A warm welcome to the July 2026 edition of Carers’ Connection.
As summer arrives and the brighter days settle in, it feels like the perfect time to reflect on everything that has been happening across the service over the past three months – and what a busy, uplifting few months it has been!
From creative art sessions, cooking, and gardening, to our regular groups, exciting new activities, a fantastic carers’ afternoon tea at Pittodrie Stadium, and so much more, there has been plenty to celebrate.
A huge thank you to everyone who was able to join us for the afternoon tea. It was lovely to meet so many of you, see people chatting, relaxing, and taking some well-deserved time for themselves.
The feedback from the day was wonderfully positive, and I’m sure you’ll agree that the photos on pages 6–7 capture the atmosphere beautifully.
Looking ahead, there is even more to get involved in. Alongside our new book groups, which you can read about on page 5, September will see the launch of four creative writing sessions with tutor Emily Utter, a Canadian writer living in Aberdeen. These sessions have been funded by the Scottish Book Trust and will run on Mondays from 10am to 12 noon. They are open to anyone of any ability, including complete beginners.
No previous writing experience is needed; just bring a little curiosity and an interest in exploring your creativity. You can sign up for one session or come along to all four. For more information or to note your interest, please just get in touch.
We’re also pleased to share that this year’s Creative Breaks funding is now open for applications. Breaks can take many forms –perhaps a weekend away, garden furniture, theatre tickets, or something completely different, as long as it helps you take a meaningful break from your caring role.
To find out more about how to access the funding, please contact our Short Breaks team on 01224 914036 or speak to your Quarriers support worker.
As always, thank you for staying connected with us. Your ideas, feedback, and involvement help shape the service, keep us focused on what matters most, and ensure carers’ voices remain at the heart of everything we do.
Andrew Falconer, Service Coordinator
Stay up to date with all the latest news on our Facebook page. The page is public, and you don’t need to have a Facebook account to access it: https://www.facebook. com/aberdeencarerssupportservice
Meet the team
Andrew Falconer Service Coordinator
Tel: 07917 521268
andrew.falconer@ quarriers.org.uk
Nicola Black Administrator
Tel: 07917 521879
nicola.black@ quarriers.org.uk
Mel Combstock
Family Wellbeing Worker
Tel: 07808 241878
mel.combstock@ quarriers.org.uk
Lauren Gardiner Family Wellbeing Worker (Short Breaks)
Tel: 07917 521874
lauren.gardiner@ quarriers.org.uk
Ingrid Penny
Depute Project Manager
Tel: 07721 143392 ingrid.penny@ quarriers.org.uk
Tracey Grant Administrator tracey.grant@ quarriers.org.uk
Elaine Dukes
Parent Carer Advisor
Tel: 07917 521852
elaine.dukes@ quarriers.org.uk
Teresa Massie Carer Advisor
Tel: 07917 521853
teresa.massie@ quarriers.org.uk
Susan Middler Digital and Community Inclusion Worker
Vicky Emslie Family Wellbeing Worker Tel 07812 376475
vicky.emslie@ quarriers.org.uk
Lauren Milton Family Wellbeing Worker (Triage)
Tel: 07939 173970 lauren.milton@ quarriers.org.uk
Kyle Fitzpatrick Performance Coordinator
kyle.fitzpatrick@ quarriers.org.uk
Rebecca Bridle Family Wellbeing Worker Tel 07551 018643
rebecca.bridle@ quarriers.org.uk
Allyson Flockhart Family Wellbeing Worker Tel: 07554 555027
allyson.flockhart@ quarriers.org.uk
Anne Ruby Family Wellbeing Worker (Triage) Tel 07423 115627
anne.ruby@ quarriers.org.uk
Meet the team (continued)
Anna Schmitt Family Wellbeing Worker (Short Breaks)
Tel: 07917 051489
anna.schmitt@ quarriers.org.uk
Susan Shaw Family Wellbeing Worker
Tel: 07531 193656 susan.shaw@ quarriers.org.uk
Music to carers’ ears
Carers enjoyed a fantastic evening of classical music recently, thanks to the generosity of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
Held at Aberdeen’s historic Music Hall, known for its excellent acoustics, the programme featured Schumann’s Cello Concerto along with pieces by Mendelssohn, Widmann and Debussy.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the concert. It was a real treat, as it was the first time I’ve been able to go out for a very long time. Thank you so much for the opportunity to go to such a wonderful concert.”
“The concert was a wonderful experience. I loved it. Thank you so much.”
“It was a special treat and a most uplifting evening.”
“I just wanted to say thank you for the tickets. I had never been to see an orchestra before, so it was lovely to get that opportunity and to get a moment to just enjoy the music.”
Shirree Smith Family Wellbeing Worker
Tel: 07919 891453 shirree.smith@quarriers. org.uk
Sara Wilson Family Wellbeing Worker Tel 07796 966117 sara.wilson@ quarriers.org.uk
Creative connections
As part of our second wave of EPICS activities, carers recently enjoyed a range of health and wellbeing sessions including art, creative gardening, and cooking.
We’d like to extend a huge thankyou to artist Fiona Jack, Pam Nwelih from One Seed Forward, and the volunteers from Aberdeen Community Food Network for sharing their time, skills, and enthusiasm in leading these inspiring groups.
““Every session I have been on has helped to fill my cup up, leaving me feeling so much happier, stronger and relaxed. They really are helping me navigate life a little less busier minded.”
“From the moment I arrived, I felt completely at ease and genuinely welcomed. It was my first time attending anything like this, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the session gently opened me up. I held back a little at first, yet I found myself loving the chance to be emotionally creative, choosing happiness and lightness. I left feeling joyful, fulfilled, and inspired.”
Carers Active Together
Recently, we celebrated Carers Active Together - a national day recognising carers and the power of movement - with a gentle exercise session delivered in partnership with Sport Aberdeen.
Carers took part in a variety of seated and standing exercises designed to support everyday movement and gently raise heart rates. The session introduced simple, practical activities that could easily be continued at home, including marching on the spot, stretching routines, and seated exercises, with weights and resistance bands adding an extra level of challenge.
To build coordination and confidence, carers also enjoyed fun activities such as bean bag exercises, helping to strengthen movement in both dominant and non-dominant hands.
Sporting memories
Sporting Memories is for people aged 50-plus, including those living with dementia or depression or facing isolation and loneliness. The programme aims to bring older people together and provide them with a welcoming, supportive and structured environment where they can develop confidence to improve their lives for the better. This is achieved through free, weekly 90-minute sessions, comprising some light physical activity followed by a cuppa and social time, emphasising reminiscence of participants’ experiences about sport. Sessions will take place at both Greyhope Community Hub and Northfield Community Centre.
Please contact Brian Pahlmann for further information or if you have any questions: bpahlmann@ sportaberdeen.co.uk / 07786 695239
The session finished on a calming note with relaxing music and stretches, leaving participants feeling refreshed and energised.
Calling young adult carers
Although we are commissioned to provide the adult carers’ support service in Aberdeen, we also want younger carers to know they are supported and have recently partnered with Barnardo’s and MCR Pathways to create a Wee Blether group for young adult carers aged 16+.
The group, which meets on the second Thursday of each month from 4:30pm – 5:30pm, provides the opportunity to come together to chat and share information and receive advice and support. Food, fun, and games are on offer, as well as signposting to other relevant groups and activities.
For more information or to sign up, please contact: olivia. turnbull@mcrpathways.org / 07484 028428
Read, relax and recharge
June saw the first of two new monthly carers’ book groups; one at Airyhall Library, which runs on the first Wednesday of the month, and one at Central Library, on the last Thursday of the month. Both groups run from 1pm - 2.30pm and teas and coffees are provided.
We are delighted to have the support of Rashmi from the National Literacy Trust, who has donated some books for our carers and will also arrange writers to attend some of the sessions. All we ask is for carers to read a book of their choice - fiction or non-fiction - and aim for a minimum of one chapter per week - four chapters a month - and come together to discuss what you’ve read over a coffee.
For more information, or to join one of the book groups, please contact: susan.shaw@quarriers.org.uk / 07531 193656
Carers’ Afternoon Tea
During Carers Week in June, we had the pleasure of hosting a special Afternoon Tea at Pittodrie Stadium in celebration of unpaid carers, and it truly was a day to remember!
A huge THANK-YOU to everyone who joined us and made it so special.
We’re so grateful to singer and guitarist Mike Macdermid for the fantastic entertainment, Councillor Barney Crockett for his memories of Aberdeen, and Alice, a carer we support, for her beautiful rendition of John Denver’s ‘Perhaps Love’.
We’d also like to thank the incredible team at Pittodrie, along with everyone who donated raffle prizes, bought tickets, or made a contribution.
More than £700 was raised, which will go back into our Wee Blether groups. Your support means so much.
It was also a wonderful opportunity to recognise our amazing volunteers and thank them for everything they do.
Thank you all for being part of such a memorable day!
Rethink dementia
When someone you care about is diagnosed with dementia, it’s natural not to know what to do. But, helping someone stay connected and socially active can help them stay well for longer. Your company, laughter, and shared hobbies still matter. Keep doing the things you’ve always enjoyed together, such as:
• Taking walks
• Going shopping
Delirium and dementia
Delirium, a sudden, temporary state of severe confusion and disorientation can appear suddenly and can be frightening and overwhelming — not just for the person with dementia, but also for the carer supporting them. Many carers find themselves navigating these situations without guidance, feeling stressed, isolated, or unsure what to do.
Awareness and understanding are key. Delirium is treatable and reversible.
Recognising the signs early and knowing when to seek advice can make a real difference for both the person you care for and yourself.
Find out more about symptoms, early warning signs, what to do and how to help: https://bit.ly/4shGik4
• Listening to music, or dancing
• Playing games
• Enjoying the garden
This social time can mean a lot and help them feel included, valued, and supported. Find out more at https://www.nhsinform. scot/rethinkdementia
Carers’ Corner
Age Scotland workshops
Did you know that Age Scotland offer a variety of free workshops? They cover topics such as dementia awareness and inclusion, rightsbased training for unpaid carers, energy matters, social security, and health & wellbeing.
Sue recently enjoyed a Doorstep Breaks experience, spending time in husky heaven!
“Thanks to Quarriers, my father - aged 90 and blind - and myself, along with two other carers, were offered the privilege of going husky mushing at Huskyhaven off the B979 near Stonehaven, and what a wonderful, unusual experience!
It’s an authentic, hands-on outdoor adventure where participants drive a sled pulled by a team of enthusiastic Siberian or Alaskan huskies.
My father, Harvey, said that he thoroughly enjoyed the morning and would definitely recommend it to others.
“The huskies were beautiful, if very noisy. I have since watched Alaskan YouTube videos about their habitat, history, feeding, the culture around them and how they were once nearly extinct.
“I have learned that Huskyhaven is registered with the Canadian Kennel Club. The business is reliant on volunteers and it was interesting to hear about how the huskies are cared for and the fact that
ninety percent of them are are bred thereand they are all pure breeds.
“Thank you so much to Quarriers. It is so uplifting to be able to share in these wonderful experiences for carers.”
If you have anything you would like us to feature in a future edition, whether it’s a photo, poem, useful info for other carers, or anything else carer-related, please send it to susan.middler@quarriers.org.uk
Jo Blogs
Hello, it’s me again, and summer is with us once more. Let’s hope there are lots of bright, sunny days to come.
Although our daughter’s pain hasn’t eased, her mobility is limited, and she is still waiting for the results of scans, she has managed to come out with us and enjoy some of the better weather.
How determined and spirited are those we care for!
It’s lovely to be out together as a family, even for a short run in the car out of town. The countryside is beautiful at this time of year and not too far away either.
Our daughter loves to take photographs when we stop the car, and you can see two of her masterpieces here of sheep.
What do you think of them - a whole meadow of them and a smaller group. There is nothing more peaceful than seeing sheep grazing in the fields along with their lambs and hearing their quiet bleating lilting through the air. How fortunate we are to experience these things. I would like you to take a good look at the photographs, do they both look real to you?
Perhaps the whole flock with their lambs, yes, but the small group are actually ceramic figures in a neighour’s garden.
Our daughter was particularly interested in how real they looked and we had a good chuckle about it. I remember when our daughter was little, I had a lovely ceramic fruit basket.
The fruit inside it looked so realistic, especially the banana and the orange, that she picked them up and tried to eat them, nearly breaking a tooth in the process!
I still have the fruit basket with her teeth marks in the orange and banana. They were so real looking!
Today, there seems to be quite a lot of talk about how really ‘real’ things are.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to be blamed for so much of this. Stories are reported as true which may have been abridged or distorted to give a false interpretation of what really happened.
Pictures may be altered to make the person look better; more perfect. The BBC was under some scrutiny over some of the contents of their programmes, but now they have an advert which states, “The fight for the truth
is on” and “Trust is earned”. What a world we live in, when AI figures run marathons and interview applicants for important work positions. How does your CV look to them?
Do you remember the old advert for CocaCola with the slogan “It’s the real thing”?
I’m sure it was the real thing in days gone by, but now we may have to think twice!
But I feel we know how real our lives are as carers.
We know reality and it’s not a warm, cosy, perfect world where everything goes our way.
There are problems, worries, anxieties, pain and hurt involved with those we care for; what they - and we - go through in our daily living together.
Real life, within which we share support, honesty, intimate moments and love surrounded by real people, family members, dear friends, and of course Quarriers – all of which are so important in our lives.
Real life in a real world, with no ornamental images, no pretending who or what we are, with highs and lows, sadder and happier times, and - most of all - trusting each other, that’s the real thing shared amongst us.
Creative Breaks
Sylvia
Thank you so much for the £300 received in summer 2025.
Between other commitments and my husband Dougie’s health, it was this year before we put the much-appreciated funding towards a break. Dougie had been waiting for a date for an operation and, once it was confirmed, we booked our trip away to our favourite place – Douneside House at Tarland – where we enjoyed three days of relaxation, using spa facilities and eating fine food. I enjoyed not
Catherine
having to think about cooking or housework, etc. The break just set me up so I could provide the care needed to ensure a good recovery for Dougie after his op.
A positive outcome for us both. Many thanks and much heartfelt appreciation.
I used my Creative Breaks funding to book myself, my daughter, and my mum onto an Alfa Holidays bus trip to Blackpool for a long weekend, staying at the Queens Hotel.
As it was an organised trip I didn’t need to overthink things or plan buses and trains and, most importantly, I didn’t have to drive. This gave me the opportunity to really step away from everything that’s happening around me, allowing my mum, daughter and me to fully relax and enjoy the journey from start to finish - and wow, did we enjoy ourselves!
We left on our adventure less than a month after my dad gained his angel wings, and I am sure that although he was not there physically, he came along with us for the journey.
The break came at a time when I needed it the most. We had hoped to take the break at the beginning of the year but we couldn’t because of my dad’s poor health, so when I did book it I also planned care for my dad for the whole time I was away, which in the end wasn’t required.
The break gave me space from my life where no one knew me and I was able to just let go of all the pressures of home. The break also allowed my mum and daughter to smile and enjoy life, and seeing them so happy during a very dark time for us was the best gift I could have asked for.
We went to Madame
Tussauds on the Saturday and the circus on the Sunday, and both were amazing. We also had a great giggle at the amusements, playing the 2p machines. The break included breakfasts and dinners, so our tummies were very well looked after. The amazing hotel staff even gave me a massive slice of gluten-free carrot cake to take home!
I hadn’t ever really thought of booking a bus tour before, however I would 100% do it again. What a weekend. Hays Travel, whom I booked the trip through, Alfa Holidays, and the hotel staff were so accommodating, from booking with a child to understanding my celiac and giving us plenty of friendly smiles. As well as Blackpool itself, they have all left our hearts filled with beautiful magical memories. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to have a girls’ weekend away. It meant more than words could ever say.
Carers’ groups
Under certain circumstances we may have to cancel or make changes to the groups listed below, so please get in touch with the named contact in advance to ensure the group is running and to confirm your attendance. Thanks – we hope you can make it along!
Group Criteria
Where?
Airyhall Wee Blether Registered carers Airyhall Community Centre, Countesswells Road, AB15 8AD
Bon Accord Wee Blether
Book Group (Airyhall Library)
Book Group (Central Library)
Bridge of Don Wee Blether
Registered carers Filo Coffee House, 14-20 John Street, AB25 1BT
Registered carers Airyhall Library, Springfield Road, AB15 7RF
Registered carers Central Library, Rosemount Viaduct, AB25 1GW
