Carers Week is an annual campaign that aims to raise awareness and highlight unpaid carers' vital contributions to communities and families across the United Kingdom. This year Carers Week took place between 10th - 16th June 2024 and had a theme of 'Putting Carers on the Map'. Across Gateshead, we have been ensuring the voices of caregivers across the borough are heard loud and clear. 

What happened during Carers Week 2024?

I Care Exhibition - Tuesday 11th June

Over the last few months, unpaid carers from across the North East have been working with local artist Sharon Bailey to create Photographic Carer Placards as part of 'I CARE', an art project highlighting the love, duty, struggle and hope unpaid carers face.

Sharon joined us at our 2023 AGM to introduce 'I CARE' to the caring community and to create placards. She later joined us at our Carer Cafés working with carers to design more placards to be used in the display at the Grainger Market.

We joined Sharon at the launch event of 'I CARE' at the Grainger Market. Audiences were invited to join in a rallying call across the Grainger Market to show we care and to hear about all of the incredible work that caregivers across our region are doing to keep our most vulnerable people safe and happy.

A drama piece 'Two Sides of the Same Coin' was also performed live, highlighting the stories Sharon has collected from local caregivers as she created 'I CARE'. 

Learn more about 'I CARE' on Sharon Bailey's website >>

Gateshead Carers Gala - Wednesday 12th June

Our annual celebration at Saltwell Park returned for another year of fun in the sun. The Gateshead Carers Gala brought together carers, supporters and local organisations to put caregivers on the map, raising awareness of caring and showcasing the support Gateshead can offer unpaid carers across the borough. 

We had lots of stalls at the Gala giving members of the public the chance to learn more about caring and help raise funds for our Carer Holiday Home Furniture Appeal.

We were delighted to have been joined by our friends from local organisations including ;

• • Gateshead Council
  • Your Voice Counts
  • QE Hospital
  • NHS Talking Therapies
  • Healthwatch Gateshead
  • Daisy Chain
  • Foundations Furniture
  • Teams and Bensham Community Care
  • Happy to Help Gateshead

Overall, we had a fantastic day celebrating Carers Week with Gateshead's local community and 'putting carers on the map'. We hope to be back next year to do it all again, bigger and better! If you would like to showcase your organisation's support for caregivers in Gateshead at a stall in the Gateshead Carers Gala 2025, please leave us a message!

Gateshead Parent Carer Forum Pamper Day - Friday 14th June

We joined the Gateshead Parent Carer Forum for a very special pamper day at the Metro Centre Community Hub. Local caregivers received head massages, nail file and polishing and hand and arm massages from beauty therapy students, as well as a fantastic tea party.

Find out more about Gateshead Parent Carer Forum on their website >> 

Carers Week has been a great success in raising awareness of the vital work unpaid carers do and highlighting what caring looks like to the public.