FORMER carers in the Chorley and South Ribble areas are setting up a group to ease the pain of losing the people they have tirelessly given up their time to care for.

The ex-carers social group, formed with the help of Chorley and South Ribble Council for Voluntary Services (CVS), Astley Hall Farmhouse, Hall Gate, Astley Village, Chorley, aims to provide help and support for all former carers in the area.

They are planning a friendly, informal get together at the CVS offices in Towngate, Leyland, on Wednesday, December 12, at 2pm, and are calling on ex-carers from Chorley to pop in and enjoy mince pies and coffee at the group's first organised meeting.

Cathy Openshaw, carers' support and development worker at the CVS, said: "When a carer loses the one they have cared for they may find it difficult to pick up the pieces of their life.

"They may also have lost contact with friends and find it difficult to socialise or deal with the practicalities of life.

"This group will provide an opportunity for ex-carers to meet with other people who understand their experiences in a supportive environment.

"Carers are often unpaid and can feel isolated in society as a lot of their time is spent looking after the person."

Former carer Ilene Jones, from Chorley, looked after her daughter Dorothy, who suffered from cerebral palsy for 35 years, before her death last year. She said: "After you have been a carer for such a long time it feels like you have been made redundant. The group will help people to relax and slow down."

Call Cathy Openshaw on 263254 for more information.