Introducing a Carers’ Champion for North Dartmoor

Wellmoor, in partnership with Moretonhampstead Health Centre, is proud to launch a new initiative: the Carers’ Champion for North Dartmoor. This project aims to raise awareness of the wide range of support available to carers and to help build a comprehensive portfolio of services to support their health and wellbeing.

A carer is anyone who provides unpaid care to someone who could not manage without their help. This might be a partner, parent, family member, friend, or neighbour. It’s estimated that around 5 million people in England and Wales, roughly 9% of the population, are unpaid carers.

Caring can have a significant impact on mental and physical health, as well as on personal finances, employment, and education opportunities. Despite these challenges, the contribution of unpaid carers is immense - valued at approximately £162 billion per year, the equivalent of a second NHS.

One of the biggest challenges is that many carers don’t identify themselves as such, and therefore miss out on the support available to them. This is particularly true for Young Carers (ages 5–17) and Young Adult Carers (ages 16–25), who are often a hidden group. Estimates suggest that 1 in 5 children and young people in the UK could be carers.

To address this, the Carers’ Champion team is working with local Health Centres in Okehampton, Cheriton Bishop, Moretonhampstead, Chagford, and Black Torrington to improve identification and support for carers of all ages. Outreach activities will also take place in schools and youth clubs to help young people recognise their caring roles and connect with the support they need.

For more information about the Carers’ Champion project, please contact Wellmoor at:
📧 admin@wellmoor.org.uk
📞 01647 478378