I play the 50:50 Lottery to help unpaid carers
Linda, who plays our 50:50 Lottery, was supported by Swindon Carers Centre when she was an unpaid carer. Read her story below.
I play the 50:50 Lottery to give something back to Swindon Carers Centre so it can help other unpaid carers.
I started playing it after my Dad passed away. I cared for my Dad and I wouldn’t have survived without the support of Swindon Carers Centre. I gave up my job and moved into my Dad’s home to care full-time for him which lasted two years.
Caring is such a demanding job and, at times, it’s such a tie. To be able to have moments for yourself away from your caring responsibilities is so important – it gives you the time to be yourself as opposed to being, in my case, my Dad’s carer.
Caring for carers is really important and the team at Swindon Carers Centre were so caring and empathetic to what I was going through and were always there for me.
They organised activities and I enjoyed a variety of things – flower arranging, a meal out at a hotel and a coach trip to the Christmas market in Salisbury. I was also able to go on holiday thanks to them applying for funding for me. It went towards two weeks in Cornwall and it was a godsend as it allowed me and my Dad to have respite from each other. While I was away Dad was in a care home in Swindon which allowed me to switch off from my caring responsibilities knowing he was well looked after.
They also helped me to get counselling, which benefited me to understand and process my caring role and how it was affecting me and my relationships with others.
Swindon Carers Centre is very important to me and I will always be forever grateful for the support I had. Playing the 50:50 Lottery is a small thing I can do to support the charity.
It costs me £5 a month to play and, for me, the cost is negligible. If you think about it, a cup of coffee and a piece of cake would cost you more.
I’ve won on the 50:50 Lottery a couple of times. It’s a nice surprise to win and I’m grateful to win anything. With my winnings I’ve bought a bottle of wine and while I’m drinking a glass I think of Swindon Carers Centre and toast it with a ‘thank you!’
Winning is a bonus, but I don’t play it to win. I do it to help other carers.