The GP led ‘Carers’ Café’ 2 years on…

The Carers Cafe is special because it is the first in the county to be run by a GP.

The Hitchin and Whitwell Carers’ Café, opened in November 2023 at St Mary’s Church, is backed by Hitchin Tilehouse Rotary Club and meets every Friday morning. It offers a friendly place for carers to meet and get health and social care help. The café started after a carers’ meeting, where GPs were surprised by how many people came and saw the need for more support.

GPs and hospitals often work apart from social care. This was a great chance for local services to team up. As they took the lead to support carers, Crossroads had to visit and find out how we could help.

We found the Cafe lovely and quickly joined in, guided by the rotary and GP carer team, to chat with different families about social care help and navigating the care system. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, and it’s great that it’s for all carers, not just those supporting one condition. This creates a great mix of people with real experience who can connect with others who understand them.

Finding your way through the care system can be confusing, especially for new carers who don’t know where to start. Crossroads has the know-how to guide people in choosing the right care and getting the support they need. It’s a friendly, relaxed group that makes talking easy. Carers and their loved ones often bring homemade cakes and snacks, like delicious sausage rolls, which makes it feel like one big, welcoming community.

The Cafe is open every Friday from 10 to 12 and welcomes over 50 people each week. It is run by dedicated volunteers from the Tilehouse Rotary Club, who invited Crossroads to give a talk about care at their meeting. We are proud to support the community and look forward to many more years together.