News

To mark Carers' Week (8-14 June), our organisation, working with Devon Carers and funded by our charity Open Up, launched 100 wellbeing boxes for unpaid carers across Devon.

The initiative reflects this year's national theme, 'Building Carer Friendly Communities', recognising the importance of ensuring carers feel valued, listened to and supported.

The 100 wellbeing boxes have been carefully designed to offer both practical support and a moment of pause for carers. Each box contains warm drinks, gift cards for books and pampering, journals and pens. There are also mindfulness cards, mini-moments tips from Parental Minds, and Devon Carers' Give Me A Break compilation of carers' stories.

Alongside the contents, each box includes a personalised letter inviting carers to share their experiences, helping to create an ongoing dialogue and shape future support.

Joanna Duke, Together and Carer Lead at Devon Partnership NHS Trust, said: These wellbeing boxes will provide support to a targeted group of carers whose voices are currently underrepresented, particularly those caring for someone with severe mental illness.

Open Up supports initiatives that enhance mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services across Devon, helping to improve everyday experiences for patients, carers and staff.

Daniel Robson, Head of Charity Fundraising at Open Up, added: "Caring for someone can be hugely rewarding, but also challenging and often isolating. It's important that carers feel seen, valued and supported. We hope these boxes offer a moment to pause and remind them that they are not alone."

The project has been delivered in partnership with Devon Carers at Westbank, one of the largest services of its kind in the UK.

Suzie Walters-Jeffries, Partnerships and Development Manager for Devon Carers at Westbank, said: "We work in close partnership with DPT daily. The idea behind the boxes is to do something meaningful that provides a tangible gesture of recognition and wellbeing support for carers and also enables us to open up a dialogue with them, as their voices are currently underrepresented. It's a sim"ple way to show them how much they're valued.

Tim Brookfield, who cares for his elderly mother alongside caring for his own family and running a farm, was delighted to receive a gift box. He said: "My mum's 88 now and I don't go out at all. By the time I get her into bed at night, I'm tired. Devon Carers recently gave me £200 in funding to take a break, to get out and socialise and maybe do a short course in archaeology. Thank you very much for the box."

The Trust will monitor the impact of the wellbeing boxes and use feedback from carers to shape future support and engagement opportunities.