Unpaid carer’s groups receive grants

Groups in Omagh and Carrickmore who support unpaid carers have been among those to receive grants from the Department of Health’s Support for Carers Fund.

FOCUS Omagh received £72,582 towards their ‘We care support programme’, and Friendly Care Group Termonmaguirc were allocated £10,000 towards their ‘Building our mind, body and brains’ project – a community-based health and wellbeing programme for carers in Carrickmore.

This was the third round of grants from the Department of Health’s Support for Carers Fund and seen £900,000 of funding awarded across the North.

Twenty-seven organisations and charities which provide vital support for carers are due to receive £897,221 to help with a range of projects which will directly support individual carers on the ground.

Commenting on the funding, Health Minister Robin Swann, said, “I appreciate that the role of unpaid carers can be very challenging and that this was particularly the case during the pandemic.

“The Support for Carers Fund has now awarded around £2.5million in funding which should help make a real and practical difference to people’s lives.”

The funding, administered by the Community Foundation NI on behalf of the Department of Health, was made available in response to the pandemic to support carers, cancer charities and mental health organisations.

The fund is administered and managed by and aims to provide grant funding to organisations with charitable status that can deliver outcomes to improve the lives and experiences of carers.

Róisín Wood, chief executive at the Community Foundation said, “Carers provide such an important role in society, but it often goes unnoticed but remains invaluable. Carers range from children and young people, to those caring for parents of every age, partners and sometimes friends. All of these carers have different needs and often have to balance their caring duties with school or work. We are proud to be working with the Department of Health to administer the Carers Support Fund, enabling groups to offer support and respite to these carers who contribute such a huge amount to society.”