Carers and foster parents are being offered a free month's membership to the City of Wolverhampton Council's WV Active leisure centres this August. The offer is open to anyone who provides unpaid care to a family member or friend who has a mental health need, learning disability, physical and sensory disability or who needs extra help as they grow older.
To be eligible, the person cared for must live in Wolverhampton, and the carer must have received a Carers Assessment from Wolverhampton's Carer Support Team at some point. The offer is also available to foster parents who live in Wolverhampton and foster a local child. Fostering for Wolverhampton foster parents are asked to get in touch with their Supervising Social Worker or call the Fostering for Wolverhampton Team.
Councillor Linda Leach, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: "This is a great chance for carers to enjoy the fantastic facilities on offer at WV Active Aldersley, WV Active Central and WV Active Bilston-Bert Williams this August.
"You will be able to take advantage of complimentary access to our three gyms, the swimming pools at Central and Bilston-Bert Williams and join in with our popular fitness classes. If you are an unpaid carer, please contact our Carer Support Team today to find out more."
Councillor Beverley Momenabadi, Cabinet Member of Children and Young People, said: “We are delighted to be able to extend this fantastic offer to our wonderful foster parents, and I’d urge them to get in touch to find out more so that they are ready to take advantage of free WV Active membership throughout August.”
The Carer Support Team offers help to ensure people are supported in their caring role, have access to the services they need and can claim the benefits they are entitled to. The team also provides practical information, guidance and advice on a range of matters including benefits and offer a range of other services including training in essential skills such as first aid.
Meanwhile, the Fostering for Wolverhampton team is encouraging people to find out more about fostering. It can be a truly life changing experience, both for foster parents and the young people they care for, and Fostering for Wolverhampton would love to hear from people who have both a spare room and love in their hearts to help local children by fostering.
Foster parents can be single, married or in a relationship – and they won't be on their own as help and support is available 24 hours a day. They will receive ‘buddy support’ from experienced foster carers who are there to help and guide them and carers receive a regular, tax exempt fee and allowance to cover the cost of bringing up the child.
The allowance starts from £383 to £440 per week depending on the child’s age. Supporting carers is a key commitment of the Wolverhampton Cares initiative.
Launched by the council and key partners last autumn, it has seen a package of help and support put in place to help the local health and social care sector through the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.
