Thanks to the Short Breaks Scheme, Cardiff and the Vale Regional Partnership Board (RPB) awarded over £130,000 to help more than 2,000 unpaid carers enjoy a short break in 2023/24.
As the national coordinating body of the Short Breaks Scheme, Carers Trust Wales works in partnership with the seven Regional Partnership Boards (RPBs) to oversee the delivery of grants to short breaks delivery partners across Wales.
One RPB, Cardiff and the Vale, worked with Cardiff 3rd Sector Council (C3SC) to deliver funding to 11 third sector organisations:
Through these organisations, 2,255 unpaid carers were able to enjoy a short break.
Chris Ball, Ageing Well Programme Manager, says, “The success of this project is down to the support given to unpaid carers, which in turn supports our wider health and social care system. This project has allowed carers to be given some recognition and support, as well as accessing new services or activities they may have not previously been aware of. Feedback has shown that unpaid carers have been extremely grateful and utilised the Short Breaks Scheme to support their mental health and wellbeing so that they can continue their caring responsibilities.”
Chris shares one piece of feedback they received from a carer who received a voucher for a spa day from their community group where they talked about the hardships and the realities of being an unpaid carer:
“Carers are often in hardship after having to give up work. They're saving the economy billions of pounds trying to keep their families together. Until we get the proper financial support we rightly deserve, we more than welcome any funding we can obtain.
"For many, our freedom has gone, the holidays have stopped, hobbies, social life, meals out, drinks with friends, the car you once owned, the laptop you tapped away on, all seem to be a thing of the past. And it's all instant. Your wages stop and so does your life! We are stretched to our limits, often in poor, physical and mental health ourselves.
Caring is a tough, often lonely and overwhelming job to do.
"To see people with tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces, knowing they are with friends enjoying a meal out with no cost to them is priceless. To see people being able to benefit from a cut and colour in a salon that they haven't been able to do for years is the best feeling. I am so looking forward to our spa days all thanks to that funding. "
It’s not just money! To us it's someone recognising our struggles and value. It's someone saying thank you!”
AP Cymru, who support people with neurodiversity and their families, received feedback around the support groups they run as part of their short break offer:
“Having a child with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be a lonely experience and AP Cymru allows us to meet people in the same boat, which is a wonderful feeling. The activities and breaks provided by AP Cymru allow my family to come together and experience the 'normal' that neurotypical families experience. It brings us together and allows us to bond and fully engage in each other’s time, reducing the daily mental load and allowing us to relax.
“It allows my daughter to engage with new experiences and people and build on her skills. It’s invaluable to us. It really is the gift that keeps on giving. Throughout the activities Sophia is allowed to play in her own way and engage in her own way, often running around laughing and smiling which for us is just the best. Thank you for the opportunity!”
Chris concludes, “Third sector organisations are already heavily involved in our unpaid carers programme, but the Short Breaks Scheme has enabled these organisations, and a much broader range of organisations, to offer additional capacity or different or new support for unpaid carers to take a break from caring. This would not have been possible without the funding.”