Today in our first story of 2024, we are profiling Carers First, a fantastic organisation that works with and supports thousands of unpaid carers across the country. Our focus in this article is their team in East Lincolnshire who have recently received a grant from National Grid’s Community Matters Fund (Fuel Poverty) to support their impactful and important work. Our Head of Communications Luke Upton, caught up with Zoe Burkhill, who manages the Carers First team in East Lincolnshire to learn more.

Luke Upton (LU): Happy New Year! Thanks for the time today. Could you start by telling us a little about the community you serve and why your support is needed.

Zoe Burkhill (ZB): And a Happy New Year to you too! East Lincolnshire includes many areas that have severe deprivation and many of the unpaid carers we support are living in isolated rural communities. If a carer is caring for someone who cannot be left on their own, either at all or only for a short period of time this makes it extremely hard for them to access any support available in the local community. Unpaid carers relieve the pressure on the NHS and Adult social care and save the UK government 162 billion per year (2023 figure). Many have given up their paid employment to care for a family member, partner or friend placing enormous financial strain on them. In addition to the financial pressures many carers tell us they feel isolated and emotionally drained.

LU: Thanks, and what’s been your particular focus in recent years?

ZB: Our focus over the last few years is to not only to provide information, advice and guidance but also to raise the profile of unpaid carers. In terms of this grant funding our focus over the past 2 years has been to ensure that Carers over the winter months can be warm. The cost-of-living crisis had a huge effect on unpaid carers and many faced the choice of ‘eating or heating’. By providing them with warm blankets, thermal socks, radiator foil and heated blankets we have tried to help Carers save money on their heating bills and stay warm in their homes. We have distributed packs at our wellbeing groups in Skegness, Mablethorpe and Louth but also hand delivered many packs to those who are most isolated and most vulnerable.

LU: You’ve just received funding from the Community Matters Fund from National Grid and Localgiving. Can you tell us some more about the project it will help fund and what it aims to deliver.

ZB: Our current funded project through the Community Matters fund will provide hooded blankets, draught excluders and microwaveable wheaties to help us make sure more carers stay warm this winter. As we continue to see the NHS stretched more and more people are finding themselves in an unpaid caring role. We continue to receive new referral every day asking for support and we will continue to give advice, information and guidance along with distributing the warm packs to the most vulnerable carers. When the weather deteriorates in the winter months, we see a common theme of support being requested, that being financial and help with heating homes.

LU: How important is this kind of funding to your organisation?

ZB: This funding is vital for our organisation. Many of the carers we speak with do not know where to turn for support, they feel frustrated and largely ignored and undervalued. We aim to change that, focusing on their needs and ensuring that their voice is heard. Many unpaid carers experience financial hardship, and it is important that we have funds available to be able to help alleviate some of this pressure. As the items we are giving out in the packs can be used year on year our aim is to provide support to as many carers as we can.

LU: More money aside, what would help you most? 

ZB: The recognition from the government, from workplaces, from professionals the role of the unpaid carer and the contribution they are making. Carers are telling us daily that life is tough. The emotional pressures, the financial pressures and being torn between their own needs and that of the person they care for yet the reality is that the NHS would not cope without these unpaid carers.

LU: We are delighted to help support your work and thanks for sharing the story of your work with our community.

ZB: My pleasure, Luke. We cannot thank the Community Matters Fund, National Grid and Localgiving enough for this funding. The response we have had in previous years to the winter warm packs has been phenomenal. Carers have told us after receiving a warm pack they feel valued, they feel thankful and most importantly that the packs have made a real difference to them in the winter months. When the packs have been home delivered many carers have wept, they have been so touched that someone has remembered them. Thank you all! 

LU: Wonderful, keep up the fantastic work!

---> Find out more about Carers First here. 

---> The next round of Community Matters Fund funding will be opening soon - keep checking back for the latest news.