This year’s Carers Week (9–15 June 2025) was all about Caring About Equality. It’s a reminder that unpaid carers often face real and lasting inequalities due to their caring role, from struggling with their own health and finances to missing out on education, work, and social opportunities. Many carers feel invisible and can struggle to find the support they need.
The national campaign brings together individuals, organisations, charities, and communities to:
- Raise awareness of the challenges unpaid carers face
- Recognise and celebrate the essential work they do
- Encourage carers to access support they might not know is available
- Push for change, so carers are better supported by society, services, and government
Throughout the week we spread awareness throughout the community, speaking to employers schools, healthcare providers and local support organisations. We offered information and advice on how they can recognise carers, what support is available and how they can create a fairer, more supportive society for carers.
Charity Walk
We kicked out Carers Week with our annual charity Walk, at the stunning area of natural beauty of Packington Estate. It was a chance for all to join us, including our carers and their families, to enjoy a sun-filled walk through nature, as well as raising sponsorships with all funds raised going towards supporting the unpaid carers of Solihull. With massive support and additional donations from UB Healthcare and Knowle Gate Care Home – Avery Healthcare, we managed to raise an incredible £1,950!
Thank you to everyone who came along and helped to raise invaluable funds for our unpaid carers.
Health
Our Health Liaison was busy meeting and presenting to various health groups, hospitals and GPs throughout Solihull and Birmingham during the week.
It is important that healthcare settings and GPs can recognise when someone is an unpaid carer, as many people don’t see themselves in that role despite providing essential support. Without recognition, carers are at greater risk of stress, burnout, and health issues, which can impact both them and the person they care for. Early identification means the right support can be offered, helping carers stay healthy and continue in their role effectively.
Below, you can watch our presentation to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health staff and the discussion around supporting carers in health settings.
We also held information stands during the week at the Core Solihull and Solihull Hospital, where we were promoting and reaching out to the community!
To learn how healthcare professionals can identify and support unpaid carers, you can learn more with our dedicated Professionals Hub by clicking here.
Adult Carers Celebration
As part of Carers Week, we hosted a special monthly meet-up for our adult carers, filled with tea, coffee, cake, and a wonderful live performance by the talented Milly Sophie Rose. Held in the beautiful grounds of Blossomfield Rose, the event brought together carers and residents in a joyful celebration. It was a fantastic opportunity to relax, connect, share stories, and even enjoy a good sing-along!
Look at the photos below and you can see how many smiles (and slices of cake) were had.
Young & Young Adult Carers Celebration Clubs
We hold regular clubs for our young and young adult carers, at Hatchford Brook Family Hub (Previously Hatchford Brook Youth Centre)but for carers week we like to make it a little more special. It was the usual games, toys, running around and having fun with other young people—something our young and young adult carers can sorely miss out on due to their caring roles. So it was a chance for them to have fun being young!
an evening of respite at club which features animal entertainment, face painting and glitter tattoos. For many of our young carers opportunities like this are rare. Having exciting events like this enables our young carers to escape from their daily life pressures and allowing them to simply be children, The presence of animals enabled our young carers to feel some comfort and excitement, while the face painting / glitter tattoos provided our young carers with a chance to express themselves creatively.
We also helped to spread awareness of young and yougn adult carers to the schools of Solihull. In total, we visited 66 schools and gave out 526 ‘Goodie Bags’, packed with information and advice for schools to help identify and support their young carers. We also help schools apply for the Young Carers in School (YCiS) Programme. You can learn more about the YCiS and how you can help young and young adult carers in education, by visiting our dedicated Professionals Hub for those working in the education sector—just click here!
The extra special part from our club celebration comes from the launch of our event for Young Carers Action Day 2026—starring our young and young adult carers!
It is an event for young carers and their families, and agencies that support young people, to come together to discuss and share what support they need and can offer to improve the lives of young and young adult carers. Watch the video below, then learn more and sign up by clicking here to make “Solihull Young Carer Friendly”.
Beach Trip to Weston-super-Mare
Last but certainly not least, was our annual beach trip to Weston-super-Mare. Open to all of our unpaid carers, we have a packed coach on their way to enjoy the sun, sea and sand of Weston! It was another chance for carers and their families to have a well-deserved break.
Playing, eating, relaxing, baking in the sun and enjoying the arcades—it was the perfect day and perfect way to bring another successful Carers Week to a stunning conclusion!
Thank you to Everyone for making Carers Week 2025 a massive success—See you again next year!
Thanks for all the memories
Assets Credits
Music:
Killing Time by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 3.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Images:
https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/footprints-boot-shoe-foot_43313940.htm
https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/cute-colorful-decorative-balloons_2271246.htm
https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/beach-elements-collection-with-clothes-flat-style_2170221.htm
https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/vintage-floral-background_759499.htm
