A young carers charity based in Solihull has secured a £5,000 donation from a national housebuilder, helping them to expand their services in and around the area.

Solihull Young Carers received the funding boost from Persimmon Homes Central as part of its Community Champions initiative. The group looks after 800 young carers between the ages of five and 15 who provide unpaid caring services for their loved ones. Young carers can often struggle to balance schooling with their caring roles, which can result in challenging educational experiences.

The group looks after 800 young carers between the ages of five and 15 who provide unpaid caring services for their loved ones. They can often struggle to balance schooling with their caring roles, which can result in challenging educational experiences.

The group has secured funding for a program to help the youngsters back into school and to improve their education experience and outcomes. Some of these activities include recruiting peer mentors, counselling sessions and events where the carers can build relationships and reward them for their hard work. Persimmon's donation will fund a full year of these social activities for the carers.

A 10-year-old who benefits from the services of Solihull Young Carers said:

“I will love the days out and making new friends, it will be a break for me - and fun to go places I haven’t been before. The best help I can get is meeting other children like me.”

Gina Ward, Manager at Solihull Young Carers said:

“Young carers are often hidden and isolated in our society. This funding will enable us to give them a worry-free break from caring, some fun and help them make memories through new experiences. Most importantly it will give them the childhood that caring can take away.  Thank you SO much on behalf of our young carer community.”

Paul Coles, Operations Director at Persimmon Homes Central, said:

“What we do is about much more than just building homes, it’s about leaving a lasting impact in the communities that we build in. We’re always delighted to lend a hand to local community groups to boost their ongoing initiatives or contribute to causes that mean a lot to them.”

“It’s an honour to be able to offer this £5,000 donation to Solihull Young Carers, which will help the group to plan a full year of activities.”

To learn more about Persimmon Homes, please visit: https://www.persimmonhomes.com/