Local charity celebrates volunteers

Care for the Carers, the East Sussex carers centre, celebrated the wonderful contribution of volunteers at their annual Volunteer Celebration Event at the beautiful Lansdowne Hotel at the Eastbourne seafront recently. Cally Emerson writes.

The event celebrated and thanked volunteers in East Sussex who have undertaken roles with Care for the Carers over the last year, helping the organisation to support over 10,000 carers each year.

Carers look after someone who couldn’t manage without their help. It could be a friend, family member or neighbour who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction could not cope without their support.

Having a well-supported volunteer team is crucial to the work of charities such as Care for the Carers. Without the time offered by volunteers some services wouldn’t exist. The Carers in Touch project is an example of a service run entirely by volunteers, who regularly phone carers for a social chat and a check-in. During these calls, volunteers often identify carers who need additional support or are in crisis, and they arrange an appointment with a Carer Support Worker, who can provide advice and seek further support for the carer as needed.

With volunteers as part of the Care for the Carers team, a larger number of carers can be reached and supported. Care for the Carers’ Chief Executive, Jennifer Twist, said of the event: “It was an important celebration of the phenomenal impact that our dedicated team of volunteers helps us to achieve.”

At the event, volunteers from various roles had the chance to meet, discuss their work and plan for the future. This year we were joined by volunteer counsellors, Carers’ Wellbeing Group hosts, Carers in Touch callers and volunteers helping with activities for young carers. We are grateful for their warm words of support. If you would like to join the team and take on a rewarding role, please contact Care for the Carers by calling 01323 738 390 or visit the website www.cftc.org.uk

About Care for the Carers

Care for the Carers is the Carers Centre for East Sussex and an independent charity supporting unpaid carers across the county. An unpaid carer is anyone who looks after someone who could not do without their support; there are thousands of unpaid carers across the county.

The charity is commissioned to provide services to carers by East Sussex County Council and the NHS.

The charity provides free practical and emotional advice to Carers and a range of services. Services include referrals to other local services, outreach support, one-to-one crisis help and guidance, coaching, training, wellbeing and support groups, activities and counselling. They strive to create carer friendly communities and peer support opportunities across East Sussex.

Their work ensures that no one is left to care alone. Further information is available at: www.cftc.org.uk, by phoning 01323 738390 or emailing info@cftc.org.uk.  

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