Local landmarks light up to raise awareness of respite care crisis
Landmarks across the Northwest will light up this weekend to raise awareness of the current crisis in respite care.
The iconic Blackpool Tower and The Atkinson on Lord Street, Southport, will be lit up bright pink on Saturday, July 8th.
Pink is the brand colour of Revitalise, who provide respite breaks and holidays for disabled people and their carers at Sandpipers on the edge of the Marine Lake in Southport, as well as at their Jubilee Lodge centre in Essex. They are currently supporting guests who are facing an acute affordability crisis and struggling to access the breaks that they so desperately need.
This weekend’s display will shine a light on the crisis and help raise awareness of their major fundraising appeal, ‘Give me a break’. The appeal will raise money for more disabled people and carers to access urgently needed respite, for which statutory funding has been reduced by 42% in the last five years.
CEO of Revitalise, Janine Tregelles CBE, said: “The current crisis in respite care is affecting so many of our guests; forty-one per cent of carers haven’t had a day off in over a year and some are reaching breaking point. Respite care is a statutory right, and we need to ensure that people are able to access it.”
In the coming weeks, millions of people will enjoy a summer holiday, yet many disabled people and their carers will not. A survey carried out by Revitalise shows that 56% of people who need a break simply cannot afford to take one.
Janine added: “For disabled people and their carers, respite breaks are not just a holiday, they are a lifeline. It is not good enough that so many carers are simply unable to take even a day off and something urgently needs to change.”
Revitalise’s Joan Brander Fund, named after the founder of the charity, provides funding to enable people to take a break but they are seeing more and more people trying to access it due to their statutory respite funding being stripped back. The ‘Give me a break’ appeal will boost this fund and enable more people to have a stay with Revitalise.
Revitalise is launching a special fundraising appeal to raise much needed funds for disabled people and carers to take the breaks they need. Further information about the charity’s ‘Give me a break’ campaign can be found here The Give me a break appeal
If you, or someone you know needs a vital break, please get in touch with the Revitalise team on 0303 303 0145.