Rotary Wellington were pleased to welcome Telford Young Carers manager, Laura Thorogood, and Young Carers Activities Volunteer, Gary Brewer, to their meeting on Friday 1st June. President Brian Richards presented them with a cheque for £1250 to help fund their work. The money was raised at the annual Rotary Wellington Sportsman Night.
In thanking the Club Laura gave background to the work of the group and the huge number of registered young carers in Telford that they aim to help. These children, aged between 5 and 18 years, usually help look after one or more members of their family – sometimes being the only primary carer. The young people may have to deal with a range of situations, such as disability, chronic illness, mental health difficulties or problems with drugs or alcohol misuse. Because of the level of caring that they undertake they often find that they are isolated and can experience bullying, school attendance problems, and physical and mental ill health themselves. Young carers can often find life tiring, worrying and lonely.
Telford Young Carers has many programmes in place that aim to help alleviate these problems.
Gary then spoke about his time as a Young Carer and how he decided to become a volunteer with Young Carers so as to help other young people with caring responsibilities deal with the problems of everyday life as he himself had been helped.