Health and wellbeing
When you look after someone, your health and wellbeing can be affected by your caring responsibilities. But it is just as important to look after yourself as it is the person you care for. From creative writing courses to coffee mornings and yoga classes, our free health and wellbeing programme provides a wide range of activities specifically designed to support carers.
Whether you want to develop a new skill, meet other carers who understand your situation, or simply create some time and space for yourself, our health and wellbeing sessions are all led by people who are either carers themselves or understand carers’ needs.
What kinds of activities and sessions can I join?
The programme is free and you can join as many of our sessions as you like. Some of our regular sessions include:
Carers Coffee Mornings: Our regular coffee mornings are held in different locations throughout the borough and are an opportunity to meet other carers, share knowledge and get support from each other.
Wellbeing walks: Leaving from our Carers Centre in Forest Hill, or at pre-arranged meeting points our fortnightly wellbeing walks are a sociable way to get outside and explore local parks and green spaces in a small group, and we always finish with tea, biscuits and a good chat.
Counselling: Our skilled and experienced specialist 1-2-1 counsellors provide dedicated time and a confidential space to talk about your feelings and challenges, helping you to find coping strategies and avoid reaching crisis . Find out more.
Bereavement support: Run in partnership with St Christopher’s Hospice, our weekly bereavement support group is specifically for carers, so you can share experiences and memories with others who have experienced a similar loss. Find out more.
Creative workshops: Our workshops are a great way to meet people, learn, and explore your talents in a supportive environment. We regularly update our programme to reflect what carers tell us they want, but examples include creative writing, photography and jewellery making.
Complementary therapies: We offer aromatherapy and reflexology amongst other complementary therapies to help you relax. Our wonderful therapists offer half hour sessions from 4-8pm every Tuesday evening at our Carers Hub in Waldram Place. Unlike our other activities which are all free, complementary therapies are charged for at a heavily reduced rate of £15. You must book in advance.
- Aromatherapy – please call Laura on 07973 183711
- Reflexology – please call Catherine on 07751 551203
- Indian head massage – please call Catherine on 07751 551203
- Seated acupressure massage – please call Catherine on 07751 551203
For details of all our upcoming events, activities and workshops, download our Activities Timetable.