CARING for someone at home is a demanding and often lonely task and with an ageing population it is a prospect faced by an increasing number of people.

Care homes group Kingsley Healthcare has resolved to play its own small part in easing the burden by introducing new Care Cafes in towns and cities around the country – with the latest to be launched at Four Oaks care home, in Wood Lane, Partington, from 10.30am to 11.30am on Wednesday June 21.

The event – branded If You Care We Care - is to provide carers with an opportunity to meet up with people in the same position and share their problems, swap ideas or perhaps simply enjoy a chat over coffee and cakes.

They can treat the occasion as a welcome break from caring or, equally, come along with the person for whom they are caring.

Four Oaks manager Diane Hollingsworth said she was proud to be launching the new initiative at her home.

“This is our way of saying, ‘if you care, we care’,” she said.

“You might work as a carer, care for a family member or just help out your neighbour by doing their shopping for them once a week. We want to say thank you to you all.

“The event will be held fortnightly; there will be free tea and coffee and homemade cakes and in the summer months there will be a chance to enjoy the home’s magnificent garden

“Depending on the attendance we will add in activities and themes as time goes by.”

Operations director Ian Smallwood said: “It is really important for our residents to still feel part of their community and this is a great way of bringing people into the home from the local area.”