Frank became the Chair of the Board of Trustees for The Carers' Centre in 2022. His personal experiences of caring for loved ones coupled with his enthusiasm to support local communities and individuals to thrive has led him to become an integral part of The Carers' Centre.
We spoke to Frank about his journey to becoming the Chair, and what it means to him to be involved with our local caring community.
"Joining The Carers’ Centre has provided me with an opportunity to use my skills and experience to further a great cause and I find the role very fulfilling."
What inspired you to become a trustee for The Carers' Centre?
About 15 years ago I became the primary carer for my late father who was diagnosed with dementia. It was a very emotional time for me, compounded by the fact that whilst I lived local to my father, I worked away quite a lot. When I became his carer, I became frustrated at the lack of information and support that was available regarding grants, services and support organisations available for both him and I. I remember thinking, "if only there was an organisation that could help carers like me".
Fast forward to three years ago, my wife and I became joint carers for my father-in-law who was not well. He was also the primary carer for my mother-in-law who had been diagnosed with dementia. At this point I became aware of the services of The Carers’ Centre, who were very helpful to us. I particularly liked the accessible information on their website, and everyone we spoke to from the service was helpful.
During this time, I saw the advert for Chair of Trustees and applied for the role. I already felt connected to this charity and loved the work that they were doing.
What would you say is the role of a trustee?
For me, the role of the trustee is:
- To provide leadership and strategic direction.
- To ensure that the charity is solvent and operating within the law.
- To use your skills and experiences to contribute to a cause that you care for.
As Chair of the Trustees, I would add that I see my role as both supporting and challenging the CEO of the organisation. Jacqui (our CEO) and I have a great relationship, we talk most weeks and tend to meet a couple of times a month. Often, we spend time discussing possible options for her to consider when faced with challenging situations.
Has being a trustee for The Carers' Centre changed your perception or understanding about the role carers play?
Absolutely. As a carer myself I thought I fully understood the role and challenges that many carers face. However, my personal experience is that of an adult carer. I had no idea how many young carers there are in Bath and North East Somerset and across the UK, who care for their siblings or parents.
If you have a moment, take a look at "Charlie's Story". Charlie is a young carer who looks after his little brother. He, like all young carers, is an absolute hero! It’s so rewarding that The Carers’ Centre can offer activities and services that can help young heroes such as Charlie. It’s also been great to work with organisations such as Bath Philharmonia, who regularly support young carers through opportunities such as learning to play musical instruments, write songs, sing in a choir, and they even took a group of young carers to Westminster to perform in front of MPs!
Find out about the support The Carers' Centre offer young carers
Your day job is Executive Director of Bath Abbey which has recently launched a carer café . What's been the reaction from those attending?
Bath Abbey has a team of willing volunteers as well as a suitable venue for a café, and is located in the centre of Bath, so earlier this year we agreed a joint initiative at Bath Abbey with The Carers’ Centre to launch a new café - and it’s been a huge success!
We now have a core group of about 25 carers who attend each month and look forward to seeing each other. The café has enabled strong connections to be built between carers living nearby who are often facing similar challenges to each other, such as feeling isolated.
Sarah and Carmen from The Carers’ Centre have delivered training to the Abbey team of volunteers and they have remained available for ongoing support and guidance. The Abbey team of volunteers welcome carers each month into our Learning Centre, make introductions and facilitate conversations over coffee and cake. It's working really well and so we are now looking at opening other cafés. We believe another new café also has potential to be a similar (if not bigger) success.
What's the one thing you've learnt from being a trustee for The Carers' Centre?
I have learnt that unpaid carers play a vital role in society and going forwards this role will become even more important. The age profile of residents in Bath and North East Somerset is older than many other areas as people are living longer. The number of people with mental health conditions has increased, the NHS is already struggling to cope with the demand on its services and care homes are struggling to find staff.
Our local area needs organisations such like The Carers’ Centre to help support the fast-growing population of carers and to ease future pressures on the NHS.
I have also learnt that we have been blessed with a very talented team of staff and trustees at The Carers’ Centre who passionately care about carers and their loved ones.
Trustees help shape charities and ensure they are aspiring to achieve the best possible outcomes for their communities, and we are grateful to Frank and all of our trustees for their commitment and support to ensure The Carers' Centre can be the best it can be!
Find out more about the service The Carers' Centre can offer individuals looking after a loved one below.
