Throughout Volunteers’ Week (3 - 9 June), Westbank Community Health and Care is celebrating the army of volunteers who are the beating heart of the Devon-wide charity and sharing volunteers’ stories to inspire more people to help make a difference.
Volunteers’ Week - now in its 40th year - is a week when charities across the South West celebrate those who give up their time to help others and say thank you to them for the contribution they make. The week also raises awareness about the many benefits of becoming a volunteer and the diverse volunteering roles available.
Pupils at Exeter Pre-Prep School in Exminster have recently run the equivalent of four marathons as part of a sponsored fun run to raise money for Westbank Community Health and Care, a local charity that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people across Devon.
With 72 children under the age of seven, the school hoped that pupils and staff would be able to run a collective marathon (26 miles) throughout the day, with each class taking turns to run laps around the school grounds. However, they managed to clock up a combined total of 112 miles, the equivalent of more than four...
Marc Astley, a well-known local journalist and news editor, is the latest trustee to join the board of Westbank Community Health and Care and says he’s on a mission to spread the word about the work of this fantastic, community charity.
As an experienced media professional and a former editor of the Exeter Express & Echo newspaper, Marc is well-placed to do this. His achievements include co-founding the UK Daily Ltd, a stable of 10 online news and feature platforms including The Exeter Daily. He also set up the successful Exeter-based PR and Marketing Agency, Astley Media,...
The run-up to Christmas has been busy for local health and wellbeing charity Westbank Community Health and Care, with a full calendar of events for members of its community and its team.
The festive celebrations got off to a heartwarming start when Year 2 children from Exeter Pre-Prep School visited Westbank’s Day Centre at Exminster to sing a melody of Christmas songs for regular clients.
The following day, the Royal Oak in Exminster kindly hosted a 3-course meal for fifty of Westbank’s clients to mark the end of a year of fantastic support from the pub.
It’s traditional to send seasonal greetings at this time of year but a Devonwide health and wellbeing charity is encouraging people to make a donation instead of giving Christmas cards.
Westbank Community Health and Care has launched its ‘Donate in Lieu of Christmas Cards’ campaign, asking people to make a charitable gift rather than spending money on buying and posting cards this festive season.
Katie Elliott, Westbank’s Head of Fundraising and Marketing explains why, “Every donation we receive, however large or small, makes a real difference to our ability to provide...
Westbank Community Health and Care is celebrating the first cohort of newbie cooks to have completed Foundation Courses in basic kitchen skills at the charity’s recently opened Community Cookery School.
The purpose-built teaching facility at Exminster, near Exeter, opened its doors to beginner cooks this autumn, offering free eight-week workshops to people of all ages who want to learn how to cook simple, nutritious, affordable meals.
A well-attended launch party allowed guests, including sponsors, to see the bespoke teaching kitchen in use. The event marked the completion...
Devon Carers, a free service by Westbank Community Health and Care, is this month celebrating 25 years of supporting unpaid carers across the county and is planning several events throughout the coming year as part of its landmark anniversary.
The charity provides a wide range of support services to those who look after family members or friends because they are ill, frail, or have a disability, mental health or substance misuse problem.
Over the last two and a half decades, Westbank’s Devon Carers has grown to be one of the largest charitable organisations in the UK...
Do you look after someone who couldn’t manage without your help? There are at least 74,000 people in Devon who do, and Westbank’s Devon Carers is a free service to help them, delivered by Westbank Community Health and Care, and funded by Devon County Council and the NHS.
Westbank’s Devon Carers is hosting a free Information Fair for unpaid carers on Carers’ Rights Day, Thursday 23rd November, at the Exeter Phoenix in Gandy Street from 10 am to 4 pm. Carers Rights Day - a national event - is run every year to ensure carers are aware of their rights, know where to get help and...
A Devon-wide health and wellbeing charity, based near Exeter, is seeking support from businesses and volunteers in the ‘final push’ for a new venture that will offer free workshops to people of all ages to teach them how to prepare nutritious meals from scratch with simple, affordable ingredients - at a time when cooking healthily, cost-effectively and sustainably has never been more important.
The idea of creating a bespoke teaching kitchen at Westbank Community Health and Care began simmering away a year ago following the Covid lockdowns. During the pandemic, the charity...
In response to this year’s Carers Week (5-11th June) theme ‘Recognising and supporting carers in the community’, the organisation that supports thousands of unpaid carers across Devon is highlighting the invaluable role carers undertake, which saves the NHS and Social Care organisations across the county an estimated £2.324 billion a year!
Around 75,000 adults provide care for a family member, friend or neighbour in Devon. Many are supported by Devon Carers, one of the services provided by local charity Westbank Community Health and Care. However, many people with caring...
