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Host of events for unpaid carers as part of Carers Rights Day

(Last Updated On: November 17, 2018)

 

 

Do you support someone? Do you look after a family member or friend who cannot manage alone? Do they have a health condition, mental health, drug or alcohol issue, illness, dementia, visual, hearing or learning disability? If so, we can support you!

As part of Carers’ Rights Day, unpaid carers of all ages are being invited to join in one of the free coffee and cake events that are taking place at a number of locations across Torbay from 23 – 30 November 2018.

Most events include free coffee and cake (or similar alternative). There will be information and advice about carers rights, benefit entitlements, assessments, support, discounts and much, much more.

Katy Heard, Carers Lead for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Often people who look after someone, especially a family member, don’t realise that they are considered to be carers, and that they have all sorts of rights.

“We hope that by having a range of places offering coffee and cake, people will sit down and have a chat with one of our workers and find out about the whole range of support that is available to them. There is support in hospitals, GP practices, information about working and caring, benefits and discounts and much more. We look forward to welcoming you to one of our events – even if it’s just popping by to say hello!”

Events planned so far include:

  • Friday 23 November (10am-1pm) SEND Fair for parents of Children with SEN, Parkfield, Paignton
  • Saturday 24 November (3pm-5pm) Mince pies and More, Brixham Carers Centre, King St Brixham
  • Saturday 24 November to Friday 30 November – various events at Torbay Hospital – ask at Main Entrance
  • Monday 26 November – Friday 30 November – drop-ins at various GP practices, ring Carers Services or your GP Practice for details
  • Monday 26 November – Friday 30 November – Young Carers Support at various schools, phone (01803) 208657 for more information
  • Tuesday 27 November (2pm-4pm) Coffee and Cake, Olive Carers Centre, Plainmoor, Torquay
  • Tuesday- Thursday: Dementia Carers drop-in advice at Memory Cafes, across the Bay
  • Tuesday to Saturday (10am-4pm) various events at The Lounge, upstairs at Fleet Walk Torquay including crafts, Yarn-bombing, music, IT help and Carers advice from 12noon – 2pm
  • Wednesday 28 November – Coffee and cake all day, carers advice from 1.30pm -3.30pm at the Windmill Centre, Torquay
  • Wednesday 28 November (10am-2pm) for Young Adult Carers (aged 16-25) Drop-in at South Devon College
  • Friday 30 November (10am -12.30pm) Carers of Adult with Learning Disabilities. Drop in to the Paignton Carers Centre
  • Friday 30 November at Torbay Hospital – Pop-up Carers Cafés with free coffee and cake and advice at Main Entrance Café, Outpatients Café and Bayview Restaurant

 

More events are being added every day, so for more information and an up-to-date list of events, please contact Signposts for Carers on: (01803) 666620, signposts@nhs.net , look at the Facebook pages for ‘TorbayCarers’ or visit the Trust’s website at: www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk/

Bob Jope Healthwatch Torbay

(Author)

Apart from five years studying in Oxford I’ve lived most of my life in London where for many years I was Head of English in a prestigious girls’ school, but since taking early retirement and heading West to be nearer to my two daughters - settling in Torbay with my wife, Anna, in 2011 - I’ve worked in the voluntary sector. I took on the role of Service Provider, for example, promoting the Red Cross Torbay Navigators Project, while now I’m a Trustee and part of the Media Team for our local Healthwatch. I’m a governor at Torquay Academy, too, giving me the chance to stay up to date with what’s happening in the world of education. Other interests, aside from friends and family, include art and art history, reading - from contemporary fiction and poetry to Elizabethan/Jacobean literature - history, politics, cooking, walking, and music, in particular Bob Dylan, the blues, and early Elvis. I love writing, too, with one novel published so far – Elvis in Wonderland – and another, Who’s There?, that still needs plenty of work!