Partnering with Staffordshire Together for Carers, Shoemaker Place opened its doors on Monday – laying on a beautiful Afternoon Tea and offering a well-deserved break to those who care for loved ones in the local area.
Carers Week is an annual campaign brought to life by thousands of individuals and organisations who come together to provide support for carers, run activities, highlight the vital role carers play in communities and draw attention to just how important caring is.
The luxury care home, part of the Borough Care group, held the colourful Afternoon Tea in celebration of people who are otherwise devoted to caring for loved ones. The event took place in the home’s sunny courtyard, with a bespoke menu created especially for the event by Borough Care’s award-nominated Catering and Hospitality Manager, Tony Gent.
Borough Care’s Marketing Communications Manager, Holly Shortall said,
‘It was our pleasure to partner with Staffordshire Together for Carers to launch Carers Week. We are proud to be part of the community in Stone and we wanted to do something small to give back by opening the doors of our beautiful Shoemaker Place home and providing a much-needed break for local carers. Everyone had a wonderful time.’
Staffordshire Together for Carers provides information, advice and a wide range of specialist support services designed to help adult and young carers continue in their caring role for as long as they choose and reduce the impact the caring role can have on their own health and wellbeing.
Caz Gotham, Community Development and Partnership Officer said,
‘Carers Week is so important because it recognises these carers and gives them the respite that they need. Today has been a great start to Carers Week with Borough Care. The food was amazing, and the care home itself is outstanding. All of the carers who came today had a good chat and felt relaxed while they shared their stories.’
A carer is someone of any age who provides unpaid care, for a few hours a day or round the clock, to a friend or relative who could not manage without their support. The care they give may be due to age, illness, disability, mental health problems, or substance misuse.
Valerie Gough, from Staffordshire, ‘I’m a carer for my husband. Today was brilliant – beautiful food in wonderful surroundings. It was a real treat for a busy carer like me. Staffordshire Together for Carers is a very supportive group that has helped me a lot over the years. A big thank you to everyone involved today.’
Pam Hanney, a carer from Stone, said, ‘The event was lovely today, and everyone has been so welcoming. The food has been outstanding, and it has been a great introduction to Borough Care and Staffordshire Together for Carers.’
Dave Flanagan, a full-time carer from Stoke-on Trent said, ‘We got the email from Staffordshire Together for Carers about this event a few weeks ago, and we’ve been looking forward to it ever since. We were not disappointed! Because we care for my wife’s mum every day, this is the first time since 2019 we’ve booked to do something together. There was a wonderful atmosphere, and the food was excellent.’
