Funding gives unpaid carers a helping hand

The Scottish Government has backed a scheme to support the mental wellbeing of unpaid carers in Perth and Kinross.

Charity PKAVS has received an award of more than £40,000 for its services.

The award, from the government’s Corra Foundation Wellbeing Fund, will help pay for ongoing emotional and practical support to local carers of all ages.

It will also allow the charity to continue to stay in touch with unpaid carers across the region, a new system that has proved crucial during lockdown.

After all face-to-face services were suspended, the charity’s carers’ centre was turned into a hub for volunteers to carry out check-ups and chats through regular phone calls, emails and social media messages.

The project offers a “listening ear” to carers, while also sign-posting other services.

Each week during lockdown, PKAVS carers’ hub staff have been in contact with more than 1,000 carers.

PKAVS staff can support carers to make applications to the charity’s Time4Me grant award to buy items which they may find useful in lockdown.

Staff are also organising and delivering PPE to carers who are shielding or who can’t make it to one of the three hubs where protective equipment is distributed from.

The next development is to offer carers some respite through faceto-face support with staff visiting for a couple of hours at least once a week.

The £40,181 award from the Corra Foundation will also support the team in translating information and advice around the Covid-19 guidance into other languages.