In South Gloucestershire, a regular volunteer sitter keeps the looked-after person company so that you can take a break.
This is a free service for carers living in South Gloucestershire, which is provided by volunteers, all of whom are supported and managed by Carers Support Centre. This service enables carers to take a 2/3 hours break regularly – usually weekly or fortnightly.
Our volunteers go through a robust recruitment and selection process and receive comprehensive induction and ongoing training. Our service coordinator carefully matches volunteers with the carer and cared-for person. Many volunteers have been carers themselves.
What is so wonderful about this service is that it benefits the carer, the cared-for person and the volunteers.
Benefits
For carers, it provides a much-needed break. Many carers use this time to meet friends, go shopping, attend a fitness class or even get a pedicure! For many carers who use this service, this is the only chance they get to take a break from their caring responsibilities, giving them an important opportunity to recharge their batteries.
For the cared-for person, it offers an opportunity to talk to someone new, in the comfort of their home environment. At some ‘sits’, the volunteers and the cared-for person they are sitting with play board games, read together, watch TV or look at old photographs.
If you are a carer and you live in South Gloucestershire and are interested in finding out more about receiving the Carers Breaks Service, please contact CarersLine.
CarersLine is open:
Monday to Friday: 10 am – 1 pm
Monday to Thursday: 2 pm – 4 pm
(Closed on Bank Holidays)
0117 965 2200
carersline@carerssupportcentre.org.uk
An answerphone operates outside of these hours and your call will be returned when the helpline next opens.
Alternatively, use our contact form to receive a personal reply the same or the next working day.
“The volunteer is absolutely wonderful, my husband has got on really well and she has lots of patience. It enables me to go to my club and I meet up with friends and have a good chat. This gives me something to talk to my husband about when I get home.”
Volunteer with Carers Break
We’re looking for volunteers to join our team of ‘sitters’ to support the Carers Breaks Service in South Gloucestershire.
If you or someone you know lives in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire or Bath and could give up 2 to 3 hours per week (during a weekday, daytime) and can commit to volunteering for at least one year, then this opportunity could be for you!
Although this role is incredibly rewarding, it can also be quite emotionally demanding. With this in mind, we do not encourage existing carers to apply.
For volunteers, the list of benefits is almost endless! For some who were carers, it’s the chance to give something back and support people who are still carers. For others, it’s the opportunity to meet new people.
You don’t need to have experience as a carer, or working in the health or social sector for this role as we provide training for all our new volunteers and offer workshops on various topics throughout the year.
If you or someone you know would like to find out more about volunteering with the Carers Break Service, please contact us using our response form:
“She’s such a lovely person. In the time that she sits, I go and paint for a couple of hours. This is something that I have not managed to do in five years and I find it very relaxing.”
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Page last updated 12.02.24
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