MANY carers in Herefordshire are not aware of the support available to them.

To mark carers’ week in June, St Michael’s Hospice is planning a conference which could help people find some of the support on offer.

Geraldine Rose, head of marketing at St Michael’s Hospice, said they were keen to reach people who were caring for someone but managing without support because they did not know it was there.

The conference, which is free of charge, is on Wednesday, June 10, at The Courtyard in Hereford.

St Michael’s Hospice is also preparing a DVD full of practical and helpful advice and complete with an information pack, which will be launched at the conference.

Carers have been described as the UK’s secret service and latest statistics reveal that: ■ There are nearly six million carers in the UK, with 558,421 in the West Midlands.

■ One in eight adults is a carer.

■ Three million people juggle work with caring.

■ Carers Allowance is £50.55 for a minimum 35 hours – working out at £1.34 per hour.

■ Up to 58 per cent of carers are woman, 42 per cent are men.

■ More than 1.5 million carers are aged over 60.