Stirling Carers Put Candidates On The Spot
Unpaid Carers from across Stirling came together last week to question prospective Holyrood candidates at a first‑of‑its‑kind local Carers’ Hustings event.
Held on 14th April at the Cowane Centre, the event created space for Carers to speak directly to politicians about the realities of caring and the support they need, both locally and nationally.
Representatives from six political parties took part, with future candidates for the constituency well represented. Those attending included Alyn Smith (SNP), Kainde Manji (Labour), Stephen Kerr (Conservatives) and Rachael Wright (Reform UK), all standing in the upcoming poll on 7 May. They were joined by Andrew Adam (Scottish Greens) and Amanda Clark (Liberal Democrats).
Around 40 unpaid carers and staff attended, contributing to a thoughtful and, at times, challenging discussion. Carers raised a wide range of issues affecting their daily lives, including:
- A lack of transparency and long‑term security in funding for third‑sector Carer organisations
- The pressures facing Young Carers, particularly risks to education and mental health
- The difficulty of maintaining work and financial stability while caring
- How the legal ‘Right to a Break’ can be delivered meaningfully at local level
- The financial impact on older Carers when support payments stop at pension age despite ongoing caring responsibilities
One Carer reflected afterwards:
“I enjoyed the debate tonight with all the candidates. It gives you food for thought with all their differing answers. It is hard to judge who will support us.”
Stirling Carers Centre Chief Executive Keri Moore said the event was an important step in ensuring Carers’ voices are heard:
“Carers rarely have the time or space to speak about the realities of their lives, so creating a forum where their experiences were listened to with respect and interest was incredibly valuable.”
She also highlighted the wider context:
“Unpaid carers are being asked to do more than ever, often at considerable personal cost. This is why recognising and properly supporting the third sector is so important.”
The hustings was organised by Operations Manager Carley O’Hare, with support from Stirling Carers Centre staff, and marked a strong example of how local charities can connect Carers directly with decision‑makers.
As the election approaches, the evening served as a reminder that unpaid Carers play a vital role in the wellbeing of families and communities, and that their voices must remain central to policy discussions.
A summary of the evening, full transcript and audio recording are available below.
