Celebrating Carers Week with heart and gratitude at Pilgrims Hospices

At Pilgrims Hospices, we know that carers are the quiet champions – the ones who show up day after day with love, resilience, and unlimited compassion.

During Carers Week, we want to shine a bright and joyful spotlight on these incredible people who care for their loved ones, often while juggling many other responsibilities.

We celebrate carers not just this week, but all year round. Their commitment doesn’t go unnoticed, and at Pilgrims, we make sure support is always within reach. Our Wellbeing team runs regular Carers groups at our hospices in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet, offering a welcoming space to share experiences, take a breath, and feel less alone.

These sessions are all about community, connection, and care. Carers who attend say it helps them feel understood, supported, and recharged. There’s no pressure – just gentle conversation, a cuppa, and time to focus on you.

As one of our Wellbeing team members shared:

“Our carers’ groups are a lifeline for many people. They create space for carers to reflect, connect with others in similar situations, and take time out just for themselves. It’s amazing to see the friendships that form and the strength that comes from sharing.”

Here at Pilgrims, we recognise the special role family members and friends have in supporting our patients. While caring for someone with a deteriorating health condition can be a positive and rewarding experience, it can also bring emotional, physical and practical challenges. That’s why we’re proud to offer a range of support to help carers feel empowered, connected and cared for.

Carers Café

This informal, drop-in group is a friendly space to meet others who are caring for a relative or friend with a life-limiting illness. It’s a chance to share stories, exchange advice, and build supportive peer networks in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

Carers Walk and Talk

Meeting regularly at locations such as Pegwell Bay Country Park, Thanet,  Conningbrook Lakes, Ashford, and Toddler’s Cove, Canterbury, this easy-paced walking group offers carers the opportunity to connect with others who truly understand what they’re going through. Sharing experiences in the fresh air and calm of nature can be powerfully healing – boosting mood, easing stress, and reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation.

At Pilgrims, we’re proud to welcome people from all walks of life. We’re always learning and listening to ensure that everyone – no matter their background, beliefs, or identity – feels respected, valued, and included in the care and support we offer.

So this Carers Week, and every week, we say thank you. Whether you’re caring for a partner, parent, or friend – we see you, we appreciate you, and we’re here for you.

For more information about Pilgrims Therapy Centres Wellbeing groups and programmes, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01233 504 127

Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.

Each year, Pilgrims Hospices care for thousands of people across east Kent, with services provided from its three hospice sites in Ashford, Canterbury, and Thanet, as well as in patients’ own homes. It costs over £17.2 million annually to run these services, much of which comes from the generous support of the local community.