Vitalise is the difference between coping and despair

Mar 25 2011 Perthshire Advertiser Friday

Dear Editor, – For most of us, taking a break whenever we want to recharge our batteries is considered quite normal, but during Share the Care Week 2011 I’d like your readers to spare a thought for those who can never take such a simple pleasure for granted.

For the UK’s millions of disabled people and the loved ones who care for them, getting time off from the unrelenting stress of their daily routine often presents an insurmountable challenge.

According to recent surveys, disabled people are twice as likely never to have taken a holiday as non-disabled people and a third of all carers have never been able to take a break. But without regular respite from the daily struggle, many disabled people and carers face a bleak future of physical and social isolation, depression, ill health and despair.

I work for Vitalise, a charity providing desperately-needed respite breaks for disabled people and carers at accessible centres around the UK. The guests who spend time with Vitalise often tell us how important a break is in their lives. Just one week a year can make the difference between coping and despair, between just existing and really living.

I’d like to ask your readers to support this wonderful charity. We don’t get a penny from central government and rely on the generosity of the public to continue our vital work. To find out how you can support Vitalise or for more information about our accessible breaks, please call 0845 345 1972 or visit www.vitalise.org.uk

Colin Brook,

Vitalise,

12 City Forum,

250 City Road,

London, EC1V 8AF.