Sutton comes together for Carers Week 2022 to creatively celebrate all unpaid Carers

The theme for this year’s National Carers Week (6 – 12 June) is ‘make caring visible, valued and supported’. As many of us emerge from the pandemic, the continued and lasting impact on unpaid Carers is very apparent.

In a recent Carers UK survey, it is reported that 48% of Carers care for 90 or more hours every week. Now, more than ever, it is important that unpaid Carers are recognised for their contributions to the community, that they are valued and respected, and able to access the local and national services they need to best support them in their caring roles.

This year, Sutton Carers Centre, Sutton Council and other local partners want to take a different approach to Carers Week, using more creative approaches to raise awareness of Carers in Sutton, as well as helping to ensure that they feel visible, valued and supported within the community. Collectively, they have planned a whole host of special events that will take place throughout the week.

Today, the London Borough of Sutton Creative Arts Display opens at Sutton Central Library, featuring incredible artwork from Adult, Parent and Young Carers, supplied by Sutton Carers Centre and Sutton Parent Carer Forum. Each piece acts as a visible representation of what caring means to the Carer who created it.

That is not the only display at the Civic Offices this Carers Week. From today, the Council’s National Carers Week banner, created to celebrate Carers in Sutton, will be proudly positioned on the outside of the Civic Offices, where it will remain throughout the week and in years to come.

The Mayor of Sutton, Councillor Trish Fivey, and Deputy Mayor, Councillor Colin Stears will be welcoming Carers and staff from Sutton Carers Centre this lunchtime at the Mayoral Reception.

This annual Carers Week event offers an opportunity to honour Sutton Carers of all ages. This includes a group of Young Carers from Harris Academy, a school that has implemented many changes to strengthen the support they offer their students who juggle caring with studies.

Sutton Carers Centre will be opening their doors to all Sutton Carers tomorrow (Tuesday 7 June), for their ‘Wellbeing Open House’ event, where they will be offering information and advice, health checks and other wellbeing activities as well as a few treats to say thank you. They would also like to welcome professional workers – especially colleagues who juggle caring alongside their paid work. This offers a wonderful opportunity to connect with Carers and the staff and volunteer teams at Sutton Carers Centre.

The latest full calendar of events for Sutton, including events being held by local partners, can be found on the Sutton Carers Centre website. 

Rachael MacLeod, Chief Executive of Sutton Carers Centre, said: “This Carers Week, we are delighted to be working together with so many local partners to ensure that we make Carers visible, valued and supported. But we also recognise that many, if not most Carers will not be able to join us because of their caring and other commitments. We hope that by raising awareness we all can better support our caring neighbours. Often even small gestures can make a big difference.” 

Councillor Marian James, Chair of the People Committee at Sutton Council, said: "Sutton Council truly appreciates the huge contribution Carers make to the lives of people here in our borough. We are committed to giving them our continued support and will make sure that they are visible and their voices are heard. Carers are among the heroes in Sutton and I am so proud of each and every one of them.” 

National Carers Week 2022 takes place 6 - 12 June and there are a large number of events happening for Carers and partners here in Sutton. Carers Week is an annual campaign to not only raise awareness of unpaid Carers, but also to highlight the challenges they face and overcome on a daily basis, and to recognise the contribution Carers make to both families and communities throughout the UK. This is also a time to help people who may not think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify themselves as Carers and receive the dedicated support that they deserve.  

Sutton Carers Centre is leading on Carers Week in Sutton, in partnership with the London Borough of Sutton (the lead commissioner for Carer services in Sutton), Sutton Parent Carer Forum, South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, NHS South West London Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust and other charity partners and community members. 

Sutton Carers Centre will be running both individual and joint partnership events across the week for Carers of all ages. Local dignitaries and Sutton Leaders will also be in attendance at several of these events. For the full listing, which also includes partner events, please visit the Sutton Carers Centre website.

Watch this brilliant film that the Sutton Parents Forum created especially for Carers Week, to reflect the theme ' being Visible, Valued and Supported''.