On Thursday 20th November, I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the Memory, Wellbeing and Brain Health event hosted at Broadfield Community Centre in Crawley. Organised by Carers Support West Sussex, the event formed part of Carers Rights Day, bringing together carers, professionals, community teams, and people living with dementia for a day of learning, connection, and support.
Although I couldn’t stay for the full programme due to travelling to another Carers Rights Day engagement later that afternoon, I was grateful to take part in the early sessions and witness the energy and compassion that shaped the whole day.
Welcome to the latest edition of my unpaid carer newsletter for November This month’s release is full of insights, stories and resources to support carers across the UK.
Caring for someone with a mental illness is an emotional, often isolating experience. Unpaid carers—whether they are family members, friends, or loved ones—carry immense responsibility, yet their voices can feel unheard, especially within the healthcare system.
One of my poem’s “On Being Heard” taken from my book The Poetry Book of Mental Health Caring, captures this struggle with raw honesty.
A Caring Mind 