Welcome from the Chair

Dear Candidate

Since becoming Chair, I have had the privilege of learning about and engaging with our staff team and over 120 Network Partners across the UK. I have been impressed by the dedication and enormous passion they have in fulfilling our vision, which is to make unpaid carers count and to give them access to the help they need to live their lives.

We offer specialist services for carers of all ages and conditions with a range of individually tailored support and group activities. We do this in the UK through a wide network of locally based partners. We are able to provide grants, offer support for carers in their homes and in the wider community with information, emotional support, practical help, and access to much needed breaks. 

As you will appreciate, the mission of Carers Trust is far reaching. With a growing population of over 7 million unpaid carers within the UK and a challenging financial environment, we have to become more innovative in our approach, more agile in our execution, more inclusive in harnessing the talents of our partners and more vociferous in our advocacy for unpaid carers.

Following a refresh of our Trustee board, my fellow Trustees and I are unanimous in our desire to appoint a Chief Executive who has vision, visibility, drive, leadership, and passion to be able to make Carers Trust a truly national player and enable Carers Trust to really make a difference to the lives of unpaid carers. We want to be a great place to work for everyone, a place which is representative, inclusive, collaborative, and confidently led. Carers Trust is about to embark on an exciting time in its development and the new CEO will be able to draw on our resources, which include:

  • Our President, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal who is an active champion for Carers Trust.
  • Over 120 Network Partners who are dedicated to making a difference to the lives of unpaid carers.
  • Our donors, who include Rank Group plc, People’s Postcode Lottery, Pears Foundation, National Garden Scheme, Quilter plc and our generous individual donors and supporters.
  • Our terrific staff team (68) in Cardiff, Glasgow, London, and Rugby.
  • A strong balance sheet and reserves.
  • An inclusive and committed Board of Trustees and a Senior Management Team who wish to create momentum for change for the lives of unpaid carers.

I hope the above gives a flavour of Carers Trust and the opportunity which exists to help the substantial number of unpaid carers in the UK. If this role excites you, I look forward to hearing from you with your application.

John McLean, OBE
Chair, Carers Trust