Unpaid carers to enjoy free hotel stays

Unpaid carers in Coventry are being offered free hotel stays and leisure experiences as part of a new scheme aiming to them.

MyTime Coventry wants to give carers the opportunity to prioritise their own wellbeing, take a step back, and enjoy some much-needed relaxation, co-ordinator Michalina Kryska said.

Coombe Abbey Hotel and Coventry Rugby Club are the first organisations to get involved the council-funded scheme.

Faye Mackey, 36, who started caring for her father Hugh Mackey last year, has taken part in the project and said enabling carers to have these opportunities was "brilliant".

"When you become a carer, you have to adapt your whole life including your relationships with the people closest to you, which can be really challenging – especially as you often have to make the decision overnight," she said.

"I wouldn't have done it differently, but it gets to a point where you'd never actively seek a break for all sorts of reasons, so this initiative, in making it easier for carers to access some great experiences in the local area, is absolutely brilliant."

The hotel is offering an overnight stay to carers on a monthly basis and the rugby club are providing free tickets to first-team matches at Butts Park Arena as part of the initiative also funded with money from the Department of Health and Social Care for the next two years.

Ms Kryska said she hoped more city organisations and businesses would get involved.

"One of the things carers tell us time and again is how much they need a break, yet finding time for themselves can be incredibly difficult," she said.

"MyTime gives carers the opportunity to prioritise their own wellbeing, take a step back, and enjoy some much-needed relaxation. It can be a real boost to mental health.

"For many carers, simply organising an evening off can be complicated... The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive. We're excited about the possibility of expanding it even further to more carers and their families."

About 27,500 people are estimated to have caring responsibilities in Coventry, according to the city council.

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