Wiltshire County Council host 2 Carers Roadshows (9th & 12th June)05 June 2009
Wiltshire Council is helping dedicated local carers to make a real difference.
The council is supporting National Carers Week (June 8 to June 14) by holding two carer roadshows, running training events and promoting the help and services available to carers in Wiltshire.
National Carers Week is being held across the country to highlight the vital work done by carers. Carers are people who provide unpaid care to family members, friends or neighbours who are unable to manage without some support. This may be for reasons such as illness, age, disability, mental health needs or learning difficulties. In Wiltshire the estimated value of unpaid care provided by carers is £511 million per year.
Wiltshire Council, as well as a number of other organisations, provides a wide range of services and support to help carers in their caring role. This can range from being able to take a short break from caring to providing a carer’s emergency card, which can identify someone as a carer if they are in an accident. It is important that both carers and professionals are aware of these services so that they are able to look after themselves, as well as the person that they care for.
Wiltshire Council is organising two carers’ roadshow events to celebrate the week:
* Tuesday 9th June at the Guildhall in Salisbury - 10.30am to 3.00pm * Friday 12th June at the Neeld Hall, Chippenham - 10.30am to 3.00pm
There will be free prize draws, health checks and activity sessions available to all carers who come. There will also be a range of organisations who provide support to carers who will be able to give information and advice. Everyone is welcome and it will be a great opportunity to find out more information about the support available to Carers. So if you look after a family member or friend, come along and find out more.
In partnership with Carers Support Kennet, Wiltshire Council is also organising two carer awareness training sessions for professionals on Monday 8th June in Devizes. The sessions are free and open to all professionals who work with carers, including those who work in social care, the NHS, statutory, voluntary or private sector. The sessions are designed to give professionals a better awareness of the valued work that carers do, the pressures they face and the services that are available to carers to help them in their caring role.
“Carers play an incredibly important role in our communities and it is vital that we recognise the fantastic work that they do and support them in every way we can. The events being organised during Carers Week will help us to reach carers across Wiltshire and tell them about what is available to them,” says Sue Redmond, corporate director of community services at Wiltshire Council.
This year’s Carers Week is supported by the actor Sir David Jason, who cared for his girlfriend before her death from breast cancer.
Sir David said: “Having been a carer myself, I am all too aware of the huge burden on those who are looking after a loved one and the daily struggles they face. Carers really are the unsung heroes of our society and all too often they struggle to get the recognition they deserve. I’m proud to be part of Carers Week and lend my voice to the call for more support and services for carers.”
For more information on any of these events and to book a place on the training sessions, please contact Rhian on 01225 713933 or rhianbennett@wiltshire.gov.uk |
