Festival makes young carers TV stars
The Scottish Young Carers Festival will be the star of the show this Monday (31 October 2011) when it is featured on Channel 5’s prime time TV show Celebrity Wish List.
The Festival, which is organised by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, took place at the end of August and brought together more than 500 young carers from all over Scotland. As part of the programme TV presenter Zoe Salmon and the band McFly dropped in to surprise the young carers, who had no idea that this year’s festival would feature such exciting guests.
The band performed a 20-minute exclusive gig, before goodie bags were handed out to the young carers at the Festival at Broomlee Outdoor Education Centre in West Linton.
Funded by the Scottish Government, the aim of the Festival is to give young carers a break from caring and the chance to try out different activities. They can also quiz politicians, councillors, and health, education and council officials, and give them an insight into their lives.
Joseph is a young carer who attended this year’s Festival and took part in the filming. He is 14 and he cares for his older brother Thomas, who has severe autism and epilepsy.
He said: “The Festival was amazing and I really enjoyed getting a break from caring, taking part in the different activities and meeting up with the different young carers’ groups who were there. It was pretty interesting to meet and chat with Zoe Salmon and I’m looking forward to the TV show.”
Speaking about the Festival, Zoe Salmon said: "When I heard about the incredible work that young carers do, I was so overwhelmed and I wanted to do something that would make the day even more special. The boys from McFly were totally up for it too.
"The Princess Royal Trust for Carers is a phenomenal charity and I can't praise the work of The Trust and young carers enough. Young carers take a lot of pressure off the government by saving them millions of pounds."
Louise Morgan, Young Carers Services Development Manager at The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, said: "The festival is THE highlight of the year for Scotland's young carers and McFly's appearance this year made it really special.
We’re delighted that Celebrity Wish List will highlight the festival and all of the great work that young carers in this country do.”
Feedback from young carers at previous Festivals has led to many positive developments – the publication of the Scottish Government’s national young carers strategy, the appointment of a worker to look at mental health services for young carers, young carer cartoon characters to raise awareness in primary schools and a new information resource for primary school teachers.
Celebrity Wish List featuring this year’s Scottish Young Carers Festival will be broadcast this Monday 31 October on Channel 5 at 7.30pm.
For more information, images or interviews with case studies or spokespeople from The Trust please contact the press team
