The charity Carers UK is working to support 5,000 people across London with an unpaid caring role to connect with others in their communities and get the support they need, thanks to a grant from London Freemasons.
The Carer Aware project sees Carers UK working with communities in London to help them better identify carers in their communities, understand and recognise the challenges for people caring for a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill, and help signpost them to the support they can receive from Carers UK.
There are almost 700,000 unpaid carers in London[1]. Carers are, on average, seven times lonelier than the average person[2], and restrictions and shielding during the pandemic have impacted some carers’ support networks, leaving 65 per cent of carers lonelier and more isolated than before the pandemic[3]. Now that we are all beginning to reforge social connections, carers need not be left out.
Previous research by the charity shows that:
Half of carers (52 per cent) said their health was affected by missing out on support because of the time it took them to identify as a carer[4].
More than half (51 per cent) of people in England believe they don’t know a single family member or friend who is a carer, whilst as many as three in five workers (62 per cent) believe they don’t know any work colleagues who help look after a loved one[5].
Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:
“We know that millions more people took on a caring role during the pandemic, and carers have told us they felt “abandoned” and expected to “get on with it” with little or no support for much of it. This project is about having more conversations about caring and empowering people to reach out and offer support to the carers in their lives.
“We are extremely grateful to London Freemasons for their generous grant of £48,204 to Carers UK. We are delighted to be working with London Freemasons to raise awareness of the vital role that carers play and delivering a series of training events to Freemasons and other community groups this year.”
Darrel Palmer, member of London Freemasons and an unpaid carer, said:
“These have been very difficult times for everyone and especially for carers. With this project we are helping to identify and support carers within our membership, our wider networks and within all communities across London.
“We want to recognise the enormous contribution carers make to families and communities throughout the UK. They do their best because they want to make a difference and care deeply for their family members. No one should have to care alone.”
Carers UK is inviting anyone who thinks their community group would enjoy an interactive learning event about the role of unpaid carers in our communities and how we can all better support them to contact [email protected].
