On Wednesday (28 August), the young carer’s summer festival at Marston Moreteyne Community Centre brought together young carers and their families for an afternoon filled with free activities and free food, offering them a much-needed break from their caregiving responsibilities.
They were able to enjoy a range of activities including karaoke, funfair games, inflatables and arts and crafts activities. As well as providing a day of fun, it gave each young carer an opportunity to connect with others in a similar situation who understand their unique experiences, and served as a reminder of the importance of the contribution that young carers make when supporting friends and family.
A range of other professional services were also available to provide information and advice to parents and carers.
The event was a resounding success, with one family member saying:
We had a fabulous afternoon at the festival. The children enjoyed all the crafts on offer and loved seeing the banner they helped to make at a previous event. Face painting was a hit along with the inflatables and karaoke. [It was] a lovely afternoon with lots of smiles and laughter for all of us.
Councillor Steve Owen, our Executive Member for Children’s Services, said:
Young carers play a crucial role when providing support to friends or family, shouldering these added responsibilities all while managing the usual demands of school and everyday life. It is essential that they receive the support they need and have opportunities like this to take a break, recharge, and simply enjoy being young.
We are proud to support our young carers in Central Bedfordshire and pleased to host events like this which make a difference by showing them that they are seen, valued, and supported by their community.
We ran several activities for young carers over the summer break, which were funded by our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. They also enjoyed spending time at a forest school, carrying out spy missions, having fun with water sports, time at a wildlife park as well as various arts and crafts activities.