Unpaid carers in Tiverton were the first in Devon to have received free Wellbeing Gift Boxes as part of a county-wide joint initiative between Devon Carers at Westbank and Devon Partnership NHS Trust (DPT), supported through funding from Open Up, the Trust’s charity, launched during Carers’ Week (8th - 14th June 2026). 

The Wellbeing Boxes were gifted to individuals who provide care and support to someone experiencing mental ill health, in recognition of the vital role they play and the challenges they may face in their caring role. It’s a ‘gesture of recognition’ to show them how valued and appreciated they are, and as a gentle reminder that their own wellbeing matters.

With £5,000 in funding from Open Up, Devon Carers at Westbank put together 100 boxes containing small gifts, treats, a book token and a journal. The boxes were hand-delivered to carers across Devon (75 boxes) and Torbay (25 boxes) to stimulate conversation and engagement.

Devon Carers at Westbank is one of the largest services of its kind in the UK, providing a broad range of support and assessments to those who care for someone who is ill, frail, or has a disability, mental ill health or is dealing with substance misuse. The service is a lifeline to more than 35,500 unpaid carers, contributing to their improved wellbeing and raising awareness of caring and the contribution carers make to society, whilst delivering measurable savings to Devon’s health and social care system.

Open Up funds projects that enhance mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services across Devon, helping to improve everyday experiences for patients, carers and staff. Supporting carers is a key part of this, recognising the essential role they play in recovery and wellbeing, working alongside Devon Partnership NHS Trust. 

Devon Partnership NHS Trust is the provider of mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services across Devon and Torbay, and actively works alongside carers to support those in our care. We recognise and understand that carers play a vital and invaluable role in supporting those with mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity needs, and in working alongside our teams.

Suzie Walters-Jeffries, Partnerships and Development Manager for Devon Carers at Westbank, says, “We work in close partnership with DPT daily. The idea behind the boxes is to do something meaningful that provides a tangible gesture of recognition and wellbeing support for carers and also enables us to open up a dialogue with them, as their voices are currently underrepresented.

“Together with Open Up, we came up with the Wellbeing Boxes. We are gifting them to people aged 30 to 90+, some inpatients, some outpatients, from different backgrounds and with different needs and conditions. The letter and the items inside the box encourage carers to share their feedback and experiences and give them small things to help them take a break, whether it’s pausing for a mug of tea or hot chocolate and a biscuit, sowing some wildflower seeds, reading a book or writing in a journal. It’s a simple way to show them how much they’re valued.”

Daniel Robson, Head of Charity for Open Up, says, “My colleague Joanna Duke, Together and Carer Lead at the Trust, collaborated with Westbank Community Health and Care on the concept, and we were delighted to be able to give £5,000 to provide 100 Wellbeing Boxes for the community. While our charity exists primarily to support Devon Partnership NHS Trust, we are trying to develop more partnership working and support other organisations where we can demonstrate a benefit to DPT. I’ve had a look at the contents of the boxes, and I think people will really welcome the gifts inside.”

Joanna Duke, Together and Carer Lead at Devon Partnership NHS Trust, explains the rationale for the project: "These Wellbeing Boxes will provide support to a targeted group of carers whose voices are currently underrepresented, particularly those caring for someone with severe mental illness."

Pensioner Ken Wood, who arrived at Tiverton’s Exe Valley Leisure Centre with his wife, who became depressed after being targeted by scammers, was the first person to receive one of the Wellbeing Giftboxes, and the couple were invited to stay for a chat over a cuppa. Ken said, “Devon Carers got in touch to invite us to come along today. It’s nice to be thought of, and we’ll enjoy some of the treats inside.”

Tim Brookfield, who cares for his elderly mother whilst looking after his own family and running a farm, was also delighted to pause for a complimentary drink after receiving his gift box. He said, “My mum’s 88 now and I don’t go out at all. By the time I get her into bed at night, I’m tired. Devon Carers recently gave me £200 in funding to take a break, to get out and socialise and maybe do a short course in archaeology. Thank you very much for the box.”

The Wellbeing Boxes are a one-off project for 2026, which is Westbank’s 40th anniversary year; however, DPT, alongside its charity Open Up, is committed to supporting carers, so the two organisations will monitor the impact of the boxes and the subsequent engagement and assess what we do in future to reach even more carers.

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