Deborah and Emily were delighted to join presenter Julie Royce on her show, Hoolia’s Hopscotch, on Kingston Hospital Radio on Tuesday 14 July.

The interview was an opportunity to shine a light on unpaid carers across Kingston and the support we offer, while also celebrating the spirit of Mandela Day. Marked each year on 18 July, Mandela Day encourages people to spend 67 minutes helping others in honour of Nelson Mandela’s 67 years of public service.

Deborah shared her own experience of coming to us for support after her daughter was diagnosed with autism.

Having benefited from our neurodivergent carers’ support group, she was inspired to become one of our volunteers and now helps other carers navigate the benefits system, helping people through what can often be a stressful and complicated process.

“I found the support group really supportive as a carer. Following that, I felt I would like to give something back, so I became a volunteer. Now I’m supporting other carers with the benefits process because it can be extremely complicated, and lots of people need that extra support.”

Deborah

Emily spoke about the many people who don’t recognise themselves as carers and encouraged anyone supporting a family member, friend or neighbour locally to get in touch. She also highlighted the incredible contribution our volunteers make and shared simple ways people can support carers in their own communities.

“If you’re wondering how to spend your 67 minutes on Mandela Day, think about someone you know who might be caring for a loved one. Instead of saying, ‘Let me know if you need anything’, offer something specific, like picking up their shopping, dropping off a meal or sitting with their loved one while they have a cup of tea. Practical offers like these are much easier to say yes to and can make a huge difference.”

Emily

You can listen to Deborah and Emily’s interview here.

We’d also like to thank David Nicholls and Julie Royce for generously donating copies of You Are Here for our carers following Julie’s musical review of the book on last week’s programme. You can listen to that episode here.

Finance Officer

Location: Kingston upon Thames, with some hybrid working

Salary: £14,400 pro rata for 14 hours per week

Hours: 14 hours per week, part-time, with flexible working

Contract: Permanent

Closing date: Monday 17th August

Interviews: Commencing 31st August

About the Role

Kingston Carers’ Network is seeking a part-time Finance Officer to support the smooth running of our charity’s finance function.

Key Responsibilities

Working closely with the CEO, Treasurer and budget holders, you will help maintain accurate financial records, process income and expenditure, reconcile bank accounts, support payroll information and contribute to financial reporting, budgeting and year-end processes.

Who we're looking for

We are looking for someone organised, accurate and values-driven, with experience of managing day-to-day finance processes in a small or medium-sized organisation. Experience of Sage or a similar accounting package is essential, and charity finance experience would be an advantage.

Further details and application form here

A huge thank you to Vocality Surbiton for choosing Kingston Carers Network's Young Carers Project as the charity it supported at its end-of-term concert for friends and family on Wednesday 1 July at St Andrews Church, Surbiton.

Vocality Surbiton is a welcoming community choir whose members perform a varied repertoire of pop, jazz, blues, folk, gospel, spirituals and songs from around the world. The choir selected our Young Carers Project as its chosen charity thanks to choir member Nicole, our Young Carers Project Administrator, who organised the fundraising initiative.

During the evening, our Young Carers Project Manager Klaire and Support Workers Aisha and Claire gave a short talk about our work and the impact we are having for young carers across the borough. Afterwards, the team enjoyed speaking with choir members and concert-goers, sharing more about the support we provide to local young carers and their families.

Thanks to the generosity of everyone who attended, the concert raised an incredible £1109.20. This support will help us fund our exciting programme of over 20 summer activities for more than 130 young carers, including paintballing, a three-day radio drama workshop at the Rose Theatre Kingston, and daytrips to Brighton and Thorpe Lakes Aqua Park.

The money raised will also provide an ice cream for every young carer attending these activities, giving each child an extra treat and helping to make their summer even more special.

Thank you once again to everyone at Vocality Surbiton, and to all those who donated so generously, helping us provide even more moments of fun and respite for local young carers this summer.

Kingston Carers Network (KCN) has launched its 2026 Big Give campaign, Creative Connections for Carers, and we are looking for supporters to make pledges that will help bring this important project to life.

Last year, supporters helped us successfully raise £10,000 through the Big Give to support young carers. This year, we will be seeking to raise £20,000 to support unpaid carers of all ages across Kingston.

How does pledging work?

The Big Give Christmas Challenge works differently from a standard fundraising appeal. Before the campaign begins, charities are asked to secure pledges of £100 or more from local businesses, organisations and individuals.

This year, securing £5,000 in pledges before 28 August will unlock the match funding available during the campaign. Match funding is additional money set aside to boost donations and help supporters’ gifts go further.

During the Christmas Challenge itself (1–8 December), members of the public will be able to donate any amount directly to Creative Connections for Carers.

Why Creative Connections for Carers?

Taking on caring responsibilities can have a significant impact on a person’s own health and wellbeing. Many unpaid carers spend much of their time supporting someone else, which can leave them feeling isolated and with fewer opportunities to connect with others, pursue their own interests or take time for themselves.

Through Creative Connections for Carers, we will provide monthly creative arts activities for adult and young carers across Kingston. These activities will give carers opportunities to meet others who understand their experiences, take a break from caring and enjoy the wellbeing benefits that creative expression can bring. 

Research from Carers UK highlights the impact caring can have on carers’ mental health. Half of carers (50%) report feeling lonely and almost half (49%) have felt depressed, reflecting the significant emotional and practical pressures that can accompany a caring role.

The funding will support much more than creative materials. It will enable us to deliver high-quality creative experiences, including artist-led workshops, music, storytelling and exhibitions, with skilled facilitators and the support needed to make these opportunities accessible to carers.

Already 10% of the way there

We are delighted that Kingston Horticultural Society has become our first pledger, generously committing £500 towards our £5,000 pledge target.

We would love more members of our community to join them in supporting Creative Connections for Carers and helping us unlock this year’s Big Give campaign.

To become a pledger, please complete the pledge form before 28 August 2026. If you would like to discuss this opportunity further, please do contact us directly.

Hosted by YMCA Fairthorne Group and The Children's Society, the festival gives young carers aged 11 to 17 a rare opportunity to take a break from their caring responsibilities, meet other young people who understand their experiences and simply enjoy being children.

Over the course of the weekend, our young carers threw themselves into a wide range of activities, including skateboarding, water sports, dance workshops, inflatable obstacle challenges, live performances and a spectacular fireworks display.

Thanks to the generous support of Sue Osborne and her Women’s Institute committee, we were able to take twice as many young carers to this year's festival as we did in 2024. The trip was also made possible through the support of Mimi Phung, Philanthropy Manager at The Mercers' Company, whose help with our funding application was invaluable.

"I loved exploring activities that I have never participated before with my friends and overall meeting new people in a supportive environment." 

One of our young carers who took part in the festival

Our group was supported throughout the weekend by our dedicated volunteers and sessional workers Jason, Chrissy, Aamir and Bertram, whose calm approach and encouragement helped ensure every young person felt included and able to make the most of the experience.

We would also like to thank Edward Thomas & Son's Coach Company for stepping in at short notice to provide transport for our return journey after another booking was unexpectedly cancelled.

Most importantly, we are incredibly proud of the 20 young carers who attended. Throughout the weekend they showed kindness, resilience and support for one another, representing Kingston Carers Network with great maturity while embracing every opportunity the festival had to offer.

"I made loads of friends and have a fantastic time. It is fun because they don’t judge for who you are." 

One of our young carers who took part in the festival

We would like to thank The Children's Society and YMCA Fairthorne Group for organising another outstanding Young Carers Festival, and the more than 250 volunteers who gave their time to prepare meals, run activities and support young carers throughout the weekend. Their dedication helped create a welcoming and unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

Find out more about the Young Carers Festival, and their plans for an even bigger 2027.

The awards were hosted as part of a partnership event organised by Kingston Voluntary Action, Kingston Council and other voluntary organisations and charities across the borough, celebrating the dedicated volunteers and teams making a real difference in Kingston’s communities.

Amanda Simner received Highly Commended in the Unsung Hero category, while John Bangs was Highly Commended in the Lifetime Achievement category.

Amanda has volunteered with Kingston Young Carers for nearly 10 years, supporting everything from office administration to weekly peer support sessions and holiday activities for young carers. During the pandemic, she also helped deliver activity packs, food parcels and essential supplies to families.

Her colleagues describe her as “the kind of person you genuinely want to bottle and keep forever” – a reflection of the warmth and reliability she brings to every aspect of her volunteering.

John has spent more than 30 years championing carers, both while working for Surrey County Council and after retiring. Since then, he has helped to raise awareness through creative projects including the Young Carers in Bunnyland and Young Carers in Space books, developed alongside author and illustrator Ana Graça and our young carers.

Earlier this year, Young Carers in Space reached an extraordinary milestone when it was selected as a CBBC Bedtime Story. It is the first time ever one of their bedtime stories has centred on a young carer, a remarkable achievement reflecting John’s determination to make young carers a topic of national conversation.

“Both Amanda and John are the kind of people who quietly get on with making an enormous difference. They don’t seek recognition, but over many years they have devoted so much of their time, energy and commitment to Kingston Carers Network, and we are incredibly grateful for everything they do.”

Jess Burrows, Volunteers Manager

Congratulations to Amanda and John on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for everything you do for carers across Kingston.

A highlight of the week was our Connection and Celebration Event, co-hosted with Carers UK at The Fircroft Trust in Surbiton. Over one hundred people joined us for a day of conversation, connection and recognition. We were privileged to be joined by Ed Davey MP, Alison Bennett MP and Helen Walker, Chief Executive at Carers UK.

Carers of all ages had the opportunity to hear from and speak with them, sharing the realities of caring - from the challenges and pressures to the moments of pride and fulfilment - and discussing what can be done to create truly carer-friendly communities.

The event also included creative activities, games and a lucky dip made possible by the generosity of local businesses who donated a range of fantastic prizes.

One carer shared with us that it was “the best day of their year so far” - a wonderful reflection of what the week has been all about.

Throughout the week, we also focused on helping more carers to be recognised and supported. We launched our new Local Health Professionals Toolkit, designed to help healthcare staff identify unpaid carers, understand the impact of caring and connect carers with local support.

We wrote to every GP practice in the borough and hand delivered information packs, leaflets and posters to practices across Kingston. Several surgeries are now displaying our resources on waiting room screens and self-check-in systems, helping more carers learn about the support available to them.

Young carers were also at the heart of the week. Our Young Carers team visited King’s Oak Primary School in New Malden to deliver an assembly exploring what caring responsibilities can look like for children and young people.

Two pupils shared their own experiences as young carers, helping bring the message to life for their peers. We are incredibly grateful to the school for supporting our work through a fundraising mufti day, which has raised an incredible £641.

Alongside this awareness-raising work, carers were able to access practical advice, information and wellbeing opportunities.

Our Benefits and Tribunal Representative hosted a Benefits and Lasting Power of Attorney Open Day, supporting carers with topics including Universal Credit and future planning. We were delighted to help complete two Lasting Power of Attorney applications from start to finish during the day.

Carers also came together at a coffee morning co-hosted with Your Healthcare CIC and were able to access a health and wellbeing check drop-in session with Kathy Wong, Health Engagement Officer at Kingston Voluntary Action.

Adult carers then enjoyed free beauty and wellbeing treatments kindly offered by Kingston College Beauty Therapy students, while our Young Carers Resilience and Peer Support Group took part in a special yoga session with Rebekah Arkle from All Shapes Yoga.

Our Youth Group were delighted to be joined by two artists, Jamal Mansaray and Muhammad Hassan, who supported the group to explore painting, poetry and Japanese calligraphy around the theme of belonging, support and inclusion as young carers.

We rounded off the week with a social picnic at Hampton Court Palace, giving carers the chance to enjoy the surroundings and strengthen the connections that are so important when caring can sometimes feel isolating.

Thank you to every carer, partner, volunteer and supporter who took part in Carers Week and helped make it such a success. By working alongside local people and organisations, we hope to continue building a more carer-friendly Kingston where every carer feels seen, heard and supported.

We would also like to thank Sorrento Restaurant, Hampton Court Palace Music Festival organisers MARI Group, Hollywood Bowl Tolworth, Health by Serena, Historic Royal Palaces and The Entertainer Kingston for generously donating prizes for our Connection and Celebration Event.