Carers Week

A carer is a person who provides practical and emotional support to someone with ill-health or disability on an unpaid basis.  A recent study carried out by Carers UK shows that there are around 6.4 million carers in UK and the amount saved by carers is worth a staggering £119 billion every year.  The full report can be downloaded from www.carersuk.org/professionals/resources.

Carers Week is a national project to promote awareness of carers’ needs and to celebrate their dedication to looking after loved ones.  This year, Carers Week will take place between 13th and 19th June.  Below is a list of events taking place locally.

Bexley
Carers Information event at Pier Road Centre, 42 Pier Road, Erith on Wednesday 15th June, 10am – 3pm. This is run by Bexley Carers Services for all carers in the borough of Bexley.

Bromley
Carers Information Day at Bromley United Reformed Church on Wednesday 15th June, 10am to 3pm.   This event is organised by Carers Bromley for all carers in the borough of Bromley.

Carers Health and Information Event at Ripley Arts Centre in Bromley on Thursday 16th June, 1pm to 4pm.  This is jointly run by Carers Bromley and Oxleas for carers of people with a mental illness, dementia and learning disability.    

Greenwich
There will be a carers artwork exhibition at CJ’s Café, Powis Street in Woolwich during Carers Week.   This event gives carers an opportunity to express their feelings about caring through poems, stories, drawings and paintings.   It is hoped that the exhibition will enable more people to have an awareness of local carers whilst promoting services that provide support and advice.

If you need more information about the events, please contact me, Anna Chan on 01322 625040 or email anna.chan@oxleas.nhs.uk.

I will be running a Families and Carers stall at the Oxleas Annual Nursing Conference at Charlton Athletic FC on Friday 17th June.  Please come and see me if you wish to find out about the range of information booklets and services available to carers.