Malcolm represents unpaid carers at Coronation celebrations

PWCF was thrilled to invite Malcolm to have a seat in the grandstand in front of Buckingham Palace to enjoy the Coronation processions. Last year, PWCF awarded Carers Trust a strategic partnership grant of £300,000 over three years.

Malcolm reflects on the support he received from Harrow Carers and Carers Trust, his own personal journey back into employment and fulfillment, and an unforgettable day at the heart of the Coronation celebrations.

‘What an amazing day, to be invited and to forever be a part of the Coronation celebrations of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. I am honoured and genuinely touched to have been asked to represent unpaid carers, as a volunteer spokesperson for the Carers Trust on this historic occasion.

As an unpaid family carer, it’s sometimes hard to believe that something good that is happening to you is real. Yet here I am positioned right at the heart of the action and able to watch as the formations gather and get in position, with an excellent view of the final Coronation processions.

I feel a world away from the person I was, only a few years ago, when I first met Nem Pullar at Harrow Carers. Nem and his colleagues across all 33 London boroughs helped many people just like me, who find themselves in challenging personal circumstances as unpaid carers. As my personal employment advisor, he reminded me to keep focused on myself as well as the recovery of the person I care for.

The support I received was thanks to Carers Trust’s groundbreaking Working for Carers project. Through Carers Trust Network Partners (like Harrow Carers), the project helps unpaid carers across London move into, or closer to, employment. The team’s dedication, support and understanding has had a huge impact, transforming the lives and life opportunities of hundreds of unpaid carers like me in London. We all desperately needed support to rebalance each of our caring roles and rediscover our sense of fulfilment and purpose.

Since then, I’ve returned to working in the industry I love and helped set up the new Film & TV Carers Club, run by carers for carers working in the film and TV industry.

The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund financially supports the Carers Trust, to help us deepen the involvement of unpaid carers like myself, in all areas of our work so that Carers’ voices are at the heart of everything we do. When for so many, it still sometimes feels, that being an unpaid carer, is being one of the last invisible, disadvantaged, marginalized, minorities.

So thank you again for acknowledging that our voices are heard. I hope in some modest way, to carry the PWCF’s message of support and understanding, which is needed more than ever, to bring about the changes needed to support and transform the lives and millions of unpaid family carers.’

Article reproduced with permission from Carers Trust.