A CARERS hub in Dorchester has won a £1,500 community award to support its work providing emotional and practical help for unpaid carers and their families across the county.

West Dorset MP Chris Loder visited Dorset Carers Hub at its new Trinity Street centre and spoke to staff about the challenges they face after they won the investment.

The hub provides emotional and practical support for unpaid carers across the county, including hosting free events, activities, and quiz nights. It also runs a Masks4Carers project, which has seen it deliver more than 600 face masks so far, as well as running the Dorchester Community Kitchen, which has delivered more than 1,000 food and hygiene boxes.

The hub was nominated by the MP for the award from the Western Power Distribution ‘In This Together – Community Matters Fund’.

Mr Watson, Co-Founder of Dorset Carers Hub and Trustee of the Leonardo Trust, says: “Chris's nomination to the WPD Community Matters Fund, and our successful award of £1,500, has enabled the hub to support carers in a practical sense as well as financially and emotionally with projects such as counselling and continuing to provide free facemasks with filters.”

Mr Loder said: “I first met Mark and his volunteer team during the 2019 election campaign. Since then we have kept in touch and I have watched Dorset Carers Hub grow. The hub really stepped up during the coronavirus crisis in an extraordinary way, with its volunteers making a real difference to carers and their families in our local communities.

“I was pleased to help in a small way by nominating the hub for a community award of £1,500 but especially glad to visit to learn more first-hand about the wonderful work that Mark, Sue and all the volunteers do”.