As our initial priority, we will be focusing on strengthening support for unpaid carers across the borough, and channelling our funds to organisations enabling meaningful change. Official records indicate that there are around 19,000 unpaid carers in our local area: enough to fill a quarter of Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium. Many more people, however, remain unrecognised as unpaid carers, often because they do not see themselves as providing this role.

Caring is a role which transcends the boundaries between home, work, and social life, affecting every aspect of carers’ routines. For those upon whom a loved one depends for basic care needs, such as food and hygiene, the responsibilities of daily life can become overwhelming.

Carers frequently cite feelings of loneliness, isolation, frustration, and burnout. Some are putting their personal, financial, emotional, and physical needs aside to their own detriment. These are real problems for carers that OneRichmond will seek to address through financial help and better collaboration amongst local organisations.