A young carer from Perth will have his story told on The One Show on BBC television as one of a series of reports connected to Children in Need’s appeal show broadcast later in November.
Perth youngster Zuhair (17) has been invited to join The One Show’s fundraising challenge, The Surprise Squad.
Each night on the 7pm One Show, between now and November 17, the presenters will share updates on big-hearted projects taken on by The Surprise Squad.
Zuhair and the Surprise Squad members are visiting locations around the UK, pulling off surprises for others being supported by BBC Children in Need.
Zuhair is to be one of five inspirational young people who will be in the spotlight. He’s a young carer who receives an emotional boost from Perth -based organisation PKAVS which has benefited from BBC Children in Need funding.
Attending groups for young carers through PKAVS has enabled Zuhair to meet others like him, providing him with the opportunity to feel more connected to peers going through similar experiences.
For the One Show programme, film crews came to the PKAVS Carers’ Centre in Perth to see Zuhair and his family attending a young carers drop-in group.
Zuhair is a young carer for his two younger siblings Mo and Elaine, who were both diagnosed with a form of ataxia six years ago.
Ataxia is a progressive degenerative disease that affects balance, control and eye movement.
Caring for Mo and Elaine involves the whole family and this became especially hard following a car accident which left Zuhair’s mother temporarily unable to walk.
Zuhair started to care more for his siblings to enable his father to keep working. Like so many young carers, this has at times left Zuhair feeling isolated and struggling with his mental health.
Zuhair has been supported by PKAVS, which is funded by BBC Children in Need to deliver support to young carers.
The support worker at PKAVS acts as a lifeline for Zuhair and his other sister Layan, also a young carer for the family.
Joined by The One Show presenters, Alex Jones, Ronan Keating and Jermaine Jenas, The Surprise Squad will head to three locations around the country where they will complete surprise challenges for BBC Children in Need funded projects.
One Show viewers will be able to watch how the surprises unfold each evening, whilst learning the young people’s inspiring stories in the run to the big BBC Children in Need televised appeal show.
Zuhair said: “I want to spread the message to all carers around the UK that they are not alone and that there is support for them. For me personally, I hope being part of the Surprise Squad will make me meet new people and maybe make long-lasting friends.
“I am also looking forward to facing new challenges - I love to be part of a team and I will try my best to spread a smile and have fun.”
The One Show’s Alex Jones will be joining the team during one of the surprises and said: “We’re thrilled to bits that The Surprise Squad is back again for BBC Children in Need with a new troupe of incredible young people delivering very special challenges for BBC Children in Need funded projects across the country. ”
Boy band hero Ronan Keating will also be joining the team for one of the surprises. He said: “Once again we’re so pleased to be delivering these surprises for BBC Children in Need projects across the country and what better way than to do it than with the help of a very special squad of youngsters who have benefited from BBC Children in Need themselves.”
To donate visit www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey
