Unpaid carers first to benefit from mayor and Big Issues social enterprise growth fund

Vital support is reaching more of the West Midlands’ 250,000 unpaid carers thanks to a new partnership between West Midlands mayor Richard Parker and Big Issue Invest.

The mayor has visited Birmingham-based Forward Carers to see how new funding through the Big Issue magazine’s social investment arm has extended its services for people who are trying to balance caring for a family member with everyday life.

New national figures show more than a million unpaid carers have had to quit their jobs in the past two years because they struggled to carry on working.

The investment into Forward Carers is one of the first to be confirmed through the partnership with Big Issue Invest, which has already reached its first milestone with £500,000 secured for four social impact businesses.

Alongside Forward Carers, Jericho Foundation, Ordinary Magic and Legacy West Midlands will use the investment to tackle issues like unemployment, poverty and inequality while creating local jobs.

During the visit to Forward Carers, the mayor met Alun Richards, from Walsall, who was a nurse with the NHS before becoming full-time care for his wife, also a former nurse, and with Marilyn Beattie, from Stourbridge, who left her job with a pharmaceutical company to care for her husband, after he was diagnosed with dementia.

Both say their lives are now much better because of the support from Forward Carers.

The mayor said: “Thousands of unpaid carers like Alun and Marilyn quietly go about their responsibilities with a selfless commitment that should be recognised, not penalised by locking them out of opportunities.

“Many of the staff and volunteers I met at Forward Carers have been carers themselves, so they understand the barriers people face when someone else relies so on them for support.

“It’s why we’ve worked with Big Issue Invest to give Foward Carers more resources so they can provide a lifeline to more people across this region.

“All the social impact businesses we’re helping through this partnership are a part of our economy that should not be underestimated. People and purpose are at their heart of their businesses.

“I want to use my funding and influence to help them get the finance they need to grow and improve even more lives in the way they’ve helped Alun and Marilyn. It’s what I mean by ‘growth for everyone’.”

Simon Fenton, CEO at Forward Carers, said: “It was fantastic to welcome the Mayor and highlight how social investment can help Forward Carers grow sustainably while increasing our social impact across the West Midlands.

“Unpaid Carers make an enormous contribution, often balancing work, family life and caring responsibilities.

“Big Issue Invest’s support will help us extend that impact with the acquisition of Max Card, a discount scheme that means families can enjoy more affordable days out and valuable time together.”