About

Edinburgh Carers Council is a small, local charity which has been providing advocacy, information and support to unpaid mental health carers in Edinburgh for over 20 years. Caring for someone with a mental illness can be a difficult, lonely, and isolating experience.

Advocacy can help to make sure carers’ voices are heard and understood, and to find the right information and support needed for themselves so they can not only continue caring for their loved ones, but improve their own health and well-being too.

ECC also provides a Peer Support Service which offers carers weekly peer support sessions with a trained volunteer who is a carer or former carer themselves. We aim to match carers with a volunteer who has been through similar difficult circumstances so they can not only provide a listening ear, but can share their own lived experiences of caring in order to give emotional and practical support.

Covid-19 has affected everyone in some way, and this includes small charities like us. Normally during this time of year we would be planning a fundraising event like the raffle that took place last November during our Annual General Meeting. However, due to social distancing regulations an event like this won’t be possible this time around. Instead, we are launching an online appeal for funds.

Peer support has shown itself to be vital in the lockdown and restrictions during this last year. People in their caring roles have experienced extremes of isolation and loneliness at not being able to see family and a lack of respite and social support.

Donating to Edinburgh Carers Council would mean that you are helping unpaid carers and relatives of people with mental health difficulties receive the important information and advocacy support they need. Funds would also be used to continue running the volunteer-led peer support service, and to host future events for carers when it becomes safe again to do so. Even donating a small amount would make a big difference!

Thank you so much for your continued support.