Carer Information Fairs
On this page
- Lead organisation
Action for Carers Surrey
- Project contact
Barbara Cormie
Marketing and Communications Manager
Carers don’t always know about their rights as carers and the range of support that exists.
In response to this, we’ve been running Carer Information Fairs for three years, held around Carers Rights Day each November. The Fairs are based in our ‘Hubs’ venues across Surrey- these host regular carer drop-ins in settings such as community centres and church halls.
We invite multiple partners to hold stands with us (other charities, statutory bodies, emergency services etc) and carers are able to get advice, information & support on a range of issues related to their health & wellbeing and all aspects of caring: practical, financial, emotional, but particularly their rights.
Our volunteers help at these events, welcoming carers with tea and cake, and offering a ‘listening ear’. Where possible, we aim to offer additional activities too, such as talks or wellbeing activities such as hand massages.
We have great attendance and excellent feedback – both from carers and professionals attending with us. We hear that the Fairs help raise awareness and understanding of carers, caring, and our support in Surrey. And by being based in local communities we are able to reach many new unpaid carers too.
In 2023 we held nine Fairs, in locations across Surrey, with hundreds of carers attending. Over 50 partner organisations attend our Fairs, including Surrey County Council teams, the NHS in Surrey and multiple charities/non-profits.
- Partners
Surrey County Council teams, NHS in Surrey and other Surrey charities and voluntary organisations had stands at the Fairs
- Project duration
Annual – November each year
- Key beneficiaries
Unpaid adult carers in Surrey
Carer Information Fairs
Why we started this initiative
We were very aware that carers don’t always receive the support they need to know their rights and that we needed to do more to promote understanding of what support is available – both for carers and the person they care for.
It can be hard for carers to find this sort of information. The Fairs are a chance for carers to come to one place, on one day to find out about many opportunities at once.
Our goals
· To successfully organise and deliver nine Fairs across Surrey in accessible venues with our expert staff.
· To have key partners attend the events to pass on information to carers.
· To reach carers both registered to us, and carers not yet registered with us.
· To help carers (who hadn’t previously self-identified) realise they are carers and what help is available. By being in community venues, we hoped to reach some of Surrey’s harder to reach groups.
· To make carers more visible in the wider community.
· For carers to enjoy the event, get the information and support they needed, and consider their own knowledge and wellbeing improved.
How we’re implementing it
Using our existing Carer Hubs in the community, we set up 9 single day events at each of the 9 locations – for the week around Carers Rights Day.
As part of our everyday practice, we work in partnership with multiple organisations, whom we invited to attend.
We ran a programme of marketing and communications to reach as many carers as possible (including a newsletter, media coverage & social media campaign)
As well as our own Carer Support Advisors and volunteers, we planned sessions to be run by some of our special teams like Moving & Handling.
567 individual carers, attended our events, a fantastic turn out. They were able to access information and advice; learn more about their rights and support offers and connect with other people in the caring community. It was great to reach carers who weren’t already registered with us. The feedback from individuals was fantastic (see quotes supplied).
We were able to use the event to raise the profile of caring in the community as well as the support offers our charity can provide.
We forged new partnerships and developed existing relationships, which will result in future workshops, opportunities to provide better, more joined up support for unpaid carers.
Our ‘give-away tables’, Carers Rights postcard and wellbeing gift bags were very well received.
We are absolutely committed to continuing with our programme of Carers Fairs each November. This year we will be changing some of the venues to allow us to hold bigger events, and reach more carers.
Advice to other organisations:
It’s definitely worth trying such Fairs, maybe in one or two venues initially, but inviting a broad range of partners. Get the right venue/s and get promoting as soon, and widely, as possible! Make sure what’s on offer is clearly communicated and try to reach as many carers as you can, as well as your existing ‘known’ carers. There is quite a bit of organisation involved, but it’s worth to achieve multiple goals and bring people together.
I came along today to the Horley event, and I’ve learnt so much. As a full time employee and full time carer, I don’t actually know what is out there to help us. Thanks for putting this together!! It was very helpful.
José, Carer
A big thank you from me for a brilliant Carers Rights event yesterday in Cranleigh. The information stalls were packed with leaflets for carers and so many services attended it was great to network with colleagues too. The refreshments and organisation were really good. I had two Locality carers approach me, and was able to get onto the SCC system and follow up their enquiries and even made a referral to Crossroads for a Dementia carer. It was a great success.
Julia Longrigg, Carer Practice Advisor
Images from this project
