Coventry Carers' bulletin

This newsletter contains the latest news and messages from Coventry City Council and information about local community groups and partners who are offering local support.

In this issue:

• Welcome to July's bulletin
• Bridgit Care - Here to support you!
• The Importance of Annual Health Checks for people with a Learning Disability
• A test of the UK’s Emergency Alerts system
• Shingles Vaccination
• Key vaccination dates as we head into winter
• State of Caring survey 2025
• Carers Trust - meet the Hospital Wellbeing Liaison Advisors at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire
• Carers Coffee Morning at UHCW
• Carers Trust Care Home Support Group
• Carers Trust Walking Group
• Carers Trust Heart of England – Activities – August 2025
• Carers Trust Heart of England – Drop ins – August 2025
• What Our Young Carers Got Up To This July!
• Young Carers' activities in August
• Myton Hospice - "Listening Ear", carers' support group
• The Myton Hospices telephone support line
• Coping with Caring course
• Act on Energy Support
• Seaside Holiday Breaks with Entrust Care Partnership
• Coventry Libraries - summer reading challenge!
• Could you be Coventry's Poet Laureate - 2025-2027?
• Sign up or contact us

Welcome to July's bulletin

Hello and welcome to this month's bulletin. We hope that you have been able to stay cool and take care of yourself and your loved ones during the heatwaves that July has brought us. 

As you can see, there is lots going on over the summer, from carer drop ins at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, a Care Home Support Group and carers walking group, as well as support from Myton Hospice and activities for young carers. 

Whilst we appreciate that summer is still here, we have provided information about who is entitled to flu and Covid-19 vaccinations to help protect yourself and your loved ones. There is also important information about the shingles vaccination and how to access this. Please do take a look. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this month's bulletin, we hope you enjoy it! Take care

Bridgit Care - Here to support you!

Bridgit Care recognises the complex challenges that unpaid carers face and their online platform is specifically designed to support carers throughout their caring journey, offering resources for personal well-being, employment, and financial guidance. Bridgit also connects carers with local support networks, services, and events, ensuring that they always have a community to rely on, which is why Coventry City Council has commissioned Bridgit Care to support carers in the city.

The Importance of Annual Health Checks for people with a Learning Disability

People with a learning disability often have poorer physical and mental health than other people. This does not need to be the case. 

It is important that everyone over the age of 14 who is on their doctor's learning disability register has an annual health check. You can ask to go on this register if you think you have a learning disability. Check with your doctor's practice if you or the person you care for is on the register. 

An annual health check can help you stay well by talking to a doctor or nurse about your health and finding any problems early, so they can be sorted out. 

You do not have to be ill to have a health check – in fact, most people have their annual health check when they are feeling well. 

If you are worried about seeing a doctor, or if there is anything they can do to make your appointment better, let the doctor or nurse know. They can make changes to help you. These are called reasonable adjustments . 

Please contact your GP to discuss an annual health check and find out more about how they can support you and your loved one. 

A test of the UK’s Emergency Alerts system

The UK government is testing the Emergency Alerts system on Sunday 7 September 2025 at 3pm.  The test will be sent to all compatible 4G and 5G mobile phones and tablets across the UK.  You will hear a loud siren-like sound, vibration, and a message will appear on the screen confirming that this is a test. The sound and vibration will last for about 10 seconds. You will not need to take any further action. Depending on your phone’s features, the alert will work with screen magnification and may read the message out for you having also overridden volume settings. The unique noise emitted by the phone should also be audible for those who use a hearing aid. The Emergency Alerts system is an important tool for reaching the public in emergency situations. However, if you need to turn off these alerts (including the test), you can use step-by-step instructions. About Emergency Alerts Emergency Alerts will warn you via your mobile or tablet if there's a life-threatening emergency nearby. Only the government and the emergency services are able to send them. You’ll be able to check that an alert is genuine at gov.uk/alerts. Emergency Alerts will be just one of the ways the government communicates with the public about emergency situations. So if you don’t have a mobile phone, don’t worry – you’ll still be made aware through the media and local emergency services. Find out more at gov.uk/alerts.

Shingles Vaccination

The shingles vaccine helps protect against shingles. It's available on the NHS for all adults turning 65, those aged 70 to 79 and those aged 50 and over with a severely weakened immune system. The shingles vaccine is available on the NHS for some older adults and people with a severely weakened immune system. Those eligible include: people who turned 65 on or after 1 September 2023 people aged 70 to 79 who have not yet been vaccinated people aged 50 and over with a severely weakened immune system This vaccine helps reduce your risk of getting shingles, so the sooner you become eligible, the better it is to have the vaccine. If you get shingles after being vaccinated, the symptoms can be much milder. You can get shingles more than once, so it's important to get vaccinated even if you've had shingles before. Ask your GP surgery if you can get the vaccine on the NHS.

Key vaccination dates as we head into winter

From 1 September 2025, the National Booking System to book a flu and COVID-19 vaccination will open, and children and pregnant women can receive their flu vaccinations.  Eligible adults will be able to pre-book appointments via the national booking system to receive their flu vaccine starting from 1 October 2025. The national booking system will be available to book appointments until 31st January 2026 for COVID-19 and 21st March 2026 for Flu vaccine appointments. Those eligible to have a COVID-19 vaccine this Autumn/Winter are as follows: residents in a care home for older adults all adults aged 75 years and over persons aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed The NHS will contact you if your NHS record suggests you may be eligible to have a flu or COVID-19 vaccine.

State of Caring survey 2025

The State of Caring survey 2025 is now open. Every year Carers UK undertake a national survey of carers' experiences within the UK. The results are used to influence policy makers and draw attention to the experiences of carers.   Carers UK know carers are busy and very much appreciate everyone who takes the time to complete the survey. The survey will close on 10 August and we will be sharing the results later in the year.  Have your say by filling in the survey.

Carers Trust - meet the Hospital Wellbeing Liaison Advisors at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire

Meet the Team!

Libby Holder

My name is Libby, I am the Hospital Liaison Wellbeing Advisor working for Carers Trust Heart of England Wellbeing Team. Carers Trust's vision is that unpaid carers are heard and valued, with access to support, advice and resources to enable them to live fulfilled lives. I am excited to begin improving the support for unpaid carers within University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire and hope to make a difference to patient and carer experience. 

Sarah Keegan

My name is Sarah, I am new to the role of Hospital Wellbeing Liaison Advisor for the Carers Trust Heart of England. My role is to join Libby, to support unpaid carers feel recognised, respected, and supported ensuring no one has to care alone. I am excited to be involved in the aim to improving the life's for unpaid carers and would love to hear from you to see what support we can offer. 

You can contact them by dropping them an email. 

Carers Coffee Morning at UHCW

Do you care for someone that could not manage without your support? 

Take a break and pop in for a warm and welcoming Carers Coffee Morning. Meet others, share experiences and enjoy the refreshments. 

Every second Thursday of the month in UHCW Faith Centre. Come along anytime between 9am and 1pm.

The next meeting takes place on Thursday 14 August 2025

If you would like to find out more you can contact the team by dropping them an email. 

Carers Trust Care Home Support Group

Do you care for someone who has moved into a care home, or could this be a possibility in the near future? Join our friendly peer support group to meet others in your situation, no matter which home your loved one resides in. 

The group will take place on Wednesday 6 August from 2pm - 3pm at Victoria Mews Care Home, Coventry CV3 2DF

For more information please contact us via email or call us on 024 7663 2972, option 1.

Carers Trust Walking Group

Carers' Trust Heart of England are inviting you to attend their walking group being held on Wednesday 20 August from 12noon - 1pm at the War Memorial Park, Kenilworth Road, Coventry CV3 6PT. Meeting Point: Outside the War Memorial Park Visitor Centre. 

Stay active, enjoy a gentle stroll and meet new friends at our friendly walking group!

For more information please contact us via email or call us on 024 7663 2972, option 1.

Carers Trust Heart of England – Activities – August 2025

To attend a session, it is important that you are registered with Carers Trust Heart of England. Most of our groups are based in Coventry City Centre and the location will be confirmed when booking

For more information please email the team, give them a call on 02476 632972 option 1

Carers Trust Heart of England – Drop ins – August 2025

For more information please email the team, give them a call on 02476 632972 option 1

What Our Young Carers Got Up To This July!

July has been packed with creativity, connection, and plenty of fun for our amazing young carers! We kicked things off with a vibrant Create Week, where everyone got stuck into arts and crafts and explored their creative side. Our Wellbeing Wednesday session gave space for a calm moment, focusing on self-care, and the Focus & Flourish teen group got expressive with some powerful neurotrophic art. These sessions were the perfect opportunity to chat to some of the young carers about what their next steps are in education, after the summer holidays.

From games and bingo to film nights and sports, there’s been something for everyone! Our young carers loved the mix of activities at Mosaic and Pathways hubs, with highlights including a chilled-out movie night, a lively bingo session, and some summer safety tips thrown in to keep things smart as well as fun.

We also celebrated the summer with a joyful Incredible Me Brunch which was kindly organised by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a wonderful day that brought the wider community together with our young carers and provided a much-deserved day of fun for everyone who attended.

Young carers had a blast playing multi-sports with Sky Blues (even the rain didn’t put us off) — twice, because once just wasn’t enough! We wrapped it all up with our Online Forum where we discussed our transition pathway and asked for feedback from the young carers, giving them a chance to chat, reflect, and share what matters to them. Big thanks to everyone who joined in — July’s been brilliant thanks to you all! 💛 Take a look at what we’ve got planned for August.

Young Carers' activities in August

All age activities: 

• Wednesday 6 August – Wellbeing Wednesday – Healthy fruit skewers - Coundon Library (5pm – 6pm)
• Monday 11 August – Games Night – “Promoting healthy friendships” - Moat Family Hub (4pm – 5.30pm)
• Tuesday 12 August – Author Visit – Creative writing – Moat Family Hub (10.30am – 12noon)
• Wednesday 13 August –Movie Night – “Wonder”- Mosaic Family Hub (4pm – 5.30pm)
• Thursday 14 August – Cooking session – “friendship through food” - Pathways Hub – (5pm – 7pm)
• Monday 18 August – Cooking session - Woodside Hub (4.30pm – 6pm)
• Wednesday 20 August – Cooking session online - Fave toast toppers – social connection – (2pm - 3pm)
• Thursday 21 August – Movie Night - “Wonder”- Pathways Hub - (5pm – 7pm)
• Tuesday 26 August - Online forum "Next steps for you" - (5pm)
• Thursday 28 August – Kayaking on the canal with outdoor partnership (limited availability)

Young carers – Age 12+

• Thursday 7 August – Focus & Flourish Clubbersize! - Pathways (5pm – 7pm)

For the whole family

• Wednesday 27 August – family and friends picnic – Memorial Park (12noon – 2pm) Adult must attend with young carer

For more details check out our website. Alternatively you can book a place by visiting Ticketpass

Memory Lane Café

Living with memory loss or dementia, or caring for someone who is? 

Join us for activities and games, entertainment and a chat, in a relaxed informal setting. These sessions offer reminiscence and support for people with memory difficulties and their carers. 

The Café takes place at Lawrence Saunders Road Baptist Church, Radford Coventry CV6 1HH every Friday on the following dates:

• August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (10.30am - 12noon)
• September 5, 12, 19, 26 (10.30am - 12noon)

There is also a group that takes place every other Tuesday at Woodside Avenue South Methodist Church, Finham, Coventry CV3 6BE

• August 5 and 19 (10.30am - 12noon)
• September 2, 16 and 30 (10.30am - 12noon)

More than a third of people with dementia don't have a diagnosis. Anyone with any level of memory loss is invited to our Memory Lane groups with their carer. Our activities are hugely varied, from bowling to live orchestral music, themed crafts to quizzes. And it's all for a £2 donation (waived if that's unaffordable).

Just turn up, or contact us via email or call 07544 488 724 for more information.

Myton Hospice - "Listening Ear", carers' support group

Are you a carer looking after someone with a life-limiting illness?

Would you like to attend our 5 week “Listening Ear” carers' support group?

Our person led group is facilitated by trained nurses and volunteers and provides a safe space outside your circle of family and friends where you can speak honestly. It is an opportunity to gain support from others in the same situation as you. The group is held at all three Myton Sites in Coventry, Rugby and Warwick on Fridays from 10am – 11.30am.

All support provided is free of charge and no referral is needed. We are here to help you!

To find your nearest venue and when the next course starts visit our website, email the team or give us a call on 01788 550085.

The Myton Hospices telephone support line

In collaboration with Marie Curie, The Myton Hospices support line provides general practical and clinical information, as well as emotional support for people living with or caring for someone with a life-limiting illness. Support is also available for people experiencing bereavement following the death of a loved one with a life limiting illness.

The service is available to anyone with a life-limiting illness, their families or carers, you do not have to be known to Myton to access this free support, but it is also available to those who have accessed Myton Service, and their loved ones.

The Support Line is operated by a multi-disciplinary team of information and support officers, registered nurses, bereavement support specialists and trained volunteers.

Call 01926 351761 Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm (Bank Holiday 10am – 2pm) and Saturday 10am – 4pm

Coping with Caring course

This course aims to raise awareness and understanding of how the caring role can impact on many aspects of your life. The course looks at ways you can look after yourself as well as continuing to support and promote the independence of the person you care for. Learning outcomes: To increase awareness of the roles and responsibilities of being a Carer in the UK and to look at how these roles affect us. To consider and develop some techniques for coping and helping ourselves as well as those we care for.   To look at your rights as a Carer and places to seek additional support.   Aimed at:  Anyone who is currently caring for a friend or family member and is experiencing increased stress. Course Tutors: Staff from Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust and Heart of England Carers Trust. When: Tuesday 23 September 2025 from 1pm to 3pm online. Course Duration: 2-hour session.

Act on Energy Support

Struggling with energy billing issues or worried about an old, faulty heating system? Don't delay, contact us today. Act on Energy  are an energy advice charity working in partnership with Coventry City Council to offer the Keeping Coventry Warm Scheme. We offer free confidential advice on many issues including: Help with resolving energy bill issues Funding for replacing old or broken heating systems Advice on how to save money on energy costs Preventing damp and mould in your home Advice on making your home more energy efficient  How can the RTS switch off affect you? Please contact us on our freephone number 0800 988 2882 to see how we can help, or to check your eligibility for funding for the Keeping Coventry Warm scheme. We can also arrange home visits for vulnerable residents with our outreach support workers. Further details of what we do  can be found on our website. This also contains lots of handy hints and tips on how to save energy in the home to reduce your energy costs.

Seaside Holiday Breaks with Entrust Care Partnership

Four Disability Friendly Static Mobile Homes Available for 2025

Looking for a relaxing and inclusive family break? We offer two well equipped and well cared for holiday homes at two fantastic UK seaside locations:

Skegness or Burnham-on-Sea

•  Comfortable, disability friendly mobile homes
•  Sleep up to 6 people
•  On-site entertainment and leisure facilities, including fantastic shows throughout the season all included!
•  Accessible swimming pool at no extra cost
•  Rental below commercial rates
•  Personal booking support from a volunteer who truly understands your needs

Email us for more information and prices

Entrust Care Partnership was established in response to family needs and supports children and young people with additional needs or disabilities and the whole family. Visit our website  or find us on Facebook for updates and more.

Coventry Libraries - summer reading challenge!

Summer Reading Challenge 2025 Story Garden – started on Saturday 5 July 2025. This year’s Summer Reading Challenge is all about nature, exploring the outdoors, exploring magical spaces, storytelling - and reading! Children aged 4-11 and their families can take part this summer at their local library. Children who try to complete the challenge receive a medal, certificate, and a small reward. There’s also plenty of themed activities for children to take part in at their library. We also have a Mini Challenge for under 4’s too.

Could you be Coventry's Poet Laureate - 2025-2027?

Applications are now open to apply for Coventry Poet Laureate and Coventry Young Poet Laureate 2025-2027. These are honorary posts, first appointed by Coventry Libraries and Information Service and Coventry UK City of Culture in 2021. Pen Verses for the city and its significant events. Applicants must be aged 13-17 on 31 August 2025.  The closing date is 12pm on Sunday 17 August 2025. Good Luck! The Coventry Poets Laureate will be appointed in October 2025. How to apply and further details Coventry Poets Laureate – Coventry City Council

Are you carer aware?

Would you like to know more about adult carers and young carers?

If so we have two courses that are available to help increase your knowledge. Both courses are free and you can access them in your own time. Please take a look and we hope you find them helpful:

• Adult Carer Training
• Young Carer Training 

Sign up or contact us

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You can also sign up or view previous bulletins from our Carers' website.

If you have any comments or wish to contribute something to the next bulletin, please let us know by contacting us at carers@coventry.gov.uk.

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