|
62,826 YOUNG
PEOPLE AGED UNDER 25 PROVIDE UNPAID CARE EVERY WEEK
THEY are an essential part
of the 'glue' that maintains social solidarity across the
generations GMB Young Members Conference told. A new report, published at the GMB Young Members conference in
London on Saturday 16 November, shows that 62,826 young people aged
under 25 provide unpaid care every week in the North West. This is
8% of all those in the region providing unpaid care. Young people
aged under 25 providing unpaid care are 2.9% of all young people
aged under 25 in the North West region.
There are 5,661 young people aged under 25 providing unpaid care in
Manchester. That is 13.3% of all those providing unpaid care in
Manchester and 2.9% of all those aged under 25 in Manchester.
The numbers of young people under 25 providing unpaid care in other
area of the region are as follows:-
|
Area |
Figure |
|
Ares |
Figure |
|
Liverpool |
5,403 |
|
Wigan |
2,839 |
|
Oldham |
2,405 |
|
Sefton |
2,562 |
|
Knowsley |
1,760 |
|
Warrington |
1,613 |
|
Blackburn with Darwen |
1,548 |
|
Lancashire |
9,712 |
|
Salford |
2,267 |
|
Trafford |
1,694 |
|
Rochdale |
2,102 |
|
St. Helens |
1,611 |
|
Tameside |
2,134 |
|
Wirral |
2,840 |
|
Halton |
1,262 |
|
Stockport |
2,115 |
|
Blackpool |
1,359 |
|
Cheshire West and
Chester |
2,283 |
|
Bolton |
2,548 |
|
Cumbria |
3,430 |
|
Bury |
1,568 |
|
Cheshire East |
2,110 |
In England 413,779 young people aged under 25 provide unpaid care
each week. This is 7.6% of all persons providing unpaid care and is
2.5% of all young people aged under 25.
Paul McCarthy, GMB Regional Secretary, said:- "This report
shows the extent to which this region relies upon young people to
provide unpaid care, day in and day out. They are an essential part
of the 'glue' that maintains social solidarity across the
generations.
This cuts across the picture that we have of today's young people
and the extent to which we rely on them. Unfortunately it is
this very generation that has borne the brunt of the recession
now underway for 6 years. As well as not being able to find jobs
young people have been shafted right, left and centre by the
government. They were denied education maintenance grants, they
faced a tripling of tuition fees, rising house prices and a lack
of affordable housing, and where they have been able to find
work they face low wages and zero hour contracts. This all has
an adverse impact on the health, future employment opportunities
and social and leisure activities of those young carers
providing unpaid care. What a bum deal affluent Britain has
offered this generation of young workers."
So what are your views on this topic? Do you agree
with the GMB? Let us know what you really think by
emailing our newsroom via:-
news24@southportreporter.com
and make your voice heard! |
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Commissioner
donates Blood Bike to charity
A former Police motorbike
is set to take on a life-saving role thanks to Lancashire's Police
and Crime Commissioner. Clive Grunshaw has donated the bike to
the North West Blood Bikes Lanc's and Lakes (NWBB L&L), meaning it
will now be used by volunteers delivering vital blood supplies to
hospitals across the region.
The charity only began its work in May 2012, but already its
dedicated army of volunteers have made 2,500 runs, saving the NHS in
excess of £100,000; and this new bike will help the group make even
more life saving deliveries.
The Commissioner, who officially handed the bike to NWBB L&L
chairman Paul Brooks at Lancashire Constabulary HQ today (November
15), said:- "I am delighted to have been able to make this
donation to NWBB L&L.
The charity's work is both vital and impressive; and is making a
real difference in hospitals across Lancashire. The generosity of
their volunteers is to be commended, and I am sure their time and
effort is appreciated by both the NHS and the hundreds of residents
across Lancashire whose lives they have helped save.
I hope by donating this bike NWBB L&L will be able to make even more
life saving deliveries to Lancashire's hospitals." Before NWBB L&L was formed, hospitals used to use taxis and courier
services to provide them with out-of-hours emergency transport for
supplies including blood and breast milk for premature and sick
babies from the Milk Bank at the Countess of Chester Hospital. It
would cost in excess of £100 for hospitals to have milk deliveries
and around £40 for blood to be transported; money which can now be
spent on patient care.
Mr Brooks said:- "The donation by Lancashire Police and Crime
Commissioner of a retiring Police bike will help us enormously in
our quest to save hospitals money.
We have liveried bikes equipped with blues & two's in order to carry
out Lifesaving Emergency collection and deliveries, particularly for
whole blood, platelets and drugs, and with assistance from the
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), all our
riders are trained in the handling and carriage of all the items we
carry." The charity has over 200
volunteers and uses both liveried bikes as well as volunteers'
personal vehicles to make deliveries.
NWBB L&L currently serves Lancashire Teaching Hospitals (Preston,
Chorley, Southport & Ormskirk), Morecambe Bay Hospitals, (Lancaster,
Kendal & Barrow) and Blackpool, is about to go live with Writington,
Wigan and Leigh and with East Lancashire Hospitals (Blackburn and
Burnley).
Volunteer motorcyclist, controllers, fundraisers and sponsors can
contact the organisation via:-
nwbb-lancs.org. |
