Supporting Carers to Connect and Thrive at Awen

Carers Week (8 – 14 June) is an important opportunity to recognise the vital role unpaid carers play in our communities, and to highlight the support available to them. At Awen, supporting carers is an ongoing commitment, reflected in the activities, partnerships and welcoming spaces offered across our libraries, venues and community programmes.

Our libraries and venues provide safe, inclusive environments where carers and those they support can access practical help, social connection and opportunities to take time for themselves. This work aligns closely with our wider mission to create culturally vibrant communities where everyone feels they belong (download our five-year strategy here).

Throughout the year, we work in partnership with organisations such as Bridgend Carers Centre and InclusAbility to promote activities, share information and connect carers with the support they need. Recent examples include events at Pencoed and Bridgend Libraries, the relaxed Santa event at Bryngarw Country Park, and a special St Dwynwen’s Day lunch and St David’s Day afternoon tea at Bryngarw House.

Libraries play a central role in this offer. They are not only places to access books and information, but also are community hubs where carers can meet others facing similar experience, access advice and take part in activities designed to improve wellbeing and reduce isolation. There is a monthly carers’ support group, and a regular session for dementia carers held at Pencoed Library, for example.

The Feel Good for Life programme at Bridgend Library, run in partnership with Halo Leisure, provides meaningful opportunities for carers and those they support to spend time together in a relaxed and supportive setting. Activities often include crafts, music, games and reminiscence, helping to encourage conversation, connection and positive shared experiences.

For many carers, these sessions offer more than just a break from daily responsibilities. They provide structure to the week, opportunities to socialise and a chance to focus on their own wellbeing as well as that of the person they care for.

Feedback from carers highlights the value of these opportunities. One carer described library-led sessions as a “highlight of our week”, noting the positive impact on both them and their loved one, and the importance of having a welcoming space where they feel supported and understood.

Carers Week also provides a platform to strengthen partnerships and raise awareness of the challenges carers face. Awen actively collaborates with local authorities, health organisations and third-sector partners to ensure that services are responsive, accessible and inclusive. This collaborative approach helps to ensure carers are better informed, more connected and able to access support when they need it, whether through in-person sessions, digital support, or community-based activities.

We will continue to build on this work by listening to feedback, developing new programmes and expanding opportunities for carers to engage with arts, culture and wellbeing activities. Our commitment to reducing social isolation, improving wellbeing and supporting communities remains central to our approach.