the beginning of July34,000 carers (unpaid) in Bristol demand their voices are heard!

Grass roots organisation Invisible Army say carers hit hardest by cost of living crisis yet least likely to get their voice heard.

“We save the government £162bn a year, the same amount as it costs to run the NHS, yet we are overlooked again and again in Westminster and City Hall,” says Carina Andrews, 30, who has been caring for family members since she was a child, and talking openly about the lack of support.

“Carers Allowance, if you can get it, is the equivalent to £2.16 per hour when the minimum National Living Wage for 21-year-olds is currently £11.44 per hour. And if you receive Carers Allowance, you aren’t allowed to earn more than £139 a week.”

Andrews says, “it was the lack of government recognition, financial support and poor health and wellbeing outcomes that drove her to set up Invisible Army with friend Tina Gue, a grass roots organisation that uses the arts to reach out to carers and put pressure on policy makers.”

“Our photographic exhibitions show care for what it truly is, the highs and lows, the joys and the challenges,” says Andrews. “We signpost people to essential third sector services, connect the caring community, and hopefully guide policy makers into improving support.”

A carer is someone who provides support to family or friends who cannot manage without this help. This can be caring for a relative, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or substance misuse problems. It can take people up to three years to identify themselves as carers, during which time they miss out on essential support, lose or leave their jobs, and develop their own physical or mental health problems. There are 34,000 registered carers in Bristol, many of whom are children.

“According to Carers UK, over a quarter of carers feel lonely often or always,” says Andrews. “When we surveyed our own caring community, we discovered more than half had never spoken about being a carer before. They felt misunderstood and invisible. An Invisible Army.”

Andrews and Gue are determined to reach more carers with their exhibitions to let carers know there is a community of people and support available. But in order to do this they are asking the people of Bristol for help. They need to raise £2,500 by the beginning of July to put on their next exhibition this summer, and have set up a Crowdfunder to help.

“We know that Bristol cares about it's carers,” says Andrews. “Last time we did an exhibition, we reached thousands of people and helped 20% of them understand their own caring role. We can do it again but we need your support.”

For more information or to speak to Carina or Tina, please email invisiblearmy2020@gmail.com