Registered Charity No
1193232
The Respite Association was born on May 16th 2001. A group of people, all with first-hand experience of the stress put on carers, had come to realise that there was very little support available for those caring for loved ones. That small but committed group of people decided that the best way forward was to create an organisation whose sole aim was to care for the carers by providing respite. When you are caring for someone the task can be overwhelming. You can be on ‘duty’ for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no breaks or holidays. This is too much to ask of anyone.
So what do we actually do?
We are a small Charity that makes a big impact. We provide short term assistance by funding appropriately qualified respite care for people with disabilities, long term physical or mental health conditions, and those who are terminally ill in order that their regular unpaid carer can be allowed to take a much needed break. Breaks can take the form of anything from enabling attendance at an evening class to a weekend break or longer. We also provide free week long seaside holidays to enable carers to recharge their batteries. In 2021, we purchased our first bricks and mortar respite facility – a purpose built holiday bungalow in Cornwall. We also have a caravan in North Wales.
Who will we help?
Many of the people who are at home caring for loved ones are forced to live on very limited incomes. It is these people that we are working to help.
What does it cost?
Whilst providing suitably qualified carers in the home or funding a temporary place in a residential care centre can be expensive, the benefits to the carer are beyond measure. The cost and level of support varies dramatically from a few pounds to several hundred with an average level of around £500.
How you can help?
By playing the Unity Lottery you can help us to continue to support carers when they need us the most. It does not cost much to make a massive difference to the lives of carers and, who knows, you might even win a prize too!