Smiley Movement logo

Change your hair to show you care on Young Carers Action Day

Words by Smiley Team

The UK’s first ever Young Carers Action Day is being marked today by MYTIME Young Carer’s HAIR2CARE campaign. For the initiative, supporters are doing all kinds of weird and wonderful things with their hair in aid of young people under the age of 18 caring for a relative with a disability, illness, mental health, or drug or alcohol problem.

From rainbow wigs and headpieces to radical backcombing and beyond, their hairstyles are spreading across social media with the hashtag #HAIR2CARE. 

Celebrity participants include hairdresser Lee Stafford and actor Scott Maslen from The Bill and EastEnders, as well as Maslen’s wife DJ Estelle Rubio, and DJ Seamus Haji.

MYTIME’s trustee chair will also join in by shaving his head as part of a LinkedIn campaign.

The charity’s fundraising director, Penelope Day urges participants to: “Be brave. Be bold. Be ridiculous. It’s just about showing support and thanks to young carers in a way that’s really visible. All that matters is that you care, and you show it.”

Anyone can support the campaign by doing something ridiculous to their hair and texting HAIR2CARE to 70450 to donate £2, 70460 to donate £5 and 70470 to donate £10.



Young heroes who care

MYTIME supports young people doing incredible work to look after relatives experiencing health problems or addictions. Throughout the month of March, the charity’s supporters are also participating in a sponsored campaign doing a good deed a day.

Krista Sharp, CEO of MYTIME Young Carers, points out: “National Young Carers Action Day represents the perfect opportunity for us all to stop and reflect on the role that young carers play within our society, and to show our appreciation for everything they do.

“There are an estimated 700,000 young carers living here in the UK. These remarkable young people work hard to take care of their families, day in and day out, sometimes at great personal cost, but young carers are not often recognised for the contribution they make to our community.”

MYTIME helps these young people by offering them wellbeing support and breaks from their care roles during which they can socialise with other children like them to tackle the isolation they are otherwise likely to experience.

To support their work donate to MYTIME or organise your own fundraiser for the charity.

This article aligns with the following UN SDGs

You might also like…