24 hours: carers portrait exhibition

24 Hours, an arresting exhibition of carers’ portraits, opens in the Scottish Parliament on 18 September. In this series of portraits, each carer is shown seated on the sofa in their own home alongside the person they care for.

In some, it is impossible to tell who is the carer and who is the cared for person; in others, it is obvious. With each portrait is a description, in the carer’s own words, of their caring role.

In one portrait, both of those pictured are carers. Nan is blind and the carer for her granddaughter, Brenda, who has learning difficulties. Brenda is 16 and has been a carer for her grandmother ever since she can remember. Nan explains:

"We’re a team: Brenda is my eyes and I’m her brains. She does for me what I can’t do sightwise and I help her thinking."

The portraits were taken by Hannah Hills, a rising young star in portrait photography, one of whose portraits was exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery in 2005. Hannah says: "Since undertaking this project I have met some amazing people. It was really very humbling to see the way that they care for their loved ones with no complaints, often giving up jobs and a lot of their independence to do so"

"One of the enduring memories from visiting everyone is the laughter and great sense of humour, often in very difficult circumstances. It was a privilege to be involved in this project and to see the work of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers at first hand."

All the portraits have been reproduced in an art quality catalogue, including a foreword by HRH The Princess Royal, President of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, who says: "Carers need recognition so that they can access the support which will enable them to continue to care without compromising their own health and wellbeing."

Ruth Clark, Assistant Director of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in Scotland, adds: "We want to make people aware of the fact that carers exist and that the unpaid work they carry out at home is vital to our society. A carer could be someone you meet on the bus, it could be someone you work with, it could be someone who lives in your street or it could be the person standing next to you. It could be you."

John Swinney MSP will be opening the event at the Scottish Parliament in September, after which 24 hours will tour museums and galleries throughout Scotland until late 2008.