Thanks offered to West Sussex Headway carers

A TEA party celebrated the hard work of carers for people with head injuries.

West Sussex Headway, which has offered “priceless support” to service users and carers alike across the county, held its tea party at The Ardington Hotel, in Steyne Gardens, Worthing.

Pete Sangster is a volunteer for Headway, and his wife, Gwyn, now runs the support group after suffering a brain injury in 2003 and using the charity’s services.

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Pete, 63, started volunteering for the group seven years ago, and said: “Gwyn had two brain haemorrhages in September, 2003.

“She did not know who I was for three weeks.

“She has gradually improved, but she was very, very lucky.

“We help a lot of people to meet other people in the same predicament, which is priceless.”

When asked why he has been involved with the charity for so long, Pete said: “To see the look of relief on people’s faces when they realise they’re not alone in this world with their problems.

“Even if we only help one person, it’s worth it.”

One of the people who uses the organisation’s services, Steph Abbott, from Littlehampton, said the main problem people with head injuries encounter is they do not get support when they leave hospital.

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She said: “It would be lovely to change one of the things that is not there, which is a lack of information when you leave hospital.

“You leave hospital with staples in your head and that’s it.

“We want to put together an information pack.”

Another volunteer, 25-year-old Christina Perkins, said: “With brain injuries, often the person still looks the same, but their personality can change.

“People don’t realise that people need that extra support and it’s difficult to get across how important it is. It keeps people in the community with their family.”

To get involved in the charity, contact 07938 858153.