The past 15 months have proved to all of us the importance of having a network of contacts in our daily lives and that is just on our personal and social networks. So imagine as a Carer being presented with total lockdowns with no opportunity to meet face to face.

That’s what faced the Male Carer’s Support Group, as it did others. Having become used to meeting face to face on a regular basis, to have that severely limited was at best an obstacle and at worst isolation for our members.

This is where the support group came into its own. Through regular weekly contact, zoom meetings and a monthly newsletter all our men were kept in contact and had news about each other. Any problems or issues were flagged up to the team in Kendal. It is testament to the vital role of having a support group that we, as a group of male Carers, grew from 8 to 30 over the past months. As the Volunteer Leader, I have got to know the men very well and they are now more forthcoming in their issues or problems which makes it better to deal with. Again, testament to the bond in the group, is that 7 of the male Carers undertook the Keswick 2 Kendal Walk last June and it is no exaggeration to say that it has made our group all the more stronger as a result.

Having an opportunity to meet up once a month face to face is great. There is no better way of understanding the positive force it has when you come away from a meeting with laughter ringing in your ears.

Over the past few months new members have joined us and I would encourage any male Carer to get in touch via Carer-Connect to become part of the men’s group. We men put on a mask to hide how we are really feeling. We in the men’s group fully understand that especially as Carers to our loved ones. The first step is the hardest and it really is a small step get in touch with Carer Support South Lakes.

Stuart Graves – Male Unpaid Carer