Our recent Annual General Meeting was a heartfelt celebration of our Friends of Crossroads whose generous support enables us to continue providing high-quality care for unpaid carers and the people they look after.
Held in the elegant setting of the salon room in York House, Twickenham, the event brought together our staff team and supporters — including out patron Sir Vince Cable and the Mayor of Richmond, Cllr Penny Frost, who has chosen Crossroads Care as one of her charities for the civic year. We were also delighted that many of the carers that we support, along with those they look after, attended this special event.
It was an opportunity for carers to share just how hard caring for a loved-one can be. Our new ambassador, Caitlin Limmer — director of the Turks Head 10K — spoke movingly about how her life has changed since she became a carer to her husband who is living with Alzheimer’s.
From left to right: Crossroads Ambassadors actress Jacqueline Clarke; Caitlin Limmer; and actress Jacki Piper.
‘I have run and cycled and swam many endurance events,’ she said. ‘I have been critically ill in my life and have lived with a blood cancer for 21 years. However, I can categorically say that being a carer to my husband who has stage five Alzheimer’s is by far the hardest challenge that I’ve ever had to face.
‘Loneliness, mental health and isolation are all problems for carers, but there are ways through — especially with the help of Crossroads and the many services that they offer for carers, from their wonderful weekend Caring Cafe to the massage therapy.’
One of the carers that we support, John, 73, shared what it’s like to care for his wife Monica who has been living with multiple sclerosis for 35 years. Monica uses a wheelchair and relies on John for all her care needs.
John, who attends both our Carers Café and our Men Who Care group, and ran this year’s Turks Head 10K in aid of Crossroads, said: ‘I’d worked as a builder all my life, a very practical job, and I thought I knew what hard work was, but I’ve since discovered that being a carer can be every bit as demanding. It’s physically challenging both in the day-to-day tasks and in the constant need to be alert and ready to help.
‘If I could offer one piece of advice to anyone starting their caring journey, it would be to take one day at a time. Try not to look back at what you’ve lost or long for the old days, and at the same time, don’t worry about the future or what may come along. Live in this present moment which is a gift to be enjoyed.
John is pictured second from the left. On the far right, is his wife, Monica.
‘Being a carer can be a lonely place, but there’s help and support out there, so let’s all do what we can whether it’s giving our time, our money, our kindness to make life a little bit easier for those in great need.’
Faced with a funding gap and rising demand for our services, our Friends of Crossroads — volunteers, donors and fundraisers — have rallied to support Crossroads in so many ways from running marathons to organising cake sales. This year, our annual review is dedicated to saying thank you to all of them for their huge and helpful efforts.
Julie Da Costa, Crossroads Care CEO, said: ‘Our Friends of Crossroads believe in community, in kindness, and in the power of small actions to change lives. They are the quiet force behind the scenes — and today, we honour them.’
Our gratitude goes out to everyone who supports Crossroads, as well as to our key funders who enable us to have an even greater impact on the lives of carers and the people they care for: the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Hampton Fund, Richmond Foundaton, The Barnes Fund, NHS, The Victoria Foundation, Garfield Western Foundation, City Bridge Trust and The National Lottery Community Fund.
