Carers Trust Hillingdon are passionate about finding you the right support to help you manage your health and wellbeing, focusing on your own needs and inspirations.
We listen to your interests and what you would like to learn or do. We then develop a programme of activities in venues around the Borough.
Stay Social
Keeping in touch and meeting people
Carers can sometimes feel lonely or socially isolated as a result of their caring role, which in turn impacts on their health. It is important that carers try to keep up with their social connections as these are good for maintaining their wellbeing. This may include keeping in touch with family and friends, a quick phone call, joining online networks or engaging in a hobby
Carers Trust Hillingdon are passionate about finding you the right support to help you manage your health and wellbeing, focusing on your own needs and inspirations.
Carers Cafes
Come along and meet other carers for friendly conversation. You will receive a warm welcome in a relaxed environment.
You are welcome to bring the person you care-for.
Uxbridge Cafe
Christ Church
Redford Way, Uxbridge
1st Monday of every month
10:00am-12 noon
Northwood Cafe
Emmanuel Church,
High Street, Northwood
2nd Tuesday of every month
2:00-3:30pm
Ruislip Cafe
Ruislip Manor Methodist Church,
Torrington Road, Ruislip Manor
3rd Monday of every month
2:00-3:30pm
Hayes Cafe
Hayes & Harlington Community Centre,
Albert Road, Hayes
Last Tuesday of every month
11:00am-12.30pm
Alzheimer’s Dementia Cafes
Templeton Café
The Templeton Centre, Joel Street,
Northwood HA6 1NL
Every alternate fortnight from 11:00am-12:30pm
Contact Madhuri 07740 433472
Hayes Café
Hayes & Harlington Community Centre, Albert Road, Hayes UB3 4HR
Every alternate fortnight to Templeton 10:30am-12:30pm
Contact Julia 07803 115535
Hillingdon Mind Cafe
Carers’ Coffee and Chat
Fridays 2:00-3:30pm via Zoom
The group is for peer support and includes workshops covering mental health and wellbeing strategies to help people manage their caring role effectively.
For more information please contact Evelyn on evelyn@hillingdonmind.org.uk
“It’s good to meet with others, have a chat about how things are going. It gives me a lift and I enjoy the company and to see many happy, smiling faces.”
A carer
Fancy a walk?
Discover Hillingdon-led walks
Choose from different lengths and locations around the Borough and enjoy a leisurely walk with some social time afterwards
Creativity
Express yourself
Come along to improve your knowledge and find your inner creativity. We offer different workshops throughout the year and are always looking for new ideas.
Divide and enjoy - make your plants go further
Learn how to take cuttings and plant elsewhere
in your garden or in patio pots
Create your own herb garden
Learn how to create a herb garden and use
in your cooking
Supermarket flowers - from shelf to a gift
Create beautiful bouquet from everyday supermarket flowers
Independent groups
Carers Painting Group
1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at the Carers Centre or over Zoom
An independent carer group, it will be a chance to get together with others and enjoy drawing, painting or whatever you feel like at the time whilst having a cuppa.
Carers Craft Group
2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at the Carers Centre or over Zoom
Do you want to join a ‘Knit and natter’ group but don’t knit? Spend the morning with us, have a coffee, chat and enjoy a craft of your choice—crochet, felting, embroidery, sewing or knitting.
“Lovely to have time to do something for myself which has nothing to do with caring!”
— A Carer
Learning
Improve your skills and learn new ones
Nobody gives you a manual when you start caring and you can’t predict how you might feel as time goes on. We offer workshops to improve your skills and learn new ones.
Join us in a series of workshops where we answer some of your questions and help build your care skills with time, coffee and chat with other carers.
To register your interest contact Lynne on 01895 811206 or l.pritchard@carerstrusthillingdon.org
Falls prevention awareness and assisting people with reduced mobility
Consider some of the causes of falls and ways you can help reduce the risk. We will also look at maintaining strength and movement plus how you can assist others.
Care homes explained
Learn what care homes offer, what to look for on visits regarding premises, staffing and considerations to take into account regarding payment.
Inheritance Tax and IHT Planning: The basics
We will talk about how IHT is charged generally on an Estate, the various exceptions and exemptions which are available during one’s lifetime and on death.
Your Home or Care Home?
Are you worrying about the future and if you need to consider a Care Home for your loved one? We will talk about your feelings and then draw strength fr4om each other to help you with the decisions you make.
Learn Hillingdon are running FREE IT/Digital Skills sessions
at Uxbridge Library, High Street, UB8 1HD on Fridays from 10am – 12pm.
Book your session today and take a step towards learning new things
and gaining confidence in using technology in your everyday life.
Learning for Everyday Life - Shopping online
Learn how to shop online safely. You can save time and money by doing your shopping online: compare prices, get great deals and even have everything delivered directly to your door.
For further information or to book a place, please email Tricia at familylearning@hae-acl.ac.uk
or call 01895 556252
Dementia Friends
Dementia Friends sessions
Book onto one of our Dementia Friends sessions to learn more about what dementia is and how to live well with it. All sessions take place at 10:30am to 12:30pm, in the Guest Room at Carers Trust Hillingdon in Uxbridge.
Wednesday 20 September
Wednesday 18 October
Wednesday 15 November
To book, email sdurner@hillingdon.gov.uk or call 01895 277137.
If you'd like to support people living with dementia to live well for longer, why not become a dementia friend?
Facilitated by Sarah Durner
Sport and Physical Activity Senior Officer
London Borough of Hillingdon
“Having time away from the day-to-day and spending time with like-minded people with advice and tips on what I’m experiencing with caring was excellent.”
— A Carer
Look after yourself
Carers tell us that the impact of caring is not just physical. Let us help you feel stronger and better equipped to manage your caring situation.
If you’re looking after someone, it is important to look after yourself too. You matter just as much as the person you care for and looking after your own health will mean you will be better able to help them in the longer-term.
I am a Carer but what about ME?
A joined up approach with our partners to provide wellbeing workshops for carers.
We will tackle these topics from different angles to help support your overall wellbeing.
You can express interest into one or more workshops however places are limited.
Please call Nadia on 01895 811206 or wellbeing@carerstrusthillingdon.org
Focus on ME
Being enough - finding self-acceptance
Being a carer can make us feel like we are just “not enough” and, if left, can lower our mood and self-esteem over time. Find out how we can help you recognise the You ARE enough!
Forest Therapy Walk
Discover the benefits of Forest Bathing! We will explore using nature to immerse our senses at Ruislip Lido to take in the atmosphere of the forest for relaxation and positive health and wellness benefits.
Therapeutic Care
Focus on your wellbeing using different techniques to unwind and de-stress -breath work, different relaxation techniques, awakening and winding down the senses with different fragrances.
Forest Therapy
Facilitated by Judith Twycross MBACP
Psychotherapist – Carers Mental Health
Hillingdon Mind
Forest Therapy is a way of immersing our senses in the atmosphere of the forest for relaxation and positive health and wellness benefits.
The workshop will be held on the first Wednesday of every month.
1.30pm at Langley Park, Bucks
For more information or to book a place, please contact Judith on judith@hillingdonmind.org.uk.
“I have found this service a god send. As a Carer life can be very stressful and you lose your identity. It has been very helpful to have a break and be able to talk to others and share your experiences stresses and problems. The Volunteers are friendly professional and compassionate”
— A Carer
In the Pink!
Get some exercise and be social
We organise a variety of exercise activities, whether a regular class or a one-off, there is something for everyone.
Exercise can be fun and social
Exercise can be a great way to feel better, boost your health and have fun!
Chair exercise with Alison involves gentle stretching exercises
Yoga with Jodi keeps you mobile and your body flexible
Join us in Watts Hall, Christ Church, Uxbridge on alternate Thursdays 1:30-3:00pm
Light refreshments are served afterwards
Hillingdon-led walks
Choose from different lengths and locations around the borough and enjoy a leisurely walk with some social time afterwards
“It’s nice to do some gentle exercise in a friendly and sociable setting. Anyone can do it. The tutor is very patient and careful to tailor the class to group members. We have a tea and biscuits session afterwards, it’s easy to chat to new people in a very relaxed atmosphere.”
— A Carer
Life after Caring
For many carers there comes a time when their caring role changes with the person they care for going into residential care or loss and bereavement.
We would still consider them a carer even if the person they care for has moved into residential care - it is just the caring role has changed.
Preparing to care for someone towards the end of their life
Are you caring for someone who is at or nearing the end of their life? We are offering four workshops, delivered over Zoom and at Michael Sobell Hospice to understand palliative care and introduce how to care in the home at the end of life. The workshops are facilitated by skilled health professionals, with a psychotherapist on had at each session.
Understanding palliative care
Covering the things you need to know when a loved one receives palliative diagnosis. Introducing topics like advance care planning, DNR and hospice care, as well as sources of support in Hillingdon and how to access them.
Caring for a loved one in the home at the end of their life
Offering the practical skills you will need to care at home, with demonstrations by health professionals and a chance to practice, as well as learning how to help ease someone’s symptoms at the end of life.
Dealing with death
Looking at practical actions you will need to take when someone dies, as well as offering strategies to cope with the emotions you are likely to face.
Introduction to complementary therapies
This session will teach you how to utilise complementary therapies like therapeutic touch, essential oils and breath work to help both yourself and the person you care for.
When caring ends
We understand how difficult it can be to lose the person you care for, and we want to offer help.
We have a cafe called The Robins, which takes place on the second Wednesday of the month, in Uxbridge, specifically for carers who have lost the person they care for. We also organise visits to places of interest across the borough.
We have a yoga group for bereaved carers, which takes place on the fourth Tuesday of the month, in Uxbridge
For End of Life workshops and bereaved carer activities, please contact Eva on
wellbeing@carerstrusthillingdon.org or 07495 966159