Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don't think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.

Who is a carer?
A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, addiction, or who needs extra help as they grow older. It isn't someone who volunteers or is employed to provide support.

Statistics from Carers UK (August 2019) show: 

• In 2019, using population projections from the Office for National Statistics and polling by Carers UK, it can be estimated that 8.8 million adults in the UK are carers
• 2011 Census statistics identified approximately 1 in 9 workers had caring responsibilities but polling from 2019 suggests that this may now be closer to 1 in 7
• Over 2.6 million people have given up work at some point to care for loved ones, 2 million have reduced working hours

What can your business do to help?
Why not use National Carers Week 2022 to raise awareness of caring and to recognise any unpaid carers in your workforce? It may be as simple as connecting your working carers together or signposting them to support that is available for them. 

• Further information and resources about carers week can be found by visiting https://www.carersweek.org/ 
• Local support for carers can be found by visiting https://www.supportforcarers.org/ 
• Support for young carers in Harborough district is available by visiting https://vasl.org.uk/services/young-carers-activity-group/ 

Check out the upcoming events at Harborough Innovation Centre! Open and free to all businesses across the Harborough district. 

Business in the Spotlight: A HIC Networking Event, 10am - 12pm, Tuesday 28 June 2022
Save the date for the next networking event at Harborough Innovation Centre. Hear from a local business about their journey to success, network with your peers and enjoy a free coffee and cake! External visitors can also join a tour around the centre. 


How to become an employer of choice, 10am - 1pm, Thursday 7 July 2022
Discover how to become an employer of choice and take away some top tools and insights from young people to understand what it takes to be inclusive, accessible and supportive.


How to create compelling job vacancies that attract candidates, 10am - 1pm, Thursday 11 August 2022
Understand what it takes to craft a compelling job vacancy and how to sell it to attract candidates. Takeaway guidance to build your own job vacancies.

The SHIRE Community Grant programme enables VCSE (Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise) sector organisations to deliver community-based projects, services and activities which help to improve the lives of vulnerable people in Leicestershire.

Eligible organisations will be able to apply for grants for community based projects and activities that are specifically focused on supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged people and communities.

We are particularly interested in funding services, projects and activities that will:

• improve the lives, health and wellbeing of vulnerable or disadvantaged people and communities in Leicestershire
• provide community-based early intervention and prevention solutions which help to reduce demand on Council and other public services
• complement existing services already being delivered

Your organisation can only apply for either a Small Grant (max £3,000) or a Large Grant (max £10,000) in 2022-23.

The SHIRE Grant programme for 2022-23 will be administered over 3 rounds of funding. Round 1 is now open and the deadline for applications is Wednesday 8th June 2022. Two further rounds of funding will follow throughout the remainder of 2022.

Small to medium sized businesses, those set up from home and residents can tap into a new solution for investing in solar panels and battery storage systems at a reduced price. The scheme works on an auction basis to find low installation rates with the price getting lower with increased registrations. 

How does it work? 

1. Registration: you can register before 14 June for free and without obligation at www.solartogether.co.uk/Harborough. To register, you simply provide details about your roof, such as its size and orientation. 

2. Auction: an 'auction' will be held on 14 June, where our pre-vetted solar installers will submit bids for the work. The more people that register, the better the deal should be for each household. The installer with the most competitive package will win the auction. 

3. Personal recommendation: from 4 July, you will be emailed your personal recommendation based on your registration details. This includes your costs and specifications of your system. 

4. You decide: the decision is then yours whether you want to accept your recommendation. There is no obligation to continue. You will have 6 weeks to decide and will be invited to an information session. 

5. Installation: if you accept, the winning installer will contact you to survey your roof and set an installation date. All installations are planned to be completed within 6 months of your acceptance. 

The government is providing grants to encourage property owners to install low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps, through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). These grants can help property owners overcome the upfront cost of low carbon heating technologies.

The scheme is open to domestic and small non-domestic properties in England and Wales. It runs from 2022 to 2025.

• £5,000 off the cost and installation of an air source heat pump
• £5,000 off the cost and installation of a biomass boiler
• £6,000 off the cost and installation of a ground source heat pump

You can get one grant per property.

The UK's biggest business membership organisation, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), has launched a flagship new digital resources hub to support and encourage LGBT+ entrepreneurship, and promote inclusivity in workplaces.

FSB's 'Let's Grow Business Together' initiative has been backed by the government's Equalities Minister, Mike Freer MP.

It is also backed by prominent LGBT+ business campaigner Iain Anderson, the Executive Chairman of public relations agency Cicero/AMO.

The online hub features first-hand insights and experience from LGBT+ small business owners, some of whom decided to start their own business in order to feel more comfortable being themselves and avoid the risk of discrimination or subconscious bias in a corporate workplace.