Brighton & Hove City Council is marking Carers Week, an annual campaign to raise awareness of the challenges that carers face and recognise the work they do on a daily basis.
Carers Week (June 5-11) celebrates the UK’s unpaid carers who support family members and friends who have a disability, mental or physical illness, or need extra help in their daily lives.
According to the city council, there is a significant number of unpaid carers in Brighton & Hove who often don’t realise they’re eligible for support. The campaign helps raise awareness of the available support and services that unpaid carers may be entitled to.
In a release, the city council said: “Carers play a big part in contributing to Brighton’s families and communities, but it can also be difficult for the carers themselves. The extra support can help reduce the stress of caring for someone and help improve carers health, relationships, and finances.”
This year’s campaign also promotes the idea of Think Carer, which encourages services and organisations to be more ‘carer friendly’, and to provide carers who juggle employment alongside their caring responsibilities with additional support.
Councillor Tristram Burden, Brighton and Hove City Council’s Chair of Adult Social Care, said: “Carers are the backbone of adult social care. With over 23,000 unpaid carers in Brighton and Hove, this week we’re recognising the challenges they face and the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK.
“Knowing what support is available to them in the city can make a huge difference. The Carers Centre/Carers Hub are hosting events to help make this happen, and I’m hoping these events will raise awareness about the important work they do.”
To celebrate the campaign, there are a number of events taking place over the week across the city. You can get involved and find out more here.
