Carers week runs from Monday 7 until Sunday 13 June 2021 and its theme this year is to Make Caring Visible and Valued.

The week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK.

There are over 6.5 million people in the UK who are carers. Carers are anyone who is looking after a family member or friend who has a disability, mental or physical illness who requires additional support.

This week there is a range of wellbeing activities being offered with the funding support from Oxford Health Charity allowing carers to focus on themselves, take some time to talk to others in a similar role and unwind following what has been a difficult year with the added pressures of the pandemic.

Di Hilson, carer involvement lead, said: “Oxford Health is keen that our carers can access the support they need such as groups, training, befriending services. It is about looking after their own mental wellbeing as we know this role can be very challenging.

“Caring for a loved one or friend can be a positive and rewarding experience, however it can be demanding and challenging too. Carers are the backbone to our care system and getting support to continue their caring role can be vital., the support groups, workshops and befriending line that we offer may really help someone.

“National Carers Week is a time to highlight the challenges carers face and recognise their valuable contribution.  At Oxford Health we want to give something back to our carers for the hard work they do all year round and the wellbeing week gives carers the opportunity to take some time out and to reflect and recharge. We want to remind carers that their own wellbeing is just as important as the person they care for.”

Oxford Health offers a range of Educational workshops and groups which are available across Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

The upcoming workshops in Buckinghamshire (for carers looking after someone who are accessing our Bucks Adult & Older Adult Mental Health service) as part of the Living Together series are:

Understanding Addiction – Thursday 10 June from 10am – 12pm

Understanding Low Motivation and Difficult Behaviours – Thursday 15 July from 10am – 12pm

The Oxfordshire workshops launched in January and the first 4 have been well attended, 4 more workshops are being organised. Keep an eye on the following page for further details and upcoming courses.

There is also a family and carer befriending line which is open to carers and family members who may feel isolated and just want someone to listen to them or have a friendly chat. If you call 01865 901012 anytime one of the befrienders will call you back between 11am – 12pm from Monday to Friday.

The Carers website also has lots of useful resources including accessing a carers assessment, finding out your rights and entitlements as a carer. You will also find out more about the I Care You Care strategy which was launched in 2017 and our continued commitment to ensuring we work closely with family, friends and carers to gain better understanding of their needs and the support they require.

Oxford Health’s talking therapy services Healthy Minds in Buckinghamshire and Talking Space Plus in Oxfordshire are two key organisations that help provide support to anyone suffering from a mental health concern. There focus will be reaching out to carers who provide continued care and can often feel isolated and more likely to experience mental health problems. Visit TalkingSpace Plus and Healthy Minds website for more information.

Visit our Carers website to access the useful resources and find out more about the services we offer.