Cheshire West and Chester celebrates Carers Week 2021 by launching the All Age Carers Strategy

This year for Carers Week (7-13 June) Cheshire West and Chester Council along with NHS Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Groups and partners have arranged a host of events and activities locally and online to celebrate and highlight the important role carers play.

Carers Week is an annual campaign run by Carers UK to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face, and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don't think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to self-identify as carers and access much needed support.

Councillor Val Armstrong, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: “Carers are much valued within our communities and we want to recognise and celebrate everything they do and have continued to do during what has been a particularly difficult and challenging year.

“Last week, we celebrated young carers in partnership with Crossroads Together and Storyhouse who launched their Young Leaders programme and organised two walking trips for young carers to the Peak District.

“This week, we have even more activities planned by our NHS and partners for carers across the borough to take a moment for themselves to either unwind, reconnect with other carers or find out more about support available locally.

“Events include alpaca walking, kayaking, arts and crafts, flower arranging, coffee and cake, a comedy night, and health and wellbeing workshops.

“Our main event, the Cheshire Carers Week Big Get Together, will run across three outdoor sites in Northwich, Ellesmere Port and Tiverton on Thursday 10 June.

“This collaborative event offers many carers the chance to meet up for possibly the first time since lockdown in a safe and supportive way.”

The event is run in partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire and Warrington Carers Trust, OPAL, Crossroads Together, Neurotherapy Centre, Vivo, Alzheimers Society, Making Space and Brio.

Cheshire West and Chester Council will also be promoting the new joint All Age Carers Strategy 2021 – 2026. This strategy has been developed by the Council in partnership with the Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group. The strategy has five priorities, highlighted through the week, which looks at improving quality of life and wellbeing of carers of all ages in the borough. Carers should feel valued, empowered and have access to the right support at the right time.

For a full list of all events taking place during Carers Week please visit our Live Well Cheshire page here.

All events will be held in line with current COVID-19 restrictions and advance booking is needed. If restrictions change or weather prevents the events from taking place, online alternatives will be utilised.

For more information please contact:

advice@cheshireandwarringtoncarers.org

Pictured - Councillor Val Armstrong.