Unpaid carers in Fort William were given a chance to hear advice and locate support as a nine-stop roadshow bringing together care -related organisations concluded in the town.
Held from 11am to 2pm on October 5 at New Connections, the Highland Carers Roadshow was organised by NHS Highland in collaboration with local partners.
Twelve organisations were present at the Fort William roadshow, while other groups provided literature for the event.
With an estimated one in three people acting as carers at some point in their life, many for family members or neighbours, and several care homes in the region facing temporary or permanent closure, the event was an opportunity for those with unpaid caring responsibilities to chat with and hear from a potential support network.
Feedback from the event was positive. One comment stated that the most important benefit from the day was “feeling that I’m not alone”. Another said it was “knowing that there are organisations who can help you. Caring can be very lonely”.
There was also praise for bringing information to Lochaber. One attendee said “it is tough to access information, so to have everything under one roof is amazing”, while a second voice said the event was needed in Lochaber because “it seems Inverness gets everything”.
Jennifer Campbell, Carer Services Development Officer with NHS Highland, said it had been great to take the roadshows across the Highlands.
“We know that many people don’t see themselves as carers and just help family members, friends or neighbours, as good citizens would. To bring roadshows to local areas has allowed people to hear what is available to support and to network and chat with likeminded people over a cuppa,” she said.
Sophie Fyfe, community worker for Lochaber Connecting Young Carers, said: “Today I have witnessed unpaid carers coming through the door in despair, unsure of where to turn, and through chatting to the organisations present today, and linking in directly with professionals, they have left with a smile and a sigh of relief.”
The Fort William event was the ninth and final stop in a two-week tour that started on September 20 in Alness.
The roadshow series received funding from Shared Care Scotland through the Promoting Variety initiative.
Any unpaid carer in Lochaber who was unable to attend the event can still receive support by emailing Sophie Fyfe of Connecting Carers Lochaber at sfyfe@connectingcarers.org.uk