Text preferences:

Colour preferences:

01761 431388

Funding Win Gives Extra Help To Carers

Counsellor Jenny Hailes with Sonia Hutchison, Chief Executive of the Carers’ Centre Bath and North East Somerset.

A local charity has been awarded £16,000 to help improve mental health and well being for carers and to provide skills and training to help them in their caring role.

Thanks to a grant from St Johns’ Hospital, the Carers’ Centre Bath and North East Somerset is running free counselling sessions for Bath-based carers. “People who have to devote their life to caring for the health of another person can find it difficult to put aside for time for themselves,” explained counsellor Jenny Hailes from the Centre. “Depression, tiredness and being overwhelmed with responsibilities all take their toll. Through counselling I give strategies to help carers to cope.”

Carers’ counselling sessions are taking place on Saturdays at Oldfield Surgery in Bath. The surgery works closely with the Carers’ Centre and hosts monthly drop-in services where carers can come along for help and support.

After another successful bid, the Charles Hayward Foundation donated funds for the Centre to offer free training to older carers in first aid, assertiveness and healthy cooking and lifestyle.

Carers’ Centre Chief Executive Sonia Hutchison said: “Over half of all carers are over the age of 65 and can be trying to get by on very low incomes. We already offer free courses in finance and budgeting for older carers and this extra training will go a long way to helping this isolated group to improve self esteem, live longer and healthier and cope with their relentless caring roles.”

Any carer who would like more information about getting help and support from the Carers’ Centre, please contact 01761 431388 or visit www.banescarerscentre.org.uk