Carers week

Carers Week I was delighted to mark the start of Carers Week on Monday by going along to a reception held by the newly appointed Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Sutton. It was wonderful to meet some of Sutton's amazing carers who were being celebrated for the support they give to friends and families in our borough.

It was an opportunity to recognise carers and show them how much they are valued. This week is important but we really should be celebrating them all year round!

A carer is anyone who looks after a friend or family member who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support.

I was struck by some of the findings of Carers UK's poll: the poll showed that half of us have provided unpaid care to a family member or friend. Yet nearly three quarters of people who currently provide unpaid care, or have provided care in the past, have never identified as or called themselves a carer.

This means that many carers could be missing out on support, such as Carers Allowance, and be unaware of what support they could be receiving.

I am pleased to say that there is free and confidential support available in Sutton for carers of all ages. If you contact Sutton Carers Centre they will be able to help you. They also run some brilliant support groups, for example for Young Carers.

All the carers I spoke to at the Mayor's Reception told me about the fantastic support provided by Sutton Carers Centre, and I would like to thank their Chief Executive Officer, Rachael McLeod, her wonderful team and all the volunteers for the vital support they give.

Carers week is a very special week in my calendar and I want to thank all of our carers for the huge contribution they make to our borough.