Carers Trust Solihull has been fortunate to receive a generous donation of £1500 from the Deputy Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Ken Meeson.
During his tenure as Mayor, Councillor Meeson selected Carers Trust as one of his mayoral charities.
Our primary objective at Carers Trust Solihull is to support and empower unpaid carers throughout the borough. Every donation we receive helps us to guide and support the unpaid carers of Solihull. As well as enabling us to further spread our reach to help identify those providing unpaid care, yet do not know our support is available to them. Our aim is always to assit carers in any way we can so they can provide the best care possible while leading fulfilling lives.
Councillor Meeson visited Carers Trust Solihull to personally present a cheque to a group of young carers, some of whom volunteer as peer mentors. These peer mentors play a vital role in supporting other young carers by sharing their invaluable experiences and providing guidance to help other young carers navigate through their challenging times.
The donated funds will assist in creating additional respite opportunities for young carers; strengthening support networks through the club and activity program, as well as the peer mentoring project.
Councillor Ken Meeson, who served as Mayor from 2021 to 2023, has consistently demonstrated a deep interest in children’s and young people’s services. He has played a key role in raising awareness and ensuring adequate support for young carers in the community.
Upon donating the cheque Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ken Meeson expressed that “Young carers are a group I feel very passionate about, having spent many years campaigning for better recognition of the challenges they face.” Throughout his time as a councillor, he has involved himself in many projects related to young carers. “Providing some funding from my Mayoral Fund demonstrates my admiration of these dedicated young people who go above and beyond to provide support for parents and siblings who rely on them for daily care. They so often miss out on so many aspects of childhood activities and I hope this recognition will also raise greater awareness of their sacrifice and dedication.”
A representative from Carers Trust Solihull’s Young and Young Adult Carers Team, Sally Barton-Bodley, upon receiving the the cheque spoke highly of the generous donation and the mayor’s commitment to their work. “This donation is much appreciated […] We are grateful to Councillor Meeson for his ongoing commitment to young and young adult carers.”
Sally Barton-Bodley then went on to speak with pride of the work carried about by Solihull Carers Trust for Young and Young Adult carers. “This [donation] will go to supporting our young carers to take a break from caring at monthly club sessions and fun activities in the holidays where they can meet others in similar situations, making friends and benefiting from peer support. It will make a huge difference and we’re thrilled for young carers to be acknowledged in this way.”
As a charity, we rely on volunteers and donations to continue our vital. If you would like to donate then please click the button above and we thank you for your generosity. It really does make a world of difference.
There are many ways to support our work with carers. You can even volunteer your time with us to work behind the scenes or with carers directly. Volunteering areas include administration; befriending/mentoring carers; fundraising; sessional work; helping with events, activities or marketing. This is not an exhaustive list, volunteer roles are discussed and agreed upon to suit the needs of all involved. If you would like to learn more please click the button above.
