SCORES of carers across the county attended an annual conference in Oxford to learn about their rights.

Carers Oxfordshire held its fourth annual Caring Matters Conference last Friday (25), National Carers Rights Day, at The Kassam Stadium.

High Sheriff of Oxfordshire Sarah Taylor, who chaired the conference, presented a cheque for £27,271 to Action for Carers on the day.

Tracey Desmond of Carers Oxfordshire said: “We had a really good mixture of carers and professionals and the day went exceptionally well.

“We had some amazing feedback saying the event had been extremely useful.”

The annual conference offered 130 carers and professionals – including council and health leaders – essential information and advice about caring.

Guest speakers included former chair of the government’s standing commission on carers, Dame Philippa Russell, and head of patient experience at Oxford University Hospitals Trust, Caroline Heason.

Carers Oxfordshire is a free service that offers information, advice and support to a significant percentage of the 61,131 unpaid adult carers of adults in Oxfordshire. It is a partnership between Action for Carers Oxfordshire and Oxfordshire County Council.

Each year, charity Carers UK holds Carers Rights Day to bring organisations across the country together to help carers in their local community know their rights and find out how to get the help and support to which they are entitled.