This Saturday, 10 November 2018, we gave around 30 young carers from across London the opportunity to take part in an 803-year-old City of London tradition: the annual Lord Mayor’s Show.
Before the show, the young carers worked with our professional lead artist Jack Cornell to create mobile sculptures and banners inspired by the Rt Hon the Lord Mayor Peter Estlin’s theme for his year in office, ‘Shaping Tomorrow’s City Today’. Their fantastical creations, which imagined eco-friendly buildings and celebrated sustainability, technology and creativity, formed a walking float.
The young carers, with staff from Create and the participating carers’ services – Family Action Camden and Islington Young Carers Service, Kingston Carers’ Network, Carers’ Hub Lambeth and Sutton Carers Centre – paraded the float along the procession route from Bank to Aldwych.
The day began with face-painting by our volunteer Sarah before the young carers set off to take their place in the procession. Cheering crowds met us as we made our way through the City. A highlight was passing Mansion House, where the Lord Mayor greeted us from his balcony. After rounding St Paul’s Cathedral and heading down Fleet Street, we stopped for lunch. The return leg of the route began with a scenic stretch along the Embankment. High-fiving and waving to the crowd, the young carers finished the procession in high spirits and – luckily – just before the weather turned from glorious autumnal sunshine to torrential rain.
One young carer who took part in the Show said, “I liked meeting different young carers from across London. My favourite moment was seeing the Lord Mayor and seeing my parents cheer for me. Being in the Show made me feel proud of myself, happy and appreciated.” Another said her favourite part of the day was “Everything!”