THE THOUSANDS of hidden carers throughout Worcestershire are being invited to come forward and find out about the support available to them.

The Worcestershire Association of Carers is hoping some of the carers across the county it doesn’t currently support will go along to one of its information drop-in venues during national Carers Week from Monday June 12 to Sunday June 18.

At the time of the last census in 2011, there were 63,000 carers in Worcestershire and the association says it currently supports 11,000 carers. It expects the figures for carer numbers to have risen since then.

The association aims to increase the number of carers receiving support in Worcestershire; reach traditionally hard-to reach communities; raise awareness of caring; give carers a greater voice in policy making and develop its support services for carers.

A spokesman for the association said: “Our carers look after and support those with mental ill health, physical disabilities, substance misuse, addiction, various illnesses such as cancer and dementia, as well as those struggling with age, ill health and frailty.

“We currently support approximately 11,000 of those carers and we are always looking for the other 52,000. The work carers do in the UK saved the NHS £125 billion a year.”

The Worcestershire Association of Carers drop-in venues are;

Monday June 12 from 10am to 4pm at the Jinney Ring Centre, Hanbury near Droitwich; Worcester Woods Country Park; The Valley Evesham; Worcestershire Royal Hospital; BHI Parkside, Bromsgrove from 9am to 12noon; Bewdley Pharmacy from 9am to 11am; Riverside Surgery, Evesham, from 3pm to 5pm.

Tuesday June 13 at Bromsgrove market from 9am to 3pm; Victoria Pharmacy, Malvern, from 9am to 11am; Worcester Job Centre, Farrier Street, from 9.30am to 12.30pm; Whit Lenge Gardens, Hartlebury, and Malvern Hospital both from 10am to 4pm; Kidderminster Hospital from 1pm to 4pm; Haresfield and St Martin’s Gate Surgeries, Worcester, from 1pm to 4pm.

Wednesday June 14 at Murrays Pharmacy, Ronkswood, Worcester, from 9am to 11am; Kidderminster Medical Centre from 9.30am to 12.30pm; Primrose Hospice, Bromsgrove, 10am to 2pm; St Peter’s Garden Centre, Worcester; Barnett Hill Garden Centre, Clent; and Alexandra Hospital, Redditch, all from 10am to 4pm.

Thursday June 15 at Hill View Medical Centre, Redditch, 8.30am to 1.30pm; Tenbury Medical Centre 8.45am to 11.45am; Murrays Pharmacy, Prospect View, Malvern, 9am to 11am; Redditch Job Centre, 9am to 12 noon; Kemp Hospice, Kidderminster, 10am to 3pm; Burford House, Tenbury, Arrow Valley country Park, Redditch, and Arley Arboretum, near Kidderminster, all from 10am to 4pm; Bewdley Medical Centre, 1pm to 4pm.

Friday June 16 at Upton-Upon-Severn Surgery 8.30am to 11.30am; Murrays Pharmacy, St John’s, Worcester, 9am to 11am; Kidderminster Job Centre 9am to 12 noon; Northumberland House and Aylmer Lodge, Kidderminister, 9am to 12 noon; Abbotswood Medical Centre, Pershore, 9.30am to 12.30pm; Burcot Garden Centre, Bromsgrove, and Croome Park, near Pershore, both from 10am to 4pm; Pavilion in the Park, Cripplegate Park, Worcester, 11am onwards; Salters and Spa Medical Practices, Droitwich, 1pm to 4pm; Pershore Medical Centre, 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

Saturday June 17 at Malvern Farmers Market from 10am to 4pm.