Parlimentary events help raise the profile of carers

Autumn 2011

One of the key objectives for Carers Week is to raise awareness among MPs of the contribution that carers make and the issues they face.

Macmillan and other national partners aim to build support from MPs and move carers’ issues up the political agenda.

This year’s Carers Week| included two successful parliamentary events. On 13 June a speed networking event was held at the House of Commons – a repeat of last year’s event for new MPs. Charlotte Argyle, Carers Support Manager, attended with two carers who have received support from Macmillan – Paula McEnaney and Annetta Bennett.

Carers sat at tables hosted by the national partners, while the MPs circulated to meet them and find out more about their experiences and issues. Paula and Annetta did a fantastic job of raising awareness of the challenges that carers of people with cancer face, and what more could be done to support them.

On 15 June, Macmillan staff members, and carers who have received support from Macmillan, attended a reception at Downing Street. This was a great opportunity to raise Macmillan’s profile as an organisation that supports carers, with David Cameron, MPs and leading carers’ organisations attending. A group of carers met the prime minister and one carer, Sara Challice, told him about the support that she and her husband received from Macmillan.