My mum has treatment-resistant schizophrenia and bipolar and has suffered from these illnesses all my life. Before the pandemic, I was able to go home on weekends to help my dad take care of my mum. But because my dad is high risk, I've had to be very careful about visiting them both.

The support I've offered my mum has always been more emotional than practical. I give understanding, positivity and encouragement. I also look out for things that might trigger my mum's illness and reassure her to stop her from getting unwell. I didn't realise I was a carer until 2018 when she had a particularly bad episode of illness and was in hospital for six months. Before that, I didn't know it had a name.

I'm involved with Carers Trust and Carer's Support Wiltshire and work on projects for them. I want to raise awareness and help.

7am

I start my day by reading 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott for half an hour before I get out of bed. I can't function without breakfast. I try to be healthy so make myself some porridge with berries and peanut butter. And I watch Gilmore Girls on Netflix while I eat - I'm hooked watching the quirky inhabitants of Stars Hollow.

9:30am

A highlight of my morning is going out for a walk. I'm so lucky to be minutes away from nature.

10am

When I get home from my walk I ring my mum. It's hard because I don't feel I can help her as much as I'd like. I wasn't able to move in with my parents during lockdown. Luckily, my dad is always there for my mum, which takes a weight off my mind. I check in with her a lot because I want to be there for her.

She suffers from a mental illness, and I’m terrified that something could happen to trigger that during the pandemic. I’m also concerned that she can't go to the daycare centre she used to attend pre-Covid. I don't want her to feel isolated. After I've finished speaking to Mum, I put a card in the post for her. I think little things like that help.

"It's hard because I don't feel I can help her as much as I'd like."

11:30am

I do a HIIT workout on YouTube before lunch. Exercise always makes me feel better. After lunch, I read a bit more.

1:45pm

I tend to feel more productive in the afternoon. I have recently been made a Trustee at my local carers centre, so I go over documents for the next board meeting. It's amazing to be using my lived experience as a carer to help others. And I am learning a lot!

3:45pm

I'm also a volunteer at my local carers centre, so jot down some ideas for a blog post helping young carers cope with lockdown.

"It's amazing to be using my lived experience as a carer to help others."

4:15pm

Throughout the day, I message my friends. I miss meeting up with people. They’re great but I struggle to open up about my caring role, partly for fear of being misunderstood but also because I don't want to be a burden. I wish there was more awareness in society about carers. This is one of the reasons I volunteer with the Quilter and Carers Trust steering group, so I can help raise awareness.

4:30pm

I’ve got to do a video for Carers Trust for Young Carers Action Day, so I draft some notes on what I want to say.

"I wish there was more awareness in society about carers."

5:15pm

I have a look at some job websites and note down anything promising. But at the moment there isn’t much. I finished my Master’s degree in Social Policy and want to apply what I've learned and the experience I've gained through volunteering to a full-time job, so I can be fully self-sufficient. I was waitressing before Covid but because of lockdown that ended.

6pm

It's time to cook dinner. I try to cook from scratch often and improvise with the ingredients I have. I watch a bit more Netflix while I eat.

7pm onwards

My evening includes writing down what I want to get done the next day, as it helps me stay organised. Then I do a quick tidy up and clean. I like listening to music while I do tasks - it's therapy for me. Recently, I’ve been listening to Jhene Aiko a lot and Jorja Smith. But tonight I’m feeling nostalgic, so I listen to some stuff I loved when I was in school.

I bought a “Learn to Draw for Beginners” book and while I'm still at the level of drawing stickmen, I’m excited to see how I progress. It would be nice to go back to my life pre-Covid. I am in desperate need of some fun. I want to get out and about and see my mum more often. We saw each other on Christmas Day, but it makes me sad that I haven’t hugged her since last March. However, despite the ups and downs, I am determined to make the most of my time in lockdown - even if it's different.