Kirsten Hogg was formerly head of policy and research at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

Carers UK has a new director who will lead the charity in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Kirsten Hogg, former head of policy and research at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, has joined as the new director of devolved nations.

Her first event with Carers Scotland will be at the Carers Parliament this Thursday (30 October) when unpaid carers will come together in Edinburgh to share how caring affects their lives and provide valuable contributions to improving policy and legislation.

Kirsten said: "I am so excited to join Carers UK in their 60th anniversary year. It is a privilege to join such an influential organisation, and to lend my support to their vital work campaigning for change for unpaid carers.

“Having worked in a range of care and support charities across my career, the vital role of unpaid carers has always been very clear to me, and I look forward to becoming part of the ecosystems supporting unpaid carers in Scotland and in Northern Ireland and Wales.”

Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, added: “We are delighted to have Kirsten joining us as director of the devolved nations. I know that she will build on the fantastic work of her predecessor by working with all three devolved nations to campaign to make life better for carers.

“The wide range of different ways that carers’ issues are devolved means we can learn from best practice in each nation. She joins with a wealth of experience of the voluntary sector, and I know will add huge value not just to the nations but the wider organisation through her role on the senior management team.”