Over 100,000 carers take part in Carers Week 2011

Carers' Centres and young carers projects across the UK are holding events for Carers Week from 13th to 19th June. The theme for Carers Week 2011 is “The True Face of Carers” and more than 8000 events and activities are taking place with the aim of ensuring that carers know they are not alone.

The week started with the latest research on the impact of cuts to services on carers. This revealed that more than 80% of unpaid carers are worried about cuts to services and almost half do not know how they will cope as the axe falls on some of the vital support they rely on.

Celebrities such as Hollywood star, Dame Judi Dench, television stars Angela Rippon and Sir David Jason OBE, and football legend Jack Charlton OBE are supporting Carers Week this year. Dame Judi Dench, carer for her husband who passed away with lung cancer says that "Three in five people will be an unpaid carer at some point in their lives and many of them sacrifice everything to save our economy £87 billion every year. It’s time to give them something back."

Prime Minister David Cameron held a special reception for carers at 10 Downing Street. Carers from all over the country joined him there to talk about their experiences and concerns. Mr Cameron said that the government needs to cut down on bureaucracy, show more understanding and back personalisation.

He said to carers "if you stopped doing what you're doing, the consequences for the country would be disastrous." (Watch the speech on Carers Week website)

In Scotland, our team marked Carers Week with the launch of two young carer mascots. Funded by the Scottish Government and created by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Eryc and Trayc are cartoon characters who are young carers and have their own website, www.erycandtrayc.com. The website helps school children in Scotland find out what young carers do, what challenges they face and where they can get further support .

At the end of Carers Week The Trust’s work will be featured on the BBC Lifeline Appeal for carers which will run on BBC One on 19th June at 4:45 pm in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and at 5:15 pm in Scotland. This will be a unique opportunity for us to tell people about our work and why we need more support for the UK's unpaid carers.

Liz Fenton, Chief Executive, The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, says: “Many carers are already under a huge amount of financial and emotional pressure. Some carers are forced to give up work to provide 24 hour care. Some of them hold down demanding careers, working a double life as carer and employee. Some of them are children; those who should be the cared for, having to do the caring.”

Activities for Carers Week and other related news

Gordon’s blog on the latest from the policy front during Carers Week

Carers blogs on the theme “True Face of Carers”

Corina’s article on A typical day in the life of a young carer appears