09/10/2026
💜 Carers Week: Recognising the Heart of Unpaid Caring 💜
As we head into Carers Week next week, this is a cause that holds a particularly special place in our hearts, especially for our Executive Manager, Ashley Hinkins, who is an unpaid carer herself. 💜
For Ashley, and for so many others, caring isn't something that simply fits into a job title or a daily schedule. It's a commitment built on love, compassion, patience and dedication. It's showing up, often behind the scenes, navigating challenges that many people never see, and putting someone else's needs before your own.
While Carers Week is an important opportunity to recognise and celebrate unpaid carers, one week will never be enough to acknowledge the incredible contribution they make every single day.
Unpaid carers are the backbone of so many families and communities. They provide essential support, comfort, advocacy and care, often with little recognition, limited support and at a significant personal cost. They give their time, energy and love, frequently while balancing work, family responsibilities, finances and their own wellbeing.
And let's not forget the enormous contribution unpaid carers make to our wider community and the health and social care system. The support they provide helps people remain at home, maintain their independence and live with dignity. Their contribution also saves governments and health systems billions of dollars by providing care that would otherwise require significant formal services and resources.
But beyond the economic value, there is something far more important: the human value of caring. ❤️
Every unpaid carer deserves to feel seen, heard, valued and supported. They deserve more than a thank you during one week of the year. They deserve ongoing recognition, access to meaningful support, opportunities to rest and recharge, and a community that understands the vital role they play.
Ashley's experience as an unpaid carer is a powerful reminder that caring is personal. It brings immense love and meaning, but it can also bring challenges, exhaustion and sacrifices that often go unseen.
This Carers Week, we want to acknowledge Ashley and every unpaid carer who gives so much of themselves to support another person. Your contribution matters. Your dedication matters. And you matter, too.
To every unpaid carer: thank you for the work you do, the love you give and the difference you make, even on the days when it feels like nobody notices.
Let's make sure that recognising unpaid carers doesn't stop when Carers Week ends. Let's continue to listen, advocate, support and celebrate them all year round. Because caring should never mean being forgotten. 💜
