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We need your help to give vital support to unpaid carers across Wiltshire

Coronavirus has had untold implications on unpaid carers who have found themselves at the forefront of the COVID pandemic.

Most of us have found the current coronavirus situation hard, having to isolate ourselves from family and friends. But for unpaid carers, this can be their normal, and may carry on for much longer after things go back to normal for the rest of us.

You’re greatly appreciated for your hard work and caring for those of us who often feel ‘out in the wilderness’

Your donation today will help us to raise £30,000 to enable us to continue to offer practical, specific and bespoke support to carers across Wiltshire in the aftermath of the pandemic and re-establish the support networks they so desperately need.

Donate now

Colins story

Colin looks after both his elderly parents and has done for the past 15 years.

After receiving a letter from Carer Support Wiltshire about our Talk & Support service, Colin thought it was about time he started looking after himself. Colin says: “Mentally I had not been in a good space for the last few months and Talk & Support has been a godsend. It’s so lovely to be able to speak freely with someone and someone my age”.

Donate now to help someone like Colin

 

Simon’s story

Simon has been caring for his wife Anna, who has a Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) which means her brain struggles to control her body, for the past 15 years.

Simon says: “My caring role is one that’s increased over time. I haven’t been plunged into hot water; I’ve been placed in cold water and the heat has been gradually turned up”.

Simon was able to attend one of our male carer cookery events.

He said: “It was utterly brilliant and I have gained new skills. It’s something I have never done before and I’ll never forget it. As a carer for my wife, it was also something I could come home and share the experience with her.

“It was a really nice thing to be offered to do and to know that people out there understand how much it means to have a break from my caring role.”

Donate now to help support someone like Simon

Donate today to make a big difference

  • £10 could pay for a member of staff to man our support line for unpaid carers
  • £30 could mean an older male carer can attend a cookery class to learn vital cookery skills, meet others in a similar situation to them and learn how to prepare healthy and nutritious food
  • £40 could pay for the printing and postage costs of our monthly newsletter and what’s on guide to reach 100 carers who don’t have access to the internet
  • £150 could give a carer on the brink of crisis 6 counselling sessions from trained professional
  • £500 could run a carers café for a year which offers vital peer-led support to up to 20 carers
  • £1,200 helps us make well-being calls to over 100 vulnerable carers

Donate now

 

Did you know?

  • 10% of Wiltshire’s population are unpaid carers – approximately 47,000 (Census 2011)
  • 66% of carers reported that one of the biggest challenges they face as a result of their caring role, was no time away from caring – no breaks (Carers Week Report; 2020)
  • 25% of carers haven’t had a break in 5 years
  • Nearly 40% of carers say they are ‘struggling to make ends meet’
  • 64% of carers say that they have neglected their own needs to focus on the needs of the person they care for (Carers UK; State of Caring Survey; 2019)

During the COVID pandemic:

  • Approximately 70% of carers provided more care than before the COVID crisis (Carers UK, Caring behind closed doors, July 2020)
  • Over half of carers (55%) reported feeling overwhelmed and worried they were going to burn-out in the next few weeks (Carers UK, Caring Behind Closed Doors, July 2020)
  • 42% of young adult carers were unable to take a break from caring during the COVID crisis (Carers Trust, July 2020)
  • 1 in 5 young adult carers said the amount of time they spent caring per week increased by more than 30 hours (Carers Trust, July 2020)

Donate now

Get creative and fundraise for carers!

Download our fundraising pack for tips, tricks and ideas to help you fundraise for carers!

Download our fundraising pack

  • Host your own quiz and ask people to donate to join – download our quiz to get started!
    • Picture round
    • Quiz questions & answers
    • For participants
  • Host a virtual raffle or silent auction
  • Give up something for charity! Do you bite your nails or want to give meat up for a month? Why not get sponsors and raise money for unpaid carers
  • Skip, run, jump or walk around your house or garden for a week or a month
  • From charity balls, to bake sales, or maybe you’d like to set yourself a personal challenge – whatever you love to do or want to do – turn it into an amazing fundraiser and help us to support even more carers.

Our friendly fundraising team are here to help you make it a success. We can visit your group or company, or give you a call to talk things through. Email us today at fundraising@carersupportwiltshire.co.uk