Surrey carer recognised at national awards
Janice Clark from Guildford is up for 'individual campaigner' at the Carer UK awards, taking place later this month.
Finalists including individuals, community groups and organisations from all over the UK, have been chosen for The Carers UK Awards 2025.
Among them is Janice Clark from Guildford who has been a carer for over 50 years, she has been put forward for the individual campaigner award. She says that the nomination came as a complete surprise to her.
"I just got an e-mail through from Carers UK and I'm thinking, 'what is this about?' And then I found out that one of my colleagues had nominated me for this this award."
Selected from hundreds of entries, the finalists include individuals, local groups, networks and employers whose incredible commitment has made a real difference to unpaid carers and those they care for over the past 12 months.
The finalists will attend a celebratory gala ceremony in their honour on Thursday 16th October at Plaisterer’s Hall, London, hosted by actor and comedian Stephen Mangan, where the overall winners of 10 categories will be revealed.
Janice explained to us why she started campaigning over the issues surrounding unpaid carers.
"It struck me back in the 1990s that what I was doing, or did then, caring for my mum who had had a stroke, that was way beyond what families would be expected to do.
Providing 24/7 care, including nursing care, physical care, everything care. I thought, 'you know, I'm not really well supported in this'.
A claim for carers allowance, which was an absolute pittance and well, I had to give up my job in the NHS to do that and I thought this just isn't right. So I joined Carers UK in their campaigning for better rights for carers."
Janice explained to us what this campaigning looked like.
"It initially meant going to Parliament and waving a banner and meeting MPs and getting the first piece of legislation through Parliament that better supports carers.
And at a local level, so with Surrey County Council, with your health service in Surrey to make life better for carers in many, many different ways."
She added that she believes that it's incredibly important for unpaid workers to be appreciated for the work that they do.
"It's really important for unpaid carers to be recognised for what they do because there's an enormous impact to unpaid caring.
It can seriously affect people's health. So many carers have worse emotional and mental health.
It just is important. that everyone actually knows what unpaid carers do, so that the support can be provided, in terms of their economic situations and their health and their well-being"