Care charities announce merger plan

Friday 20th January 2012

Millions of people caring for family and friends at home will benefit from a new charity.

Crossroads Care and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers have joined forces to provide support information and advice to unpaid carers.

The new charity could be in place as soon as April 1, subject to the completion of formal and regulatory steps.

Former vice-chairman of the trust, Andrew Cozens, has been appointed as chairman of the new charity, which is yet to be named.

He said: "Both of the founder charities place carers and carers support at their heart and this will be at the core of the new organisation. The work undertaken by Crossroads Care and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers is complementary and they have a well known and respected track record of working together.

"While both are doing great work independently in supporting carers, it became apparent that so much more could be achieved, both now and in the future, if the two came together to create a new charity.

"Doing so will give us a single, stronger voice with which to raise greater awareness of the issues that carers face, as well as the money needed to sustain existing, and develop new, services for carers."

Both charities' networks will continue to provide support to carers under their local brands, and are not expected to merge locally as a result of the national merger.

The Princess Royal has agreed to be president of the new charity, a role she already held at the trust.

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