March 6th, 2025.



Local charity Care for the Carers received a warm welcome at The Friends of Bishopstone Meet Up in February.

Meet Up Mondays at the Bishopstone Station are warm spaces for the local community, particularly the socially isolated, to go and have a hot drink and snacks, and an opportunity to get together with others from the community.

The meet up last month was a change from the usual, as the Friends of Bishopstone were presented with an award in recognition of being ‘Carer Friendly’, by staff from Care for the Carers.

Friends of Bishopstone (known as FOB) are working with Care for the Carers to ensure carers in the community are identified and supported. Following Think Carer Training, two members of the group agreed to become ‘Carer Champions' and they have been instrumental in implementing the carer friendly approach. The group has committed to ensuring information is available, conversations are happening, and carers are aware that there is support available for them.

Michael Spence, FOB’s secretary explained: “Having been on the receiving end of Care for the Carers services in my late teens, it fills me with such a sense of accomplishment to be able to offer help to those who want it.”

Jennifer Twist, Care for the Carers Chief Executive added:?“The Carer Friendly scheme recognises places where carers feel supported to look after their family or friends and are recognised as individuals with needs of their own.??Our mission is that no one is left to care alone, and we can only achieve this by working with other organisations, communities, services and businesses. The Friends of Bishopstone have been working proactively with Care for the Carers, to "Think Carer", identifying carers and helping them to get support. ?We are delighted to welcome them into the Carer Friendly Scheme.”


To find out more about the Carer Friendly Scheme and Think Carer Training, visit www.cftc.org.uk