caring

Westbank’s Head of Carers Services wins Care and Support West 'Team Leader' award

A senior leader at Devon’s foremost health and wellbeing charity, Westbank Community Health and Care, has won a prestigious regional award that recognises the work of Care Professionals across the South West.

Andy Hood, who oversees Westbank’s Carers Services including Devon Carers, was named Team Leader of the Year at the Care and Support West awards 2024, now in their 11th year....

Dementia activist praises carers and tells them: 'You matter'

Over the past couple of years I have been advocating for families living with dementia in addition to leading the Exeter Dementia Action Alliance.

I have witnessed family carers on their knees at crisis point, desperate, isolated with overwhelming feelings of helplessness.

At times I have felt useless, but having immersed myself into the world of dementia over the past...

Devon charity celebrates 25 years of supporting unpaid carers

Devon Carers, a free service by Westbank Community Health and Care, is this month celebrating 25 years of supporting unpaid carers across the county and is planning several events throughout the coming year as part of its landmark anniversary.

The charity provides a wide range of support services to those who look after family members or friends because they are ill, frail, or have a...

Westbank raises awareness of Devon’s army of unpaid carers in Carers Week

In response to this year’s Carers Week (5th -11th June) theme ‘Recognising and supporting carers in the community’, the organisation that supports thousands of unpaid carers across Devon is highlighting the invaluable role carers undertake, which saves the NHS and Social Care organisations across the county an estimated £2.324 billion a year!

Around 75,000 adults provide care for a...

Devon charity's free Advice Fair for unpaid carers on Carers Rights Day

In Devon, approximately 135,000 people look after someone who couldn’t manage without their help and receive no payment for it. Some are new to caring, while others have cared for a family member, friend or neighbour for some time. It’s an invaluable role but carers often feel alone or unsupported, particularly in light of the current cost-of-living crisis.

Devon Carers, part of...

The caring face of politics?

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey MP, and the party’s by-election candidate for Tiverton & Honiton, Richard Foord, have met with unpaid carers in the constituency at an event organised by Devon Carers to mark Carers Week. Devon Carers is a service provided by the charity Westbank Community Health and Care, based at Exminster, near Exeter.

Sir Ed Davey, who’s been a...

Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw walks A Mile with a Smile to raise awareness of Devon's unpaid carers

Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw walks A Mile with a Smile to raise awareness of Devon's unpaid carers

Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw has been striding through Westminster - walking A Mile with a Smile - to help raise awareness of the everyday challenges faced by unpaid carers and the enormous contribution they make to families and communities throughout Devon.

It’s the first time Ben has taken part in the awareness raising event organised by Devon Carers, which was started during Carers Week...

How the animation will look at Exeter Phoenix

Spotlight on Care projection

Over two consecutive nights (21st - 22nd October, 6.15 pm - 10.15 pm) a large, hand-drawn animation of a Devon carer and her son will be projected onto the Exeter Phoenix Building as part of a collaborative project to celebrate the millions of unpaid carers who work around the clock looking after their friends and family at home. Research shows their role has been made even harder by the closure of support services during the COVID crisis.

Spotlight on Care is an emotive contemporary art project inspired by a collaboration between Exeter-based illustrator-animator Leo Jamelli and...

The cost of caring in Plymouth

Caring for Plymouth’s most vulnerable children and adults costs approximately £115 million per year and makes up almost 55 percent of Plymouth City Council’s overall budget.

Councillors Nicky Williams, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Sue McDonald, Cabinet Member for Adult Health and Social Care are determined to protect frontline services for Plymouth’s most vulnerable...