Carers celebrated across borough
Carers Trust Solihull (CTS) has hosted its first charity ball and awards ceremony in celebration of carers across the borough.
Every year the trust organises a week of events to celebrate the huge contribution family and unpaid carers make to the Solihull community.
This year, Carers Week concluded with CTS 's Carer Friendly Awards 2022.
The awards marked 20 years of Carers Trust in Solihull and BBC 's Phil Upton hosted the evening which had six categories.
Debby Allen won the Adult Carer of the Year Award. Debby is the carer of two adults. She set up the SEN Parent Carer Support Group which has now been running for 10 years, supporting others who have children with special needs with advice and information.
Rebecca Hall won the Dave Henry Award for Young and Young Adult Carers of the Year. Rebecca is a peer mentor for the Carers Trust and provides support to young carers in the group, giving the Trust valuable feedback on the service and ideas for improvements.
Fordbridge Community Primary School won the Educational Setting of the Year Award through its supportive environment for young carers.
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) won the Employer of the Year Award. The Council has a Policy and Carers Agreement scheme set up for all employees and offers paid leave and flexible working hours, supporting staff who are carers.
Jill Bonehill of Citizens Advice Bureau won the Healthcare of the Year Award. Her work during Covid enabled carers get the food, medications and transport to appointments they needed.
Terry Blythe won Volunteer of the Year having been a part of CTS 's Young Carers Team for over 10 years. She 's supported management projects and has helped raise thousands of pounds during her time.
All across the borough, there are family, friends, and neighbours caring for loved ones and friends. Among this group are people that provide hours and hours of care, and they often do not know what support they are entitled to.
Brandon Scott-Omenka CEO of Carers Trust Solihull said: “People don 't realise what we mean by the term 'unpaid carer ', we are talking about people that are not paid but deal with domestic chores, manage household finances and bills, provide help to someone such as getting dressed, bathed or even to the toilet. ”
“Carers generally take responsibility for other family members, often attending medical appointments, managing medication, and also providing hours of emotional support. ”
“Often carers juggle this with their own families, children or jobs. Frequently they have to give up work to care for an ailing spouse or to support another family member. ”
Building up to the awards, other activities took place during Carers Week 2022 including a trip to Glastonbudget for young adult carers (18-25 years), a beach trip for 22 families to Weston Super-mare with 73 carers and those they cared for, as well as an 'Animal Man ' event at Young Carers Club (North)
Awards sponsors at Carers Trust Solihull 2022 inlcuded: National Grid, Plastic Investments, Phoenix Group Solihull Saint Alphege Rotary Club, Lucent Financial Planning, 3Di Midlands, Barchester -Fountains Care Home, Marks and Spencer, and Copier Maintenance.
Read about all the nominees at the Carer Friendly Awards here
Find out more about Carers Trust Solihull here or call on 01217881143.
Pictured (l-r): Debby Allen receives the 2022 Adult Carers Award from Mel Stewart, trustee, and Brandon Scott-Omenka, chief executive officer at Carers Trust Solihull.