East Dunbartonshire carer shows she has a big Heart

Lauren (18), who is a carer for her mum, is leading a group of young carers and charity workers from Carers Link East Dunbartonshire in Milngavie.

The group of 13 have pledged to walk 96 miles between them as they take on a virtual West Highland Way Relay Challenge, each walking 7.4 miles.

Lauren is one of Jamie & Amanda’s Charity Challenger, a group of inspiring people who all this week are raising money for an emergency appeal from Heart’s charity Global’s Make Some Noise.

The appeal is supporting small charities that are helping those experiencing grief, poverty, domestic abuse, loneliness, illness and mental health problems, as well as carers and care workers.

Each charity challenger has a special connection to one of the small charities that Global’s Make Some Noise supports and each of them has a very important reason why they want to take their challenge on.

Carers Link East Dunbartonshire supports and encourages carers, providing support, information, advocacy, courses, groups – and a listening ear when you need one.

During lockdown it has given Lauren practical and emotional support, including helping to deliver food for her mum and siblings.

The charity’s telephone support services have expanded due to Covid-19 and the demand for their services has increased by 26 per cent since the outbreak began.

Lauren said: “They’ve delivered us things like food, they’ve given us a visor so we can feel a bit more protected when I go out to the shops, so I’m not as worried bringing the virus home to my mum.

“They’ve set up group chats so we have a community of support around us and we’ve done a marathon challenge to feel a bit more united.”

Lauren’s full interview can be found on the @thisisheart Twitter feed.

To support Lauren and all of Jamie and Amanda’s Charity Challengers visit https://heartmakesomenoise.charitycheckout.co.uk/cf/jamie-and-amandas-charity-challengers.