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Jun 17, 20261
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Devon carers receive wellbeing gift boxes in one-off support scheme
A new one-off scheme is distributing 100 Wellbeing Gift Boxes to unpaid carers across Devon and Torbay during Carers’ Week. The initiative, led by Devon Carers at Westbank and Devon Partnership NHS Trust, is intended to recognise carers and support those looking after people with mental ill health.
Quick Facts
Who
Devon Carers at Westbank
What
Launched a one-off Wellbeing Gift Box scheme for unpaid carers
When
during Carers’ Week
Where
Devon
- Launched a one-off Wellbeing Gift Box scheme for unpaid carers
- Distributed free gift boxes to carers in Tiverton, Devon and Torbay
- Used the scheme to recognise carers and encourage dialogue with them
- Devon Carers at Westbank
- Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Unpaid carers in Devon are being recognised through a new one-off initiative that is distributing free Wellbeing Gift Boxes during Carers’ Week. The scheme is a joint effort by Devon Carers at Westbank and Devon Partnership NHS Trust, and is funded by the Trust’s charity, Open Up.
The boxes are being given to people who care for someone with mental ill health, with organisers saying the aim is both to offer a practical gesture of appreciation and to start more dialogue with carers whose views are often underrepresented. The packages include treats, small gifts, a book token and a journal.
A total of 100 boxes are being handed out, including 75 for carers in Devon and 25 in Torbay. The first recipients were carers in Tiverton, where the scheme was launched.
Suzie Walters-Jeffries, partnerships and development manager for Devon Carers at Westbank, said the boxes were intended to provide "a tangible gesture of recognition and wellbeing support". One recipient, Ken Wood, said it was "nice to be thought of", while another carer, Tim Brookfield, thanked organisers for the box and described the pressures of caring for his 88-year-old mother alongside family and farm responsibilities.
Why This Matters
This scheme serves as a pilot for how local health trusts and charities can use modest, targeted interventions—such as gift boxes with practical items—to engage and support unpaid carers, whose health and finances are often strained. For charities and trust leaders elsewhere, it offers a replicable model for low-cost recognition and data gathering (via dialogue) during national awareness weeks. Unpaid carers themselves may see this as a signal of increasing institutional awareness, potentially leading to more sustained support.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2026
WireThe scheme runs as a one-off project in Westbank’s 40th anniversary year.
Jun 17, 2026
WireSidmouth Herald reports that Devon carers are receiving free Wellbeing Gift Boxes as part of a new one-off scheme launched during Carers’ Week.