Carers Week runs from 8th–14th June 2026, with this year’s theme “Building Carer Friendly Communities” – recognising unpaid carers and making sure support is easier to find. Unpaid carers are the family members, friends and neighbours who support someone with illness, disability, frailty or mental health needs, often alongside work and other responsibilities, and they deserve to be seen, listened to and supported.
Who are unpaid carers?
Many people do not immediately think of themselves as “carers”; they just do what needs to be done for someone they love. Over time, though, helping with shopping, appointments or emotional support can grow into more hands‑on help with personal care, mobility, medication and staying safe at home. Without the right information and support around them, this can become physically and emotionally exhausting.
Building carer friendly communities
Caring for someone should never mean a carer has to sacrifice their own health or confidence. That is why support is focused not just on the person receiving care, but on the unpaid carers who know them best and are there day in, day out. Building carer friendly communities is about making sure those carers can access practical help early, rather than waiting until they reach crisis point.
Free practical training in Yeovil
One of the most practical ways Altogether Care is doing this is through free training at the Yeovil training hub for unpaid family carers. Sessions in Moving and Assisting and Basic Life Support are designed to help carers carry out everyday tasks safely, reduce the risk of injury and feel more prepared if something unexpected happens. Learning simple, safe techniques can make it easier to help someone move around, get out of bed or respond calmly in an emergency.
These sessions are also an opportunity to ask questions, share worries and pick up tips from experienced trainers who understand the pressures unpaid carers face. Even small adjustments to how someone is supported at home can make caring feel more manageable and less overwhelming, for both the carer and the person they look after. Feeling more confident can relieve some of the stress and help carers protect their own wellbeing over the long term.
Finding support this Carers Week
Carers Week is a good moment to check what support is available locally, find information and connect with others in a similar position. The Carers Week website has useful resources and ideas for getting involved: Building Carer Friendly Communities | Carers Week.
If you are an unpaid carer and would like to find out more about Altogether Care’s free training sessions in Yeovil, please email: contact@altogethercare.co.uk.
