Out and About
Mobility
Blue Badge
The Blue Badge scheme helps you park closer to your destination if you’re disabled.
Dial-a-Ride is TfL's free door-to-door service for those with permanent or long-term disabilities.
The London Taxicard scheme provides subsidised door to door journeys in licensed taxis and private hire vehicles for London residents who have serious mobility or visual impairments.
Public Transport
You might be able to get free or reduced travel if you are travelling with the person you care for to help them get around by bus, train or coach.
Taking a break from the emotional and physical demands of a caring role can be invaluable, ensuring the carer can relax and recharge.
Whether it’s an hour, a day or a week’s holiday, taking a break as a carer has numerous benefits.
Holidays
There are many options available:
Carefree
Carefree transforms a vacant accommodation into vital breaks for unpaid carers. We know all too well how challenging a full-time caring role can be, so a few days away with a partner or a friend can work wonders. It may seem like a small thing, but our experience shows us that it can make a huge difference.
To register, speak to Nadia from Wellbeing team
The Family Fund
The Family Fund can provide grants towards the cost of a holiday for families on low income who are caring for a child with severe disability.
The Holiday information guide is packed with information to help people with learning disabilities and those closest to them choose an accessible, disability-friendly holiday.
The Family Holiday Assoc. provides breaks at holiday sites, or grants to help with the cost of a holiday to low-income families. You will need to be referred by your Social Worker, GP, Health Visitor or a Advisor at Carers Trust Hillingdon.
Revitalise provides respite holidays for disabled people and their carers.
Libraries and carers
Your local library can offer more than just borrowing books. Its a great place to find support and meet other people
All Hillingdon’s libraries are accessible and easy to get around, especially if the person you care for has mobility issues. They are a local Community Information Hub
Remember you can borrow a lot more that just books from your local library, there are eBooks, audiobooks, DVDs and console games. They also have large print or books in Braille.
All libraries have computers and IT equipment that you can use for free, staff can show you how to use them. They also provide learning workshops on how to use a computer.
All the libraries have something going on everyday whether its a group session, activities, events or a carers group meet-up.
Some libraries have facilities such as a café or rooms for hire.
They are dementia friendly with staff being able to support the person you care for. Most libraries offer the Toveltafel, which is a games console designed for use with service users of dementia or other disabilities.
Borrowing a book if you cant visit a library
Hillingdon has a Home Library Service which can deliver books and other items to your home if you can’t get out to a library. They even offer eBooks and eAudiobooks that you can download onto a computer, laptop or tablet for free.
Days Out
Visitor attractions and Leisure Centres may offer discounts or free entry to carers.
Carers Trust Hillingdon organise adult days out through the wellbeing project. Family trips are organised via the Young Carers Team.
CarerSmart offer benefits and discounts to carers and people with care needs.
Hillingdon Theatres - Compass Theatre, Winston Churchill Theatre and Manor Farm.
Tickets are free to carers on request. Wheelchair friendly, disabled badge holder car parking spaces and assistance dogs are welcome. The auditoriums are fitted with an induction loops for those with hearing difficulties.
Beck Theatre
Beck theatre provides complimentary tickets to carers on providing proof of receipt of certain benefits DLA, PIP or AA also VIC (visual impaired). They also offer dementia film screening, different slightly from a regular cinema performance
Cinema CEA
The CEA Card is a national card scheme developed for UK cinemas that enables a disabled cinema guest to receive a complimentary ticket for someone to accompany them.
Sports and Leisure Centres Botwell Green, Highgrove, Hillingdon, and Queensmead
Carers attending any leisure centre in order to assist a disabled person will be admitted free of charge.
The Hillingdon LeisureLink scheme provides savings on leisure activities to a number of concessionary groups.
National Trust
The Essential Companion card makes it simple to bring one or two carers or companions with you, free of charge.
Local Parks
Across the borough, there are lots of beautiful parks and greens spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Arts and Culture Local history and heritage, Battle of Britain bunker
Keeping Active
Keeping active doesn't necessarily mean going to the gym or doing sports – walking, dancing, active housework, washing the car and gardening are also good ways to keep active. It has both physical and mental benefits. There are different activities you can pursue.
CarerSmart is a Carers Trust club that is open to carers, people with care needs and staff and volunteers from across the Carers Trust network.
Dementia Friendly
Dementia Friendly Places app helps you to find places that are dementia friendly. If you care for someone with dementia, or are a person living with dementia, use this app to discover new places to visit.
Download from iTunes
