Young carers from the New Forest enjoy a day out on the Isle of Wight
16th April 2025
Thirteen young people who take on caring responsibilities for family members set sail with Wightlink across the Solent from Lymington for a day trip to the Isle of Wight. They went on to visit the Needles Landmark Attraction, took a boat ride in a rigid inflatable (rib) and enjoyed ice cream in Yarmouth, thanks to sponsorship from a range of partners.
The New Forest Young Carer Service supports more than two hundred young carers across the district with respite breaks and activities including days out and other treats. Many look after parents and siblings with chronic illnesses and are likely to suffer from more stress and worry than other young people who have a more regular childhood.
Service Manager Marie Shotbolt says: “This was such a great opportunity for some of our young people. Many of them are juggling their caring responsibilities with revising for exams and course work at the moment so for them to relax and have fun for a day is a real treat. It was a valuable learning experience as well, as several of them had never been on a train or a ferry before.
“They all said how much fun they had had – the rib ride in particular was a real highlight! We had a lot of very tired but very happy teenagers at the end of the day and can’t thank everyone involved enough for making it all happen.”
Partners for the day included Wightlink, the New Forest Community Rail Partnership, South Western Railway (SWR), Southern Vectis, the Needles Landmark Attraction and Needles Pleasure Cruises.
Bobby Lock, Community Rail Manager, for Isle of Wight and New Forest Community Rail Partnership says: “Funding from SWR Social Development not only enabled the youngsters to have a wonderful trip but to be more confident about taking public transport. It did exactly what it was meant for and this grant is so important for particularly vulnerable communities who need support from Community Rail partnerships.”
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Duty Media Officer
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