Next week we are supporting Be Free Young Carers during our charity pyjama parties.
The charity helps young carers by providing advice and guidance on caring issues, offering access to mentoring and peer support, enabling young carers to meet, socialise and have fun and increasing the self confidence of young carers.
Their current need is around the social activities and befriending they offer young carers. These cost around £10,000 a year. These activities are so important as they give young carers time away from their caring responsibilities, time to have fun, make friends and be a child. This can be a light bulb moment for a young carer, meeting other young carers in the same situation; suddenly they are not alone, not the only ones doing this work. This enables them to open up about their lives with other young carers which reduces their feelings of isolation, anxiety and stress that so many say they feel.
During the pyjama parties all our swimmers attend their lesson and learn vital lifesaving and personal survival skills whilst wearing their pyjamas.
Wearing pyjamas during swimming lessons is about more than just having fun. Most accidents will happen while your child is fully clothed, so Pyjama Week will give a great indication of what this will feel like. It will help them realise that they will feel heavier but they will still be able to do the important life-saving manoeuvres like kicking to the surface and reaching for the side.
Last year we raised £1,230 for our chosen charity. We would love to match or increase that total this year. Watch this space to see how we get on....