Young carers get well-deserved break at WWT London Wetland Centre thanks to Carers Trust and National Garden Scheme

A group of young carers have been given a well-deserved break with a trip to the stunning WWT London Wetland Centre.

The children were able to take much-needed time away from their caring duties for the special Easter treat. It was organised by Crossroads Care Richmond and Kingston upon Thames, a member of the Carers Trust network which provides vital support to carers of all ages.

Alongside caring for family members, each of the young people has additional needs of their own. The trip gave them a rare chance to relax in the beautiful surroundings of the west London beauty spot, seeing the wildlife and exploring the 105-acre site.

The visit was only made possible thanks to the National Garden Scheme’s partnerships with the WWT and Carers Trust.

Nicola Wilson, Operations Manager at Crossroads Care Richmond and Kingston upon Thames, explained: “The day at WWT was filled with laughter from start to finish. The staff team were great.

"The young carers and those they care for could spend this special time together, in nature, enjoying and learning new skills together and having fun.

“I witnessed shy young carers at the beginning of the day turn into young people forgetting their caring duties.”

A recent survey for Carers Trust showed more than half of young carers don’t get the breaks they need.

Nearly three-quarters said they miss out on the school holidays because of the pressures of their caring role and nearly a quarter said there was no one else to provide the care they do.

Phoebe Fellows, Corporate Partnerships Manager at the WWT, said: "We were delighted to welcome this group of young carers to WWT London. This is the second visit we’ve hosted for young carers at our London site, thanks to our partnership with the National Garden Scheme.

"Within a fun day of exploring the site, the group went to our always popular otter talk and took part in some pond dipping. We hope this visit provided the carers with a well-earned break and inspired them to engage with wetlands further.

"We look forward to welcoming more wonderful carers back in the future and showing them what else our thriving wetlands have to offer."

“As part of our ongoing partnership with Carers Trust we’re delighted to be able to facilitate these much-needed breaks to unpaid carers at both WWT centres and National Garden Scheme gardens,” said National Garden Scheme CEO, George Plumptre.

“We know that gardens and green spaces are good for us, and these visits provide moments of respite, allowing carers to have a break and return refreshed to their roles.”