Brereton – Compassionate Cities

Uttoxeter Schools and Young People

The Youth Emotional Service and St Giles Hospice provide a range of support to young people both in terms of school programmes, peer support and training for teachers. Primary and secondary schools have engaged in this and there is strong school support across Uttoxeter for Compassionate Communities.
The Community Hub – Uttoxeter Cares facilitated an Acts of Kindness Awards programme with the local St Mary’s School – 4 Acts of Kindness per pupil, including around loss.
Our Church Schools and our Foundation Governors will ensure that schools have policies or guidance in place, reviewed annually, for dying, death, loss and care.
St Giles has trained Staffordshire Police Cadets in Understanding Loss

Next Steps

Have a young person’s event to gain their views of serious illness, dying, loss and care giving in Uttoxeter
Ensure all education establishments are engaged in reviewing and embedding support for young people
Contact all youth support clubs such as the Guides and Scouts to consider further activities particularly around their community participation events
Work with CC-UK on the Compassionate Schools Programme
Support school ambassadors to be compassionate community connectors

Incentives and Rewards

The Town Council have agreed to oversee the introduction of a Compassion Award and to support other incentives where possible
There are examples of incentives and engagement via Dying Matters Weeks, Act of Kindness Awards within Uttoxeter
To launch the Compassion Award – September 2022

Next Steps

GP Practices in Uttoxeter support a community development approach to the implementation of social prescribers – they know what is going on in their community
Primary Care are launching the Joy App which will provide an easily accessible directory of services for Compassionate Community Connectors, Social Prescribers, members of the public and professionals
Social media, local notice boards and connections all support the information available to local people

Prisons and Homelessness

When someone in Uttoxeter is seen ‘sleeping rough’ there is a community Facebook group designed to ensure that person has warm clothes, food and the chance to take part in community activities and conversations about what might be helpful to them.
St Giles has trained YMCA Homeless Team in Understanding Loss and how to access support
Uttoxeter is a close community and when someone returns to the area following detention the likelihood this is someone already known to the community and will be supported with access to local assets. Learning from Birmingham will be considered with regards to HMP Dovegate. Dovegate has access to palliative care services from St Giles Hospice.

Next Steps

Review examples of activity in this area to see how it might help the wider spread of the movement across Staffordshire
Learn from the Birmingham work on prisons
Pledge that no-one will die sleeping rough unless that is their choice

Uttoxeter Inclusion

Uttoxeter has a 98% white population
A higher proportion of older and younger people rather than working age in comparison to UK average
There is a lower than average GCSE achievement which is likely to result in a low adult reading age
One ward falls into the top 5% deprived in the country
Mary, believes the Community Centre does see a wide range of people and she isn’t aware of any community groups not joining in activities
This will be a bigger issues as the Compassionate Community movement spreads into places such as Burton with a very different population mix
St Giles has recently worked with people with learning disabilities to review their views on end of life and bereavement

Next Steps

To engage in conversations via Compassionate Community Connectors to ensure that Uttoxeter is fully inclusive
Discussions are taking place for specific work relating to LGBTQ+ populations
Ensure that all literature regarding the directory of services another information is suitable for the population as a whole

Neighbourhoods

Uttoxeter has a strong neighbourhood network with active citizens in addition to clubs, groups and associations

COVID created stronger links within communities with some of the pandemic response activity is continuing
There are two foodbanks, Uttoxeter Knights, The Community Centre and a local volunteer set up a group to create street level support for prescriptions, food etc.
Uttoxeter is committed to Compassionate Community Connectors and is utilising existing volunteers from the COVID response.
Care Line runs in Uttoxeter which is a form of telephone befriending.
Uttoxeter Cares Community Hub won an award for volunteer telephone support
There are community sources of bereavement support including Bereavement Help Points and groups run by the Youth Emotional Support Services.
Church leaders are actively engaged alongside many groups supporting death, loss and care, and promote neighbourhood care, such as street wardens and signposting to foodbanks.

Next Steps

Ensure that via the Compassionate Community Connectors all communities who want to engage have had the chance to do so
Review any issues of inclusivity
Work with neighbourhoods to discuss the three-lane service model and consider what conversations take place

Memorials

Uttoxeter is very strong on spaces for memorials:-

There is a garden of reflection going into the space behind the Coop funeral directors.
St Giles runs a light up a light service annually in Uttoxeter.
There is a light at the top of the Johnson Memorial in the marketplace which is dedicated to “a light from the past and a light for the future”.
There is a contemplation garden in the community garden.
There is a bereavement by suicide memorial garden in the grounds of Uttoxeter Cares.
Uttoxeter also has a Celebrate Lives Lived garden in May.
Churches also have a special day for memory.
Annually the Methodist Church put knitted Angels around the town for people to search for them and take them home.

Next Steps

Consider memorials for pets
Check there are no communities left behind

Arts and Culture

Uttoxeter is rich with community groups around art – chat and craft, knit and natter, community gardens including a section for particular support groups
Members of the public are actively engaged in supporting this
St Mary’s Church hosted an art exhibition around death, dying and loss in 2019.
Youth Group are also engaged in art.

Next Steps

Amplify what is already in place
Target members to become compassionate community connectors
Consider whether there are communities underserved
Finish the implementation of mens sheds to create more gender diversity

Health and Care

Senior Leaders involved in health and care within the placed based partnership are committed to the Public Health Approach to Palliative Care and Compassionate Communities
The Place Based Partnership has prioritized communities as one of it’s key objectives and is very engaged in a community development approach across the whole population
Nursing homes are engaged in some intergenerational work within the community
St Giles Hospice cover the Place Based Partnership geography including Uttoxeter
Uttoxeter Cares is a partnership hub that support local access to support and peer bereavement
There has been a real drive from Uttoxeter to model the best of Frome and learn from Wigan and this is the first town across the whole of the place base partnership

Next Steps

Ensure that services strategy is developed from the ‘3 lane’ approach
Roll out directory of services
Embed the community connectors across Uttoxeter
Continue the Uttoxeter Task Force to maintain momentum of the community first approach

Places of Worship

“Our Anglican churches have an Area Staff Team who coordinate and are dedicated to end-of-life care support. Including pastoral visiting by ministers and others, support for bereaved families around the time of funerals, condolence cards sent to next of kin 3 or 4 months after, and regular services to remember the loved ones (such as Candles in loving Remembrance, Light for Life). Our ministers also support the funeral directors.” Uttoxeter Area of Parishes

Churches are involved with a number of events with local community groups and St Giles

Next Steps

To explore with the community both access to places of worship and to explore spirituality in the context of serious illness, care giving, dying and loss

Uttoxeter Work Places and Trade Unions

Workplaces within the health and care sector such as GP Practices, Schools, the Acute Trust and Community Trust are committed to being part of the external movement and internal movement regarding the charter
JCB, the largest employer is engaged in discussions regarding reviewing their compassionate leave policies and possible Compassionate Workplace

Next Steps

A Conference will be taking place in September for employers across the two southern place-based partnerships in Staffordshire with support from the Chamber of Commerce and several large and small employers
Organisations will be encouraged to undertake the Workplace Attitudes and Experiences to serious illness and bereavement survey
Support the roll out of the Compassionate Organisation Charter

Prisons and Young Offenders Institutes

The Compassionate City of Birmingham is alongside all it’s residents regardless of their background, life circumstances or challenges faced

There are two link workers from the NHS who are involved in healthcare and palliative care in HMP Birmingham involved in the Compassionate City Network
There are peer support programmes in place involving 10 prisoners trained in mental health, suicide prevention and first aid
There are existing relationships between hospices and prisons

Next Steps

A meeting is being arranged to co-create a concept of a compassionate prison
To explore what a Compassionate City means to the prison community

Homelessness

The Compassionate City of Birmingham is alongside everyone regardless of their background, life circumstances or challenges faced

There is a forum of organisations supporting people who are homeless, there is a representative from this group in the Compassionate City Network
The homelessness strategy is due to be reviewed in Birmingham and Compassionate Communities will be embedded as part of it
Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice has trained people who work with homeless communities of issues to do with end of life care and loss and are visible on Street Support – Street Support Birmingham – Working together to tackle homelessness in Birmingham

Next Steps

To talk to people who are homeless about what a Compassionate City means to them

Diversity and Inclusion

Birmingham is committed to ensuring that the benefits of being a Compassionate City are accessible to all it’s citizens

There are a diverse range of individuals and organisations involved in the Compassionate City Network
Hospices have worked together taking part in Birmingham’s Pride festival and in staff training to support widening access
Hospices have engaged with Learning Disability organisations to gain views and develop insights from people with a learning disability when it comes to talking about death, dying and loss
There are examples of diversity in relation to non traditional palliative care populations such as peer support groups for MS
There is a Compassion City Network Diversity and Inclusion Group has been established
Diversity and Inclusion is embedded in the training including for all health and social care staff, led by BCHC – this will include a staff and citizen toolkit to aid understanding

Next Steps

To ensure that the voice of residents and their experiences of the City are heard when it comes to diversity, inclusion and designing out structural inequality
Ensuring that peoples of all protected characteristics groups have the opportunity to collaborate, coproduce and engage in compassionate communities activities
Strategies across the city are working towards improved inclusion and via the Compassionate City Network these can be considered and feedback provided to ensure the ethos of the charter is embedded

Visibility via media, publications and research

We use the power of digital and print media to ensure that opportunities to engage with our Compassionate City or access support

There are already websites in place for people to access support
There are various newsletters and updates in communities and for professionals in place

Next Steps

There is a PR/Comms plan in the process of being developed for the Compassionate City including a /Birmingham landing page, a film and a social media campaign
Communications networks will be developed and grow further over time
Birmingham has recently established a new research collaborative which will include a public health approach to palliative and end of life care
Consider street, building, public signage or other way of promoting Compassionate Birmingham

Incentives, Celebration and Rewards

We use creativity, celebration and rewards to recognise, celebrate and act as a catalyst to amplify and extend the Compassionate City ethos across Birmingham

There have been examples of competitions, related to the work on arts and Dying Matters in Birmingham
There is a Neighbourhood Network Scheme celebration on 30th March recognising their delivery

Next Steps

The Compassionate City Network will be launching a Compassion Award during 2022 to help promote and create momentum
We will use the platform of Compassionate City Charter status (when achieved) to launch the award, wider engagement and opportunities around celebration of individual and group acts of compassion

Memorials

We will ensure that there is space across our diverse communities to create opportunities for remembrance and celebration of life

In 2021 there was an installation in Aston Park called In Memorium. A free space for people to gather
There are opportunities across the city including Celebrate Lives Lived, Light up a Life services, Time to Reflect and Remember activities across hospices, via community organisations, faith organisations, funeral directors, Edward Trust, Memorial Books, Cruse etc
There are specific spaces for memorials including the Hall of Memory in Centenary Square, and the St Thomas’ Church Peace Garden in Bath Row.

Next Steps

To understand more from citizens what their experience of memorials are and what would matter most to them as part of future plans
To support learning and understanding on the rituals and traditions of funerals and funeral poverty
To review parks and green spaces as venues and opportunities for public memorials including the work on green funerals in Birmingham
Consider a response to the loss of family pets as a key part of the experiences of loss we face

Arts and Culture

We maximise the vibrant and diverse Arts and Culture Community across the City supporting activities and events to support and understand shared experiences on issues relating to death, dying and loss

There have been a range of exhibitions across the City’s museums including death tours, death cafes for many years
BrumYODO have been at the forefront of this movement since 2016 and continue to be active across the city including their annual festival “A Matter of Life and Death”.
There is a rich history of arts and culture across the City. Birmingham has a world renowned Pre-Raphaelite Art Collection celebrating life and death.
The City have engaged in Dying Matters events since it’s inception
There are music, theatre and spoken word based organisations supporting connecting communities
There are a wide range of community based craft activities to reduce isolation and encourage conversations

Next Steps

To have conversations with communities and other stakeholders to maintain the work undertaken today and add diversity and breadth to the conversations and exhibitions
The ICS, specifically the NHS, Public Health and Adult Social Care are working together on the Arts in Health strategy and will incorporate compassionate communities

Health and Care

Our Health and Care System understands the benefits of compassion and a community development ethos in all that it does

The Compassionate City Charter has been embraced by key parts of the ICS including Adult Social Care, Public Health, voluntary sector and NHS providers
The work streams on Palliative and End of Life Care include commitment to Ambition Six “Every community is prepared to help” within the national ambitions framework
Continue to elevate and celebrate the vital role of Community Sources of Bereavement Support delivered by voluntary sector and community networks, clubs, groups and associations
Our 4 hospices and Murray Hall Community Trust have been committed to and working towards compassionate communities for many years
There is an education and training programme being co-produced and tested with communities to support skills and knowledge on issues to do with serious illness, caring responsibilities and bereavement – this will include public education for death literacy, manual handling and understanding loss
Community development and compassionate communities is being connected into a wide range of City health and care strategies including Neighbourhood Integration and front line integrated teams which include local network leads and primary care

Next Steps

Amplify the role of the voluntary sector across the City
Continue to drive changes in strategy by including compassionate communities in service specifications
Evaluate the nursing home survey on their engagement in communities and work on how this is enhanced
Develop the three lane approach to all service redesign programmes
Roll out the training and education programme and encourage communities to participate
Ensure the interlinking strategies of complex care and prevention are united around the ethos of compassionate communities

Schools, Colleges, Universities and Young People

All schools, colleges, universities and young people across the City have access to proactive & crisis support including:-

Empowering the school community to engage in topics relating to death, dying & loss
Curriculum enrichment and study sessions
Peer support on understanding loss
Teacher Training on understanding loss
Direct support following a death within the school community

Next Steps

Enhancing the proactive offer via an Education Conference towards the end of 2022
Talking to schools that have not engaged to find out why and jointly create solutions
Talking to parent groups to get their experience of bereavement support within the school community
Contact youth organisations such as the Guides and Scouts

Workplaces & Trade Unions

All workplaces across the City have access to proactive & crisis support including:-

Understanding loss in the workplace training
Access to workshops and conferences to support their organisational culture in the area of death, dying and loss
An employer survey has been completed to help engage understanding and support on issues to do with supporting someone who is, or work whilst seriously ill or grieving
1st employer conference has taken place

Next Steps

Wide scale promotion and showcasing the work of compassionate employers across the City
Target businesses that offer services that work with people who are bereaved including vets, solicitors, funeral directors, insurance companies etc
Connecting in with incentives to celebrate compassion in the workplace
Rolling out Compassionate Companies standard
Rolling out Compassionate Community Connectors
Creating a Compassion Café for Birmingham Employers
Connecting employers with Neighbourhood Network Schemes
Engage with trade unions

Neighbourhoods

Our citizens are actively involved in their communities in being supported or supporting others on care giving, grieving, living with a serious illness in order to build resilience and prevent crisis

There are many examples across the City including Street Connectors, Neighbourhood Networks, Bereavement Help Points, drop in centres, cafes, foodbanks, volunteers, faith groups etc
There are community greens spaces that are welcoming of community activities and togetherness

Next Steps

To make sure no one is left behind – work with our communities to ensure that the benefits of a compassionate city are available to all
Roll out Compassionate Community Connectors via the NNS
Continue to treasure hunt in our community and see if what is already in place would like any additional support such as training
Develop the three lane approach to all service redesign programmes with a clear focus on resilience and prevention

Places of Worship

Our city invites people of all faiths, and none, to participate in the wide range of activities, forums, support networks and groups run by faith groups across Birmingham

Engagement and support from the Birmingham Council of Faiths on the CC-UK Foundation Modules and the Compassionate City Network
Examples of existing groups, support and activities on issues relating to death, dying and loss with faith organisations

Next Steps

To continue connecting support and access between faith groups and social prescribers
Encourage members of faith groups to engage as Compassionate Community Connectors
Support faith groups where the Compassionate City Network can enhance their role and work across Birmingham
Promote www.footstepsbcf.org.uk a mapping of 800 places of worship across Birmingham

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