By Royal invitation – Weldmar staff and volunteers join the King at Windsor Castle to celebrate the role of carers

At Weldmar Hospicecare, we know that when a patient is referred into our care, a family’s life changes. Very often, a loved one steps into a new, demanding role: they become a carer.

Last week, the contribution of these ‘unsung heroes’ was celebrated at Windsor Castle. Our Patron, King Charles III, and The Queen hosted a special reception to recognise the impact of carers across the UK. Among the invited guests were members of our very own Weldmar team – staff and volunteers who are carers themselves, or support carers every day.

The event was attended by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and TV presenter Kate Garraway, who has been an advocate for carers following her late husband’s battle with Covid-19.

“It was an utterly wonderful evening,” said Dr. Helen Parsons, Weldmar’s Lead Consultant. “Meeting His Majesty and the Prime Minister made it feel so special – a rare moment I will never forget. I came away feeling deeply grateful to have spent an evening among people who genuinely understand the importance of caring.”

Lu Worrall, who leads the charity’s Specialist Hospice at Home hub in West Dorset, added: “It was a genuine honour and profoundly humbling experience. The event truly placed carers at its centre, and the warmth and appreciation shown by the Royal Household staff were evident throughout.”

Carole Potter, a volunteer at our Poundbury Clearance Outlet, shared her experience: “I care for my son, Max, who had a brain injury at the age of five. He now volunteers at the outlet too. The King asked what I did, and we spoke briefly about Max. It was lovely to be recognised as a carer; it was such an exciting day.”

Ruth Mason is a Staff Nurse at Weldmar’s Inpatient Unit in Dorchester, and says: “It was an honour and privilege to represent Weldmar at the carers’ reception. We got to meet the King, and encouraged him to visit Weldmar again as our patron.  Talking to other guests, the breadth of carers was amazing and it was heartening to see that there are so many caring people quietly supporting people live better lives.”

Chloe Hook, Weldmar’s Carer Support Coordinator, provides everything from emotional guidance to practical help for carers, and said: “The whole experience was one I’ll never forget. It was great to see so many unpaid carers there, being recognised for how much they do day in and day out, chatting with them helped to reinforce just why I do what I do within Weldmar! We also met and spoke with other organisations such as Carers UK and cancer charities. It was interesting to learn more about what they do, and how they support carers.”

According to the 2021 census, there are around 5.8m people in the UK who have unpaid caring duties, and 1.7m of these will provide more than fifty hours of care a week.