Unity Trust Bank relationship manager Paul Wedderspoon (centre) with four of the volunteers at Carers Support (Bexley)
A charity in South East London that offers respite services for unpaid carers has bought its first residential property thanks to funding from Unity Trust Bank.
Carers’ Support (Bexley) used a generous bequest from a former beneficiary and a £250,000 loan from Unity to acquire a four-bedroom house in Belvedere.
The accommodation will become home for young people on 12-month overseas volunteer placements who help look after loved ones when unpaid carers need a break.
Vikki Wilkinson, CEO, at Carers’ Support (Bexley) said: “Unpaid carers are typically family members or neighbours who provide care to somebody who couldn’t manage without them.
“We believe that in order to care for the carers, we have to care for each other first. We have around 50 volunteers, including up to 9 every year from overseas, and we want to take care of them.
“We host them in a safe, supported environment and pay expenses and they reciprocate with free, full-time volunteering with around 10 families each.
“It’s a really special project and volunteers build up a lovely relationship and a sense of trust with the whole family.”
There are an estimated 19,300 unpaid carers in Bexley. The charity, which employs 20 people, decided to find new accommodation when it was served notice on a previous rented building.
Vikki said: “It would have been impossible to continue this service at market rent, so we looked at our options.
“Thanks to a generous bequest, a brave decision by our trustees and support from Unity, we decided to invest in the service, the charity and the borough.
“This is quite historic for us and builds stability and security. It shows we’re here for long the term and how much we value our volunteers.
“Paul Wedderspoon from Unity has been incredible. He guided us through everything and made the process much less scary.
“We’re probably a small fish for Unity, but we never felt like that with Paul. He invested his time in us, and his knowledge of the charity sector was so important.
“Unity is a human and person-centred bank. We found the experience hugely positive, and I would recommend Unity to my sector colleagues.”
Paul Wedderspoon, Relationship Manager at Unity Trust Bank, said: “As a social impact bank, Unity only lends to organisations that make a positive difference to local communities.
“By their very nature, unpaid carers are unpaid. They spend hours every week looking after loved ones but it’s important that they get a break as it can be incredibly stressful.
“Carers’ Support (Bexley) has been providing support and respite services for over 25 years, and we were delighted to assist the valuable work they do with this acquisition.”
