STAFF at Redditch Carers Careline are celebrating after landing a huge £165,760 grant from the Big Lottery Fund.
The service, which offers unpaid carers advice, information, support and training, is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Redditch town centre and operations officer Fiona Mitchell admits it’s a vital shot in the arm for a service which in the past has been battling to survive.
“Quite recently we came perilously close to closing and I just thought to myself, ‘let’s just hang on and see what might happen’,” she said.
“The support we have received from The Big Lottery acknowledges the vital contribution of unpaid carers in society and recognises their needs.
“Although other fundraising activities remain essential, the grant makes a significant contribution to securing our services for the next three years.
She added: “We have a carer on our board and she said to me the other day ‘I’m so worried about what might happen if you weren’t here.’
“This grant means we can carry on delivering a service that we know is of real need here in Redditch.”
Redditch Carers Careline offers support to people who, for a variety of reasons, find themselves looking after a loved one or a neighbour who has fallen ill.
They might not realise it but the act of caring inevitably impacts on them, sometimes affecting their work, their health and their finances as well as their time.
It is estimated that the work done by unpaid carers is equivalent to £132billion which greater than the UK’s NHS budget each year.
Carers Careline offers advice, a drop in centre, bereavement support and days out for carers. Yesterday (Thursday) they even organised a trip to the Severn Valley Railway for carers.
“The Big Lottery grant means that we can really focus on delivering those services to the carers of Redditch.”
Carers Careline can be contacted on 01527 66177.
