A wide range of online and live sessions for family members and friends who support someone with health or care needs has been organised to take place during Carers Week 2021 (7 – 13 June).
The events, organised by Torbay Carers Service (which is run by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust), aim to provide plenty of opportunities for local unpaid carers to enjoy fun, educational and social activities.
Carers Week – which runs from 7 to 13 June – is an annual campaign which raises awareness of unpaid caring. It aims to highlight the challenges carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities across the country. The theme for 2021 is ‘Making Caring Visible & Valued’.
The sessions available range from arts and craft activities such as mosaic and wax melts workshops, to fitness sessions and cooking classes. Carers will also be able to enjoy organised outdoor activities such as pitch and putt and a trip on the Dartmouth Steam Railway.
Katy Heard, Carers and Volunteers Lead at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Carers Week is a fantastic opportunity to recognise the contribution that carers make to our communities. We hope to also make the wider public realise that they may be carers too, and to make themselves ‘visible’ by linking in with the wide range of support that is available to them throughout the year.
“Torbay Carers Service has a wonderful array of Carers’ Week activities that offer important opportunities for carers in our community. The programme is designed to be flexible, with carers encouraged to take part where they feel comfortable. This may be online events from the comfort of their own homes, live events in person, or both!
“We hope that these sessions give carers a break from their caring role and also help them appreciate the importance of their contributions to our families, communities and wider society.”
Carers will need to register their interest for the events by Friday 7 May. The programme of activities and can be found in the Spring 2021 brochure of Signposts for Carers. The magazine as well as a downloadable application form can be found here: www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk/services/carers-service/signposts-magazine. Alternatively call 01803 666620 for a form.
For more information on support available, contact Signposts for Carers by phone on 01803 666620, by emailing [email protected], visiting the website on www.tsdft.uk/carers or Facebook page on www.facebook.com/TorbayCarers.
