Nearly £25,000 raised by Wiltshire charity to give carers some time off
They're nearing their fundraising target
Carer Support Wiltshire have raised nearly £25,000 for their 'Time for Carers' appeal this year.
That money is going to be used to give unpaid carers in the county a chance to get some time off and have a day to themselves.
In the past, the appeal has paid for activities like yoga sessions, massages, counselling and theatre trips.
Veronica Acton, from Salisbury, was one carer who benefitted from 2019's appeal.
She cared for her husband Pete, who had liver failure and other complex health conditions, who sadly passed away in August last year.
Towards the end of his life Veronica was unable to leave him alone so Time For Carers paid for an Amazon Echo device, which allowed her husband to simply say 'call Veronica' and she would pop up.
Veronica said:
"The first time we used the Echo it was so I could go to the dentist. I told Pete where I was going but he would sometimes forget what I'd told him. He was able to just say 'call Veronica' and then he could see me on the screen, which was very reassuring for him.
The Echo also allowed me to get out in the garden sometimes for an hour if Pete was asleep. Gardening was an important way of keeping myself going and shutting bad things out of my head, and still is."
The charity are very close to their £30,000 fundraising target and are hoping they will reach it soon.
Rachael Demery, Community Fundraising Officer for Carer Support Wiltshire said:
"This year, more than ever, people want to thank unpaid carers for the work they do. Carers have had an incredibly difficult year, with many opportunities to take a break now not available to them. Recent research has shown that the number of hours of care being provided by carers has increased since the start of the pandemic.
We've received donations from The Fineman Trust, Multivac, Waitrose & Partners in Warminster and the Devizes Rotary Club among others. We thank them all for their kind support, alongside many generous individuals."
You can donate to the appeal by visiting their dedicated Just Giving page.
FESTIVE FUNDRAISING
In order to try and get the appeal over that £30,000 target, the charity have held a few festive themed activities.
On Friday {18th December), they asked businesses and residents to wear a Christmas hat, the more inventive the better.
They also held a Christmas quiz on the same day.