DECEMBER has been a busy period for Chard Carers Support Group, involving among other events a craft session, led by Jill instructing us in a Christmas wreath-making session.

Being busy with your hands promotes some interesting conversations – the chat in the group ranged from associated crafts like knitting and crochet, being left-handed, rug making, flooring products, via tiling, and all the way to plumbing and gas boilers.

That’s what we are about; a bit of respite for unpaid carers to catch up with friendships in a social atmosphere.

Thursday, December 7, the carers group, some of the cared for, friends, and some members of the Ilminster group had a coach trip to Clark’s Village for some retail therapy and, judging by the weight of parcels and bags and the lightness of wallets on the return journey, we can deem the day an, albeit damp, success - as usual, it rained and there were some detours to avoid the flooding which seems so prevalent and devastating at the moment.

Finally, on December 11, instead of our usual meeting, we had a Christmas outing to The George in Donyatt.

A big thank you to the staff who served up a delicious lunch and went out of their way to accommodate us.

As a carers’ support group, it was inevitable that a few members had to leave immediately after lunch, with no more time for chat and a generous raffle, as they needed to get back to the cared for.

The group would like to thank Pat Galpin for leading us for the past 16 years; apparently, we are the largest group in Somerset.

The next meeting of Chard Carers’ Support Group is on Monday, January 8, 10.30-12.30 at our usual venue in the hall behind the English Martyrs Church at the traffic lights in Chard.

Cath Holloway from Sparks will be attending, always a welcome visitor with news about carers county-wide, the Community Council Somerset and to answer any carer-related questions and hear any concerns.

We will also be collecting some opinions and questions for a carer-related meeting on January 11 where a group member has been asked to address the Dementia Partnership about what Chard Carers’ Support Group and the Somerset carers groups are involved in.

If you would like to know more about this friendly and informative group, please contact Pat on 01460 220026 or Kate on 01460 394331, email chardcarers@aol.com or find us on Facebook: Chard Carers Support Group.

Written by Chard Carers' Support Group