Help Guild Care make a difference in 2020

With the start of the new year, we often begin to think about what we would like to accomplish in the following months. Many of us will consider giving back to a worthy cause, and why not your local charity?
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Guild Care is a Worthing-based charity that has been supporting the local community since it was established in 1933.

Its founders, a dedicated team of volunteers, introduced free school milk, free dental treatment for adolescents, grants and loans to those facing financial hardship, a soup kitchen, legal aid and even subsidised free footwear for people on low incomes.

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Today, the charity supports more than 3,000 older people, people living with dementia and children and adults with learning disabilities across a range of 30-plus community services, as well as having three nursing homes.

Ashdown Out & About, run by Guild Care's Ashdown Centre, offers short respite breaksAshdown Out & About, run by Guild Care's Ashdown Centre, offers short respite breaks
Ashdown Out & About, run by Guild Care's Ashdown Centre, offers short respite breaks

So, as you enter 2020, why not choose to support your local charity Guild Care, who supports people in your community?

Suzanne Millard, chief executive, said: “We are Worthing’s local charity and we have been caring for the local community for 86 years. However, we couldn’t run all our services without additional income which comes from fundraising and our charity shops.

“We also need to attract volunteers in order to help us run our fantastic services which support so many people in many different ways, be that our Friendship Club for older people who may be lonely and isolated or our wide range of dementia respite services.

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“So, if you want to make a difference in 2020, why not support your local charity by attending one of our events, if you are an employer choose Guild Care as your charity of the year, or if you have a few hours spare each week why not volunteer for us.”

Guild Care’s Linfield House provides quality nursing and dementia care. Picture: Andy Whitman, Guild CareGuild Care’s Linfield House provides quality nursing and dementia care. Picture: Andy Whitman, Guild Care
Guild Care’s Linfield House provides quality nursing and dementia care. Picture: Andy Whitman, Guild Care

There are many ways to support Guild Care. Whether it is hosting a bake sale with tasty treats, driving one of their minibus, visiting and donating to your local Guild Care charity shop, or banding your colleagues together for a charity sweepstake with a cut going to Guild Care, there are so many ways businesses and individuals can contribute to their local community.

Last year, Guild Care had more than 100,000 interactions with people across all of its services, showing just how far reaching an impact the charity has within the Worthing community.

These interactions could have come from one of the five day centres, as a home care client, advice from the outreach team or as a resident in one of their nursing homes.

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The local charity strives to create communities where everyone matters, ensuring people are able to choose and help shape the services they need to enjoy healthy, engaging and independent lives whatever their age, just like John.

John has been coming to the charity’s Friendship Club, a social gathering for over-70s, for more than 10 years, and it has helped to give him a sense of purpose.

He said: “When I retired, I felt quite bored, so I started coming to the centre, which really helped to give me a sense of purpose. It means a lot to me to belong to this community. I have made lots of friends and we really enjoy chatting, exchanging stories and having a laugh.

“It also feels good to have the support of people who are in the same boat as me. Guild Care is a really important part of my life, and I would feel lost without it.”

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Guild Care also provides day and respite services for adults with learning disabilities and more complex needs at its Fitzalan Howard Centre, where Christine is a regular client.

Christine said: “Fitzalan means my life. We’re a family here. Everyone knows each other. We’ve got similar disabilities, so we’re not different to each other. We have a laugh and a joke. You can relax here, without worrying about upsetting each other. If it wasn’t here, I would be really sad.”

With national charities gaining a lot of people’s attention for their incredible work, it is important to remember your local charity, which with your support can help make a massive impact on your community and improve the lives of the people around you.

For more information on Guild Care, contact the Customer Service Team on 01903 327327, email [email protected] or visit www.guildcare.org

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