Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund we launched 16 hubs providing local support and information for carers across Hertfordshire between April 2014 and April 2019. We have been fortunate to secure further funding from April 2019 to April 2022 to continue supporting and developing our Hubs and will create a new interest group in each year of the project. This Hub work is part of a wider volunteer project and you can learn more about this on our Volunteer page.
What are Carer Support Hubs?
What are Carer Support Hubs?You told us that you wanted much stronger local support for carers and thanks to a grant of £200,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund (formerly the Big Lottery Fund) awarded in the year 2013/14 we have been able to provide a grassroots service run by carers for carers, to best meet your needs. The hubs are one-stop shop where you can find information about what is happening in your local area, get advice, support and make friends. There are also peer led and interest based groups.
Since July 2021 when coronavirus restrictions eased we have been taking a phased approach to resuming our face to face hub meetings in community venues. Most of our hub groups are now meeting in person again, but we still have some sessions and groups taking place online, on Zoom. Details of upcoming Hub meetings are in the 'Upcoming Hub Events' section further down this page. If you wish to join in any meeting you need to book a place as space is limited. Please contact us on 01992 58 69 69 or email to book. We can also guide you through using Zoom if you require some help with this. We will update you as things change.
We have 16 area-based hubs - Berkhamsted, Bishop’s Stortford, Borehamwood, Buntingford, Chorleywood, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead, Hoddesdon, Potters Bar, Letchworth Garden City, Royston, St Albans, Stevenage, Ware, Watford and Welwyn Garden City.
Our hubs are groups run by volunteers or carers for carers and focus on offering emotional and practical support. Most groups meet once a month and offer activities include a programme of speakers and time to talk. Carers can book 1:1 appointments with a Carers in Hertfordshire Carer Support Advisor at some meetings to plan their caring role.
We have a Men's Carers' Group that started meeting in January 2020. Due to the coronavirus the group has been meeting online via Zoom since September 2020, on the last Tuesday of the month from 1.30pm - 2.30pm. We also have an Evening Carers’ Group that meets online via Zoom on the second Wednesday of each month from 7pm - 8pm. This group is for working carers or for carers whose caring commitments mean they are unable to attend a meeting in the day. Contact us if you are interested in booking a place.
In addition to our Carer Support Hub groups many areas will have Peer Led Carer Groups, for example there is a Carers' Camera Club (which has been meeting online during the COVID-19 situation), a Pudding Club, plus support groups in areas such as Borehamwood and Radlett. You can find out about all these here - Carers' Support Hubs and Peer Led Groups List.
You can find out more about hubs in our video An Introduction to Carer Support Hubs.
In addition each hub area has Volunteer Ambassadors whose role it is to help identify new carers and to spread the word about what is available locally for them.
Within each hub area you can also attend workshops to learn new skills and have a break from caring. Please click here to see what events are available.
Volunteer Ambassador James promoting support for carers at a Community Event.Upcoming Hub Events
Many of our carers groups have resumed meeting in community venues following the easing of coronavirus restrictions in the summer of 2021. However, some groups continue to meet online on Zoom. Places to join the meetings are limited and if you wish to attend you should book a place by calling us on 01992 58 69 69 or emailing
We advise you to contact us to check details of meetings as they can be subject to change. Please also contact us for support or advice related to your caring role.
Wednesday 19th January 2022, 10.30am - 12.30pm: Letchworth Carers Support Hub at Garden House Hospice, Letchworth. An opportunity for carers to meet with other carers, share information and support each other.
Wednesday 19th January 2022, 12pm noon - 2pm: Welwyn Garden City Carers Support Hub at the United Reformed Church, Welwyn Garden City. An opportunity for carers to meet with other carers, share information and support each other. This meeting Alex Daar, our Volunteers Manager with a responsibility for the hubs, will be attending to get feedback about your views on the groups since in person meetings have resumed and whether they have been helpful and if so in what ways.
Thursday 20th January 2022, 10.30am - 11.30am: Harpenden Carers Support Hub online on Zoom. An opportunity for carers to meet with other carers, share information and support each other and this meeting a Carer Support Advisor will be joining the session to answer carers' questions or provide one to one advice.
Friday 21st January 2022, 11.15am - 1pm: Ware Support Hub at Allenbury's Sports and Social Club, Ware. An opportunity for carers to meet with other carers, share information and support each other. This meeting Alex Daar, our Volunteers Manager with a responsibility for the hubs, will be attending to get feedback about your views on the groups since in person meetings have resumed and whether they have been helpful and if so in what ways.
Tuesday 25th January 2022, 10.30am - 12.30pm: Buntingford Carers Support Hub. The group is resuming face to face meetings and will be in a new venue - The Manor House, High Street, Buntingford. The group provides carers with an opportunity to meet with other carers living near to them, share information and support each other.
Tuesday 25th January 2022, 1.30pm - 2.30pm: Men's Carers' Group online on Zoom. An opportunity for male carers who provide unpaid care to a relative or someone close to them who is ill, elderly, disabled or misuses drugs or alcohol, to meet with other carers, share information and support each other. This meeting one of our Admiral Nurses, a specialist dementia nurse, will talk about the support the team provides to carers looking after someone with dementia.
How can you get involved?
Volunteer
There are lots of training opportunities for carers to take on a variety of voluntary roles with their local hub.
You can also look at the volunteer roles by clicking here (link to Volunteer Jobs page) or find out more about being a Carers in Hertfordshire volunteer on our Volunteer page. To register your interest in any part of this project please email or call 01992 58 69 69.
One way we keep in touch with our Volunteers is via newsletter and you can find them on our Volunteer page.
Speakers
If you think you have a topic that would be of interest to carers at our Hub support groups please email the volunteer email with details.