The Carers Leeds Befriending service can support you if you are an unpaid carer aged 16+. We can support you if the person being cared for is living at home, or if they have moved into a care home within the last 3 months. We can also support you if you have been recently bereaved.

The support is offered by trained befriending volunteers with a confidential one-hour session every fortnight. This could be face-to-face in your local community, by telephone or by zoom, at a convenient time for you.

You will have 12 sessions with a befriending volunteer, and the support lasts for 6 months. If you are house-bound due to your caring role or your own health issues we can offer 24 sessions. The Befriending Co-ordinator and the volunteer review the support with you on a regular basis.

My befriender helped me a lot. I feel like my confidence is better. She has also made me feel that there are good people out there that do really care.

Carer supported by one of our Befrienders.

Our trained volunteer befrienders enable carers to:

• Talk about their caring role
• Talk about their health
• Improve their wellbeing
• Make social contacts in their local area
• Share their worries and concerns

We are also proud to be a member of the Befriending Network.

To find out more or if you would like support from the service, please contact Gayle Pannett, Carers Befriending Co-ordinator by emailing gayle.pannett@carersleeds.org.uk or call 0113 380 4300.