From September, if you care for a family member or friend you can take part in free moving and handling awareness workshops and equipment demonstration days.

Laura Lapadula, Manual Handling Consultant Social Work Services explains: "All too often, people who are caring for family and friends in their own homes do not realise that they can often put their own physical wellbeing at risk.  Carers provide an invaluable service and it is vital that we help protect them. Every year, significant numbers of these carers are forced to give up caring because of back pain or other injury caused by the activities they carry out on a day-to-day basis."

To try and address this issue the Manual Handling Team in Social Work Service has been working alongside colleagues in Fife Council Education Service, NHS Fife, Adam Smith College, PAMIS and the Fife Carers Association to develop the workshops. 

Any family carer can enrol for one of these free half-day sessions on Moving and Handling Awareness which will be held 10 am-1.30pm on: 2 September 2008, Dunfermline; 18 September 2008 and 28 October 2008 in Glenrothes.

To book a place or to obtain more information, carers can email Fife Carers Centre or call 01592 642999.