Hartlepool Carers

Hartlepool Carers support carers as young as 5 who are looking after a loved one with a long term illness or disability. These carers provide invaluable, unpaid support to their friends and family who would not be able to cope without them. Although caring can be rewarding it can also have a negative impact on those in a caring role – financially, socially and on their physical and mental health.

We work to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring and to ensure they can access the help they need to live their lives.

We aim to offer a range of sessions for carers of all ages and specific groups. We currently run young carer groups (age 5+), young adult carers (ages 18-25), ex carers (for those who have sadly lost the person they were caring for) and a male carers group. If successful, funding would be used to purchase supplies to continue to run these sessions and provide activities for the participants.

Such activities offer carers a sense of community, enabling them to engage with fellow carers for social opportunities and emotional support (peer to peer). We also aim to promote their physical and mental wellbeing by offering activities during the sessions such as crafts, cooking, guest speakers, health and wellbeing and physical activities. This is vital as caring can be a very isolating and restrictive roll.