The 7th – 13th of June was Carers' Week and its theme was to Make Caring Visible and Valued. Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. As someone who has had personal experience of caring, I want to try and ensure that carers’ voices are heard. I was therefore keen to spent some time meeting with those working in the South Wales West region to support carers and hear about their specific needs and issues.
It was great to meet with Alison Owen and the Neath Port Talbot Carers Service team to learn how they are providing advice, information and practical support for unpaid carers and how they've adapted this work to respond to the pandemic and its effect on the lives of carers and those they care for. Many people don't fully realise that they are a carer and others don't know where to turn when they need support.
If you live in Neath Port Talbot area, go to the website https://www.nptcarers.co.uk/ or phone 01639 642277 to find out about the range of support that can be offered to you, including help with form filling, a full programme of social activities and accessing a sitting service.
I also spoke to Age Cymru’s policy officer and Neath resident Andrew Jenkins about the newly published ‘For the Moment’ report - you can read it here: For the Moment Summary of findings from older carers
Andrew tells me about the report's main findings in this video clip https://fb.watch/6aTMr-Osoa/
And, as a lovely end to Carers’ Week , I joined a Swansea Carers Centre Coffee Morning to chat with carers and those they care for, volunteers and staff about the needs of unpaid carers. If you need information and support and live in the Swansea area, you can go to https://www.swanseacarerscentre.org.uk/ or phone 01792 653344 for friendly advice and help.
Please get in touch with me if you have any issues with accessing help and support in teh South Wales West area and I will try to help. [email protected].
