We have all been suffering as a result of the pandemic, but what about the hidden army of unpaid carers both young and old? It cannot be denied they are nothing, if not resilient, and they’ve had their resilience tested over the past year for sure. But the Herefordshire Carers have stayed as positive as they can, continuing to meet up in virtual ways and sometimes physically as well, keeping their sense of humour and supporting each other throughout these challenging months.
The 2011 census identified 21,000 young and unpaid carers in Herefordshire alone, no doubt since then there has been a significant increase in that number. These unsung heroes are caring for a family member with an illness, disability, mental health issue or problem with drugs or alcohol.
Herefordshire Freemasons received a call to support Herefordshire Carers with the ever-increasing number of unpaid carers in our community. The £18,190 donated by the Herefordshire Freemasons will enable the group to provide support and respite for our unsung heroes. As with so many charities through the Pandemic, they have been unable to raise funds via their normal social events and activities and the shortfall means they are in need of more funding to continue their good work.
Georgia Prince from Herefordshire Carers said, “We will use the generous donation from the Freemasons to provide outdoor Woodland experiences and restart our face-to-face groups across the county. In the past these sessions have helped Carers come together with other Carers in similar situations, these sessions help with problem solving and confidence building techniques which they can then use to help them manage their mental health whilst continuing in their caring role.”
