On 17th of September, I'll be taking part in a fundraising event for the North Staffs Carers Association along with my mother and brother. It's a brisk walk round Tunstall Park, which isn't the most physically taxing activity you'll sponsor this month, but it could well be the most impactful. 

If you've ever helped to take care of someone elderly, disabled, or a friend or family member with an addiction problem then you'll know all too well that it can be physically and emotionally taxing. Established in 1987 the NSCA is a charity that provides information, advice, support, social activities and assistance with benefits and grants for carers of all ages in the North Staffs area. 

You can become a carer at any age and it rarely happens by choice. The NSCA does vital work in lightening the load for those who find themselves in this unenviable position. This is a charity close to our family's heart, and one that my mother has been actively involved in for more than a decade. Like many local charities, significant funding has been pulled from the NSCA, so fundraising targets have balooned. 

Anything you can spare would be sincerely appreciated and will help to keep the NSCA running, assist in securing the future of the carers' centre and alleviate some of the pressure on those whose lives are largely dedicated to providing quality of life to their loved ones. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your generous donations. You can read more about the NSCA at: www.carersfirst.com