Running for Romsey Young Carers 

What is a Young Carer?

 Young Carers are children and young people who have a caring role within their families; this may be for a parent, sibling or perhaps even a grandparent living in the family home. 

Caring is not always about practical tasks, although there are often elements of that. Children and young people can often find themselves offering significant emotional support which can impact on their daily life as well as their own development. 

Being a carer often means missing out on “normal” childhood experiences - not being able to go on a play date as they’re needed at home or no one can take them, not having a parent watch them at an important event like a play or sports day, not being able to just spend quiet time playing a game with their parent because their sibling can’t be left unattended for even a minute.  

Often, it means going to bed with a head full of worries; worries that are bigger than any child should have to be concerned about.  

What is Romsey Young Carers?

Romsey Young Carers is a local charity (charity number 1182278) that supports young carers in Romsey and the Southern Test Valley area. 

The charity offers regular weekly clubs,climbing and sailing courses, residential trips and outings. All of these offer the Young Carers an opportunity to be a child rather than a carer and are vital to them maintaining a positive outlook under difficult circumstances, building resilience and learning to look after their own wellbeing.

Romsey Young Carers is dependent on fundraising to continue its programme of activities that allow the children respite from their caring responsibilities. 

What are we doing? 

Our team of 10 runners will be tackling the 26.2mile course, with each runner completing 2 separate 1.3mile legs. 

Why are we doing this?

2 of our runners (Ally and Sam) are married and have 2 children. Josiah is a young carer to his younger brother, Andrew. During the year that Josiah has been supported by RYC, he has had regular opportunities to just be a child, either at the RYC HQ, or doing various activities. He has gone on a full day of watersports at Beaulieu River trying his hand at sailing, raft building and driving a speedboat. He has had opportunities to just be a child, hanging out with other young people who understand. The charity has made a massive difference to our family and we’d like to give something back. 

Ally and Sam managed to rope in 8 other people who care about their family (an aunty to the boys, our family carer and friends) and they are very grateful to have them in their lives and running with them on this relay marathon.