Young carers in South Cumbria have been given a £200,000 boost from Cumberland & Westmorland Freemasons.
Up to 400 youngsters aged five to 18 who care for parents and other family members suffering from illness and addiction receive help from the charity Carer Support South Lakes.
The charity is experiencing an increase in demand for its support and the £20,000 grant to will help it develop its services.
Young carers find it hard to engage with their education and achieve significantly lower outcomes than their peers, struggle to take part in social activities, have fewer friends, low self-esteem, poor mental health and frequently become isolated.
In the long term, they have lower aspirations for their education and employment. In South Lakeland their sense of isolation is exacerbated as many live in rural communities with poor public transport. This makes it even more difficult to access support and take part in social activities.
The grant from Cumberland & Westmorland Freemasons comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, funded by Freemasons, their families and friends, from across England and Wales.
Carer Support South Lakes CEO, Debi Marsden, said: “We’re very grateful to Cumberland & Westmorland Freemasons for their generous grant which will make a real difference to the lives of young carers in our community.
“Due to the increase in demand for the service, caseloads have become greater to meet the needs of so many people. We’ll now be able to develop services and reach young carers in the more rural parts of the south lakes.”
Bill Bewley, head of Cumberland & Westmorland Freemasons, said: “I’m really pleased we’ve been able to help Carer Support South Lakes with their hugely important programme supporting children and young people who give up a large part of their childhood to support parents or other family members with an illness, disability or addiction.
“There are more than 8,000 young carers in Cumbria and for those In South Lakeland the situation is made even worse by living in isolation with poor public transport.”
