For Carers Week 2026, it takes place from 8–14 June and shines a spotlight on the millions of unpaid carers who provide essential care and support to family members, friends and loved ones throughout the UK.
This year’s theme, Building Carer Friendly Communities, highlights the need for workplaces, healthcare services, schools, local authorities and communities to better recognise and support unpaid carers.
Despite contributing billions of pounds worth of care each year, many unpaid carers continue to face challenges including financial hardship, social isolation, poor mental health and difficulties accessing support. So Carers Week aims to raise awareness of these issues while encouraging practical action to create a society where carers are valued, respected and included.
As a carer activist and founder of my site A Caring Mind, I am sure that creating carer-friendly communities starts with understanding the realities of caring. Whether you are caring for an ageing parent, a disabled child, a partner with a long-term condition or someone experiencing mental ill health, carers play a vital role in keeping families and communities together.
However, there are still many people do not identify themselves as carers and therefore miss out on important support, benefits and services. Carers Week 2026 provides an opportunity for individuals, organisations and policymakers to listen to carers’ experiences, champion carers’ rights and improve access to support for unpaid carers across the UK.
Watch my Carers Week 2026 video below to learn more about the campaign, this year’s theme and how you can get involved in supporting unpaid carers. Please share the video to help raise awareness and encourage more people to recognise the invaluable contribution that carers make every single day.
Together, we can build stronger, more inclusive and more carer-friendly communities
By Matthew McKenzie – Carer UK ambassador and volunteer
As proud volunteer with Carers UK and Carers Trust, and alongside healthcare teams in hospitals supporting unpaid carers and families. I want to take a moment to recognise the incredible contribution volunteers make every single day.
As we celebrate Volunteers’ Week 2026, across our communities, volunteers give their time, skills, compassion, and energy to help others, often without seeking recognition. Their impact is immeasurable.
For me, volunteering is about making a difference, no matter how small. Sometimes it is providing information and advice to a carer who feels overwhelmed. Sometimes it is speaking up for those whose voices are not being heard. Sometimes it is simply listening. These acts of kindness can change lives.
As carers, many of us already give so much of ourselves to support loved ones. Yet volunteering can also be a powerful way to create change, build connections, and strengthen our communities. It reminds us that we are not alone and that together we can make a positive impact.
I recently attended the “Making Time for Black Mental Health” event hosted by Bella from Think Tenacity Academy CIC at Cottons Caribbean Restaurant in Vauxhall. The event took place on friday 22nd of May 2026
it was a reminder of the importance of safe community spaces that centre Black wellbeing. The event brought together over 100 attendees, including families, carers, advocates, therapists, Plus Healthwatch Southwark, Healthwatch Lambeth, CNWL Talking Therapies Service Westminster, Carers UK, alongside other community organisations supporting mental health awareness and wellbeing.
We were all united around conversations on mental health, lived experience, and reducing stigma within the Black community.
The event was officially opened by Folake Segun, CEO of Healthwatch Lambeth which led on to meaningful conversations, which I have created a video to show highlights of the event.
As a carer advocate, I found the event especially valuable because it highlighted how community-led support can create genuine impact.
The evening included a Q&A session with Black therapists and speakers who openly discussed mental health challenges, cultural understanding, and the importance of representation in support services.
There were also wellness stalls, books, information tables, and opportunities for local organisations to connect directly with the community. Seeing families, children, and professionals all engaging together showed how mental health conversations can become more accessible and less stigmatised when events are designed with inclusion at the centre.
What stood out most to me was the sense of togetherness and intentional care throughout the event. Think Tenacity’s mission to tackle health inequalities and create spaces where Black people feel seen, heard, and supported was evident in every part of the evening. Hosting the event at a vibrant riverside venue with free entry, wellbeing activities, and opportunities to socialise created an environment where people could relax while also engaging in serious and necessary discussions around mental health.
Events like this are essential because they remind us that advocacy, wellbeing, and community support all go hand in hand.
Stories are powerful. They carry memory, experience, and truth in ways that forms and systems often cannot. For unpaid minority carers, our stories are not just reflections, they are essential to understanding the full picture of care.
I’ve recently shared a poem, “Our Stories Matter,” from my upcoming poetry book. It explores the importance of lived experience, intergenerational memory, and the voices that are too often overlooked within health and social care systems.
While assessments, care plans, and clinical notes tell part of the story, they rarely capture the depth of what families and carers experience every day. Our stories provide context. They bring meaning and complete the picture.
This is especially important within the context of PCREF, where recognising lived experience and cultural understanding is key to improving care and addressing inequalities. When carers’ voices are not heard, something vital is missing.
This poem is a reminder that our stories are central.
The poem is a spoken word piece from my upcoming poetry collection Unpaid, Unseen and Yet Unbroken (launching 2026).
This poem centres the lived experiences of ethnic and minority mental health carers, where they continue to show up, often without recognition, navigating systems that can feel complex and unresponsive.
The poem focuses on the quiet strength, shared knowledge, and collective care that exist within our communities.
In the spirit of PCREF, this work highlights the importance of listening to lived experience, valuing cultural understanding, and recognising community as a source of resilience and healing
March 21 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is a day recognised across the world to remember, reflect, and take action.
This day was established following the tragic events of the Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa in 1960, where peaceful protestors lost their lives while standing against injustice. It is a reminder of how far we have come, but also how far we still need to go.
Racism is not just something we read about in history. It continues to exist in our societies, often in ways that are subtle, systemic, and deeply embedded. It can affect people’s opportunities, their confidence, and their sense of belonging.
As a carer activist, I see the impact of this in mental health and support systems. When people feel unheard, misunderstood, or treated unfairly, it can have lasting effects on their wellbeing. Care should be equal, compassionate, and inclusive for everyone.
This day is not only about raising awareness, but about encouraging action. Each of us has a role to play in challenging discrimination and promoting understanding.
That might mean listening more carefully to others’ experiences, educating ourselves, speaking up when something isn’t right, or simply showing empathy in our everyday interactions.
Change doesn’t always come from big gestures. It often starts with small, consistent actions.
March 21 is a reminder, but I think the responsibility is ongoing.
The question is: what will you do to stand against racism?
By Matthew McKenzie, A Caring Mind (Carers UK Ambassador)
As an unpaid mental health carer, I have spent years navigating hospital corridors, GP practices, care plans, juggling crises, and long silences where carers are too often left out. I am sure unpaid carers are expected to hold families together, while notice early warning signs, and keep loved ones safe. Still I always mention most of us receive no formal training, and our knowledge is rarely recognised as expertise.
That is why recently teaching a module for the Masters course to mental health nursing students at King’s College London felt so important. Not after they qualify. Not once they are overwhelmed in practice. But before they step out into the field. The session took place 15th of January.
Why carer-led teaching matters
Unpaid carers sit at the sharp edge of the mental health system. We see what works, what harms, and what gets missed when professionals don’t fully understand the family context. When students hear directly from carers, learning moves beyond textbooks into real life into the emotional, practical, and ethical realities of care.
Training mental health professionals without carer voices is like teaching navigation without a map.
What I taught: lived experience as learning
The session I delivered was built entirely from a carer’s perspective and centred on one core message: you cannot deliver effective mental health care without working with carers.
The module covered:
My lived experience as an unpaid mental health carer How I became a carer, the emotional impact, the daily responsibilities, and the toll caring can take on mental and physical health.
The hidden impact on carers Burnout, stigma, isolation, guilt, and the reality that many carers are supporting professionals while receiving little support themselves.
Carers as partners, not problems Exploring what happens when carers are ignored – and how outcomes improve when they are listened to, informed, and included.
The Triangle of Care A strong emphasis on the Triangle of Care framework: the partnership between service user, carer, and professional. I challenged students to see carers as a vital link in the chain, not an optional extra.
Carers UK and carer identification Highlighting the role of Carers UK in advocacy, rights, resources, and why professionals must help carers identify themselves early so they can access support.
Practical skills for future nurses Listening without defensiveness, sharing information appropriately, involving carers in care planning, and understanding when carers need support themselves.
Interactive discussion and reflection Students worked through real-life scenarios, asking: What would I do differently now that I understand the carer experience?
The shift we need in education
Most unpaid carers are not trained for their role. We learn through crisis, exhaustion, and trial and error. Mental health professionals, however, are trained, which means universities have a responsibility to ensure that training includes those of us living this reality every day.
Carer-led teaching builds empathy, improves communication, and ultimately leads to safer, more effective care. When students learn early that carers matter, they carry that mindset into practice.
A final thought
Unpaid carers are already part of the mental health workforce, it’s just the title unpaid, unsupported, and often unheard. So I feel bringing carers into universities is not a “nice extra”. It is absolutely essential.
If we want a mental health system that truly works, we must start by listening to those who never clock off.
By Matthew Mckenzie – facilitator of national ethnic mental health carers forum
I’m pleased to share “Unpaid, Unseen and Yet Unbroken”, a spoken word poetry video that marks the first poem released from my forthcoming poetry collection of the same name.
This first poem speaks from within the lived reality of unpaid mental health carers, particularly those from ethnic and marginalised communities whose labour is often overlooked, misunderstood, or taken for granted. It reflects moments many carers will recognise: waiting rooms, misrecognition, quiet endurance, and the strength it takes to keep showing up without acknowledgement.
🎥 Watch the spoken word video here:
The wider collection I am currently working on brings together poems shaped by care, fatigue, love, resilience, and survival. It is a body of work rooted in lived experience and community voices, offering poetry not only as expression, but as witness and affirmation.
This first poem sets the tone for what is to come, promoting honest, reflective, and unapologetic in its call for carers to be seen, heard, and respected.
This work is part of my ongoing commitment through my A Caring Mind youtube channel to use creativity as a way to challenge stigma, amplify unheard voices, and centre care as a vital social contribution.
More poems from this collection will be shared in the coming months.
This week, we come together to recognise something deeply human, yet often hidden: grief and the people who carry it long after the world has moved on.
I’ve created a short video exploring the emotional reality of bereavement, with a special focus on unpaid carers. These are the people who quietly give their time, energy, and love to support someone through illness… and who are often left to grieve in silence when that journey ends.
My hope is that this helps spark conversations, reduce stigma, and remind anyone grieving that you are not alone.
If you or someone you know needs support, these organisations can help:
Let’s work together to make sure every bereaved person, especially unpaid carers so they is heard, supported, and understood. #GrowingWithGrief | #GriefSupport | #UnpaidCarers | #Wellbeing
On 4th December 2025, I had the privilege of attending the Service of Christmas Carols and Readings for Carers UK (for their 60th anniversary) at The King’s Chapel of the Savoy.
As many will know, Carers UK is a national charity that offers advice, information, and advocacy for unpaid carers, people who look after a family member or friend due to illness, disability, mental health challenges or frailty.
Their work is vital and ranges from campaigning for carers’ rights, to shaping policy, to providing emotional and practical support.
As someone who has spent years amplifying carers’ voices, and as someone who has been a carer myself, I always find moments like this grounding. They remind me that carers are so often hidden and deserve spaces of recognition, reflection, and community.
I couldnt capture the whole event, so a lot of it is from memory,
The King’s Chapel of the Savoy, with its royal heritage and intimate atmosphere, felt like the perfect place for such a service. The carved wood, the vivid ceiling, the echo of voices old and new it all contributed to an environment where carers could feel honoured rather than overlooked.
A Service That Told carer Stories
The order of service blended scripture, poetry, classic carols, and carers’ own words. Each part spoke to a different dimension of caring, love, sacrifice, resilience, loss, hope.
Here is a clear, concise list of the Carers UK Christmas Carol Service Order, based on the programme you shared.
Some of the order of Service – Carers UK Christmas Carols and Readings
Carol – Once in Royal David’s City
Welcome & The Bidding Prayer by The Revd Canon Thomas Woodhouse MA
Welcome on Behalf of Carers UK by Helen Walker, Chief Executive
Gospel According to Luke, Chapter 2, Verses 8–20 Reader: Rt Hon Sir Ed Davey MP
Reading – Gospel According to Luke, Chapter 2, Verses 1–7, Reader: The Rt Rev Rob Wickham
Reading – Extract from A Christmas Carol, Reader: Jaycee La Bouche, a carer
The Blessing by The Revd Canon Thomas Woodhouse MA
Below are some reflections on the elements that struck me the most, based on the transcript provided.
I started noting down things when hearing the classic Clement Clarke Moore poem brought a sense of nostalgia and gentleness. For many carers, Christmas isn’t always restful, it can be emotionally heavy or practically demanding. Yet this reading reminded me of the grounding power of tradition.
There was also a Carer’s Poem – “I Carried Him” (Martin Seare), which was read by Tiggy Walker. The poem captured something familiar to many carers, which is the sense of being the energy source behind someone else’s survival. The feeling of being nurse, advocate, motivator, protector, and emotional anchor, all at once.
Jaycee’s reading from A Christmas Carol brought a heartfelt authenticity to the service, grounding Dickens’ message of compassion in real lived experience. Hearing a carer deliver those words reminded me how powerfully stories of renewal that echo the emotional journeys many carers navigate every day.
We also heard an extract from A Christmas Carol, where hearing Dickens’ words about Scrooge’s transformation felt fitting. Carers often live in a world full of systems that need to “wake up” to their realities, these systems overdue for compassion and change.
There was another Carer’s Poem – “Hands That Once Held Me” (Aaliyah O’Neill), which was read by Pippa Haywood. This poem honoured the emotional labour that accompanies caring, the grief, the patience, the love that persists through fading timelines and shifting identities.
Walking around after the service, we were provided with wine and mince pies (I could only handle one glass of mine), but ate a lot of mince pies. I also noticed on a nearby table, beautifully wrapped with red ribbon, were copies of books written by individuals deeply connected to the world of caring.
Tiggy Walker’s Both Sides Now offered a tender, candid exploration of love, loss, and the emotional realities of caring, while Why I Care highlighted personal reflections on the value and challenges of supporting others by Sir Ed Davy. Seeing these books at the event felt fitting, they extended the service’s message by giving carers stories they could see themselves in, learn from, and feel strengthened by.
Carols – Collective Voice, Collective Strength
Carols like “Once in Royal David’s City,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “In the Bleak Midwinter,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” took on added meaning.
Singing these in chapel reminded me that carers often feel alone, but they are part of a much larger story. Carols have always been about shared experience, hope, and unity. That unity was felt strongly throughout the chapel.
A Blessing for Carers
Towards the end, The Revd Canon Thomas Woodhouse offered prayers acknowledging:
those who care
those who are cared for
those who grieve
those who find joy in service
those who struggle silently
What the Service Meant to Me as a Carer
I left the event feeling the followng:
Being Seen
Carers rarely hear their stories reflected back to them with such respect. This service did that.
Connected
Being surrounded by fellow carers, supporters, faith leaders, and advocates reminded me that we are not navigating these challenges alone.
Renewed
Christmas can be difficult for many carers, i am running a few carer groups to reduce isolation, but this service offered a moment to pause, reflect, and recharge spiritually and emotionally.
Motivated
Each poem and reading reinforced why I continue to campaign and raise awareness: because carers’ lives, struggles, and contributions must be brought into public consciousness.
Final Thoughts
The Carers UK Christmas Service wasn’t just a festive gathering, it was a space that lifted the voices and experiences of carers into the light.
Carers UK continues to be a champion for those who give so much of themselves. And events like this remind us that recognition, community, and hope are powerful gifts.
I left the chapel gratefull for the stories shared, for the solidarity felt, and for the reminder that carers are, and always have been, at the heart of what makes our communities truly compassionate.
BONUS : A small tour of the chapel.
History in the Woodwork: Discovering the Stories Behind the Savoy Chapel’s Symbols
One unexpected part of attending the Carers UK Christmas Service at The King’s Chapel of the Savoy was the opportunity to explore some of the chapel’s remarkable historical artefacts. As a carer and someone who works in carer advocacy, I often reflect on continuity on how the past shapes the present. Walking around the chapel, I realised the walls were not just decorative; they were storytellers.
These objects and emblems remind us that the Savoy Chapel is a living part of royal, national, and personal history. And in many ways, the quiet endurance reflected in these items echoes the resilience of carers across the country.
1. The Heraldic Plaques on the Chapel Walls
Along the wooden panelled walls were beautifully detailed heraldic plaques, each representing past members or senior figures associated with the Royal Victorian Order or individuals linked to the chapel’s long history of royal service.
The Royal Victorian Order was established in 1896 by Queen Victoria as a way of personally recognising service to the monarch. That personal element, service based on loyalty, commitment, and relationship. That i felt especially meaningful as someone attending the Carers UK event.
Each plaque typically includes:
A coat of arms, with symbols representing the individual’s heritage, achievements, or values.
A Latin motto, often referencing duty, honour, or faith.
A record of rank or title, showing how the person was tied to the Crown or Order.
Standing before these plaques, I was reminded that service, whether to the Crown or to a loved one is always part of a bigger human story.
2. The Book of Remembrance
Displayed under protective glass, the Book of Remembrance is one of the most moving artefacts in the Savoy Chapel. It is handwritten and illuminated in a traditional style, much like medieval manuscripts.
The book honours individuals connected to the chapel, recording their names, contributions, and sometimes short dedications. Every entry is crafted with care, respecting the memory of those who served their communities or the Royal Household.
3. The Stalls with Coats of Arms of Officers and Servants of the Order
In the choir stalls, more coats of arms decorate the woodwork. These represent officers, registrars, chaplains, and others who have served the Royal Victorian Order over the decades.
Each shield is different, but together they form a visual tapestry of dedication. They signal continuity across generations much like how caring roles pass through families, communities, and time.
You can almost imagine the individuals who once occupied these seats, each carrying out their duties with diligence. Their heraldry remains here as a testament to lives spent in service.
4. The Mantle and Insignia of a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
One of the most striking displays was the ceremonial mantle worn by a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO). The deep blue and crimson robe, gold tassels, and the star emblem reflect the highest grade of this honour.
The mantle’s presence is not merely decorative:
The GCVO is awarded personally by the monarch, not via government recommendation.
It recognises exceptional service to the Crown.
The Star, Badge, and Collar each represent centuries-old tradition.
5. The Royal Victorian Order and Medal Display
This framed display explains the different grades of the Royal Victorian Order (RVO) and shows examples of the insignia, including:
Knight/Dame Grand Cross (GCVO)
Knight/Dame Commander (KCVO/DCVO)
Commander (CVO)
Lieutenant (LVO)
Member (MVO)
Royal Victorian Medal (RVM) in Gold, Silver, and Bronze
The RVM is unique because it honours personal service by staff who support the Royal Household directly, often throughout a lifetime. The photos in the display include historical figures wearing the ribbons and badges, underscoring the order’s strong ties to loyalty and lifelong commitment.
Why These Artefacts Mattered at a Carers Event
These historical items weren’t just museum pieces; they told a story of service, loyalty, remembrance, and quiet strength. I think in that sense, they perfectly framed the Carers UK Christmas Service.
A Caring Mind 