Thursday October 10 2024
Swindon & Wiltshire News
Carer Support Wiltshire is appealing to local businesses to offer discounts on their services or products to help thousands of unpaid carers in Wiltshire.
The Wiltshire Passport was introduced as a discount card for unpaid carers. So far around 50 local businesses have signed up to offer special deals to those carers who were in receipt of a Wiltshire Passport.
Businesses already taking part include beauty salons, cafés, cleaning companies, leisure centres and a number of retailers across the county.
Sue Crisfield, development manager at Carer Support Wiltshire, said: “Many carers are struggling financially to make ends meet with many people having to give up work in order to care for the family member or friend who needs them.
“The Wiltshire Passport gives businesses the opportunity to give something back to the local community and enables carers to save a little bit of money which could potentially make a lot of difference.”
The Wiltshire Passport is linked to the Carers Emergency Card (CEC), which is a free emergency response service providing unpaid carers with peace of mind.
The scheme is managed by Carer Support Wiltshire which is jointly supported by Wiltshire Council and NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group.
While registering for a CEC, a carer will develop an emergency support plan to provide details of what action should to be taken to support the person they care for, should they be unable to continue caring for them. They will then be issued a Wiltshire Passport.
Since January this year, 500 new carers have registered for a CEC and passport.
The 2011 Census figures reveal there are currently 47,608 people in the county who are providing unpaid care to a relative, child, partner or friend who cannot cope alone due to an illness, disability, additional need or substance misuse problem.
To find out more about joining the scheme, contact Sue Crisfield on 0800 1814118 or SueC@carersinwiltshire.co.uk
Any carers who would like to access the Wiltshire Passport discounts or support from Carer Support Wiltshire, can do so via www.carersinwiltshire.co.uk or by calling 0800 181 4118.
