Maria Miller, MP for Basingstoke and also Minister for Disabled People,  showed her support for Carers Week 2012 when she called in to St Michael’s Hospice to attend a Cream Tea Afternoon given by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in Hampshire.

Maria was welcomed by Alison Wetherall, Director of Patient Services at St Michael’s Hospice, and Kerry Hearsey, Chief Executive of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in Hampshire. She then had the opportunity to meet many Carers from the Basingstoke area, as well as those they are caring for.

Maria said: “It was good to be able to chat to some of the amazing Carers that we have in Basingstoke. Caring for a loved one with an illness or disability can be one of the toughest and most rewarding things. The Princess Royal Trust provides the sort of practical support and advice that make a real difference.”

Carers Week 2012 (18 – 24 June) highlights the vital contribution made by carers to their families and communities in providing unpaid care for someone who is ill, frail or disabled. There are over 6 million carers across the UK.