Carers Plus Yorkshire Celebrates 30 Years of Supporting Unpaid Carers with Fundraising Drive

Carers Plus Yorkshire, a charity providing vital support to unpaid carers and those facing loneliness or isolation on the Yorkshire Coast, is marking a significant milestone this year as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Established in 1995, the organisation has spent three decades standing beside tens of thousands of unpaid carers, offering advice, advocacy, and life-changing services.

The charity's roots trace back to a modest beginning in a Portacabin, and it has since grown, expanding its services while maintaining its core focus on supporting unpaid carers from age eight and above. 

Beyond carer support, the "plus" part of Carers Plus Yorkshire includes services such as groups aimed at reducing social isolation in the community and a Home from Hospital section. The Home from Hospital service supports individuals coming out of hospital to help reduce their likelihood of readmission.

Alison Cutler, Development and Fundraising Manager at Carers Plus Yorkshire says the organisation provides support services over a large area.

"We cover quite a big geographical area.

We cover Scarborough, Whitby, Ryedale, and we also cover Hambleton and Richmondshire. And then we have a small pocket of carer work and home from hospital work in the East Riding as well. 

It's staffed by a range of very experienced, skilled staff who are advisors or workers within whichever role they have.

We have adult carer advisors, we have young carer advisors that specialize in working with younger people, we have young adult carer advisors that work with people that are transitioning from being a young person into a sort of a more adult adult age group.

We also have specialist spectrum workers specialist parent carer support workers as well, because we recognize that although there are common themes in. Carers journeys. There are certain carers where things are quite different and they maybe need slightly different pathway of work."

Funding for Carers Plus Yorkshire comes through contracts with local authorities, grant funding, and donations from individuals and businesses. Fundraising is acknowledged as a challenging but essential activity. Alison Cutler noted, "fundraising can be as as hard as actually delivering the services at times". She added that the more the charity can raise, the more support they can offer, emphasising the crucial role unpaid carers play in saving the country millions of pounds in social care.

To commemorate its 30th year, Carers Plus Yorkshire has launched the £30 for 30 campaign. This month-long initiative in June invites the community to get involved by aiming to raise £30 or more through 30 events, activities, or creative challenges. 

"It's our 30th year of supporting unpaid carers across Scarborough Whitby and Ryedale.

The organization originally started out in a Portacabin and has grown from there. We've obviously got more and more services and we've kept our core, our support for unpaid carers from age eight and above.

We've got lots of things going on in our 30th year, but in June we're having a 30 for 30 challenge and we're challenging everybody to raise 30 pounds or more if they're able to in any way that they'd like to.

We've got a fundraising pack with 30 suggestions of all different things. Whatever your interest, whatever amount of time you've got, there's something in there that can fit for you or you can make up your own.

The campaign encourages everyone, from individuals to schools and workplaces, to participate, have fun, and raise funds to support local unpaid carers. Alli Cutler says that the campaign's goal is not only to raise much-needed funds but also to raise awareness.

"That challenge is obviously to raise funds 30 pounds or more, but it's also about raising awareness.

In our 30th year, we continue to raise that awareness of unpaid carers because many unpaid carers don't see themselves as carers. It can take up to a year and in some cases, three years for people to identify as a carer because they see themselves as a parent or as a son or daughter or a partner first, just doing the job that they're expected to do and don't necessarily see that they're also an unpaid carer as well in that role.

So it's about raising awareness as well as raising much needed funds."

Reflecting on the charity's milestone, Elizabeth McPherson, CEO of Carers Plus Yorkshire, stated, 

"I’m incredibly proud that we’re still going strong and able to support those who need it most. The charity continues to grow, and it’s clear there’s still a real need for what we do".

For more information on how to get involved or to support Carers Plus Yorkshire and the £30 for 30 campaign, the public can contact Alison Cutler or visit the charity's website at https://carersplus.net. 

Fundraising packs are available via the website, by calling the office, or through their social media channels.