The Help Behind the Hope
Who we help.
Supporting carers at every stage
Caring looks different for every family. Some carers are children, some are parents balancing multiple responsibilities, and some are adults providing long term support for a loved one. Our work recognises these different caring roles and offers understanding, practical support, and space to feel less alone.
Many children and young people take on caring responsibilities at home, helping with daily tasks and supporting their families while also trying to balance school, friendships, and everyday life.
Young Carers
Adults caring for children while also looking after ageing parents or relatives. Their days are split between school runs and hospital appointments, tracking medication, and dealing with different services at the same time. Work and family life don’t stop around this.
Sandwich Carers
Many people provide long term care for a partner, parent, child, or relative, managing daily responsibilities and ongoing support needs with little opportunity to rest or step away.
Family Carers
How we help.
Practical support shaped around real need
Our projects are designed around the everyday realities carers face. We step in with practical, emotional, and community based support, helping carers manage the pressures that can build up at home, in hospital, at appointments, and during difficult family circumstances. From advocacy and transport to meals, essential items, respite, peer support, and wellbeing activities, our work helps lighten the load so carers feel supported, understood, and less alone.
project
Care Shouldn’t Hurt
Helping families feel safer and more prepared when care comes home.
Practical support for families navigating hospital discharge and complex care at home.
Who it’s for
Families and unpaid carers preparing for, or recently returned from, hospital discharge into complex care.
Why it matters
When health and social systems are stretched, families are often expected to manage complex medical needs with little preparation and almost no emotional support. We help reduce that risk.
What it includes
- Guidance around medication routines, infection prevention, and moving and handling
- Help understanding follow up appointments, equipment and warning signs
- Practical help in the home during the first weeks after discharge
- Emotional support for parents and carers carrying the weight
Outcomes we work towards
- Fewer avoidable hospital readmissions
- Carers feel safer, more informed, and less alone
- Households can settle into a new rhythm of care with dignity
project
Break Out
Safe space, shared joy and support for young people carrying pressure.
Wellbeing, peer connection and joy for young people who carry too much.
Who it’s for
Young carers and young people experiencing pressure, isolation or early signs of poor wellbeing.
Why it matters
Many young people are carrying adult responsibilities. Early connection, movement and peer support can prevent pressure escalating into crisis.
What it includes
- Outings, creative activities and outdoor experiences
- Movement centred wellbeing sessions and peer connection
- Trusted relationships with caring adults
- Quiet, welcoming spaces where young people can simply be young
Outcomes we work towards
- Reduced isolation and stronger peer support
- Improved confidence, identity and emotional health
- Earlier, gentler intervention before pressure becomes crisis
project
Wellsprings
Connection, encouragement and renewal for parent carers.
A warm project bringing parent and family carers together for meaningful connection, empowering sessions, and thoughtful gifting.
Who it’s for
Parent and family carers supporting children, or loved ones with additional needs, illness, disability or complex family circumstances.
Why it matters
Caring is often isolating, especially when daily responsibilities leave little room for friendship, rest or encouragement. Wellsprings gives carers space to connect with others who understand, helping them return to their role feeling strengthened.
What it includes
- Empowering gatherings shaped around the life of caring
- Peer connection
- Thoughtful gifts, refreshments and meaningful themes
- Practical encouragement and emotional support
Outcomes we work towards
- Reduced isolation and stronger friendships
- Carers feel recognised, valued and encouraged
- Greater confidence and emotional resilience
- Families benefitting from energised carers
project
Plate Mates
Fresh meals, practical relief and dignity for carers under pressure.
A summer meal support project delivering freshly prepared meals to unpaid carers, reducing food costs and easing the daily pressure of planning, shopping and cooking. A prepared meal delivered with care, giving families one less thing to carry during the summer holidays.
Who it’s for
Unpaid carers in Hackney experiencing financial pressure, increased food costs or added strain during the summer holiday period.
Why it matters
Caring responsibilities do not pause when schools close, routines change and support networks become less available. For many carers, summer brings higher household food costs and greater practical pressure, especially for larger families. Plate Mates helps reduce that pressure with discreet home delivery and ready made meals.
What it includes
- Freshly prepared meals delivered to carers’ homes
- Weekly support during the five week summer holiday period
- Easing the burden of planning, shopping and cooking
- Targeted support for carers known to We Care London and referrals from schools, health professionals and local organisations
Outcomes we work towards
- Reduced food costs during the summer holidays
- Carers feel supported without needing to ask repeatedly for help, with dignity and discretion
- Less daily pressure around meals, budgeting and household routines, granting much needed freedom
- Carers are helped before pressure builds into crisis