Online event to mark valuable contribution made by carers

DUNDEE City West MSP Joe FitzPatrick will join an online event run by Dundee Carers Centre tomorrow as part of Carers Week 2020.

The Facebook Live event will also feature community worker Clare Martin, and Thomas Fleming, young carer ambassador at Baldragon Academy, who will discuss how they identify and support unpaid carers.

Lucinda Godfrey, chief executive of Dundee Carers Centre, said: “Carers Week is a national opportunity to recognise, value and thank carers for their immense contribution to society providing unpaid care to someone else.

“Caring can have a significant impact on people’s lives – including finances, wellbeing and social isolation – and carers will be experiencing additional challenges during this pandemic.”

She added: “We ask anyone caring to reach out at this time if they need to and that we all continue to contribute in whatever way we can to support our city’s unpaid carers.”

Only 3,000 of an estimated 19,000 unpaid carers in Angus receive any type of formal support and Angus Council is also calling on all carers to come forward.

Gail Smith, interim chief officer of Angus Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “The difference they make to people’s lives has taken on an even greater significance since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic so I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all our carers.”

People can join t he Fa c e b o o k L i v e e v e n t @dundeecarerscentre tomorrow at 10am.

Anyone wanting more information should visit dundeecarers centre.org.uk or angus carers.org.uk.