Pupils Take The Plunge For Young Carers

Pupils will take the plunge in the north-east this month with a sponsored swim to raise funds for their caring friends. While most youngsters enjoy free time after school, for many others homework means just that – they are the young carers who look after ailing or disabled parents or relatives.

Gordon Rural Action has been faced with the problem of seeing funding to provide breaks for its youth carers virtually dry up. Now the charity’s Huntly-based accountant, Heather Muirden, has decided to stage a sponsored swim to raise cash while alternative grant aid was sourced.

“Public-sector funding contributes to the core running costs of our Young Carers project. That allows us to employ two part-time support workers, but there is no provision available for respite care,” said Mrs Muirden, who hopes to raise hundreds of pounds by doing 100 lengths at Huntly Swimming Pool.

Sponsor forms have gone out to businesses around the area, while around 20 youngsters have also responded by offering to encourage the accountant by also swimming for sponsorship. “The response from both primary and secondary pupils has been fantastic. They just jumped at the chance of being involved,” said Mrs Muirden.

There are around 115,000 young carers across Scotland. Aged from eight to 18, the young people generally see themselves simply as sons or daughters, sisters or brothers, doing the best they can to support loved ones.

Mrs Muirden said many young carers face daily responsibilities that adults would find a challenge, taking on everything from daily shopping to laundry and making meals.

Their commitment can leave little time for play or forming friendships, with life outside school solitary and their childhood lost. “In an ideal world this would not happen but many children are unpaid carers day by day. “Some are looking after siblings and some possibly terminally ill parents. We do support these youngsters but the aim is to provide the respite holidays they so desperately need and deserve,” said Mrs Muirden.