AN Exminster charity has launched a new service for parents and carers of children with special educational needs, a disability, long-term illness or additional needs.

Westbank Community Health and Care held the official launch event of Devon Parent Carers at its Healthy Living Centre in Exminster, attended by health and social care professionals and some of the people who have helped make the new support service possible.

Intrepid community fundraisers John Powell and Andy Green together raised more than £4,000 to support Devon Parent Carers at Westbank.

They gave a talk about the mountain of a challenge they undertook hiking from Everest Base Camp to Island Peak, an ascent of more than 6,000m.

Among the attendees was Matt Lowe, whose late husband John Hatch left a significant legacy to Westbank which has also helped fund Devon Parent Carers at Westbank.

Organisations that have helped fund the service are Garfield Weston Foundation, The Master Charitable Trust/Blackaton Charitable Foundation and The Williamson Charitable Trust.

Westbank’s dedicated support will include peer support groups, skills workshops, a quarterly E-newsletter, self-help resources and access to discounted short breaks.

Face-to-face groups will meet monthly.

The first of these is at Westbank’s Coffee on the Corner cafe in Exminster where parent carers can meet and chat.

Westbank’s Head of Carers Services, Andy Hood, introduced the launch event by thanking all those whose contributions are helping to fund the new service.

He said: ‘Devon Parent Carers will help to fill the gaps between lots of different pieces of legislation, helping to support those looking after under 18s with disabilities or additional needs.

‘Westbank decided a couple of years ago that we wanted to provide a service for parent carers and set about getting the funds to make it happen.

‘We have been very fortunate to have some great organisations and individuals donate to us and provide grants.

‘John Hatch, a former Westbank employee who then volunteered for us for years, left a generous legacy in his will, which was very gratefully received.’

John Powell told the audience why he and his fellow fundraiser Andy Green had chosen Westbank to benefit from their fundraising.

He said: ‘I’ve been working in and around social health and care in Devon for many years now, and I’ve watched as Westbank has done some incredible inspiring work.

‘The outcomes of what Westbank does are far bigger than the charity, and that’s why Andy and I did this. It’s a real honour to be involved.’

Matt Lowe said his late husband, John Hatch, would have been thrilled to know the legacy he left was supporting such a vital service.

He said: ‘John’s mother had dementia.

‘He cared for her for about 20 years and understood the support that Westbank’s Carers Services provides.

‘When he stopped working for Westbank, he volunteered as an ambassador for Devon Carers because he understood the need to support ‘unseen carers’ who can feel very isolated and alone.

‘Sadly, John died of bowel cancer. This service really fits his ethos of helping and supporting people who are caring for others. He’d be thrilled.’

For more information about Devon Parent Carers, visit www.westbank.org.uk/devon-parent-carers or contact [email protected]