.Kind regards

Clive Wigley, Chief Executive

A number of employees ‘give’ a small percentage from their salary to their chosen charity on a monthly basis.

“Sally Dawson and Tom Brennan from HR attended the awards ceremony in London. Oaklea have been in the payroll giving scheme for 12 months now and this is an excellent achievement.” Helen Wilson, HR Manager

Oaklea Newsletter | Winter 2018

Tel: 01539 735 025 Email: enquiries@oakleatrust.co.uk www.oakleatrust.co.uk

Welcome to

Better to give than receive says a winning Oaklea!Congratulations to the Oaklea Trust for being the Winner in the Best Civil Society Employer category at the 2017 National Payroll Giving Excellence Awards.

Sally Dawson and Tom Brennan (centre and right)

Rogues Gallery? No - Employees Of The YearAppleby Hub Sarah JonesHealthy Living PromoterSarah has succeeded in creating a wonderfully inclusive and welcoming space at the hub which is proving to be a real asset to the community. CE07 Michelle Parker Outside of the box thinker Such a positive enthusiastic employee always looks for ideas to improve and enhance the life of her customers. Central Gillian Curwen Calm in the eye of the storm Calm, always happy to help, knowledgeable in all aspects of Oaklea. Performed above and beyond expectations despite dealing with personal difficulties. CE06 Nichola Bainbridge Outstanding Fundraiser Driving force behind the John Street Jammers and Wishlist week 2016. CW08 Karen RangecroftCustomer Choice Karen received the most number of votes.

Sarah Jones Michelle Parker

Gillian Curwen Nichola Bainbridge

WISHLIST WEEK 1. Highest Amount Raised The John Street Team, Barnard Castle. During Wishlist week 2017 the customers and team organised a pool & pie night, a tombola and a raffle. Kit completed a 9 mile sponsored walk and Kevin completed an amazing Barnard Castle sponsored cycle ride! Total raised in Wishlist week £540.08 plus the additional £510 raised for Wishlist since the last conference means their total fundraising in the year is a staggering £1050.08!

2. Best Photo

taken by Jeff Smith & starring Kit Heywood during Wishlist. 3. Recognition

of Achievement as a Fundraiser

Joanne May, Yealand Drive Team. Joanne is always ready to arrange a fundraising event and is so enthusiastic about organising them. She practically does this single-handedly and we thank her for not only organising events that make money for Wishlist but also for arranging events that involve our customers and employees having a fantastic time! This year Joanne arranged a Halloween Party and raised £200! Sue Millington accepting Joanne Mays award on her behalf as she wasn’t able to attend.

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Yealand Drive – “Good” from CQCOaklea Adult Care Home on Yealand Drive in Ulverston has just been rated Good again by the CQC.

The CQC carried out this announced inspection on 7 and 16 November 2017. The last inspection of the home was carried out in August 2015. At that inspection they rated the service as good. At this inspection in November 2017 they found the service remained good.

Yealand Drive (Adult Care Home) provides personal care and accommodation for up to five adults who have a learning disability. The home is in a residential area of Ulverston in south Cumbria.

Here’s a snapshot of what the Inspectors said: “The staff received training to ensure they had the skills to provide people’s support in a safe way. People received the

support they required to maintain good health. The focus of the service was on promoting people’s rights. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. People liked the staff employed in the home. The staff treated people in a kind and respectful way.”

Registered Manager Sue Millington said: “I am so proud of the Yealand Drive staff team and their great achievement, we have overcome some very challenging situations that have tested us both as individuals and as a team but we have continued to provide wonderful support for all of our Customers.”

The train now standing... Heritage Centre future?Everything is happening in Appleby at the moment.

Oaklea has been approached to help with the future development of the Appleby Heritage and Training Centre.

The facility is next to Appleby station and occupies the old goods shed and runs a variety of training courses.

Talks are underway with Eden District Council regarding the site.Oaklea are also in discussion

with key staff at the centre regarding future plans and how Oaklea could be involved.

Hayley Chapman, Centre Manager Appleby Heritage Centre, Sandy Murray, Finance Director Oaklea Trust and Christine Allinson, Bookeeper/Payroll Appleby Heritage Centre

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Big plans are afoot in Appleby in Cumbria. Oaklea plan to transform the former ‘Edenside’ residential home into self contained and extra care accommodation for the elderly.

‘Edenside’ was affected by Storm Desmond in Winter 2015 and to this day remains closed.

The proposal is in line with Cumbria County Council’s Extra Care Housing and Supported Living Strategy 2016-2025.

When the bid was made public hundreds of local people wrote in to Oaklea or responded on social media

expressing their desire to see the plans become reality. Clive Wigley said: “The response in such a short space of time was overwhelming.”

In January Cumbria County Council put up ‘for sale’ signs – Clive adds “This was not unexpected and we are continuing to work on our plans and are in continuing talks with Cumbria County Council and other partners. A bid was submitted in early January 2018 for the purchase of Edenside. As part of the bid we have asked for further time (until end March 2018) to allow for further work on architects detailed plans, compiling engineers and flood resilience reports.

John Taylor independent flood risk assessor looking at the existing flood defences

Homing in on Appleby – Edenside

Branching Out - R2W Lancaster Retail OutletStaff will be aware of the success of the R2W Furniture Warehouse – well they’re literally branching out – an additional retail space has opened at GB Antiques in Lancaster.GB has 100 individual antiques & collectables dealers – all indoors, all year round and R2W are now one of them.

GB Antiques is now the country’s biggest indoor antiques and furniture centre, attracting 220,000 visitors every year.

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Just chillin’ Just before Christmas the Oaklea Childrens Team were busy organising their annual trip to the ‘Chill factor’ in Manchester.

Two groups – about ten youngsters per group- from the Furness area and also South Lakeland headed down the M6.

It’s a regular activity run as part of the Shortbreaks programme on behalf of Carlisle Mencap. The trip involved climbing, louge, doing donuts, sledging and even a chance to meet Santa!

Matthew Douglas, Childrens Services Team Manager (pictured); “Organising such a trip takes a great deal of time and effort due to the complex logistics involved. The snow park isn’t very accessible but after much discussion between ourselves and the hosts we managed to organise a special session for a wheelchair user – it gave her a chance to try out sit down ski-ing in a specially adapted wheelchair. This really added to what was a very special visit.”

Getting to know you...

Who are you Simon Dey, new Marketing & Fundraising Officer for OakleaTell us a bit about yourself Born in Kendal in the original Helme Chase and grew up in what was then Westmorland but left at 13 before returning as an unrepentant ‘oldie’ in 2003.What were you up to before Oaklea called Been in the communications field for 28+ years. After leaving University of Leicester in 1988 – without actually leaving as it were – got a role at Centre for Football research - gave me the media bug. Applied for local radio station –Leicester Sound FM and won 2 awards for health broadcasting. Secured place on prestigious BBC Regional Journalist training scheme; spent 5 years with BBC before moving to ITV Granada. In 1999 ‘poacher turned gamekeeper’ with a move into PR/marketing and been there ever since ( taking in Tourist Boards, Government Youth Agency (Connexions), a Market Research Consultancy and the Environment Agency. Also spent 5 years at Cumbria County Council Childrens Services in comms and commissioning

but strangely never actually crossed paths with Oaklea!Something unusual Qualified

dry stone waller...and recently passed CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) –so watch out I can drive big vehicles not just Tonka Toys!

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Wasting away.Not with R2W!

R2W should start getting its hands on more furniture by collecting selected items from the main recycling

site in Kendal at Canal Head.

The site is operated by Cumbria Waste on behalf of Cumbria County Council.

They intend to start a pilot project in 2018 with R2W. Regional Manager Peter Bradbury: “Cumbria Waste are looking to introduce an option to segregate some furniture, and possibly bric-a-brac, for re-use at one or two of their Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), initially as a trial in the hope that it proves beneficial to all, and R2W appear to be well placed to partner them in that arrangement. At the moment it costs taxpayers £130 a tonne every time waste is sent to landfill – so anything that reduces that has to be good.”

Long term there is also the possible opportunity to start a retail outlet at the site.

Turkeys found voting for Hub Christmas “After the first anniversary since opening our café doors, we decided to celebrate in style this year with an extra special Christmas menu. Everyone has been welcomed with a glass of spiced apple punch and enjoying dishes like; Truffled Jerusalem artichoke soup, Turkey brie and cranberry wellington and black forest Christmas fool.“ Sarah Jones, Manager, Appleby Hub

A spy who gained access to the kitchen learnt the inspiration for the menu came from lots of valuable ‘work time’ surfing the BBC Good Food site!

Natalia Bacik EZ9 - NottinghamLouisa Allen EZ9 - NottinghamZoe Charles EZ9 - NottinghamRachel Lepora EZ9 - NottinghamJanet Green R2WLisa Barber CW08 - CarlisleThomas Woof R2WSimon Dey CentralJoanne Racher EZ9 - NottinghamJulie Baxter EZ9 - NottinghamMolly Mason EZ9 - Nottingham

Alison Pascoe CH04James Williams CentralEmilie Bradbury R2WPhilip Curwen R2WAbby-Gayle Evans R2WMichelle Johnson R2WPeter Key R2WAmy Nelson R2WClaire Round R2WKay Winfindale R2WMelissa Young R2W

Big Shout Out To New Starters!

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(C)rumble in the (Allotment) JungleIt has emerged something rather unusual has been ‘growing’ on in Northumberland.

Rumours are that Customers and staff in Rothbury have discovered a new way to grow puddings – crumble in fact! The news rose like a fine soufflé at the employee conference.

Ruth Hall, Manager at Walby Hill takes up the story:

“In the autumn of 2016 some

of our customers showed an interest in doing some gardening and wanted to grow produce to eat. On the back of this we contacted a local landowner to see if we could rent an allotment just a short walk along the riverside.

Our allotment was well established and well maintained so we reaped the harvest of all the fruit bushes and rhubarb, making fruit salads, tarts, jams and chutney – it was at the Employee conference that we did a presentation where customers revealed an ability to ‘grow crumble’!

Marc with Chris Mary Agnes Mary

‘Hair Raising’ times in Kendal - worth ‘pining’ for, say Oaklea Finance Team!“Rapunzel Rapunzel... I hear you are letting your hair down at the Kendal Parish Church Annual

Charities Christmas Tree Festival?”

There was a great turnout from Oaklea customers from across Kendal who helped create and design the baubles for our tree!

The ‘hair raising’ display was aimed at raising awareness of all the great charities in the area and the good work they do – and in our case Wishlist. This year’s theme... fairytales! (the original ‘fake news’?)

The decoration of the tree and inspiration for its theme - Rapunzel - was a true team effort involving a number of Oaklea customers and staff and co-ordinated by Cathryn Lopez from the Finance Team.

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Join our online community! Oaklea have an ever increasing presence on social media and we would love you to join us!

Whether you’re a Facebooker, a Tweeter, or an Insta-addict, look us up!

We are always looking out for fresh content so if you have a story to shout about, send it to simon.dey@oakleatrust.co.uk or just tag us!

Make A ‘Continuous’ Difference To OakleaThe work we do at the Oaklea Trust is amazing and we know you all do a great job.

One of the ways that we keep developing as an organisation is by listening to your ideas and feedback. Innovation can often start as a small idea in one Team and through sharing these great ideas we can share best practice across the organisation.

The Continuous Improvement Group (CIG) collates and reviews all of the feedback from the annual Quality Audits and from your own Teams’ Continuous Improvement Plans.

All of this feedback is reviewed and pulled together into an organisation wide Continuous Improvement Plan.

The CIG meets twice a year and includes members from the Board of Trustees, the Executive and the Senior Management Team.

Sandy Murray, Finance Director; “It would be great if we could broaden this group to include colleagues from more areas of the organisation. If you are interested please contact Sue Green.”

E: sue.green@oakleatrust.co.uk

www.instagram.com/oakleatrust

www.facebook.com/oakleatrustwww.facebook.com/ApplebyHubwww.facebook.com/FurnitureWarehousewww.facebook.com/Right2Workemployment

www.twitter.com/oakleatrust

Sandy Murray, Finance Director Oaklea Trust