David Lepper

Labour Party | Brighton Pavilion

David Lepper calls for greater recognition for six million carers

1 June 2009

David Lepper, Brighton Pavilion Labour and Co-operative MP, has joined Carers UK and other carers to support this year's Carers Week (8-14 June) and celebrate the contribution made by those people in Brighton and Hove and throughout the UK who provide unpaid care for someone who is ill, frail or disabled.

The theme for Carers Week is 'Carers… the UK's secret service' and calls for carers to receive greater recognition for the work they carry out, so vital for their families and friends and for their communities.

David is a trustee of ARDIS, a Brighton and Hove based charity supporting those with dementia and their carers. It currently funds a support worker post based at the Brighton and Hove Carers Centre at Community Base in Brighton's Queen's Road for the carers of those with dementia.

David says:

"Through my involvement with ARDIS and the Carers Centre, as well as through my other work as an MP, I know how much our community depends on carers. In Brighton and Hove we have an excellent Carer's Centre providing vital support to carers of all ages – including those still at school with caring responsibilities for parents or brothers or sisters. But not every area is so fortunate. I welcome the focus which Carer's Week will place once again on the work carers do day in, day out, sometimes at the expense of their own health or career opportunities. The government has introduced the first Carer's Strategy and that is good, but we still need to keep up the pressure about the continuing needs of carers."

Celebrities supporting this campaign, all of whom have experience of caring, include Jonathon Dimbleby, Sir Geoff Hurst, Sir David Jason, Fiona Phillips and Arlene Phillips.

Carers Week is organised by a partnership of 10 national charities: Carers UK, Counsel and Care, Crossroads Caring for Carers, Help the Hospices, Macmillan Cancer Support, MS Society, Parkinson's Disease Society, The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Vitalise and WRVS.

For more information about local events and activities taking place as part of Carers Week, visit www.carersweek.org or call 0845 241 2582.