This week is National Carers Week, an annual week to raise awareness of caring and highlight the challenges unpaid carers face.

It also recognises the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the country.

The theme this year is to Make Caring Visible and Valued. There comes a time when even the most tireless helper realises that they need to recharge their batteries to be able to give the most to their loved one.

St Christopher's Trust is a learning disability charity based in Glossop which provides the following, valuable information for carers.

St Christopher’s can help you plan regular respite care breaks to fit in with all your other life/work needs and responsibility and one of the main services they offer is ‘respite’ care.

This means that they can step in to let a carer take a bit of time off for themselves or to be with other members of the family. Breaks are a ‘must have’ to look after your own mental health and wellbeing.

They can also help you navigate the best way of funding these breaks. There are several options available, depending on your individual circumstances, including access to Continuing Health Care (CHC) provided by the NHS.

The trust strives to always go the extra mile to ensure that their residents and service users are given the resources and support to live as normal life as possible and to reach their full potential.

St Christopher’s offer the chance to exercise their own personal choice when it comes to taking part in social and educational activities. They offer a wide range of options including art, dance and music classes, sport and exercise, gardening, puzzles and bingo and life skills courses, for example in handling money and cooking.

Get in touch with St Christopher’s to talk you through all the different kinds of support they can offer – either in a family home or within the community.

They can also offer temporary residential accommodation at their new refurbished, purpose-built care home, Redcourt which is located in extensive gardens on the outskirts of Glossop.

For an obligation free conversation about how they can help, please call the Head of Care Services, Sue Hammond, on 01457 861355 or email her on sue@stchristopherstrust.org

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