In a remarkable show of support for Swindon Carers Centre, local car dealership, Pebley Beach has gone above and beyond to bolster the fundraising efforts during Carers Week.
For seven consecutive years, Pebley Beach, known for its Hyundai and Suzuki car dealerships, has been an avid supporter of Swindon Carers Centre and during Carers Week, they have traditionally match-funded the money raised by the charity’s activities, contributing an impressive £1,000 each year.
This year, alongside their established initiative, Walk A Mile, which involves a walk around Swindon’s centre to raise awareness of unpaid carers, Swindon Carers Centre orchestrated a raffle generously supported by local businesses and a tombola. The collective effort resulted in a commendable fundraising total of £702.81.
Recognising the ongoing financial challenges faced by fundraising activities due to the prevailing cost of living crisis, Pebley Beach again decided to donate £1,000, significantly elevating the total amount raised to £1,702.81.
The Walk A Mile event, which saw fifty participants circling Swindon town centre on Saturday, June 10th, commenced and concluded at The Hub, a community space in the heart of the town. The event featured guests, including Swindon MPs Sir Robert Buckland and Justin Tomlinson, High Sheriff of Wiltshire Pradeep Bhardwaj, Sarah-Jane Peffers (Associate Director of Patient Safety and Quality at NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board), Mums on a Mission Swindon, and Mrs Wiltshire Galaxy, Sheri Harvey who is also a registered young carer with the charity and continues her caregiving role today.
Swindon Carers Centre’s mission is to provide essential support to the estimated 18,315 known unpaid carers in Swindon. These unsung heroes care for family members, including spouses, children, siblings, parents, and other relatives. The centre believes that the actual number of unpaid carers may exceed this estimate, as many people may not recognise their caregiving role.
Unpaid carers in Swindon encompass a wide age range, from children as young as five to individuals in their 90s. Recent data from the 2021 Census indicates that unpaid carers are dedicating more time to caregiving than in previous years. The census reveals that nearly 1 in 50 people (1.8% of the population) provide between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care weekly, up from 1.4% in 2011. Additionally, those providing at least 50 hours of care per week increased from 2.5% to 2.6% during the same period.
A report by Carers UK and the Centre for Care at the University of Sheffield, titled the Valuing Carers Research Report, unveils the significant contribution of unpaid carers in Swindon. They save the local economy a staggering £592 million annually. This figure reflects a remarkable 43% increase over the previous decade, marking the highest percentage rise in the South West region.
Anne Saunders, media and communications manager at Swindon Carers Centre, said: “Our annual Walk A Mile for Carers Week is a hugely important event for us.
“It’s an opportunity to increase recognition for unpaid carers, as well as to raise vital funds – to support the work Swindon Carers Centre does to improve the wellbeing of people with caring responsibilities in and around Swindon.
“We are incredibly grateful to have Pebley Beach sponsor Walk A Mile for another year and would like to say thank you to the whole team for supporting unpaid carers in Swindon and their long-standing commitment to this event during Carers Week.”
Jane Newton, Customer Relationship Manager at Pebley Beach, echoes the sentiment of support and admiration, stating, “We’re delighted to be able to support Swindon Carers again this year. Well done to everyone who helped raise so much money.”
