“A Lifeline for Carers”: Growing Care Club Hosts Incontinence Support Session

Grace Cares’ Care Club delivers practical advice, emotional support and connection for unpaid carers across the region.

Care Club met on Monday 26th January for another supportive session, welcoming unpaid caregivers as the club continues to grow. Held in a safe environment, the session gives carers the opportunity to openly discuss their experiences, ask questions and share concerns, while being reassured that they are not alone.

The focus of the session was incontinence care, with practical advice delivered by an experienced incontinence nurse, Paulina Kurek, alongside Michelle Garvey from Ontex. Attendees also received additional wellbeing support from Nicola Forsyth who shared guidance on managing stress and overwhelm through life coaching and effective breathwork techniques to help carers regulate and reset during challenging moments.

Care Club is organised by Grace Cares who are dedicated to supporting unpaid caregivers through education, connection and compassionate support. Each session is designed to combine practical guidance with emotional reassurance, while also signposting caregivers to further resources and services that can help them in their caring role. Grace Cares works alongside trusted partners Ontex, to ensure caregivers receive expert, reliable information on topics that are often difficult to talk about. Paulina from Ontex added: “We’re proud to support Grace Cares’ Care Club in creating open, practical conversations around incontinence, helping people feel informed, supported and less alone.”

For many attendees, the greatest value comes from feeling understood by others in similar situations. One participant shared: “The meetings that I have attended and your team who spoke to me are invaluable to me. Long may it continue. You are providing a lifeline.”

With interest in Care Club continuing to increase, anyone who missed this face-to-face session but would like tips on incontinence care can join the next online Care Club session on 18th February at 1-1.30pm. Care Club sessions are open to unpaid caregivers and family members looking for practical advice, emotional support and connection with others who understand.

To join an upcoming face to face Care Club session, register your interest, or receive the online session link, contact hello@grace-cares.com or call 01543 730189.

L-R – (Paulina and Michelle from Ontex, Hannah from Grace Cares and Nicola from Nicola Kathryn Coaching)

An Hour That Matters: Grace Cares Calls for 50 Volunteers to Save 300 Pieces of Care Equipment

Grace Cares, the award-winning not-for-profit making care more sustainable, is calling on local people and businesses to take part in a unique volunteering challenge on Wednesday 1st October 2025 at their unit at Elmhurst Business Park, Lichfield.

The challenge

A donation of 300 hybrid airflow mattresses – all under three years old and NHS-approved for reuse – has the potential to transform lives. Instead of being sent to landfill, they’ll be redistributed to people and care providers who need them most.

But before that can happen, the mattresses must be tested, prepared, and covered. With just an hour of community support, they can be saved and put back into use.

One hour, big impact

Grace Cares is asking for 50 volunteers, each giving just one hour between 9:30am – 4:00pm. Together, they can ensure all 300 mattresses are rescued in a single day.

“What else would you be doing for an hour? Scrolling, Netflix, another meeting? This is an hour that truly changes lives,” said Grace Cares co-founder, Hannah Montgomery.

A day to remember

The volunteering day promises to be lively and welcoming, with pizzas, drinks, and tunes to keep spirits high. Businesses can use it as a meaningful CSR activity, while individuals can play their part in supporting dignity for older people and unpaid caregivers, while protecting the planet.

Grace Cares already delivers £4–£7 of social value for every £1 spent, and is on a mission to support 1 million people, with the next milestone being 10,000 by 2028.

👉 Sign up here: Grace Cares Volunteer Form
📞 Call 01543 730189
📧 Email hello@grace-cares.com

Be one of the 50 volunteers to give An Hour That Matters – and help save 300 mattresses in just one day.

New White Paper Exposes Hidden Crisis Facing Unpaid Caregivers in the UK

Grace Cares, in collaboration with Ontex Global, has released a powerful new white paper highlighting the urgent need to support the UK’s millions of Unpaid Caregivers. This group is too often overlooked in policy, services, and public understanding.

Titled “Caring by Love, not by Pay: Stories and Solutions from Unpaid Caregivers”, the report is based on a national survey and in-person consultations with over 75 Unpaid Caregivers. It brings their lived experiences into sharp focus, revealing a widespread lack of recognition, poor access to support, and serious impacts on emotional and mental wellbeing.

“Unpaid Caregivers are the hidden backbone of our health and care system. They save the government billions – yet many are exhausted, isolated, and invisible. This white paper is about listening and acting,” said Hannah Montgomery, Co-Founder of Grace Cares.

According to Carers UK, there are around 5.7 million Unpaid Caregivers in the UK, providing care worth an estimated £132 billion per year – equivalent to a second NHS. Yet the white paper reveals:

54% of respondents feel the Unpaid Caregiver role is under-recognised
Over 50% reported emotional and psychological distress from their caregiving role
76% are unsure how to access support that already exists
Many do not initially identify as an Unpaid Caregiver, meaning they miss vital help

In response, Grace Cares and Ontex Global are co-developing a programme of local and national resources, drop-in sessions, and peer support initiatives, built directly from what Unpaid Caregivers said they need.

“At Ontex, we are proud to sponsor and support this vital work. Unpaid Caregivers deserve practical solutions, better recognition, and real-world support – not more barriers,” said Emily Vernon, UK Country Manager, Ontex Global.

Recommendations in the report include:

Better national and local recognition of the Unpaid Caregiver role
Improved signposting and awareness of existing services
Access to emotional and psychological support, including counselling and peer networks
Funding for respite care and training for complex caregiving tasks
A unified terminology and clearer pathway to identify as an Unpaid Caregiver

What’s next?

Grace Cares is inviting local authorities, health and care leaders, and community partners to act on these findings. Together with Ontex, they aim to build a national movement that ensures every Unpaid Caregiver has access to the support they deserve.

Download the White Paper

Available now click here.

L-R Stefan, Emma, Karanjeet and Hannah, Ontex Global with a copy of the white paper.

Ontex Partners with Grace Cares to Launch ‘Carer Connect’: A New Initiative to Support the Nation’s Unpaid Carers

Ontex, a leading global provider of personal hygiene products, is proud to partner with Grace Cares. They are looking to launch Carer Connect a new initiative dedicated to understanding and supporting the millions of unpaid carers across the UK.

At the heart of Carer Connect is a nationwide consultation, led by Vicki Marshall. Vicki recently joined Grace Cares in a newly created part-time role, part-funded by Ontex. Drawing on over two decades of NHS experience and a personal passion for community wellbeing, Vicki has led both a wide-reaching survey and a series of face-to-face listening sessions with unpaid carers. She has also reached out to local support networks, councils and the Carers Trust.

“Unpaid carers are often the invisible support holding families and communities together,” said Vicki. “Many don’t even recognise themselves as carers, they’re simply looking after someone they love. But they deserve to be recognised, respected, and supported.”

The findings from this consultation are now being compiled into a white paper of recommendations called Caring by Love, not by Pay: Stories and solutions from unpaid carers. This will shape the foundation of Carer Connect’s first support offer later this year.

Unpaid carers play a critical yet under-supported role in society. According to Carers UK, there are an estimated 5.7 million unpaid carers in the UK, contributing care worth around £132 billion annually. That is the equivalent of a second NHS. Yet many go without access to even the most basic support or recognition.

“Partnering with Ontex has given us the opportunity to truly listen,” said Hannah Montgomery, Co-Founder of Grace Cares. “Carer Connect is about more than resources – it’s about building a movement. We want unpaid carers to feel seen, valued, and supported, not left to carry the weight in silence.”

Michelle Garvey, Marketing Manager (UK Healthcare) at Ontex, added:
“Supporting unpaid carers aligns perfectly with our mission to make everyday life easier for people of all generations. Grace Cares brings real innovation and compassion to the table, and we’re proud to stand behind a project that’s both practical and impactful.”

Want to Get Involved?

If you’re an unpaid carer, are an organisation who already offers support or signposting to help unpaid carers, or if you’d like to support the Carer Connect initiative, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch via:

📧 hello@grace-cares.com
📞 01543 730189

About Grace Cares

Grace Cares is a Lichfield-based not-for-profit making care more sustainable through Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. The organisation rescues care equipment from landfill and resells it affordably, using profits to support older people, care workers, and families through events, hardship grants, and sustainability programmes.

About Ontex

Ontex is a global provider of personal hygiene solutions, offering trusted products in baby care, feminine hygiene, and adult incontinence care. With a commitment to sustainable innovation, Ontex develops quality solutions that improve everyday life while making a positive impact on communities worldwide.

Pictured L-R – Hannah Montgomery, Grace Cares – Michelle Garvey, Ontex – Vicki Marshall, Grace Cares