Judi Dench joins celebrities revealing poignant lockdown words of disabled and their carers

Actress Dame Judi Dench has joined celebrities supporting a new video of the sad and funny poems and stories of disabled people and unpaid carers living through lockdown.

There are estimated to be 13.6 million unpaid carers in the UK today, of which 4.5 million have taken on caring responsibilities since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a report published last June by the charity Carers Week reveals.

Respite care charity Revitalise came up with the idea to highlight the heartbreaking and desperate stories of resilience from Britain’s disabled people and their family carers during the pandemic to ensure their struggles are not forgotten.

Carer: 'I just can't physically do it'

Carer Hilary has been looking after her disabled son Shaun for 15 years following an accident during a holiday in Ibiza. Hilary has faced enormous challenges since the start of the pandemic.

Carer Hilary said: "I try to keep myself calm, and tell myself I know I'm not the only one struggling like this, but I just can't physically do it. It's a desperate thing, we both just urgently need a break.

“I’m never, ever, going to give up on my son. Life is too short you know; you need to keep fighting.”

Carer Tracy cares for her son Conor. Tracy said: “I am just drained physically. It’s a terrible feeling waking up and being tired. I’d like to see the Government live in my shoes for a week”.

With the UK having entered its third lockdown, the video features intimate stories or poems, submitted for a competition called Revitalise 500, which asked disabled people and care workers to try to describe in under 500 words the highs and lows of lockdown - both the humour and the tears.

Revitalise launched the competition as part of its #CareforCarers campaign, aiming to raise £1 million to support carers and their loved ones to access respite care breaks following lockdown.

A report from Carers UK revealed 81 per cent of carers want to go into the New Year with a sense that the government values carers and will provide more support and recognition.

Judi Dench: 'Help carers and disabled people get the break they desperately need'

Speaking about the desperate need for respite care, Dame Judi Dench said: “This need is more important than ever. I am wholeheartedly joining with Revitalise to launch an urgent fundraising appeal, #CareForCarers, to raise £1 million directly to help carers and disabled people get the break they desperately need, and so deserve.”

The winners of the Revitalise competition were selected by celebrity judges including comedian Alexei Sayle, BBC Radio 2 DJ Mark Radcliffe, Paralympic gold medalist David Smith MBE, actor Peter Polycarpou and actress Carol Royle, with excerpts of the top ten entries featuring in the video.

For 57 years, Revitalise has provided respite care breaks to people which are a lifeline to so many unpaid home carers and their disabled family members.

Revitalise chief executive Jan Tregelles said: “We were really pleased to receive some genuinely humorous, touching and heartfelt submissions for our Revitalise 500 competition, and we think this video captures the best of them, giving the viewer a window into the world of disabled people and their carers during the pandemic.

“Home carers are amazing, talented people and we’re proud to shine a light on their stories.”

The winner, a poem called ‘Funny, yummy, disabled, single Mummy (a lockdown lament)’ and written by Sam Hinton, was chosen as the favourite choice.

Sam will receive a seven-day respite break at the Revitalise centre of her choice and second and third have won £250 and £150 Revitalise vouchers respectively, which can be put towards their next Revitalise visit.

To read the competition entries in full, go to: https://revitalise.org.uk/blog/.

To show your support for the Revitalise #CareForCarers campaign and help Raise a Million to subsidise care breaks, you can visit Revitalise's donation page