(Above) Cllr Emily Darlington with older carers at a special afternoon tea in Wolverton.
Carers Week takes place from 6 – 12 June and Milton Keynes Council and local partners Carers MK have been running a series of special events to celebrate.
Across MK, thousands of people are performing caring roles, but MK Council wants more unpaid carers to come forward and receive the help they are entitled to.
A carer is anyone who looks after a family member or friend who has a disability, mental or physical illness, addiction, or who needs extra help as they grow older. Many of these carers are unaware of the local support available.
The council can help carers to identify what support is right for them. Carers MK is a local organisation funded by the council that supports unpaid carers and young carers in Milton Keynes. They provide advice, information, emotional support and workshops and training. GPs can refer anyone aged 8+ who performs a caring role. To learn more, please visit carersmiltonkeynes.org.
Carers Week is an annual campaign that aims to raise awareness of caring and recognise the huge contribution that carers make to families and communities across the UK.
“The last few years have been incredibly difficult for unpaid carers, who have faced unprecedented pressures throughout the pandemic. Carers often put their loved ones first and may well be suffering from loneliness or poor mental health themselves. Whether you’re a child looking after a parent or in your eighties supporting a partner, we want you to know about the local support that’s available. If you’re a carer in MK, you are valued and you are not alone.”