From 5 to 11 June, we celebrated Carers Week to highlight the importance of Glasgow’s unpaid carers. 

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. This year’s theme for Carers Week was ‘Recognising and Supporting Carers in the Community’, and it was about coming together to make sure carers get the information and support they need to be able to care for their loved ones. 

Having a week dedicated to unpaid carers was an opportunity for our Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to engage with both staff and the public to ensure that people who care for others know about the help and support that’s available to them.

In Glasgow, our Local Carers Centres raised awareness and organised activities for people who provide everyday unpaid support to friends, family and neighbours who can’t manage otherwise. 

In the South West, the local care centre hosted celebratory events for the carers they support. This included a tea party and guest talks from a variety of organisations including Alzheimer’s Scotland which allowed for an interesting Q&A session with the carers. 

In the South East, the local care centre put together weeklong celebrations. The team organised a Mindfulness Mediation session, a Sensory Walk and a Health and Wellbeing event. The event was aimed at bringing carers together to take some time to focus on their own wellbeing, the carers were welcomed with refreshments and lunch followed by workshops and group activities.

Around the city, our Carer Information and Advice Team visited Glasgow Life community libraries during Carers Week and provided information and advice to people in Glasgow who might not recognise they are unpaid carers.  

Fred Beckett, Carers Lead for our HSCP recognised the invaluable contribution of unpaid carers in Glasgow all year round. Fred said: “Carers Week is such an important time for all the carers in Glasgow to be recognised for all that they do every single day. If you’re caring for someone, remember that you’re not alone and our carers centres are there to support you. Get in contact with your local carer centre for more information or self-refer yourself by using the information below. There’s help out there for you so please reach out.”

If you want to know more about information and supports available to carers looking after someone in Glasgow, or want to help make Glasgow a carer friendly city, please visit www.yoursupportglasgow.org/carers.