SIR - 6.5 million people in the UK care, unpaid, for a disabled, older or ill family member or friend. While caring can be rewarding, without the right support, it can also take a serious toll on a carer’s health, relationships and finances.

This Carers Week (June 12-18), we're asking individuals and communities to do what they can to make life that bit easier for carers.

We want to highlight the importance of Carer Friendly Communities - places where local people and services understand what it’s like to be a carer and show what they're doing to support carers better.

We’re asking people to visit the Carers Week website to recommend Carer Friendly services. It might be an employer, local GP, pharmacy, local care service, school or a café that is Carer Friendly.

There are lots of different ways to get involved in Carers Week: Visit the Carers Week website carersweek.org to find out more.

Join in this Carers Week to build communities that recognise and value the vital contribution carers make to our families, communities and wider society.

Heléna Herklots CBE, Chief Executive of Carers UK, on behalf of Carers Week, Great Dover Street, London