April 2025
What’s on at the Carers Centre?
Why not take a break? Schedule in some time for yourself?
| Next Dates: | Time | Name | Info |
| Wed 16/4
Wed 23/4 |
6.15pm – 8.15pm
6.15pm – 8.15pm |
Young Adult Carers Group: for carers aged 18-25 years to take a break from caring and find support and advice. WEEKLY | Drop-in: no booking necessary. |
| Tues 22/4
Tues 29/4 |
10am – 11am
10am – 11am |
Wellbeing Within with Elaine: an hour of mindfulness and guided relaxation. Starts promptly at 10am. WEEKLY | No booking necessary. |
| Tues 22/4 | 2pm – 3.30pm | Spring Tea Party with Jayne: delicious nibbles and consultation about carers breaks. | Please book. |
| Thurs 24/4
Thurs 8/5 |
10am – 1pm
10am – 1pm |
Citizens Advice SGN Drop-in: Energy and Money-saving advice. EVERY TWO WEEKS | Drop-in: no booking necessary. |
| Fri 25/4
Tue 27/5 |
10am – 11.30am
1pm – 2.30pm |
Creative Writing with Laura: all abilities welcome. Relaxed session that encourages self-expression through writing. MONTHLY (DAY/TIME VARY) | Please book. |
| Fri 25/4
Fri 2/5 |
10am – 1pm
10am – 1pm |
Dementia Support Drop-in: Support workers from Remind will be available to answer any questions or concerns about caring for/living with dementia. WEEKLY | Drop-in: no booking necessary. |
| Fri 25/4
Fri 9/5 |
12pm – 2pm
12pm – 2pm |
Room One Loved Ones Group: for anyone caring for/supporting an autistic or neurodivergent adult in Portsmouth. Relaxed, friendly session for peer support/chat. EVERY TWO WEEKS | Drop-in: no booking necessary. |
| Mon 28/4
Mon 5/5 |
10.20am – 12pm
10.20am – 12pm |
Brunel Carers Group: peer support group for carers of people affected by dementia. Meets at 10.20am for a 10.30am start. Talk, listen, let off steam and support each other. EVERY WEEK (EXCEPT BANK HOLIDAYS) | Drop-in: no booking necessary. |
| Mon 28/4
Mon 19/5 |
11am – 12.30pm
11am – 12.30pm |
South Asian Carers Group: peer support group for members of the South Asian community who are unpaid carers. Come together, meet others in a similar situation, share ideas and information over a cup of tea. MONTHLY | Drop-in: no booking necessary. |
| Mon 28/4/25 | 1pm – 2pm | Parkinson’s Disease Information Session: The Parkinson’s Nurse specialist from the Community Neurology team will be hosting a question-and-answer session. | Please book. |
| Tues 13/5
Tues 10/6 |
12pm – 2pm
12pm – 2pm |
Carers and Cake in collaboration with SEND Butterflies South Coast: for all carers. Coffee, chat and cake! Friendly peer support, information and advice. MONTHLY | Drop-in: no booking necessary |
| Wed 14/5
Wed 11/6 |
9.30am – 12.30pm
9.30am – 12.30pm |
Advice Portsmouth Drop-in: Carers Allowance, Attendance Allowance, PIP/DLA Applications, Benefits Checks, Housing and Consumer Advice, Debt and Budgeting Advice. MONTHLY EVERY 2ND WED | Drop-in: no booking necessary. |
| Tues 20/5
Fri 20/6 |
12pm – 2pm
9.30am – 11.30am |
Creative Cuppa and Catch-up with Laura: all carers welcome. Coffee, chat and simple craft. MONTHLY (DAY/TIME VARY) | Drop-in: no booking necessary. |
We have lots of regular sessions at the Carers Centre and most of these are drop-in, so you don’t need to book in advance. They are perfect to have in your calendar so you know you can have a break, some time for yourself and to let someone else make you a well-deserved cuppa!
It’s good to see that the Carers Centre is being used to support carers in a variety of ways – from our Carers Break sessions and peer support groups, to helpful information sessions for carers.
We are pleased to welcome Vicky and the Brunel Carers Group who now meet at the Carers Centre every Monday. The group meets at 10.20am for a 10.30am start. from 10am to 12pm. This is a peer support group for carers of people affected by dementia. Vicky says, “We meet once a week to talk, listen, let off the steam but most of all to support each other”. For more information call Vicky on: 02392 429302 or email: carersbrunel@gmail.com
In addition to our regular drop-in sessions from Remind and Advice Portsmouth, we are pleased to welcome Citizens Advice South East who will be delivering outreach sessions at the Carers Centre as part of the SGN Outreach Project. They will provide crisis support, energy advice and income maximization advice to vulnerable and under-represented groups. These sessions will be held every two weeks on a Thursday from 10am to 1pm.
For carers of people living with Parkinsons Disease we will be hosting our next Workshop with the Parkinson Nurse Specialist on Monday 28th April, from 1pm to 2pm at the Carers Centre. To book your place, please either call: 02392 851864 or visit our Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/parkinsons-disease-information-session-for-carers-april-2025-tickets-1291203627809?
If you need support to enable you to get to a session – for example, a sitting service if the person you care for cannot be left alone safely, please get in touch to discuss these options with your keyworker or our duty worker. Call: 02392 851864 or email: carercentre@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Meet the Team
Putting a face to the name/voice at the end of the phoneline!
What do you do at Portsmouth Carers Service? I am a Social Worker in the Carers Centre. I assess the needs of people who may benefit from some support in Portsmouth, and their carers.
What do you like about working there? I like working with my colleagues in recognising and supporting the incredible time people in Portsmouth give to those close to them.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working? When not working, I enjoy time with my 2 dogs, walking, and meeting up with friends and family.
What is your favourite quote? ‘It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.’ – from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Victorious Ticket Draw – Results
Fifteen lucky carers receive complimentary tickets to Victorious!
Thank you to all the carers who put their names forward for the draw for Victorious Festival 2025 tickets.
Fifty-nine carers, caring for all ages and caring situations, entered the draw to receive 2 x 1-day tickets for Victorious Festival. Five names were drawn for each day by our local Carers Breaks Cookery celebrity Jayne, assisted by Carers Service Manager Ben and Carers Centre Administrator Donna.
Portsmouth Carers Service are extremely grateful to Victorious Festival for making this generous offer to unpaid carers. For many carers, being able to take a break from caring and spend time doing something you enjoy with friends and family is a lifeline.
It was a pleasure to be able to call the winners – from their comments below you can see how happy they are to have the opportunity to enjoy this fantastic event in Portsmouth.
We are pleased to announce that the lucky carers who will receive two one-day tickets for the festival are:
- Friday 22nd August
- Alan, P01, Parent Carer – “Wow that’s amazing”.
- Lisa, caring for her Mum – “I am Made up. I didn’t think it would be me; good things don’t normally happen to me”.
- Pauline, PO4, Caring for her husband.
- Adele, PO4, Parent Carer – “Amazing, that’s made my day”.
- Kate, PO6, Caring for several members of the family young and old – “Brilliant, that’s fantastic news”.
- Saturday 23rd August
- Lucy, P03, Parent Carer – “Absolutely brilliant, that’s amazing”.
- Elaine, PO1, caring for elderly Mum – “That’s fantastic, wonderful news”.
- Tammy, P02, caring for a family member – “I can’t believe it, it will the first time I’ve been able to the festival”.
- Jade, P01, caring for her Mum – “We never been festival, so we will be looking forward to it”.
- Racine, PO2, caring for her son – “It’s nice to have a break and I really appreciate the chance to go out and be me for a day and have something to look forward to”.
- Sunday 24th August
- Nei, PO5, Parent Carer – “What a Lovely Surprise”.
- Fiona, PO4, Parent Carer – “I am very grateful for the opportunity to go. It’s good to have some me time alongside caring”.
- Paige, PO2, Parent Carer – “Thank you so much”.
- Francesca, PO6, Parent Carer – “Amazing, such welcome news. Things have been difficult lately so it will be something to look forward to”.
- Debra, PO2, Parent Carer.
We hope you all have a brilliant time – if you get any photos you’d be happy to share, please forward them to: carerscentre@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Escape into a faraway place…
A good read can make you laugh or cry, it can take you on a journey to faraway places, or you could walk alongside one of your hero’s as you read about their life and adventures. Taking time to yourself to enjoy a good book can be a break from your everyday routine and worries.
We have a varied selection of fiction and non-fiction books which have been donated to Portsmouth Carers Service. Our bookshelf if located in our reception area – please drop in to help yourself to a book and take some time to enjoy a good read.
If you enjoy reading or listening to audiobooks, why not visit your local library – Portsmouth Library Service has a range of books and audiobooks available. Drop into your local library to find out more or visit: https://librariesandarchives.portsmouth.gov.uk/public-library-service/
New Carers Support Group
Are you caring for someone affected by mental health issues?
Caring for someone affected by mental health issues can be challenging. You can now join the new monthly carers support group at The Orchards, which will offer a cup of tea, information and the chance to meet and chat with other carers who are in similar situations.
The first session will be on Saturday 3rd May, from 11am to 1pm. Subsequent days/times will be discussed and confirmed at the first session.
For more information please contact Lucy Darwin or Anoop Thomas on: 0300 123 6620, email: lucy.darwin@solent.nhs.uk or Anoop.thomas@solent.nhs.uk
Information and where to find it…
New video guides available to help explain aspects of social care
Understanding assessments, finances and care costs can be difficult. It is helpful to know where to find reliable information that is easy to access and provided in a way that makes sense. This can relieve many anxieties that people have and ensure they are able to access support if/when needed.
Portsmouth City Council website has recently been updated with video guides which give a clear explanation of what is involved in a care and support assessment, financial assessment and paying for care.
This includes a video providing an explanation of what a carers assessment is and it’s purpose please follow this link to view the video: https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/services/health-and-care/adult-social-care/support-for-carers/
If you would like to gain a better understanding of what is involved there are also videos which provide a range of helpful explanations on other aspects of health and social care: https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/services/health-and-care/adult-social-care/social-care-needs-assessment/
Get Involved: Make a Difference
Your Break, Your Way: Carers Breaks and Respite Provision
Portsmouth Carers Service is launching Your Break, Your Way: a research and development project aimed at reviewing and enhancing the carers breaks and respite offer for adult carers in Portsmouth.
Over the coming months our development officer Gina will be contacting carers to hear about your experience of our existing carers breaks and respite offer, and to explore the ways in which you would like to take your break, your way.
Your involvement will enable us to explore ways to improve upon the traditional carers breaks offer in Portsmouth and develop our support for carers. The findings will be shared with the wider community, offering a transparent view of Portsmouth’s commitment to supporting carers. If you are a carer, we encourage you to get involved.
Stay tuned for updates as we work together create your break, your way.
For more information please email: gina.mula@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call: 02392 851864
Your experiences and insights are invaluable in shaping the future of carers breaks and respite provision in Portsmouth.
Caring for someone with dementia?
Your insights will help shape the design of this project.
The University of Portsmouth and Dr. Kellyn are looking for individuals who have a loved one with dementia living at home:
You may be a spouse, partner, son, daughter, niece, friend or neighbour who plays a role in supporting or caring for them. Your knowledge and experience would be invaluable in helping shape our project.
We are exploring how text messaging through a mobile phone can provide emotional support for people like yourself and help navigate some og the relationship changes that dementia brings.
How much time is involved?
We would like to talk to you for up to an hour on three or four separate occasions. This may be in groups or one-to-one.
Will I get paid?
Yes, if you are willing to receive a payments, we can offer a payment of £25 per hour. We can also support with the cost of care if you need to pay for a carer while you take time out to help us.
If you’re interested in getting involved, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact: Martha or Amy.
Email Martha: up2095873@myport.ac.uk. Telephone Amy: 02392 844432
Can Mindfulness Help Paranoia?
Calling for participants to join our research study
We want to find out if mindfulness is helpful for people with paranoia.
Eligibility:
- Do you struggle with trusting people or things often classed as Paranoia?
- Do you want to find out if mindfulness can support you to manage these thoughts?
What’s involved?
- Answering questions about your thoughts and feelings at the start of the programme.
- If selected, you will be asked if you would like to attend the 10 mindfulness therapy sessions.
- Answer some more questions at the end of the 10 therapy sessions.
- Answer some questions once the study has finished.
To participate please email: josh.waterman@southernhealth.nhs.uk or call: 07825 196381
You will receive up to £30 as a thank you for your time (£10 each time you complete our questions)