Edinburgh charity announces new support for unpaid carers

Extra support for unpaid carers living in the Capital has been revealed by the Eric Liddell Centre.
Irene McCarthy, new carer support and development officer as the Eric Liddell Centre in Edinburgh.Irene McCarthy, new carer support and development officer as the Eric Liddell Centre in Edinburgh.
Irene McCarthy, new carer support and development officer as the Eric Liddell Centre in Edinburgh.

According to a study by Carers UK 80 per cent of carers feel lonely and anxious regularly, and this number is steadily growing due to increased pressure on people with caring responsibilities during the pandemic.

The Eric Liddell Centre has employed Irene McCarthy as the centre’s new carer support and development officer. She will provide support for unpaid carers across Edinburgh, who are experiencing isolation and anxiety.

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Irene McCarthy said: “I am passionate about capacity building through self-advocacy and the sharing of formal and informal learning experiences, in line with the work and values of the Eric Liddell Centre.

“I believe strongly that it is vital to help people to access information so that they can make informed choices about support services to help them in their caring duties.

“Carers are often overlooked and receive little support for the work they do on a daily basis and I am really looking forward to doing all I can in this exciting new job for me.”

CEO of the Eric Liddell Centre John MacMillan said: “I am delighted to welcome Irene to our devoted team of staff.

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“Since coronavirus, we have had to run all the services online that we used to provide in the Centre.

“The feedback we are receiving from vulnerable people, their families and carers is that our efforts have made a huge difference to the quality of life people are experiencing in lockdown.”

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