Category Archives: Uncategorized

World Alzheimer’s Day 2026: Remembering the Carers

To mark World Alzheimer’s Day, I have produced a new A Caring Mind video focusing on the unpaid carers supporting relatives and friends living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurological disease rather than a mental illness. However, its emotional and psychological impact can be profound—not only for the person diagnosed, but also for those caring beside them.

The video explores the importance of earlier diagnosis, including carers in decisions, recognising anticipatory grief and connecting families with appropriate support. It also highlights organisations such as Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia UK, Carers UK and Carers Trust.

Carers may manage appointments, medication, personal care, changing behaviour and difficult decisions, often without enough information or support for their own wellbeing.

World Alzheimer’s Day gives us an opportunity to challenge stigma, listen to people affected by dementia and recognise the contribution of unpaid carers.

Neither the person living with dementia nor the carer walking beside them should be forgotten.

#WorldAlzheimersDay #DementiaAwareness #UnpaidCarers #CarerSupport #ACaringMind

Making Time for Black Mental Health: Free Racial Trauma Seminar in Shoreditch

Think Tenacity Academy CIC is hosting another important Making Time for Black Mental Health event in London.

The free racial trauma seminar will take place on:

Wednesday 23 September 2026
3:00 pm–9:00 pm
Cottons Shoreditch, 321 Old Street, London EC1V 9LE

The event will provide a culturally informed space to explore racial trauma, mental health and wellbeing within Black communities. It will also create opportunities for people with lived experience, carers, professionals and community organisations to connect and learn from one another.

I attended a previous Making Time for Black Mental Health event and saw how valuable these community-led spaces can be. They enable conversations about race and mental health to take place in an environment where people feel understood, represented and supported.

As a lived experience Black mental health carer and advocate, I know that racial trauma can affect not only individuals but also families and unpaid carers. We need more culturally responsive spaces that recognise these experiences and make it easier to discuss mental health without fear, judgement or stigma.

The event is free to attend, but capacity is limited to approximately 45 places, so early booking is strongly recommended.

A related Racial Trauma Group Support event is also advertised for Thursday 1 October in Notting Hill.

Book your free place through Eventbrite

Find out more about Think Tenacity Academy CIC.

Share Your Hospital Discharge Experience – Healthwatch Lambeth Survey 2026

Healthwatch Lambeth is inviting patients and unpaid carers to share their experiences of leaving hospital.

The survey is part of a nationwide Healthwatch England project examining hospital discharge. Healthwatch Lambeth is particularly seeking responses from people living in Lambeth who have experienced a difficult hospital discharge within the past 12 months.

This may include situations where:

  • Discharge was delayed.
  • The patient was sent home before they felt ready.
  • Information about the discharge was unclear or incomplete.
  • Essential equipment or support was not available.
  • Follow-up care had not been properly arranged.
  • An unpaid carer was not sufficiently involved, informed or prepared.

The survey can be completed by patients themselves or by an unpaid carer describing the experience of someone they care for.

Healthwatch Lambeth is especially interested in hearing from people whose experiences may not always be represented in health and care feedback, including men and people from ethnic minority communities.

Hospital discharge can place significant responsibility on families and unpaid carers. When carers are not recognised, involved or given the right information, they may suddenly find themselves managing medication, personal care, appointments and recovery without adequate preparation.

Sharing these experiences can help identify what needs to improve and highlight the importance of involving carers as genuine partners throughout discharge planning.

Take part in the survey:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/hwlambeth

You can also scan the QR code on the accompanying Healthwatch Lambeth flyer.

For further information, contact Healthwatch Lambeth:

Email: info@healthwatchlambeth.org.uk
Telephone: 020 7274 8522

Please share this survey with Lambeth residents, patients and unpaid carers who may have had a difficult hospital discharge experience during the past year.

The Heart of Care – Ealing Carers Online Poetry Group August 2026

By Matthew McKenzie – Poetry group facilitator

The Ealing Carers Online Poetry Group returned in August for another warm and creative evening of poetry, reflection and peer support. Delivered with the support of Ealing Carers Partnership, the group has now been running for two years and continues to provide carers with a welcoming space in which they can express themselves, meet others and take some valuable time away from the pressures of their caring roles.

Carers joined the session for different reasons. Some wanted inspiration to write, while others valued the opportunity to relax, listen and spend time with people who understood the realities of caring. One member described how they often begin an exercise believing they will not be able to write anything, only to be surprised by the words and emotions that emerge.

Continue reading →

Discover Your Story Through Photography: Free Workshops & Community Exhibition

Posted by Matthew McKenzie – Carer activist

A fantastic new opportunity from King’s College London is inviting unpaid carers and members of the public to capture these experiences through photography.

Free Online Photography Workshops

Whether you’ve never taken a photograph beyond snapping pictures on your phone or you already enjoy photography, these free online workshops are designed for everyone.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Use your smartphone to take more meaningful photographs.
  • Tell powerful stories through images.
  • Build confidence in your creative skills.
  • Prepare photographs for a public exhibition.
Continue reading →

Alcohol Awareness Week 2026 – Alcohol and Me

This week (6–12 July) marks Alcohol Awareness Week 2026, organised by Alcohol Change UK. This year’s theme, “Alcohol and Me,” encourages us to take a moment to reflect on our own relationship with alcohol and the impact it can have on our health, mental wellbeing, relationships and everyday lives.

For many unpaid carers supporting someone with a mental health condition, life can be emotionally demanding. While we often focus on the person we care for, it’s just as important to look after our own wellbeing. This campaign reminds us that seeking support, talking openly and making small positive changes can make a real difference.

To support this important awareness week, I’ve created a new video on my YouTube channel, A Caring Mind, exploring why Alcohol Awareness Week matters, particularly for carers and families affected by mental ill health.

If this post resonates with you, please share the video to help raise awareness, reduce stigma and remind carers that their wellbeing matters too.

For more information about Alcohol Awareness Week and the “Alcohol and Me” campaign, visit Alcohol Change UK: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/alcohol-awareness-week-1

West London NHS Carers Event

By Matthew McKenzie – Chair of Triangle of Care community group, NHS England involvement & Carer Poet

We are delighted to invite carers to “Caring Together, Stronger Together” a special event hosted by West London NHS Trust to recognise, support and celebrate the vital role of carers.

The event is open to all carers across Ealing, Hounslow, and Hammersmith & Fulham, so please could you share this information and the attached flyer with all of your networks.

Join us for an enjoyable and informative afternoon featuring:

  • Opportunities to socialise and connect with other carers
  • Inspiring talks, presentations and poetry
  • A carers’ services marketplace with information stands
  • I will also be hosting a Carer stall providing leaflets for Carers including UCP
  • Wellbeing activities, including mindfulness and hand massages
  • A complimentary hot lunch

Event details:
📅 Wednesday 29 July
🕐 1:00pm – 4:00pm
📍 Irish Cultural Centre, 5 Blacks Road, London W6 9DT

The event is designed to help carers connect, access information, and take some well-deserved time for themselves in a welcoming and supportive environment.

To book a place:
📧 sonja.jansli@nhs.net
📞 07860 104223

Looking forward to welcoming carers from across our West London communities. Please help us spread the word by sharing this invitation and the attached flyer.

Help Shape Better Family Support for Ethnic Minority Families in South West London

Are you a parent or carer from an ethnic minority background who is currently receiving support from community mental health services in South West London? Researchers at King’s College London are looking to hear from families about their experiences to help improve the support available to parents and carers.

Who can take part?

You may be eligible if you:

  • Are aged 18–65
  • Are currently under the care of South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust community mental health services
  • Have caring responsibilities for a child under 18
  • Identify as being from an ethnic minority background

Why take part?

Parents and carers from ethnic minority communities often face unique challenges when accessing mental health support. By sharing your experiences, you can help researchers understand what works well, what could be improved, and how services can better support families across South West London.

Your voice can contribute to developing more inclusive, family-focused mental health services for future generations.

Are practitioners involved?

The study is also inviting practitioners working in community mental health services within South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust to take part, helping to bring together both professional and lived experience perspectives.

Thank You for Your Time

Participants apart from practitioners will receive a thank-you gift in recognition of their time and contribution.

Interested in Taking Part?

For more information or to express your interest, please contact:

Dr Ida Doherty
📧 ida.doherty@kcl.ac.uk

Have You Supported Someone Through Mental Health Care? We Want to Hear From You

If you have cared for, supported, or helped someone navigate mental health services, your experience matters.

Researchers are seeking carers to share their perspectives as part of a project exploring how people make decisions about mental health treatment together. The insights gathered will help shape a research funding application focused on understanding how service users, carers, and clinicians can work collaboratively when making decisions about care and treatment.

Use your Carers’ Voice

Carers often play a vital role in supporting loved ones through mental health challenges. You may have helped someone:

  • Understand treatment options
  • Attend appointments
  • Manage medication and care plans
  • Communicate with healthcare professionals
  • Make important decisions during difficult times

Your experiences can provide valuable insights into what works well, what could be improved, and how mental health services can better support collaborative decision-making.

Who Can Take Part?

We are looking for people who have supported someone through mental health care.

We are particularly keen to hear from carers from minoritised and under-represented communities, whose perspectives are often missing from research but are essential to ensuring services meet the needs of everyone.

What’s Involved?

Participants will be invited to take part in an online discussion via Microsoft Teams.

Dates: 15–19 June
Format: Microsoft Teams
Time commitment: Up to 2 hours
Payment: £27.50 per hour (NIHR public involvement rate)

Make a Difference Through Your Experience

By sharing your views, you can help influence future research and contribute to improving how mental health treatment decisions are made between service users, carers, and clinicians.

Every experience is valuable, and your contribution could help shape better mental health care for individuals and families in the future.

Interested?

Register your interest by scanning the QR code on the poster or visiting:

tinyurl.com/5f83xea5

Thank you for considering taking part and helping ensure carers’ voices are heard.

Join Healthwatch Bromley for an Open Conversation About Connection

Feeling connected is important especially for those who spend much of their time caring for others. Healthwatch Bromley is hosting a special interactive session designed to explore connection and combat loneliness in our community.

Event Details:

  • Date: Friday 5th June 2026
  • Time: 10:00 – 12:00
  • Location: Bromley United Reformed Church, 20 Widmore Rd, Bromley BR1 1RY
  • Guest Speaker: Helayna Jenkins MBE, IEng
  • Free Registration: Sign up here

What to Expect:

This session will give unpaid carers and community members the chance to:

  • Engage in a thoughtful group discussion about building connections.
  • Learn practical strategies to strengthen relationships and reduce loneliness.
  • Hear insights from guest speaker Helayna Jenkins, who brings experience and inspiration to the conversation.
  • Enjoy light refreshments while connecting with others in similar circumstances.

Whether you’re a carer seeking support, someone looking to expand their social network, or simply interested in meaningful conversations, this event offers an open, welcoming space to share, listen, and grow stronger together.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect and make a difference in your community. Register for free today and be part of the conversation.