Alex Cunningham MP today pledged his support to carers across the Stockton borough as part of the National Carers Week 2015 awareness campaign, which runs from 08-14 June.
There are 6.5 million people in the UK who care for a partner, relative or friend, with 9,508 carers in Stockton North alone and 19,924 across the borough.
Without the right help and support, caring can have a devastating impact – carers can quickly become isolated, with their physical and emotional health, work and finances all hit hard.
The six charities driving Carers Week 2015 are calling on individuals, organisations and services throughout the country to take action to improve the lives of carers by building carer-friendly communities that consider and support their needs.
The call comes after research for Carers Week revealed that the variation in the support and recognition carers experience from services across the country is putting the health of many carers, and their ability to support the people they care for, at risk.
Alex said:
“Carers make a hugely valuable contribution to society and they need support to carry on the work they do. Indeed, despite their vital role in our society, carers too often go without the support they need because they don’t know about what is available to them.
“That is why I am again supporting the Carers Week initiative, encouraging services in my community to think about the needs of carers and to reach out to carers across Stockton and help ensure they don’t miss out on vital support. And this is also why I plan to continue my work with the APPG on Carers in the coming parliament, doing all that I can to support carers.”
Diana Walles, Carers Week Manager, said: “It’s fantastic to see MPs like Alex supporting carers. Families are increasingly taking on caring roles for older, ill or disabled loved ones, yet still struggle for recognition and support from health and care services and in their communities.
“Much progress has been made – indeed, over 1,000 people and organisations have already pledged to actively engage with carers in their local community for Carers Week and into the future. But we still have a long way to go. This Carers Week, we’re calling on individuals and organisations to think about what they can do to improve the lives of carers in their community.”
