Carer’s Week 2018

This week Royal Mail is supporting Carers Week, an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges carers face, and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK.

Around 6.5 million people in the UK are carers, looking after a parent, partner, child or friend. This total includes the estimated three million working carers in the UK currently, that’s one in nine in every workplace and that figure is set to rise in the future.

A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, illness, mental health problem or who needs extra help as they grow older.

Carers can have responsibilities that include practical and emotional support, physical help, personal care, financial matters and more, all while maintaining a life of their own, so it is unsurprising that at times this can result in additional stress and strain.

Throughout this week, we will be bringing you some inspiring stories of colleagues who combine working for Royal Mail with caring for others.

Jon Millidge, Group HR director, and sponsor of the Parents & Carers steering group, said, ‘As an employer it is important to us that colleagues are supported, and enabled to work effectively on a day-to-day basis, while fulfilling their caring responsibilities.

‘The Parents & Carers steering group is working hard to promote a culture of inclusiveness, drive positive change within the business and recommend practical and effective solutions to encourage the support of all colleagues with caring responsibilities.

‘We hope people will take the time to read some of the inspiring stories over this week, about colleagues who balance their parental and caring responsibilities with working for Royal Mail.’

[]

Parents & Carers

Please visit the Parent & Carers steering group homepage to read more about the work the group is doing, and access a range of resources available to support you if you are caring for others.

If you would like to share your story, learn more or get involved, please contact us at parents.and.carers@royalmail.com.

Click here to find out more about Carers Week and how you can get involved.