Young carers put their best foot forward on Gorleston seafront to raise more than £1,000 for Caring Together Charity.
Funds raised will go towards supporting Caring Together’s dedicated service in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston (GYGYC) for young carers and young adult carers, aged 5-19, who are looking after a parent or sibling with a disability or long-term illness.
The service provides comprehensive support including one-to-one mentoring, age-specific peer support groups to give young carers vital respite from their caring roles, with opportunities for fun and learning through trips, sports, training and workshops.
Just over 100 young carers who use the service took part in three sponsored walks along Gorleston Promenade, rounded off with a bag of chips as a reward at the end!
Mayor of Great Yarmouth, Cllr Jade Martin, attended the first walk in the series. Having been a young carer herself, as well as a former staff member at GYGYC, Cllr Martin was delighted to show her support.
She said: “I am so honoured have joined these young carers on their fundraising walk. It’s extra special for me to attend and support where I can.
“These young carers are amazing and do such a selfless thing caring for others and often at a huge sacrifice to themselves. I also want to thank the dedicated local charities, support workers and schools who stand by these young people every day.
“But to the young carers I want you to know something very important. While your efforts are quiet, they do not go unnoticed. You are the heart of our community and we are deeply proud of you.
“Your selflessness makes a world of difference, not just to your families, but to our entire society. I want to thank you on behalf of the borough for everything you do.
“Please know we see you, we value you and will always support you and champion you!”
Jo Harvey, Caring Together’s GYGYC manager, said: “We are thankful to the Mayor for coming along to support the sponsored walks and sharing these inspiring words with the young carers we support.
“I can only echo the Mayor’s thoughts on the vital roles they play every day, and it’s wonderful that their efforts with these walks have been rewarded with such a great sum raised for this service.”
