Cumbria's carer organisations are highlighting the impact of unpaid caring on people's mental wellbeing and the support available.

It is because of the upcoming Wold Mental Health Day on Sunday and aims to help raise mental health awareness.

In Cumbria, more than 56,400 people are juggling unpaid caring for a loved one with their work and other personal commitments, according to Cumbria Intelligence Observatory.

Dani Leslie, Eden Carers CEO, said: “In the 2011 census 56,495 individuals in Cumbria declared themselves as carers – this was an increase of 9 per cent from the previous census in 2001, and as we wait for the results from the Census we all took part in earlier this year, we expect that figure to have risen sharply again.

“Figures show the majority of people, more than 13,300, are providing care for more than 50 hours a week.

“Prevention is at the heart of World Mental Health Day, which is why we are raising awareness of the stresses of being an unpaid carer and promoting the support and advice available through Carers Support Cumbria's local organisations.

"The best way to deal with a crisis is to prevent it from happening in the first place, we want to reach out to those who are unpaid carers to let them know we and other carer organisations across Cumbria are here to help.

“If you are a carer, you are legally entitled to a carer’s assessment, which identifies your needs as a carer.

"Your local carers organisation can do the assessment with you once you get in touch and then work together to draw up a support plan. The support plan can include things that you feel will help you, such as respite care, information or involving other agencies.”

Sue Munro, of Eden Carers, and Sue Hogg, of West Cumbria Carers, worked with Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust on developing its carer champion training.

A workplace carers champion is someone who, through training, is aware of the stresses and strains a working carer may be facing and also has an understanding of services and how the trust may be able to support a carer.

It is possible that a carer may not actually identify as such in the workplace, but through chatting with a carers champion feels comfortable enough to talk about their caring responsibilities with them.

To contact the Carlisle Carer Organisation, call 01228 542156, and call 01768 890280 for the Eden Carer Organisation.