Thousands of unpaid carers in Yorkshire are looking after family members or friends – and many don’t even recognise themselves as carers, or know about the support they can access.
During Carers Week, Carers’ Resource, the charity supporting young and adult unpaid carers across Bradford, Harrogate, Craven and Selby, is aiming to raise awareness of the challenges carers face.
The week runs from June 10-16 this year and the national theme is ‘putting carers on the map’.
Carers’ Resource will be holding a number of events and activities in North and West Yorkshire during the week, campaigning for much-needed recognition and support for carers.
Heidi Watson, CEO of Carers’ Resource, said: “We want to put unpaid carers on the map and make sure everyone knows about the pressures they face on a daily basis.
“The most recent census figures show that there are over 45,000 people looking after relatives or friends in the Bradford district; over 13,000 in Harrogate, almost 8,000 in Selby and over 5,000 in Craven. Many of these people are providing over 50 hours of unpaid care for their loved ones every week.
“In reality, those figures are likely to be much higher, as many people do not recognise themselves as unpaid carers – they just see themselves as a husband, a wife, a parent, a friend. But if you are looking after someone who could not cope without your help, you are a carer, and we are here to support you.”
Several awareness-raising events are taking place across the districts – the charity will be at Morrisons in Thornbury on June 10 from 11am-1pm, Asda Shipley on June 12 from 11am-1pm, Manchester Superstore in Bradford on June 13 from 11am-1pm and at SaveCo Bradford on June 14 from 2pm-4pm.
There will be a joint event with Modality, Keighley Healthy Living and others in Keighley town centre on Thursday June 13.
Carers’ Resource will be at Skipton Gala on the afternoon of Saturday June 8, Selby Market on Monday June 10 from 9am-3pm, and at Skipton Library on Wednesday June 12, from 10am-1pm.
Also on Wednesday June 12 the charity will be at Masham Market from 10am-2pm with staff from North Yorkshire Citizens Advice and the Law Centre information bus, holding a joint stall focusing on carers.
The charity will also be running a number of special events for carers throughout the week, including a Carers’ Tea Party featuring the fabulous Men Care Too band. This event will be at St Hugh’s Community Centre in Baildon on Monday June 10.
Other events for carers include a one-off event ‘Enhancing wellbeing through better sleep’ at the charity’s Shipley office on Monday June 10, an afternoon tea party at Tong Wellbeing Hub on Tuesday June 11, and a Carers Week special at Girlington Morrisons Coffee Morning, on Thursday June 13.
In the Harrogate district a group for carers and their loved ones will meet on Monday June 10 at the Rudding Park Golf Academy for a golf simulator session, the Boroughbridge Carer Coffee and Chat is on Wednesday June 12, there is a parent carer walk on Thursday June 13 at Staveley Nature Reserve, and a Mental Health Carers Group picnic in Valley Gardens, Harrogate, on Friday June 14.
In Craven there will be a parent carer drop-in at the charity’s Skipton office on Wednesday June 12, and the Mid Craven Lunch Group will be meeting at the Gamekeepers Inn, Threshfield, on Friday June 14.
The Selby Carers Coffee Morning on Monday June 10 will also feature Carers Week celebrations.
For more information and contact details for these events and many more, please visit the website at www.carersresource.org/carers-week-2024 for all the most up to date information.