Page 13 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • June 2002 13
National Carers Week 10 to 16 June

The aim of National Carers Week is to celebrate the cont ribution the UK's 6 million carers make to their families and communities,
writes Gillian Barber, coordinator of the P rincess Royal Trust for Carers, known in Swindon as FOCUS.
In Swindon some 18,000 people care for a partner, Festival arranged by the Children's Society
friend or relative who is unable to manage alone, with O `Songs of Praise' — organised by the
some 4,000 of them devoting over fifty hours a week Swindon Carers Christian Fellowship
to this selfless activity. Working on their behalf is O Displays in all doctors' surgeries
FOCUS, where a wide range of services to support O Information stand in Boots in The Brunel Centre
people with caring responsibilities is available. O Interviews on BBC Wiltshire Sound
Offering one to one support, information, a respire With an increasing number of people caring for
care service delivered by trained and caring staff, held, someone at home, National Carers Week is an
and advice, FOCUS staff also work constantly to important time to help people recognise themselves
improve local services for carers. Through consulta- as carers, and help them find out what support is
tion with carers and working with Health and Social available to them.
Services, FOCUS aims to ensure that carers' views are Everyone can help in this - neighbours, family,
represented and their needs are taken into considera- friends, doctors, nurses, priests, social workers — in
tion in all planning and provision of se rvices in fact most people who receive The Link will know of
Swindon. someone who has the responsibility of looking after
A wide variety of activities will be held by carers' someone at home. Many reading this article will be
organisations throughout the UK to celebrate Na- carers. The staff of The Princess Royal Trust for
tional Carers Week. In Swindon a number of activi- HRH The Princess Royal launched Carers will be happy to give help and information to
www.carers.org in May which provides a
ties are planned: anyone who contacts them.
O Summer Soothing — a day of relaxation and space to swap ideas on discussion boards For more information telephone 531133 or call in
and chatrooms, as well as gather essential
enjoyment for carers, to be held at Lydiard House to The Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre at 25
information
O 13 carers will be enjoying a free holiday at Morley Street, Swindon. We're open Monday to
Pontins in Blackpool Above, Princess Anne at a Focus confer- Friday, 10am to 4pm.
O 12 young carers will be attending a Young Carers' ence for carers in Swindon, February 2000 Mail: focus0©breathemail.net
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