MANY of us enjoy heading off on a spring getaway around Easter time, but what if you were simply unable to take any time off?

Well, this is very much a reality for many of the UK’s 6.8m carers.

Did your readers know that our own research has shown that over a third of carers have never had any significant time away since they started caring?

Astonishing when you consider that more than five out of ten have been in a caring role for ten years or more and 30 per cent are aged 70 or over.

That's why we are reaching out to carers everywhere to say that with our support things can change.

I work for a wonderful charity called Revitalise.

We run The Sandpipers respite holiday centre in Southport, providing much-needed respite breaks for disabled people and carers from all across the region and beyond.

We touch the lives of thousands of disabled people and carers each year through our respite breaks.

Now, we're able to provide even further support via the 'Simplyhealth Care Community', an online carers' forum developed by our long-term partner Simplyhealth and powered by the social network HealthUnlocked.

With more than half of carers we asked admitting they did not know how they would be able to cope if things continued the way they were, we know it's likely that there are thousands more carers out there who feel the same and are in need of our support.

Stephanie Stone, Revitalise.

For more on the 'Simplyhealth Care Community' community visit healthunlocked.com/care-community