December 3, 2002
Two young carers, Siobhan Malone aged 11 and Frankie O'Neill aged 12, will open the new Princess Royal Trust Inverclyde Carers Centre at 68-70 Cathcart Street, Greenock on December 4th at 12 noon. After they have unveiled the ceremonial plaque, short welcoming addresses will be presented by the Director of Social Work and Housing Services, Tom Keenan, and the Chair of the Carers Council, Margaret Birt, herself a carer.
Heather Irvine, Project Manager of the Carers Centre, is delighted to be in the new premises, which are easily accessible to the public. But she is concerned that there are thousands of hidden carers in Inverclyde who need the support, advice and practical help that Inverclyde Carers Centre can provide. She says, 'In the Inverclyde population of 85,000, a recent survey estimated that there are 10,500 carers. When I became Project Manager 18 months ago, we hoped to reach 300 carers in the first three years. In fact, 400 carers have been reached already, but this is the tip of the iceberg. We desperately need more resources to help thousands of carers in Inverclyde.'
Inverclyde Carers Centre is managed by the care charity, Quarriers, and is funded by Inverclyde Council in partnership with The Princess Royal Trust for Carers. The small, dedicated team of staff has offered an outreach service to over 300 carers in Inverclyde since it opened its temporary base in the Westburn Centre last year. Now that they have moved to 68-70 Cathcart Street in Greenock the new Carers Centre offers a one stop shop for carers, offering a wide range of services and support and a base for Inverclyde's existing carers support groups to meet.
A carer is someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a friend, neighbour or relative who could not manage otherwise because of frailty, illness or disability. Many carers are under the age of 18: there are 50,000 young carers in the UK, young people who might be helping to look after a parent with physical disabilities or mental health problems, or who may be caring for a brother and sister with learning disabilities.
Glynis Elgey, service manager for Children and Young People at Quarriers says that many carers don't even realise they are carers. She explains, 'Say a family member falls ill, or becomes frail, more often than not the individual just sees it as his or her role to take on the extra responsibility. They don't recognise themselves as carers and so are less aware of the help and advice available to them from services like the Inverclyde Carers Centre.'
Inverclyde Carers Centre is looking for volunteers to help - even if only for a few hours a week. Volunteers help with everything from welcoming visitors to the Centre to publishing the Centre's newsletter. Many people may not realise that they have the skills to help others and to make a considerable contribution to the Centre's activities. Anyone interested in helping out at the Inverclyde Carers Centre should contact Heather Irvine, Project Manager, on 01 475 735 180.
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
Quarriers is a Scottish charity number SC001960. Quarriers is Scotland's third largest care charity, number SC001960. Established in 1871, it provides a wide range of care services for children, families, young people and adults with a disability from around 70 projects at around 100 sites in west-central, south-west and north-east Scotland.
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers was founded in October 1991 on the initiative of HRH The Princess Royal. The Trust exists to make it easier for carers to cope through its network of over 100 Carers Centres across the UK, by offering advice, information and support. There are 29 Princess Royal Trust Carers Centres across Scotland.
Quarriers manages four Carers Centres in Scotland, based in Oban in North Argyll, Clydebank in West Dumbartonshire, Govan in South West Glasgow and Greenock in Inverclyde.
This information from Shona O'Donnell of The Business, public relations support to Quarriers. For more information please contact: Tel: 0131 718 6022 Fax: 0131 718 6145 Mobile: 07879 842527
For more information about The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, please contact Patricia Hess, Press Office, on: Tel: 0141 221 5066 Fax: 0141 221 4623 M: 07 946 424127
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