An Evening of Shared Commitment at the House of Lords
Last Thursday 2 July, we were delighted to welcome a small group of supporters, partners and friends to an intimate event in the River Room at the House of Lords, with stunning views over the River Thames, the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye.
Hosted by Lord Raval OBE, we were there to share and celebrate our our impact and our plans for the future, and to strengthen our shared commitment to unpaid family carers.
The evening brought together people who understand both the vital contribution unpaid carers make and the urgent need to ensure they are recognised, supported and heard.
An evening of connection and shared purpose
The event was an opportunity to reflect on the growing global conversation around care, and to shine a light on the experiences of unpaid family carers in low- and middle-income countries. In these countries, millions of people provide daily care for loved ones with disabilities, long-term health conditions or age-related needs, often with no recognition, respite or financial support.
At Carers Worldwide, we work alongside local partners to change this reality. Together, we support unpaid carers to improve their mental, physical, social and economic well-being, while helping to build wider recognition of the essential role they play in families, communities and society.
Lord Raval OBE welcomed guests and emphasised the need to see caring as a shared human experience that transcends geography and culture. He expressed his support of our work and stressed the fact that recognising and supporting unpaid carers strengthens families, communities, and health and social care systems.
We were delighted to be joined by Baroness Jill Pitkeathley OBE, the ‘mother of the carers movement in the UK’ who established what is now Carers UK. She shared with us her motivations for supporting unpaid carers and expressed her support for our work in low- and middle-income countries.
We were also grateful to hear from a representative of one of our funders, Charlotte Cashman, trustee of the Educational Opportunity Foundation, who spoke powerfully about why they support our work with disabled children and their carers, and why collaboration is so important if unpaid carers are to receive the recognition and practical support they deserve:
“I am thrilled to be here today: to say an immense, heartfelt thank you to all of you at Carers Worldwide. Educational Opportunity Foundation has funded the work of Carers Worldwide for several years…We provide the resource, but you provide the impact. We are incredibly proud to stand beside Carers Worldwide as partners and staunch supporters. We are deeply grateful for the passion, expertise, and care you pour into maximising educational opportunity for all.”
Our Chair of Trustees Jonathan Freeman MBE DL, spoke about the importance of partnership and long-term commitment in creating lasting change for unpaid carers. He reflected on his trips to Nepal and Bangladesh to see our work in action, and on how impactful it was to meet and speak to the carers involved and to hear about the change to their lives.
Our Founder & Executive Director, Anil Patil, also shared the story behind our work and the progress made through our locally-led Carers Worldwide Model, which places carers’ voices and experiences at the centre. He directed people towards our recently released 2025 Impact Report, highlighting that we supported an additional 29,000 carers and family members in 2025, bringing the total number of people reached since we began, to almost 280,000.
He also talked about the future and what comes next for Carers Worldwide:
“Our future direction is clear. We will strengthen our work across South Asia, including Pakistan, while expanding partnerships across Africa and beyond…Our ambition is simple but bold: to build a global movement where local leadership drives change, partnerships multiply impact, and every unpaid family carer is recognised, valued and supported.”
Why this support matters
Throughout the evening, there was a real sense of enthusiasm in the room. Enthusiasm for what has already been achieved, and a clear, collective understanding that much more is needed. Guests recognised that unpaid carers are too often invisible, despite holding families and communities together every day.
That shared understanding matters. It helps us continue to make the case for unpaid carers in low- and middle-income countries to be included in policy, practice and development programmes, and it strengthens the movement for a world in which every carer is valued and their needs are met.
Thank you to everyone who joined us
We would like to thank Lord Raval OBE for hosting us, Baroness Jill Pitkeathley OBE for joining us, our speakers for sharing their reflections, and every supporter and partner who took the time to be part of the evening.
Your encouragement, insight and commitment mean so much to us, and to the carers, families and communities whose lives are being changed through our work. Together, we can continue to build recognition, dignity and support for unpaid family carers across South Asia and beyond.
Photo Gallery
Our thanks to Chris Esdaile for capturing the event so beautifully
