This year Veteran runner Mark Barun will run his first London Marathon, and he has chosen to raise money to help support carers in Richmond.

Mark has been heavily into activity and fitness since childhood and is now a Personal Trainer, Karate Instructor and a Running Coach for GoodGym Richmond.

'These days I am as passionate about doing good for others as I am about fitness. This is why I chose to run for Richmond Carers Centre. This is a great opportunity to raise awareness and funds for all they do for carers in the borough.

In my journey of discovering where we can help others the concept of the carer was something I hadn't really considered. Yet it made me remember personal times where I have watched family members care for other family members, sometimes at the sake of their own health.

To do this for anyone, related or not, is such a commitment and so often unrecognised in our society, where the focus is more often on the cared for with little consideration for what it means to devote oneself completely for the sake of another.

Without carers where does that leave the so many that need caring for?'

Carers Trust estimates that 3 in 5 of us will provide a caring role at some point in our lives and Carers UK reported that the UK's 6.8 million carers save the government £132 billion a year.

Carers make an incredible contribution to our community, yet caring for another person can a considerable impact carers own health and wellbeing. Below are some key facts about carers from Carers Trust: ​​ 68% of young carers are bullied in schools and many school days are missed or cut short.

56% of young adult carers in college or university were struggling because of their caring role.

65% of older carers (aged 60–94) have long-term health problems or a disability themselves.

One in five carers gives up employment to care.

In a survey, 53% of carers had borrowed money as a result of their caring role and 60% had used all of their savings to cover the costs of caring.

68.8% of older carers say that being a carer has an adverse effect on their mental health.

One third of older carers say they have cancelled treatment for themselves due to caring responsibilities.

Up to 1.5 million people in the UK care for someone with mental ill health.

Of all the UK’s carers, 11% care for people with dementia (670,000). Richmond Carers Centre offers free and confidential information, advice and emotional support to unpaid carers in the London Borough of Richmond. If you think that you or someone you know may be a carer, you can call the Carers Support Line on 020 8867 2380.

Article supplied by S Elswood