I'm Mary, And I'm A Young Carer.

I care for my mum, who suffers from mental health issues, and also has a bad heart, which means she is confined to a wheelchair.

I help her with household chores, like cleaning, and helping her wash. But most of all, i provide emotional support for her, and be there for her when she needs me.

I Like being a young carer, it makes me so much closer to my mum and family compared to other children my age. My mum is like a best friend to me.

But its hard sometimes, to juggle home and school life,and with having so much to think about i feel like i could burst! I dont see my role as chores because I have cared for my mum for as long as i can remember,and i would do anything for her. But i do wish sometimes i could get out of it all, just for a while.

Then a project called Young Carers came to visit me, and told me that i was not alone, and that over 2000 young people in Blackburn care too.

The project has now changed my life, they supported me through thick and thin, and not just me, they did all they could to support my whole family, and made my home a better place to live.

It made such a difference to be able to see people in the same situation as me, my confidence has shone through, and now i understand more about my mums illness.

Everybody on the project are like family to me.         I always have someone to go to when I need someone totalk to, or even just for a cuddle.

The project has had such an effect on my life, that i now have an apprentiship with the Young Carers Project, and i really hope that it makes a big impact on them, just as much as it did for me!