What we've achieved
“Caring for a loved one with dementia is a very lonely frightening experience. The is little or no governmental support. Unlike other terminal illnesses such as cancer there is no recognition or support for either the person with the disease or the carer. One of the few places where I can get support is The Carers’ Centre.”
Carer cafés provide a warm, welcoming, and safe space for carers to connect with old friends or meet new ones. They are often filled with laughter and sometimes tears. Cafés offer an environment where carers can truly be themselves, no matter how they are feeling, without needing to explain. The shared understanding of their caring roles fosters insight and peer support that comes from lived experience, making these connections unique and invaluable.
In response to feedback from carers, some of our in-person cafés have evolved into smaller peer support groups, providing different environments to suit various needs across Bath and North East Somerset. Additionally, we have developed a number of Bereavement Help Points in partnership with Dorothy House and We Hear You (WHY), to support carers as they navigate the end of their caring role and work towards building a new chapter in their lives.
Our dementia cafés remain especially popular, with demand continuing to rise throughout the year. These cafés offer a dedicated space where carers can bring along the person they care for, who will participate in their own supported activities. Meanwhile, the carers can relax, enjoy a cup of tea, and chat with others in a supportive environment.
Alongside this, we host mental health peer support groups in collaboration with KS2 and Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP).
Hear from our community...
"Share your problems and talk to like-minded carers. The hardest thing to do is to ask for help. Remember you are not alone."
Bryan shares that one of the most valuable steps he took to tackle loneliness was to open up and talk to others. He connected with other carers by joining his local carer’s centre.
