New parkrun scheme 'is about meeting fellow carers'
BBCUnpaid carers are being encouraged to meet fellow carers at a local parkrun so they "know they are not on their own".
Gloucester City Parkrun is the first to pilot a new scheme led by Carers UK called Meet & Move, which launched on Saturday.
The scheme, which is being funded by Sports England, will be held as part of the city's regular parkrun on the first Saturday of each month.
Former unpaid carer Debi Rice said: "It's not just about doing the walk or the run, it's also about meeting fellow carers so they know they're not just on their own."
"I lost my husband and you just don't have anything to do afterwards. You just don't know what to do with yourself," she told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
Former carer Lucia Dedear said being an unpaid carer can be challenging, but finishing a caring role "can be even worse", leaving former carers feeling "disconnected".
"A lot of unpaid carers, they're at home, and they don't get the chance to go out and meet other carers, they feel isolated," she said.
"The whole idea is to get people out, be physical, and it's good for their mental health and wellbeing as well."
After living in London for 20 years, former carer Jamil Malek quit his job and moved back home to Gloucester to care for his dad when his mum passed away.
"I had no experience in caring at all, I was just learning as you go along," he said.
"It was tough. It's a rollercoaster of emotions. But it was a great experience.
"This might be another step to me, starting to enjoy coming outside, meeting like-minded people."
Former carer Lesley Macleod-Downes said being a carer can be isolating.
"I looked after my child for ten years, it's a very lonely place, and you often start to feel on the outside of society," she said.
"So when you can come here and be in a community that's very inclusive, that's the joy of parkrun."
Macleod-Downes encouraged other carers to consider joining.
"We understand the rollercoaster, you have good days and you have bad days.
"Come to us on a day that's good, and come to us on a day that's bad. We're here for you."
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