Provide 6 week Coaching for carers

In 2007, my life changed overnight. My son, Elijah, became brain injured, and I suddenly became his carer and mother.

Elijah went from attending nursery, eating normally and crawling like any other 18-month-toddler to becoming motionless. I was heartbroken and shocked, and our life was made more traumatic by not getting the support we needed. 

Many carers speak of overwhelm, stress and burnout. Yet, they carry on, juggling work, family and caring responsibilities, putting themselves last because – that’s just what they do.

Carers Elijah is now 16, and I have experienced all of this. It’s been quite a journey.

I set up the Carers Collective to give back some of my learnt experience. To support carers, to provide them with clarity of mind, alleviating stress and building confidence.

Carers Collective exists to support carers’ mental health and wellbeing. We do this with our 6-week coaching for carers group programme.

These 6-week courses aim to empower carers to recognise the skills and resources they already have and to discover the small steps they can take to help move forward and cope with the day-to-day challenges of life.

When a carer feels rested, empowered and happy, it affects every part of their life – and often means they can continue to work.

We want to offer as many group coaching sessions to as many carers as possible, but we cannot do it without your support. We need to raise funds to pay for these sessions and more!

We are asking individuals and businesses to donate to Carers Collective so we can offer these group sessions to as many carers as possible.

If you donate just £20 a month, we could run many more across the year, changing the experience for cares, their loved ones and their employers and colleagues.

• If 60 individuals or businesses donate £20, we can run a six-week course for six carers.

• If 60 individuals or businesses donated £40, we could run two courses, changing the lives of 12 carers.

• If 60 individuals or businesses donated £80, we could run four courses, changing the lives of 24 carers.

Just think of the impact this would have on their immediate family and friends, the health professionals they deal with daily, their colleagues, the workplace, and more.

Around 5 million people in the UK juggle work and a caring role. And 1 in 6 carers give up work or reduce their hours to care for someone. The state of care in the UK has declined post-pandemic and Brexit. A lack of resources and staffing means that more and more people are choosing to care for someone.

Whether it’s a choice or a case of no other option, caring for someone who cannot cope without you can be overwhelming and stressful. 

We would appreciate your help and support - and if you know a carer or have carers in your workforce, we would love for you to share what we do with them.

Carers Collective sits beneath Elijah’s Hope, a not-for-profit community interest company.