Doug Naysmith, MP for Bristol North West, has teamed up with former Miss Great Britain, Preeti Desai, and pledged his support for Carers Week 2007* (11-17th June). Dr Naysmith MP and Preeti are drawing attention to the UK’s six million carers – people who look after a loved one who is either ill, frail or disabled – to help them gain the recognition and support they desperately need.
Doug Naysmith says: “I am delighted to be supporting Carers Week once more. It is the time when we can all stop and think how much we all owe to those people who care for their friends and relatives, sometimes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As the President of the Bristol Branch of the Dementia Care Trust, I know what a valuable job they do, improving the standard of life of those they care for and helping them to stay in their own homes. Carers deserve our support and wide recognition of their role.
“There are six million carers in the UK, including many in Bristol North West. On top of worrying about a loved one’s needs, it must be terrible if carers themselves feel they have nowhere and nobody to turn to.
“I hope that by supporting Carers Week, more of my constituents who are dedicated to looking after someone will find out what services and support are available to them locally.”
Doug Naysmith has also signed up to a parliamentary Early Day Motion which calls for an updated and improved National Carers’ Strategy.
Preeti Desai, crowned Miss Great Britain 2006-07, adds: “I’m thrilled to be able to support Carers Week. I wanted to be involved due to my own personal experience as a carer, which came when my mother was ill and I took a year off to care for her. I hope that Carers Week will raise awareness about the vital role carers play in our society and help them achieve the recognition and support they deserve."
‘My Life as a Carer’ is the theme for Carers Week, and a survey of 3,500 carers has revealed the immense impact caring can have on every aspect of their life including, health, finances, career and relationships.
Two out of every three carers (66%) admitted that their personal relationships had suffered as a direct result of caring, with 60% revealing they have little quality time together with their partners. Two thirds (67%) admitted to being financially worse off, with a quarter (28%) unable to support their family properly. An alarming three-quarters of carers had not had a break from their caring role in the past 12 months.
Carers Week will highlight the services available to help ease the burden of caring and ensure carers lives’ are changed for the better.
A host of well-known faces are supporting Carers Week, including Esther Rantzen, Coleen Nolan and Brenda Blethyn.
