A Carers Innovation and Improvement Workshop brought together the local caring community to discuss how to better support Lincolnshire’s 70,000 unpaid carers.
Attended by representatives from the county council, the NHS and the voluntary sector and carers themselves, the workshop explored how drawing on the real-life experience of carers could help shape services to better meet their needs. The aim was not only to improve what exists now, but to build a future where carers feel seen, valued and supported.
Cllr Steve Clegg, executive member for adult care and health, said: “Caring is a universal experience. At some point in our lives, every one of us will give care, receive care or both. That means this is about all of us.
“Many unpaid carers feel overwhelmed, reporting that their own wellbeing is affected by their caring role. Our ambition is to achieve more together as a system, ensuring carers feel the benefit of our support in their daily lives. Because when carers thrive, the people they support thrive as well, creating a real win-win for our communities.
“However, we can only achieve that by giving carers a strong voice in shaping the services designed to support them. I look forward to the conversations ahead and to the progress we will achieve together.”
Dan Fleshbourne was one of the local carers to attend the workshop. He said: “Being part of the carers steering group workshop meant a great deal to me. As a carer, we often carry so much quietly, and it can feel like our experiences go unseen. At the workshop, I genuinely felt heard.
“There was a real sense of understanding, compassion, and shared purpose in the room. Taking part left me feeling hopeful — that our stories matter, and that together we can help shape support that truly reflects the realities carers face every day.”
You can find further information on the support available to Lincolnshire carers at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/support-carers