Carr Gomm Summer Magazine 2026

 

 

 

 

Carr Gomm Summer Magazine 2026

 

Featuring your feedback, news, stories, our annual forums, and much more!

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In This Issue:
A Note from the Chief Executive
Carr Gomm's Biannual Survey Resutls
News from Rural Scotland
Involvement Group
News from the East
News from International Collaborations
Summer of Sport
Fundraising Challenge Events
Wordsearch

A Note From The Chief Executive

This summer will stay with me for a long time. There have been celebrations, commiserations and carnivals — and that was just Scotland returning to the men’s World Cup for the first time since 1998.

Across Carr Gomm, spring and summer have brought opportunities to connect, chat and celebrate together.

While I was absorbed in watching the Tartan Army form new relationships in North America, the Forth Valley Walking Group were strengthening their own friendships as they explored together in the fresh air.

In Inverness, a Forum gave people the ideal space to come together, share their perspectives and help us make sure our support has the greatest possible impact.

In June, we welcomed new friends from IRMÁK in Hungary, who visited us to learn about the importance of our person-centred approach and what it means to the people we support in Edinburgh and Midlothian. At the same time, colleagues from Argyll & Bute were speaking at a conference in Malta about the positive impact of our 24-hour Responder teams.

Whether at home or further afield, there is far more that connects us as humans, than divides us.  We can all contribute to nurturing new connections by offering friendship, kindness and hope.


Andrew Thomson
Chief Executive

A man (Andrew Thomson) wearing glasses and a tweed jacket stands in a hallway next to a window.

Carr Gomm’s Biannual Survey

Every six months, Carr Gomm surveys the people we support and their key contacts to gather their feedback on the services we provide.

92% of respondents said their service is working for them, and 89% said they would recommend Carr Gomm to others.

Over 92% of respondents agreed with the following statements.

  • I am involved in decisions about my support.

“Meet my needs. Always ask about my choices. Respectful support. Friendly. Regular, known staff.”

  • The people who work with me understand my needs.

“Tailored service to overcome personal boundaries.”

  • Staff listen to me.

“Staff are friendly and listen to me”

  • My service is well organised and managed.

“Carr Gomm are a well run care in the community organisation, manager A. runs her team very well and when anything crops up she is very quick to respond or assist if required. E. feels comfortable with all her team.”

  • My support is making a positive difference to my life.

“It is a great service. I feel my involvement champion and the events run have made a big difference in my life.”

  • If I had a suggestion to help improve my service, staff would take me seriously.

“I like how I am being supported by staff. As my choices and opinion matters.”

  • If I had a concern or complaint about my Carr Gomm service, staff would take me seriously.

“The staff always ask if there is anything else I need help with and always listen and are very kind.”

News from Rural Scotland

A map of Scotland. Argyll & Bute and Highland are cololured purple.

A Space to be Heard

Angie Bird, our Housing Support Link Worker, brought people together in Oban for a lived experience focus group to help shape new training on homelessness prevention. The group closed with affirmations, small, honest words of encouragement for anyone walking a similar path. Simple reminders that we’re stronger together than we know.

Meal Do Naidheachd, Maggie Ann! Support Practitioner Rose Nwadigo visited Maggie Ann to mark her 92nd birthday, arriving with a beautiful bouquet from the Seaboard team. We hope you had a wonderful day, Maggie Ann! Meal Do Naidheachd = Congratulations in Gaelic!

Inverness Forum

Earlier this year, our Inverness Home Based Respite team held a fantastic forum. People we support shared their thoughts on our services, helping shape the support that matters most to them. There was plenty of festive fun too, and a huge thank you to Carr Gomm charity shop for the Easter goodies!

A group of people pose for a picture in a restaurant.
A selection of Easter themed treats on display.
A table decorated with a colourful tablecloth displays a variety of raffle prizes
A decorative tree with pastel painted eggs hanging from the branches
Two women wearing yellow tops pose for a picture in a restaurant environment.
Two men smile while holding a vase with flowers.
A restaurant full of people sitting at tables.
A woman plays the keyboard. In the background is a table decorated and displaying raffle prizes
A party environment in a restautant.

News from the Involvement Group

Members of the Involvement Group participated in five co-design projects with the Scottish Government, focusing on key aspects of social care. They shared their experiences as people who receive social care support and offered suggestions, advice, and ideas to help improve social care for everyone across Scotland. The Involvement Group received a personal thank you from Angela Thewlis, Minister for Community Care at the Scottish Government, for their participation in the co-design sessions:

“I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for giving your time to participate in the Co-design Partnership Programme which provided opportunities to engage in work supporting the delivery of the Care Reform Act, and on ongoing policy improvement activity. As the new Minister for Community Care, I understand the importance of continuing to make sure that people with lived experience are a key part of developing health and social care policies. … Your participation in this work is, and will continue to be, a hugely important part of the evidence base for improvement.”

Members said they were glad to have been given the opportunity to share their thoughts and are hopeful it will lead to positive change across social care in Scotland.

News from the East

Edina in Paris

This year, Edina went on her first holiday abroad to Paris. During her holiday, she visited the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame and Disneyland Paris, capturing scenes from across the city in her sketchbook.

“Our favourite part was seeing her joy during the two days at Disneyland – a place she has dreamed of visiting for so long.” – Rose, Support Practitioner

A woman (Edina) wearing a pink sweater and a pink beret sits in a hotel lobby
Two women pose for a picture outside Notre Dame cathedral
Two women siting on a ledge outside the entrance to Disneyland Paris
A feminine hand holds up a drawing of black sheep in a field in front of a woman sitting at a cafe booth
A feminine hand holds up a drawing of a plane in the clouds. The Eiffel Tower and Disneyland castle poke through the clouds in the distance. It is held up in front of a woman sitting at a cafe booth
A feminine hand holds up a drawing of the Eiffel Tower in front of a woman sitting at a cafe booth
A woman (Edina) wearing a white t-shirt holds up a drawing of the castle at Disneyland Paris
A woman (Edina) sits on a park bench drawing on a sketchbook. She is in a park with lots of people around.
The pink castle at Disneyland Paris
A statue of Buzzlightyear
Two women posing for a selfie on a rollercoaster
Two women pose for a picture outside Disney Theatre World Premiere
A woman (Edina) wearing a gold puffer coat and backpack poses with her hands up outside an entrance to Disneyland Paris
A woman (Edina) sits on a bench drawing
A woman (Edina) wearing a colourful sweater, draws in a sketchbook
A woman (Edina) wearing a pink top draws on a light up sketchbook. On the wall there is a mural of Disney characters.
Two women posting in a cutout of playing cards. There are trees in the background
Edina on the Paris Metro
Edina, Rose and Inga on the plane to Paris
Edina boarding her first plane
Edina and her Support Practitioner on the metro
Edina and her Support Practitioner at Disneyland Paris

King’s Trust

We have been working with the King’s Trust to deliver ‘Get into Social Care’ programs for young people in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. This programme offers young people the opportunity to learn about working in social care, and to shadow Support Practitioners in services. A big welcome to the young people who have been successful in securing a job with Carr Gomm after taking part in the program – you might recognize some familiar faces in the photo!

News from International Collaborations

International Collaboration LogoIt has been a busy time for the International Collaborations Project. Colleagues have taken part in inspiring learning visits to Cologne, Turin, Brussels, Porto and Dublin, bringing back new ideas and piloting a new approach that was recognised by the Care Inspectorate. We shared our person-centred practice at a conference in Malta and welcomed visitors from Catalonia, the USA and Hungary, inspiring our Hungarian partners to radically rethink their practice and develop a new home-based service. We look forward to continuing our global learning journey with upcoming opportunities in the USA, Finland, and more. by Rebecca Robinson

Summer of Sport

2nd Annual Carr Gomm Sports Festival

Supported by local clubs, groups and organisations, the Carr Gomm Sports Festival, held in June, had so much to offer. With the sun shining, almost 100 people came together to get active and try something new. From football with Milton All Stars Football Club and rugby with Bannockburn Rugby Club to archery with Active Stirling and cycling with Bikes Without Barriers, there was a sport for everyone to get involved in. With lots of smiles and laughter, a fantastic time was had by all!

A man (Cameron) wearing a t-shirt and shorts sits in a wheelchair by a sportsfield.
A man and woman pose for a picture in a sports field.
A woman sits in a wheelchair on a football pitch holding a ball. A woman stands beside her.
Two people cycling an adaptive bicycle on a tarmac track. There are cones on the track in the background.
A group of people wearing blue Carr Gomm t-shirts on a grassy pitch.

Forth Valley Walking Group 

Founded in the summer of 2024 by Support Practitioner Linda Harkness, with support from Service Manager Gillian Weird, the Walking Group started with simple walks around Callendar Park. We meet weekly for a peaceful walk through woodland paths and enjoy views of the lake. After the walk, we gather at a nearby bench or beside the kiosk to enjoy tea, coffee, snacks, or an ice cream together. It’s a lovely way to stay active and socialise. We also celebrate special occasions throughout the year, including Halloween and Christmas, members’ birthdays and a big Easter picnic, attended by other services from the Forth Valley area. This year, the Care Inspectorate visited and observed our group activity and gave us wonderful feedback. Looking ahead, we have lots of plans. Linda is seeking extra funding so we can organise trips to the beach and other places, as well as hold regular events in the local community hall. Our aim is to help everyone stay active and connected, make new memories, and enjoy more social time together. By Dorothy Sarabia 

Come on, Scotland!

This summer, football fans across Scotland got behind the national team for the World Cup – and we did too! We kicked off the tournament with our own World Cup party in Midlothian. There was laughter, foosball, snacks and a performance from our very own Midlothian Music Group. While Scotland’s World Cup journey ended sooner than we had hoped, we were proud to back our team and enjoying watching every match with friends. Thank you to everyone who joined our World Cup party and here’s hoping Scotland will have another shot next time!

Three women sitting on a sofa wearing decorative flags in their hair. On the wall behind them are flags from around the world.
A woman wearing a Scotland footbal jersey and a man play on mini foosball table.
A man wearing a Scotland football jersey stands next to another man in an office environment. They are both smiling with thumbs up.
A selection of party food

Fundraising Challenge Events

Events and challenges are a great way to fundraise for Carr Gomm, whether your goal is to challenge yourself, get fit or simply have a fun day out with friends and family.
Two women running on a promenade by the sea. They are both wearing sunglasses, one is wearing a Carr Gomm tshirt.

Gillian raised £315 at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival Half Marathon

Two women smiling and holding up medals. In the background is an inflatable obstacle course.

Katie and Gemma raised £625 at the Glasgow Inflatable 5K

A picture of a Carr Gomm jersey with a marathon sticker fixed to the front.

Neil raised £590 at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival Half Marathon

A man (Robert) wearing a Kiltwalk lanyard stands by the Kiltwalk finish line.

Robert raised £500 at the Aberdeen Kiltwalk

A group of 4 people hugging each other. They are wearing Carr Gomm tshirts and in the background are people and the Kiltwalk finish line.

Team Dundee raised £270 at the Dundee Kiltwalk

A group of people wearing Carr Gomm tshirts pose for a picture holding Scotland flag and trophy cut outs.

Team Glasgow raised £573 at the Glasgow Kiltwalk

A young woman wearing sunglasses, a Carr Gomm tshirt and running vest. In the background are other runners.

Catherine raised £280 at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival 10K

Visit our Challenge Events Page for upcoming fundraising opportunities 

Wordsearch

Can you find all the words in the wordsearch that have been inspired by this edition of the Carr Gomm Magazine?

Words are hidden: → ↓

Wordsearch
Download Wordsearch as PDF

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