|
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 this month's bulletin where we reflect on a very busy Carers' Week and also highlight different resources to find information that we hope you find useful.
The theme of Carers' Week this year was " Building Carer Friendly Communities" and there wasn't a better way way to start then the carers' event at Coventry Building Society Arena which bought together different organisations, from across Coventry and Warwickshire to show their support for carers and share what their offer is for carers.
We also celebrated Learning Disability week, with the theme being "Do you see me?" Please see below for more details about what took place.
You will find information about two important surveys for you to take a look at and hopefully participate in, alongside details about an event being held at Coventry Vision Hub as well as support around energy and finances.
Take care and thank you for reading.
Carers' Trust Heart of England (HofE) held a Carers' Week event on Monday 8 June at Coventry Building Society Arena. The annual event welcomed exhibitors, attendees and sponsors and was supported by Coventry’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Roger Bailey and Lady Mayoress, Pauline Venables. The event celebrated the vital contribution carers of all ages make, while offering practical support and advice.
This year’s theme, “Building Carer Friendly Communities,” highlights how local support networks can make a lasting difference to carers’ lives regardless of their age.
The free, family-friendly event also included arts and crafts and opportunities to connect with others. SEN-suitable spaces, free parking, and refreshments were available.
Claire Dale, Carers' Trust Heart of England CEO commented:
“This is our biggest event of the year and a unique chance to recognise carers across Coventry and Warwickshire while connecting them with the support they need. This year we are supporting the national theme of Building Carer Friendly Communities, and asking the all-important questions: ‘When did you first realise you were a carer? And ‘What does Carers' Trust HofE mean to you?’”
 The Learning Disability Service marked Learning Disability Week 2026 by hosting two successful events celebrating this year’s theme, “Do You See Me?”.
It focuses on ensuring that people with learning disabilities are recognised, listened to and valued.
There was a coffee morning for adults with learning disabilities, their families and carers. Plenty of opportunities were offered to socialise over coffee and cakes, creating a friendly and relaxed environment for people to meet, talk and share their experiences.
Attendees enjoyed a dance performance from students at Hereward College, which was a highlight of the morning, and heard from a young man who spoke about his experiences of living in Supported Living. He shared how he has developed independence and learned new skills with the support of staff, giving a powerful and personal insight into what good support can achieve.
Organisations such as the Carers' Trust gave information about support to families and carers, while members of the Learning Disability Team also shared details about the services they provide.
Later in the week, the team hosted a professional’s fair which saw many colleagues, partner organisations and internal services attending. It brought together a wide range of stalls, giving visitors the opportunity to learn more about the support available for adults with learning disabilities and to build stronger connections across services.
Both events reflected the importance of partnership working and the value of listening to lived experience. It provided a meaningful and positive way to celebrate Learning Disability Week, highlighting the commitment across services.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making the week such a success!
After the success of the last Coffee morning we will be holding our next one for adults with learning disabilities, their families and carers on:
- Wednesday 12 August from 10:30am to 12:30pm at Friargate on the first floor.
There will be the opportunity to socialise over coffee and cakes, whilst creating a friendly and relaxed environment for people to meet, talk and share their experiences.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Do you or the person you care for receive a direct payment? A direct payment is where you receive payments from the local authority for you to arrange your own care with the aim of giving you more choice and control over the support you receive. We'd love to hear from you about your experience, how we can make things better and whether you feel like you've had the right information and support to manage. As a carer you might of received a one-off direct payment to purchase something that would improve your wellbeing, we'd also like to hear from you.
Are you a carer in Coventry?
The Carers' Energy Support service is aimed at supporting carers across Coventry to offer guidance and support on controlling household energy usage.
Speak to us on how we can support you with:
- Controlling your household energy use
- Taking meter readings to monitor your costs
- Accessing eligible discounts
- Switching energy supplier and tariffs
- Advise on ways to keep your home safe and warm
Appointments can be arranged on a 1-2-1 basis by phone or face to face to assess individual needs.
Start saving money and energy today!
Get in touch on 024 7663 2972 or ring 07528 080495 and speak to our Carers' Energy Support Advisor or drop us an email.
Participants are needed for a London School of Economics and Political Science, research study – open to anyone age 18+ providing unpaid care to another adult.
We want to understand:
- How do different types and combinations of support help improve the lives of unpaid carers?
- Is the support offered to carers fair and equal across the country?
We want to hear from carers with a range of experiences and backgrounds – including different caring situations, ethnicities, ages, genders, and financial circumstances.
What does taking part involve?
- A 20 – 30-minute online survey about your caring role, health, work and the support you use or would prefer.
Enter a prize draw to win one of six £100 shopping vouchers!
Get in touch
Interested or want to find out more?
Contact Researcher, Edmund Stubbs or Phone/Text/Whatsapp 07599 630785
|
Do you care for someone who has moved in to 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.
They take place every other month on the first Wednesday from 1.30pm to 2.30pm at Belgrade Theatre Café, Coventry CV1 1GS.
Our next meeting takes place on Wednesday 1 July 2026.
For more information please email the team, or give them a call on 02476 632972 option You can also find further information on their website.
|
Carers' Trust Heart of England are inviting you to attend their walking group being held on Wednesday 29 July from 12pm to 1pm at War Memorial Park, Kenilworth Road, Coventry CV3 6PT.
Meeting point: outside the visitor centre.
Stay active, enjoy a gentle stroll and meet new friends at our friendly walking group.
For more information please email the team or give them a call on 02476 632972, selecting option 1.
|
Carers' Trust provides a range of activities and drop-in sessions across the city.
To see what is available and where and when they are taking place, please take a look at Coventry City Councils, Carers' webpages. On here you will find out how to register for the activities.
|
This month we focused on emotional wellbeing, resilience and of course Carers' Week!
To celebrate Carers' Week, we hosted an event at the CBS Arena. The theme this year was building carer friendly communities. Our young carers team delivered lots of fun activities including a photo booth, face painting and ping pong. It was a fantastic event where partners came together to support all carers in Coventry and Warwickshire. At Templars, we played bingo and had lots of tasty fruit and vegetables. We also captured young carers' voices by asking them for feedback on groups.
|
In our focus and flourish session we focused on building resilience. Some of our young carers were reaching the end of their exams, so this was essential. Our older young carers got stuck into the ‘marshmallow challenge’.
|
The following week our movie with meaning was Moana. This highlighted themes of growing independence, courage, and identity – all relevant to our young carers transitioning into the next academic year. Sadly our climbing course finished this week, but our young carers were so grateful for the opportunity.
|
We were also lucky to have St John ambulance deliver a first aid session to our 5-11 year olds. They learnt about recovery positions, CPR, choking and epi pens. This is a crucial skill for many of our young carers supporting family members with health issues.
|
In the final week of June, we had lots to look forward to. We made sausage rolls at Templars and had another pizza night for our YACs, with a visit from Healthy Lifestyles. At the end of the week we will be heading to the Young Carers' Festival! We will be taking 25 young carers from Coventry and Warwickshire to Southampton for a weekend full of adventure, fun and friendship.
|
This month’s topic is Perception.
People with dementia can experience changes in how they perceive things, this may include misperceptions and misidentifications, hallucinations, delusions, and time-shifting.
These problems can cause the person with dementia to say or do things that do not make sense to others. This can be frustrating, confusing, and upsetting for the person, and for carers, especially if the person is experiencing a different reality to yours.
Our Carer information session can support you by giving you strategies and guidance to help you to respond in a supportive way, helping to keep up their confidence and help them to cope with the misunderstanding.
Date and time: Thursday 2 July 2026 from 10:15am to 11:30am
Venue: Sessions run at St Barbara's Church, 22 Rochester Rd, Coventry. CV5 6AG.
Car parking is available at the rear and refreshments served.
Please contact your local office for more information and to book a place. Telephone: 024 7665 2602 or email us.
|
 |
Where would you go for support if someone you knew was experiencing abuse or neglect? Tell us your thoughts.
The Coventry Safeguarding Adults' Board has put together a brief survey to assess the level of understanding around adults accessing support services in Coventry and their experiences accessing support.
We want to know your views and gather feedback so we can improve support services across the city.
The Admiral Nurse Service provides specialist dementia support for carers and families of people living with dementia. Carers can speak directly to an Admiral Nurse for advice, guidance and support, and can self-refer to the service via the dedicated telephone line. Located across Coventry, Rugby and North Warwickshire the service is available Monday to Friday, 09:00–13:00, by calling 0300 303 3131.
|
Some of the team attended the recent carers' expo at the CBS Arena which was held during Carers' Week. It was a fantastic experience and wonderful to meet so many amazing carers whilst also sharing our service with details on how we can support them.
|
If you need advice or support go to Safe to Talk, Coventry City Council’s Domestic Abuse website. Here you will find information on services for survivors, children/young people and those who want to change their behaviour.
There is support around honour-based abuse, forced marriage and FGM. Anyone, including professionals, can call 0800 111 4998 from 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday or 10am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday.
|
Supporting someone with sight loss?
Please come and join us at the hub for tea and coffee, and a chat with fellow carers and staff about any concerns you may have.
Join us at 33 - 35 Earlsdon Avenue South, Coventry CV5 6TH
Wednesday 1 September 2026 from 10am to midday.
For further information please call the team on 024 7671 7522.
|
The Coping with Caring course aims to raise awareness and understanding of how the caring role can impact on many aspects of your life.
This free, online 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
Thursday 27 August 2026, 1pm to 3pm.
|
It’s simple! Just add your email address in the top right hand corner and click GO!
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.
|
