Young Carers Lives Depicted in Poetry

To celebrate the contribution made at home, young carers in Tameside have shared their experiences of daily life in the form of poetry, to raise awareness of their vital caring role at home.

The emotional and heartfelt poems allowed the group to be invited to take part in Poetry Together 2023, a project organised by Gyles Brandreth and supported by HM Queen Camilla, where Young and Adult Carers came together to perform poems for each other over tea and cake. In addition, the team of carers won £250 worth of book vouchers for their participation, which will go towards books for the young carers.

There are 421 young carers registered in Tameside aged from five to 18-years-old, that provide significant support for family members including making meals, shopping, helping with medication and offering emotional support.

A Tameside Council spokesperson said: “The help and support young carers provide to their families is truly remarkable and doesn’t get taken for granted. We are very proud of all they do and are happy that Tameside Council can reward them with our Young Carers Project, providing one-to-one support, activities and holidays to give them the childhood they deserve.”

The Young Carers Project allows children to attend groups every two-weeks and take part in a range of activities including baking, sports, and art, as well as emotional wellbeing support such as confidence-building, anger management, and understanding the condition of the loved one they are caring for. The group also have the chance to go on holidays which have recently included a residential to the Lake District, a weekend away in Southampton for the Young Carers Festival, and trips to Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Gulliver’s World.

The Young Carers poetry collection is now on display for public viewing in the Tameside One building in Ashton. For more information about The Young Carers Project, email young.carers@tameside.gov.uk or phone 0161 342 5463.