New research launched for this Carers Week (8-14 Jun) says that an additional 4.6 million people are caring for someone since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, bringing the total to an estimated 13.4 million unpaid Carers in the UK. Read the report here.

To help raise awareness locally Carers Hub Lambeth set up the What Caring Means to Me campaign and has launched free online resources to help people’s Caring role as part of the new Lambeth Carers Card.(Info below ).

“Carers Week is a great chance to raise awareness about unpaid carers in Lambeth. It’s been inspiring and powerful to see local carers’ contributions to the What Caring Means to Me campaign. There’s still time to get involved! Please check out the Carers’ Hub website, Facebook or Twitter page to find out more”

Polly Howes from Carers’ Hub Lambeth

The toll taken on unpaid carers in the current crisis is paramount:

“As carers ourselves we understand and empathise with other carers so are able to offer a personalised service that improves their physical, emotional and social wellbeing,”

Paula Bryan, CEO of Carers4Carers, a local social enterprise that’s in touch with carers’ needs from the grassroots .

Carers4Carers offer the following services:

• Monday to Saturday – One to one support via the phone. Our team of Key Workers have spoken to over 250 carers over the phone offering a friendly chat & support around a range of issues effecting carers during this challenging time.

• Fitness classes are suitable for all levels including those that need a chair for additional support to exercise.
• Carers4Connection (Tuesday 11am – 12 noon) is a friendly space for carers to chat, laugh and share wellbeing tips

Lambeth Carers Card – free online resources to help your caring role

Lambeth Carers Card – free online resources to help your caring role Working in partnership, Carers’ Hub Lambeth and My Social are currently developing the Lambeth Carers Card scheme. The situation with Covid 19 means we have delayed launching the scheme in full. However, we are offering carers early access to online resources that may be of help during this difficult time. Including:

1. Free access to the Lambeth version of the Carers UK digital platform – includes e-learning modules, factsheets, interactive guides and information covering health and wellbeing, support for caring, technology, financial planning, young adult carers and more.
2. Free access to Carer UK’s Jointly app – makes caring for someone a little easier, less stressful and a lot more organised by making communication and coordination simpler between those who are sharing the care.
3. Local information – to keep in the loop with the latest news, information and opportunities for carers in Lambeth via the Lambeth Carers Card e-newsletter.

If you would like to find out more information and for details of how to sign up, please visit the Lambeth Carers Card website or email info@lambethcarerscard.org.

The Lambeth Carers Card is open to unpaid carers aged 18 +, living in or caring for someone who lives in the borough of Lambeth. A carer is someone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or addiction.

Meanwhile, the Lambeth Carers Collaborative Strategy Group pledged to help Make Carers Visible by ‘continuing our focus on raising awareness of unpaid carers in the London Borough of Lambeth. We’re excited to be bringing a brand new scheme the Lambeth Carers Card to the borough, to ensure that we connect more carers to local information and support’.

Karen Hooper