An anonymous donation of more than £100,000 left to a Suffolk charity will be used to fund breaks for family carers across the county.
Suffolk Family Carers has revealed plans for the respite fund after it was left the money by a undisclosed family carer as part of their will.
The new fund means that many Suffolk carers of all ages with the most intense caring roles will be able to access financial support to seek a vital break for their own physical and mental wellbeing.
MORE: Young carer tells MPs - ‘At school I may seem distracted, but I’m worrying about mum’Kirsten Alderson, chief executive of Suffolk Family Carers, said: “We know how important breaks are for carers, many of whom have very substantial caring responsibilities and provide round-the-clock care.
“We hear too often from family carers who are exhausted, near to crisis and desperately seeking some support to have a break.
“It’s because of this that we want to offer something that will support carers to get a break from their caring role.”
Thanks to the recent donation, the charity’s static caravan in Kessingland, which is available for family carers to use for short breaks, will also be getting an update.
MORE: Suffolk young carers share their experiences Despite the extremely generous donation, the charity says it could spend the money many times over to provide respite to the 88,000 family carers across Suffolk.
The charity is appealing to local businesses and members of the public to help them meet the needs of family carers by making donations to the respite fund.
To make an online donation, visit the Suffolk Family Carers website here.
Family carers wanting to find out more about the respite fund, or to book a break in the caravan, should contact Suffolk Family Carers’ information line on 01473 835477.
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