National Portrait Exhibition of Carers to Open at Elgin Museum

A significant exhibition of carers’ portraits, 24 hours, which was launched at the Scottish Parliament in September 2007 will open in the Elgin Museum on Wednesday 26 March at 11.30am.

24 hours is a series of portraits of carers, each one showing the carer seated on the sofa in their own home alongside the person they care for. In some portraits, it is impossible to tell who is the carer and who is the cared for person; in others, it is very obvious.

The carers portrayed come from all over Scotland and are aged from 13 to 85 years old. Each portrait has a brief explanation alongside, using the carer’s own words to explain 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 says: ‘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.

All the portraits have been reproduced in an art quality catalogue, which will accompany the exhibition as it tours Scotland. The catalogue includes 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.’

This is Hannah Hills’ first solo exhibition. She says: ‘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.’

Ruth Clark, acting director of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in Scotland, says: ‘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.’

The Princess Royal Trust Moray Carers' Project supports carers of all ages, no matter what their circumstances, throughout Moray. The Carers Project is based at 227 High Street, Elgin and can be contacted on 01 343 540 990.

24 hours will be on view at the Elgin Museum, 1 High Street, Elgin, from 26 March to 3 May. Entrance to the 24 hours exhibition is free and doors will be open from 10am through till 4pm. Donations are gratefully received.

For further information, please contact Patricia Hess on 07946 424 127

Check the exhibition schedule for 2007 - 2009

View snapshots of a few of the portraits which will be on display: 24 hours: carers portraits