Portraits capture carers at home

Helena and Lisa, by Hannah Hills is one of the photos in the exhibition In Pictures: Portrait of a carer

A series of portraits depicting carers and the people they look after is to be exhibited in South Lanarkshire.

The photographs by Hannah Hills, entitled "24 hours", will be on display at Chatelherault Country Park from 2 June as part of Carers Week.

Each subject is shown sitting on a sofa in their own home, with the person they care for next to them.

The exhibition, which includes carers from across Scotland, was launched at the Scottish Parliament last September.

One of the photographs was also exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in 2005.

The exhibition will be held at the visitor centre's Cadzow Gallery until 30 June.

'Valuable role'

Next to each portrait will be a brief explanation of the carer's role in their own words.

Helena is one of three carers from the Lanarkshire area featured in the exhibition.

She has been looking after her daughter Lisa, who has cerebral palsy, for 15 years.

I've learnt a lot from Lisa. Having her has made me a better person, a stronger person Helena, Carer

She said: "Lisa has cerebral palsy but she does the normal things that other teenagers do.

"She likes the cinema and music and she is her own person and knows her own mind.

"When she was five, the health visitor said I shouldn't look at what Lisa can't do, but at what she can do. I've learnt a lot from Lisa. Having her has made me a better person, a stronger person."

Harry Stevenson, executive director of social work at South Lanarkshire Council, said the local authority worked closely with carers.

He said: "This exhibition is an excellent way of illustrating the valuable role carers play in the life of Scotland.

"It is also an innovative way of highlighting the issue in a week which celebrates and recognises the role of carers."

This year's Carers Week takes place from 8 to 15 June.

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