Across the UK, millions of unpaid carers face invisibility every day. Statistics prove that three in five adults will become a carer at some point, and two-thirds of young carers receive no support at all. Following his own personal experience as a young carer, Notts local Danny Donnelly set up CreatewithCare, a project using creativity to support the wellbeing of carers, raise awareness, and connect people to local support. He tells us about his journey and work…
Can you tell us a bit about your background and what inspired you to start CreatewithCare?
“At times, joy has felt like a risk.” That’s a line I wrote two years ago for All You Need Is a Pen, the first young carers’ anthology we created, and it still resonates with every carer who reads it.
I’ve been a young carer for my dad since I was about ten, although I realise I was a carer much younger. He has progressive multiple sclerosis, and it’s hard to describe how it completely changes your life. As his mobility deteriorated, I took on more cooking, cleaning, managing his emotions, and later providing personal care. He’s been housebound ever since, and though his quality of life is limited, creativity is our escape. We travel through stories, music, and film. Art becomes the way to cope and connect when our world feels small.
What’s hardest is watching families like ours, fall through the cracks. When services are cut, carers absorb the impact. We’re invisible in so many ways, yet without us, everything collapses. Just because you can’t see the strain doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
At seventeen, my life changed again when my family and I were attacked in a public park, leaving me with a head injury, two breaks in my jaw, and long-term neurological symptoms: vertigo, fatigue, speech difficulties, post-traumatic stress and over 20 other symptoms followed. For months I could barely walk. Every day sounds and light would make me sick. My mum literally held my arm as I took each step, relearning balance and confidence.
Creativity became my lifeline. Music, writing, and art gave me a way to process grief for my former self and rebuild my identity. Sharing my story helped others, and helping others helped me heal too and I began volunteering to share the transformative power of the arts with the community.
You’re also studying nursing, how has that influenced your perspective?
As a student nurse, I’ve seen the same invisibility in healthcare. Out of hundreds of professionals I met, only a couple knew about the local carer charity. Most didn’t understand the breadth of caring roles or their impact on health, unless the person cared for had very complex needs.
When staff do understand, they want to help, but often they simply don’t have the resources or training. It’s why awareness is so crucial; carer wellbeing can be deeply linked to patient outcomes.
On every placement, I’ve tried to raise awareness, showing that carer wellbeing is deeply linked to patient outcomes. When staff understand, they want to help, but often they just don’t have the resources or training.
The truth is, my story isn’t unusual. Across the UK, millions of unpaid carers face the same invisibility every day:
- The economic value of unpaid care provided by adult carers is approximately £184 billion per year, the equivalent of a second NHS.
- Three in five adults will become a carer at some point.
- Around one in ten pupils provide high or very high levels of care, yet 79% of schools reported zero young carers on their census in 2023.
- Two-thirds of young carers receive no support at all.
- They face a twofold risk of suicide compared to non-carers.
How does creativity come into your work?
The young carers I’ve supported through art-based projects constantly remind me why this work matters so deeply. Their strength, humour, and compassion inspire me every day. They face challenges most adults would struggle with, yet still find joy and creativity.
Through CreatewithCare, I wanted to build something that made them feel seen. We use creativity to help carers express themselves, to have a safe space to just be, have fun and to talk about health, identity and wellbeing in a natural way.
It’s not just about art; it’s about creating safe spaces and meeting young people where they are.
The more I support carers, the more gaps I see, and the more driven I become to fill them. What started as small workshops has grown into national advocacy, influencing policy, healthcare, and education. Every step of the way, every single detail is still created with care, because we see how much of a lifeline these workshops are for young carers. The bravery and selflessness I see in these young people amaze me every single day. I just want to keep doing everything I can to create a better future for them.
The transformation has been incredible. Many began shy and camera-off, but ended as confident young writers, mentoring others and sharing their stories proudly. Seeing them laugh, create, and belong has been one of the greatest honours of my life
What kinds of projects have you developed through CreatewithCare?
We’ve co-produced two creative writing anthologies with young carers, giving them the freedom to share their stories, from exploring themes like anxiety, self-care, and grief to imagining wild, hopeful worlds. Each piece was their voice, their story, their choice.
We also co-created The Daily Lives of Young Carers, an animation made with carers aged 9-17 that captures both the challenges and the pride of their roles, and promotes the support offered by Young Carers Notts.
A second animation, in partnership with Nottingham Carers Association, the University of Nottingham, and Nottingham Trent University, will focus on student carers and is set to launch early next year.
CreatewithCare also runs school and community outreach and collaborative sessions, often involving both young carers and their families, using creative writing to explore identity, connection, and self-expression together.
Can you talk about some of the resources and directories you have set up?
Alongside the creative work, I’ve also focused on making practical support easier to find. I’ve developed a public Directory of Carer Charities and Community Art Projects across Nottinghamshire, helping carers and families connect with local wellbeing opportunities.
At the University of Nottingham, I’ve created new entitlement forms for student carers, designed to help tutors and students identify caring responsibilities early and access the right support, including carer assessments.
These tools are now being shared across the university and embedded into carer-support guidance, with plans to expand and continue developing them across Nottinghamshire so even more carers can access the support they deserve.
...And your work has gone further to challenge and develop existing policies?
Beyond creative projects, my work has grown to focus on advocacy and systems change, making sure carers’ voices shape the policies and institutions that affect their lives.
I sit on Nottingham’s Carers Strategy Implementation Board, working with councils, NHS trusts, universities, and charities to strengthen carer support across the region. I also present at local and national conferences on improving identification and support for carers within health, education, and social care systems.
Nationally, I’ve co-authored policy papers on carer health inequalities with Dr Karen E. Neil, Dr Michael Watson, and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education. We met with Lord Philip Hunt at the House of Lords to share this evidence, along with poetry written by the young carers themselves, which inspired his support for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Young and Young Adult Carers.
I also now co-chair the APPG’s national inquiry into removing barriers to education, employment and training for young and young adult carers, helping shape recommendations to be presented in Parliament.
The resilience of these young carers amazes me every day. They go through so much, yet still bring joy to others and make people feel seen. That’s what gives me what I call “innate energy”, the drive to keep going
Through University of Nottingham’s School of Health Sciences, I’m developing new health-promotion resources for carers and students, potentially supporting thousands of people, with more to be revealed soon.
Our media campaigns, anthologies, and animations have reached new audiences, helping identify “hidden” carers and raising awareness through storytelling and art.
What changes have you seen in the young carers who took part?
The transformation has been incredible. Many began shy, but ended as confident young writers, mentoring others and sharing their stories proudly. This project has been one of the greatest honours of my life.
Parents told us: “These sessions helped my daughter open up and gave her a safe space to express herself, more effective for her mental health than any professional support we’ve tried” and “Her confidence has reignited, she’s smiling more, writing more, performing again.”
Teachers noticed it too: “The impact was incredible. Students found meaning, belonging, and the confidence to share parts of themselves they’d never expressed before.”
One young carer found the courage to write about their loss for the first time, something professional involvement wasn’t able to do. Their words, their love and story has been deeply powerful for their family and us, and their love will inspire much more. A reminder of how powerful creativity can be for healing. I’m proud CreatewithCare has become a space where young carers can be themselves.
I’m proud CreatewithCare has become a space where young carers can be themselves.
What keeps you motivated, even when the work feels heavy?
The resilience of these young carers amazes me every day. They go through so much, yet still bring joy to others and make people feel seen. That’s what gives me what I call “innate energy”, the drive to keep going, even when things feel heavy, because they deserve better.
What message would you share with other carers?
Before we finished our anthology project, I asked the young carers what message they’d want to share with others in their shoes:
“Don’t put your head down, rise it high to the sky.”
“You are not alone. Don’t do it alone.”
“It’s not a curse, it’s a blessing.”
“Your story matters.”
“Don’t push yourself to do what you can’t, plenty of rest.”
“Never forget how amazing you are, no matter what.”
Change starts with awareness. We need more people to understand the realities of being a carer, the challenges, yes, but also the creativity, resilience, and strength that define their experiences.
With Carers Rights Day approaching on Monday 20 November, it feels like the right time to shine a light on what life is really like for carers. A reminder that our young carers deserve to be recognised, valued, and supported no matter where they are every single day, in schools, workplaces, universities, and hospitals.
Even if you’re not a professional, you can still make a difference. If you know someone who looks after a loved one, whether they’re a young or adult carer, encourage them to check what support is available.
Together, we can stop carers from suffering in silence. Find more at the website below.
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and donations from the Nottingham Alumni, staff, students and friends through the Cascade funding.
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