Surrey County Cricket Club and the Carers Trust have once again teamed up to provide a special day out for unpaid carers at the Kia Oval.
For the second year running, they are offering exhausted unpaid carers of all ages the chance to take a much-needed break from their caring role with a day out at the Kia Oval.
Free tickets for the first two days of Surrey's County Championship match against Somerset on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 April will be given to young and young adult carers.
At the start of May, unpaid adult carers will also be given free tickets to enjoy the first two days of Surrey's Championship match against Warwickshire on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 May.
Unpaid carers are individuals of any age who provide dedicated care at home for a friend or family member who, due to illness, disability, mental health problems, or addiction, cannot cope without support. In the UK, there are approximately 7 million unpaid carers, including an estimated 1 million who are under the age of 18.
The closure of numerous local social care services in the community in recent years has resulted in unpaid carers having to take on greater caring responsibilities. For many unpaid family carers, this often means giving up paid employment. According to Carers Trust research, almost two-thirds of adult unpaid carers have had to reduce their working hours or give up paid work entirely. Unpaid carers often face immense strain on their wellbeing and are at risk of poverty, which has been exacerbated by the recent cost-of-living crisis.
Caring responsibilities can also have a serious impact on the wellbeing and life chances of young carers. According to Carers Trust, up to 15,000 young carers spend an average of 50 hours or more per week intheir caring role, leaving little time for studying and enjoying their childhood.