Westbank Community Health and Care

Young carers from Devon, who attended this year’s Young Carers Festival with the support of Westbank, have told the charity they ‘had the time of their life’ at the annual event.

Through its Devon Young Carers Service, Westbank Community Health and Care supports more than 3,000 young people aged from 4 to 18 who help look after someone who is ill, disabled or misuses drugs and alcohol.

Through the generous support of local organisations, the service was able to take 18 young carers - accompanied by 3 staff members and one volunteer - to enjoy a weekend at YMCA Fairthorne...

Devon Carers is ‘Putting Carers on the Map’ this week as part of an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise their invaluable contribution to society - estimated to save the Devon economy over £2 billion a year!

Devon Carers, a free service by Westbank Community Health and Care, is putting on a host of events to celebrate Carers Week (10th – 16th June). The service is also planning several events as part of its milestone anniversary to mark 25 years of supporting unpaid carers across the county. Over the last two and...

Throughout Volunteers’ Week (3 - 9 June), Westbank Community Health and Care is celebrating the army of volunteers who are the beating heart of the Devon-wide charity and sharing volunteers’ stories to inspire more people to help make a difference.

Volunteers’ Week - now in its 40th year - is a week when charities across the South West celebrate those who give up their time to help others and say thank you to them for the contribution they make. The week also raises awareness about the many benefits of becoming a volunteer and the diverse volunteering roles available.

Pip...

Pupils at Exeter Pre-Prep School in Exminster have recently run the equivalent of four marathons as part of a sponsored fun run to raise money for Westbank Community Health and Care, a local charity that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people across Devon.

With 72 children under the age of seven, the school hoped that pupils and staff would be able to run a collective marathon (26 miles) throughout the day, with each class taking turns to run laps around the school grounds. However, they managed to clock up a combined total of 112 miles, the equivalent of more than four...

Marc Astley, a well-known local journalist and news editor, is the latest trustee to join the board of Westbank Community Health and Care and says he’s on a mission to spread the word about the work of this fantastic, community charity.

As an experienced media professional and a former editor of the Exeter Express & Echo newspaper, Marc is well-placed to do this. His achievements include co-founding the UK Daily Ltd, a stable of 10 online news and feature platforms including The Exeter Daily. He also set up the successful Exeter-based PR and Marketing Agency, Astley Media,...

The run-up to Christmas has been busy for local health and wellbeing charity Westbank Community Health and Care, with a full calendar of events for members of its community and its team.

The festive celebrations got off to a heartwarming start when Year 2 children from Exeter Pre-Prep School visited Westbank’s Day Centre at Exminster to sing a melody of Christmas songs for regular clients.

The following day, the Royal Oak in Exminster kindly hosted a 3-course meal for fifty of Westbank’s clients to mark the end of a year of fantastic support from the pub.

Westbank’s...

It’s traditional to send seasonal greetings at this time of year but a Devonwide health and wellbeing charity is encouraging people to make a donation instead of giving Christmas cards.

Westbank Community Health and Care has launched its ‘Donate in Lieu of Christmas Cards’ campaign, asking people to make a charitable gift rather than spending money on buying and posting cards this festive season.

Katie Elliott, Westbank’s Head of Fundraising and Marketing explains why, “Every donation we receive, however large or small, makes a real difference to our ability to provide...

Westbank Community Health and Care is celebrating the first cohort of newbie cooks to have completed Foundation Courses in basic kitchen skills at the charity’s recently opened Community Cookery School.

The purpose-built teaching facility at Exminster, near Exeter, opened its doors to beginner cooks this autumn, offering free eight-week workshops to people of all ages who want to learn how to cook simple, nutritious, affordable meals.

A well-attended launch party allowed guests, including sponsors, to see the bespoke teaching kitchen in use. The event marked the completion...

Devon Carers, a free service by Westbank Community Health and Care, is this month celebrating 25 years of supporting unpaid carers across the county and is planning several events throughout the coming year as part of its landmark anniversary.

The charity provides a wide range of support services to those who look after family members or friends because they are ill, frail, or have a disability, mental health or substance misuse problem.

Over the last two and a half decades, Westbank’s Devon Carers has grown to be one of the largest charitable organisations in the UK...