Last week, I was contacted by a constituent’s parent, who told me that a holiday service their son has used for over 20 years is closing down. 

Sandpipers, in Southport, provides 24-hour care for people with disabilities, is a brilliant resource for people with complex needs and their families, all of whom are able to take a holiday and have a break. Having cared for my mum when she was seriously ill, I know how hard it can be to take a break from caring responsibilities.

Meeting Darren at his home in Farnworth, I asked him to explain what the loss of Sandpipers would mean to him. Darren has Cerebral Palsy and uses a motorised wheelchair to get around.  He told me that he enjoyed going to Sandpipers as it meant that his mum and dad could go on breaks that didn’t suit him, while he really enjoyed an independent holiday, going on trips and seeing friends he had made over the years.

Yasmin Qureshi and DarrenYasmin Qureshi and Darren (Image: Office of Yasmin Qureshi MP)

I was amazed at two things – the breadth of support and activities offered by Revitalise, the company which runs Sandpipers, for people with so many different needs; and the cost. It costs around a thousand pounds to go to Sandpipers for a week, the cost of an all-inclusive week away in Turkey during the summer.

This cost for many is met by their local authority when they cannot live alone, but with costs in adult social care spiralling, it is not a surprise to see a council’s reluctance to fund these, despite the help it brings. Darren told me that as he now lives in independent, supported, accommodation, he didn’t qualify for the funding so had to save up to go on his next, and potentially last, holiday to Sandpipers.

I’ve written to both Bolton Council and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to bring the closure of this vital service to their attention, start a conversation about how respite care can help address the crisis we have in Adult Social care and hopefully find a solution to ensure that people with complex needs are still able to enjoy holidays and that their families are able to get the respite they need.