Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust will be holding a celebration event next week to celebrate the first birthday of the launch of its third branch of the Carers Hub, which provides vital support for local people caring for loved ones.

To mark the occasion, the Carers Pop-Up Café, based at Dyneley House Surgery, Skipton, is inviting carers from across the area to come along on Wednesday 28 November for a celebratory tea party.

The Hub is a place for carers whose loved ones use Trust services to meet, recharge their batteries and gain access to free advice and information, making a real difference to people caring for family and friends.  Professional and clinical staff provide information on relevant topics and health awareness sessions, and a timetable of free activities, such as arts and crafts and pampering sessions, is also available through the Hub.

The Trust runs two more Carers Hubs in Bradford: one at Horton Park Surgery and one at Lynfield Mount Hospital.

A carer can be anyone who is looking after a friend, relative or neighbor because they are unable to do some things themselves due to their physical or mental health. Carers are unpaid and often carry out their caring role alongside other responsibilities like work and family life. Many carers do not access the support that is available to them; the Carers Hubs aim to bridge this gap by making information accessible to carers within their community, and by providing an opportunity for carers to take a break from their often demanding caring role.

Tracey Corner, Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust’s Patient Experience Lead, said: “Following the success of the two Carers Hubs in Bradford, we recognised there was a need for the service to be expanded; this was also in response to feedback we received from carers from the Craven area who have welcomed the Skipton branch. We’re really pleased that we’ve been able to provide that much-needed support for carers living in Skipton for the past year and we look forward to continuing to deliver this service to communities in Bradford and Craven.”

The Skipton Carers Hub is open to carers every Wednesday from 12:30pm until 3:00pm. To learn more about the Carers Hubs, visit the Trust’s website: www.bdct.nhs.uk/service-users-carers/support-for-carers/