Pride, Power, and Community: local carer organisations celebrate Black History Month

As we near the end of Black History Month 2025, we’re looking back at how local carer organisations across the Carers Trust network have been getting involved, celebrating and empowering the diverse communities of carers they support.

The theme for Black History Month 2025 – ‘standing firm in power and pride’ – emphasises the resilience and strength of the Black community. As we celebrate pride and power, we also honour the Black carers across our network whose resilience and dedication support and enrich their families and communities.

We also know that Black carers can face distinct challenges in finding support that works for them. Many have to navigate systems and services that may not fully reflect or understand their cultural experiences - as Angela, a carer and community advocate supported by Carers Support West Sussex, describes:

"Caring for my mum has taught me patience, strength, and pride in my heritage. But it’s also been isolating at times. Having support that understands my background makes all the difference."

Many of the local carer organisations that are part of the Carers Trust network have been fully immersed in Black History Month. There have been events celebrating culture and heritage, whilst other events have  created space for important conversations about the challenges that still need to be addressed.

Carers Support West Sussex held a staff engagement session featuring guest speaker, Matthew McKenzie, founder of A Caring Mind and facilitator of the National Ethnic Mental Health Carers Forum. Matthew explored the impact of racism and structural inequality on carers from ethnic minority backgrounds, and why their stories must be central to improving support services.

The team at Carers Support West Sussex, along with many of the carers they support, also attended the 2nd Annual Community Anti-Racism Conference 2025, hosted by Vivian Okeze-Tirado in partnership with Unite the Union. They also attended a joyful and empowering Black History Month celebration hosted by Diverse Crawley, a celebration of culture and community, filled with dancing, music, poetry, and powerful storytelling.

Camden Carers Centre, which supports a diverse group of carers and many people from Black communities, took the opportunity to delve into the sound, style and spirit of Black British Youth Culture through renowned photographer Jennie Baptisite’s ‘Rhythm and Roots’ exhibition. One carer who attended, Kala, said:

"It was an inspirational exhibition, and it brought back a lot of memories from my youth." 

Supporting carers to take a break from their caring role is vital to preventing burnout, and attending the exhibition provided not only a much-needed break for many carers, but also a chance to connect with each other and take pride in Black creativity and heritage.

Being able to access tailored support via a strong and inclusive local carer organisation is paramount to breaking down some of the barriers faced by carers from Black communities. At Carers Trust, we know all too well that support from a local carers centre can make a huge difference to carers. And crucially, how person-centred support that considers cultural nuances over a one-size-fits-all approach can be truly empowering.