Dozens of people who spend most of their days and nights looking after disabled husbands, partners, parents and children enjoyed lunch at Bassetbury Manor, thanks to the South Buckinghamshire Carers' Centre.

Last week was Carers Week, recognising the enormous amount of unpaid work that people in the area do for those close to them who cannot look after themselves.

South Buckinghamshire Carers covers Wycombe, Chiltern and South Bucks districts and has 1,500 carers on its books. It reckons there are about 30,000 around the area.

Nationally this unpaid army of family members saves the Government more than £34 billion a year.

Director Patti Vincent was asked to set up the group in 1993 by Buckinghamshire social services, with whom the association has a funding agreement. She says most carers do the job for love, do not see themselves as carers and do not realise what help they can get.

She said: "There are sitters, so she can go out. She may not know there is a day centre that he might want to go to and it can give her a day off.

"We are the only organisation just for carers," said Ms Vincent, whose group makes use of helpers from Crossroads, the charity, to give the carers a break.

Mayor of High Wycombe Nigel Vickery and his wife Sue came along to say hello.

Cllr Vickery said: "It is a very valued service. Family members have been caring for centuries but it is only in the past four or five years that they have been given the recognition they deserve.'

The couple are not carers as such, but they know about helping. Parents of two teenage sons Alex and Simon, they have fostered 18 or 19 children in the past ten years.

The 50 or so lunch guests tucked in avidly, thankful for not having to cook for themselves or anyone else.

Most carers are women looking after elderly husbands, but among the group was Ann Austin whose 12-year-old daughter, Joanne Lynas, was born partially sighted, deaf and severely disabled as a result of her mother's German measles infection during pregnancy.

A single parent, Ann does everything for her daughter, who is at Maplewood School for severely disabled children in High Wycombe.

"She is my life," she said.

Ann is happy with the social services help she gets. Four evenings a week someone comes to get the little girl ready for bed. She also gets two overnight stays at the school each week and one weekend in three respite care.

"It's her education I am worried about really," said her mother who would like it to be one to one. "She is a happy little girl, but she gets so frustrated. Her hands are all bitten. She bites them through frustration, at not being able to communicate.

The two manage by pointing and guesswork.

"She can let me know what she wants, but I am sure she wants more out of life than just that. She is an intelligent little girl. There's something locked in there and someone is needed to release it," said Ann.

Ann is full of praise for the carers group, which gives her information and some social relief. She said it was wonderful to come to the lunch and be able to talk to people.

And the reflexolgy sessions last week when she was feeling down, gave her a lift.

During the week the centre laid on a boat trip to Windsor and an evening at the theatre as well as the lunch.

It also provided a "pampering" day for its Asian carers and some of the 125 eight to 18-year-olds who also care for family members had a day trip to Thorpe Park.

Anyone who wants to find out more about South Buckinghamshire Carers Centre can get in touch with Patti Vincent on 01494 463536