Chloe Smith, Member of Parliament for Norwich North, will on Friday 14th June join a locally-run carers group to call for simple help from the community.

Chloe will be joining “Chill4Us” at a coffee session hosted at Peter Taylor Funeral Directors to show her support and recognition of the hard work of carers.

“Chill4Us” host online chat sessions to reach out to carers who may feel isolated whilst often being confined to their homes whilst looking after their loved one. Chloe has supported her Hellesdon constituent, who runs the group, many times in the past.

Chloe is supporting Chill4Us’ ‘Computers For Carers’ campaign by appealing to local businesses or individuals to show support for local carers by asking for donations of computers and laptops that are no longer needed, so that they can be given to carers who cannot afford computer equipment themselves.

Chloe comments: “Carers give extraordinary care 356 days a year.  Carers Week provides an opportunity for Norwich and the country to acknowledge the hard and often thankless work that carers do for their loved ones.  And this is just one day to try to help draw attention to a chance to help, really practically.  Can you help carers by donating any unwanted computers or laptops?  These will provide a lifeline to a carer who may be feeling isolated and trapped at home.  Wendy and the Chill4Us team do so much, and it is good of a local business like Peter Taylor to support them.”

Wendy Maxwell, founder of Chill4Us, comments: “For several years we have campaigned to get family carers on the internet and when they can’t afford to buy a PC or laptop we have tried to issue them with a free recycled one. We are made up of volunteers of carers or past carers and we have the equipment professionally refurbished.

“The carers get back to us and tell us how much this has meant to them, because Carers Allowance is the lowest benefit there is, they thought they would never be able to purchase one. They tell us they can do their shopping, banking and make friends and find support.

“Many chose to stay with us on our forum because they now have the internet, but the main thing is that they find friends on the internet wherever they wish, because the caring role is a lonely one.”

Any businesses or individual wishing to donate computer equipment should email Wendy Maxwell on carerschillout@hotmail.co.uk

http://chloesmithmp.com/chloe-smith-says-can-you-donate-old-computers