Local school children are helping Crossroads to raise awareness of Carers during Carers Week Monday 13th June – Sunday 19th June. Carers Week is one of the biggest awareness raising weeks in the UK, when the reality of what it is like to be a carer in the 21st Century is revealed. Several hundred national charities have signed up to Carers Week 2011, which sees support from Carers’ organisations, voluntary groups, local councils, GP surgeries, hospitals, private sector companies and celebrities such as Cilla Black, Pierce Brosnan, Ronnie Corbett, Sir David Jason, Paul O’Grady, Arlene Phillips and Lacey Turner, of whom many have had personal experience of caring, or have been touched by the experiences of friends and family. Crossroads Caring for Carers Isle of Man is one of over 700 national partners marking Carers Week 2011 with a series of events across the week. Crossroads have been raising awareness of Carers in local primary and high schools in the months prior to Carers Week to encourage school children to make displays of what caring means to them. Their displays will be shown in Kensington, Snaefell, Hailwood, Peel, Ramsey and Southern Group Practice GP surgeries Monday 13th June – Sunday 19th June 2011. Crossroads will also be launching the findings from a major piece of research looking at Carers, the risks they undertake and the impact caring has on their lives during Carers Week. The study will be used to influence local policy makers and statutory bodies as to the needs of Carers and those they look after. This year, Crossroads has provided over 100,000 hours of care and support services to people with a care need on the Isle of Man, thereby improving the lives of over 1,200 individuals and 700 families on the island through Care at Home, learning disability projects, young Carers projects, holiday schemes and nurture nursery. Alex Wilson, Crossroads Fundraiser, encourages everyone to take the opportunity this year to express their support and admiration for Carers and see what your children have learnt about Carers by visiting your local GP surgery between Monday 13th June and Sunday 19th June 2011. For further information, please call Alex Wilson on 673103 or email mail@crossroadsiom.org. Ends