Young carers get much-needed break with inspiring visit to Arundel Wetland Centre

Young carers have been thanked for their tireless work looking after loved ones with a free visit to the Arundel Wetland Centre.

A group of nine young people from West Sussex Young Carers Family Service visited the centre, which is one of WWT’s 10 wetland sites across the UK. The visit was made possible through WWT’s partnership with the National Garden Scheme.

Alongside getting a tour of the centre, the young people went on a boat safari and had the chance to ask questions about all the wildlife they saw along the way. The group were delighted by the visit and said seeing the pelicans and getting a boat ride were particular highlights.

Their visit was part of national charity Carers Trust’s partnership with the National Garden Scheme, which allows carers of all ages to take a break from the pressures of their day-to-day responsibilities.

Nicola Foord, Family Support Key Worker at West Sussex Young Carers Family Service, said:

“We had a fantastic day supporting nine of our young carers at the Arundel Wetlands Centre. The children loved spending time getting to know each other in the beautiful surroundings. Time was spent on a boat safari and despite a little rain they thoroughly enjoyed the boat ride and spotting the ducks and geese.

“The sun then appeared in time for our walk around the wetlands and the children loved the willow structures and suddenly became photographers, snapping pictures of each other the birds and the artwork. There were lots of giggles and laughs to be had watching the diving ducks and finally the stunning pelicans. It was a great day and the Wetlands staff and volunteers were extremely welcoming and attentive.”

The National Garden Scheme has been supporting Carers Trust for more than 25 years, and in that time the charity has received almost £6 million to help support unpaid carers. Carers Trust has also been able to take groups of unpaid carers to visit gardens which are open with the National Garden Scheme, allowing them a rare chance to relax. Donations to the National Garden Scheme are also used for grants that help unpaid carers buy otherwise unaffordable items like fridges, washing machines and breaks.

“Visits to National Garden Scheme gardens are offered to staff and service users from the beneficiary charities that we support as part of our Gardens & Health programme,” says CEO, George Plumptre. “They provide a moment of respite and restoration for many. Our garden owners and partners have also hosted visits in Hampshire for a local Parkinson’s UK group (click here to read more) and at the London Wetland Centre at Barnes for young carers (click here).”