Rotherham will be marking National Carers Week with five action packed days of events, starting on Monday 13th June
The week began with a healthy eating event, where Health Trainer Karl Miller of NHS Rotherham gave advice on eating a balanced diet to keep the mind and body at its best, followed later in the day by a mini exercise session for carers and those they care for. Among those who attended were Eileen Thompson, who has mobility problems following a stroke, and her friend Pat Jennings who was assisting her on a shopping trip to the town centre.
Pat said: “This event is really helpful for me, because I am diabetic and also quite immobile following my stroke, so it’s helpful to know what I can do to keep my weight down.”
Councillor Mahroof Hussain, Cabinet Member for Community Development, Engagement and Young People’s Issues, who has spearheaded One Town, One Community, said: “There are more than 30,000 carers in the borough who play a vital role in looking after their loved ones. Events like Carers Week bring people together from across our community in recognising the huge contribution carers make to our society. It is an opportunity for their efforts to be praised and for them to ensure they are aware of the support that is available to them locally.”
Four days of events will be held at Carers Corner, the carers’ resource centre in Rotherham, from Monday to Thursday, culminating on Friday June 17th with the popular National Carers Week Event on Effingham Street in the town centre. This will see many local organisations, such as LINkrotherham, Age UK, RotherFed, Cancer Action Rotherham and Yorkshire Housing which provide support and advice to carers demonstrating just what support is on offer locally. It will take place on Effingham Street running from 10am to 3pm and the Mayor of Rotherham Cllr Shaun Wright and local MPs will join the celebrations at 1pm.
Visitors will be able to browse the wide variety of stalls, have a chat, share their experiences and find out more information about support and advice that may be available to them. National Carers Week runs from June 13-19 and highlights the important role played by almost six million people who act as unpaid carers in the UK, contributing an estimated £119bn to the economy.
The Carers Week events have been organised as part of a national campaign by the charity Carers UK to celebrate ‘ordinary people who do an extraordinary job’. They are supported in Rotherham by One Town, One Community, which brings people together, regardless of their background, culture or life experiences to break down barriers and build even stronger bonds within the community.
For more information on One Town, One Community, visit the website www.rotherham.gov.uk/onetownonecommunity