Get involved this Carers Week

Carers are continuing to face new challenges this year. Many people are taking on more caring responsibilities and others find themselves newly caring for friends or family.

Next week is Carers Week (7-13 June 2021). To help recognise and celebrate the vital contributions unpaid carers make there are opportunities available in Brighton & Hove throughout the week.

  • Take advantage of great discounts with your carers card
  • Share something special in the online gallery
  • Join other carers at free information sessions, activities or workshops

Special offers for Carers Card holders

The Carers Card for Brighton & Hove offers savings and discounts from local businesses throughout the year. It’s free to people that care for children, young people and adults in the Brighton & Hove area.

Carers Card holders can get:

  • café, restaurant and shop discounts
  • gym, fitness and wellbeing classes or membership offers
  • music, entertainment or cinema tickets at a reduced rate,
  • taxi, bus and car hire discounts, as well as parking permits

Have a look at all the offers available to the Carers Card holders.

There’s also extra special offers in place during Carers week including:

  • Cafe Domenica is offering one free hot drink in their Preston Road Cafe on Monday 7 June when you show your Carers Card.
  • Brighton Natural Health Centre have a 50% discount for online and in-studio classes between Monday 7 and Sunday 13 June. Use the promo code ‘CARERS50’.
  • Anahata Health Clinic is offering any session for £30 for Carers’ Card holders.
  • Alexander Technique Online is offering a limited amount of discounted 121 online sessions for just £20 each.

Find out more about these special Carers Week offers and how to book.

If you don’t have a Carers Card, you’ll need to book in a free assessment to get one. Find out more and apply for a card.

Share you experience of life as a carer

To celebrate some of the fantastic contributions made by our local unpaid carers, the Carers Centre for Brighton & Hove is hosting an online gallery – My Life as a Carer.

Send in your stories, photographs, pictures, poems, tips, tricks and tales by Friday 18 June 2021 to feature in the gallery and to be entered into a prize draw to win a £20 shopping voucher.

Coming up from the Carers Centre this Carers Week

Throughout Carers Week you can join the Carers Centre for information sessions, to take some time out to try an activity or to meet other carers

Find out more about each session, check the latest availability and book a place on the Carers Centre website. Due to ongoing restrictions most sessions are on Zoom, unless otherwise stated.

Tai Chi & Qi Gon, Monday 7 June, 11am

A 4 week course in Tai Chi and Qi Gon begins.

Carers Week Quiz, Monday 7 June, 3-5pm, via Zoom

Online general knowledge quiz that you can join alone or with other members of your household.

Carers Book Club, Tuesday 8 June, 10.30am

Join others to read a short story and discuss it.

Baking Easy Flat Breads, Tuesday 8 June 12noon – 1pm

Simon from Stoneham Bakehouse will talk through a simple and easy recipe.

Employers for Carers, Tuesday 8 June, 5-6pm

Q&A session for local employers who want to know more about the Employers for Carers scheme and the benefits it can bring.

Carers Centre Weekly Coffee and Chat, Wednesday 9 June, 10.30am

Join other local carers for an informal chat.

Digital Resources Workshop for Carers, Wednesday 9 June, 2.30-3.30pm

Find out more about the free digital resources available to help carers or get help to sign up.

Monthly Meditation Group, Thursday 10 June, 10.30-11.30 am

Online monthly meditation meet-up.

A virtual look at Italy – Mountains, Beaches & Towns, Thursday 10 June, 3-4pm

Take a look at some beautiful landscapes, find out more and hear a few humorous tales from Engagement Lead, Steve, who lived and worked in Italy as a mountain guide.

Carers Surgery with Caroline Lucas MP, Friday 11 June, 5—6pm

Join Carers Centre patron, Caroline Lucas MP for a coffee and chat as she answers carers questions. Questions can be submitted in advance to carersweek@thecarerscentre.org, before 7 June.

Help to access groups and activities

If you need support for those you care for so you can attend an event please contact Crossroads Care on 01273 234021.

They can arrange for someone to come to your home to sit with your ‘cared for’ or to chat with them on the telephone while you attend an online or in-person session.

Arrangements will need to be made in advance so book early. If you are not already registered with Crossroads, please allow some extra time for the assessment process.

Get support while you care

If you are an unpaid carer for family members or friends, you can contact The Carers Hub to access a range of support and information from their dedicated advice and assessment support services:

Sign up to the Carers Digital Newsletter to keep up to date with the digital support and services that are available, as well as a range of resources to provide you with a break.

Support for young carers

The Young Carers Project supports children & young people aged 6-17 years, who are helping to care for someone in their family, with a disability, mental health condition, substance misuse issue or long-term illness. Young Adult Carers aged 16-25 can also get specialised support.

Support for employers and employees who also have a caring role

An estimated 1 in 7 employees provide unpaid care for a family, friends or a neighbour. This can have a serious effect on them and also their employer.

The Carers Centre offers specialist support and advice for employers and employees as well as a regular monthly peer support group for working carers or those wishing to return to work.

Employers for Carers scheme

Organisations in Brighton & Hove with fewer than 250 employees can become part of the free Employers for Carers scheme. This gives you access to a range of digital resources to support employees who are carers.

Larger organisations can also join the scheme with costs dependent on the number of employees.

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