UK Charities
Every day, more and more people in the UK face the demands of caring for a family member or family friend. The Princess Royal Trust for Carers (the Trust) exists to help unpaid carers of all ages by providing access to information, advice and support services. The Trust also campaigns to bring about change in both policy and attitudes towards carer issues.
The Trust provides support to carers accross the UK through its unique network of 133 independently managed Carers' Centres and interactive websites www.carers.org and www.youngcarers.net.
Carers - the facts
- There are almost 6 million carers in the UK
- 13 million people can expect to become carers in the next decade
- There are an estimated 1 million young carers accross the UK
- 1 in 8 of the work force are carers
- Carers save the government £57 billion each year.
Carers - it affects us all
Shockingly, 1 in 5 of us will one day need long term care. Becoming a carer is something that could happen to anyone at any time, especially when something happens to a loved one unexpectedly e.g.
- your grandfather has a stroke
- your mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer
- your husband has a motor accident and suffers serious brain injuries, or
- your longed-for baby is born severely disabled.
Many carers feel hopeless, isolated and alone - they often feel robbed of their lives. They want to care for their loved one... all they need is the support to be able to continue caring. The Trust is working with carers as young as 5 years old - the oldest in their 80s - many of whom take on responsibilities such as:
- Intimate care such as washing, dressing and toileting;
- Nursing care such as giving medication, changing dressings, assissting with mobility etc;
- Domestic tasks; and
- Emotional support.
Signet Group plc has been supporting The Trust for around 12 years and during that time has donated over a million pounds to help the charity continue its vital work. Our help has enabled the charity to:
- Open new Carers' Centres;
- Fund its core work to help the Centres offer the best support they can; and
- Re-design its main website to enable even more carers to access support online.
All of our catalogues carry the charity's details, we have collection tins and leaflets in stores and at Christmas time, Cubby Bear helps us raise the profile of The Trust even further.
To support the work of the PRTC, please make a donation.
July 2007