A GRANDMOTHER is urging carers to come and join her new support group.

Yvonne Smith, from Haltwhistle, has set up a group called Relatively Speaking, which allows anyone caring for a member of their family to come and talk about their experiences.

Yvonne has special guardianship of her grandson, who has special needs, and has also cared for her partner and mother in the past.

She set up Relatively Speaking after finding out that other groups offering support were located miles away.

Yvonne explained: “Social services told me I would benefit from going to a support group, where people in the same boat can talk about their problems. They gave me a phone number, but I would have to go to Blyth or Newcastle, so I thought to hell – I’ll just set my own up.”

The group meets at Haltwhistle Library every six weeks, and Yvonne is keen to stress that it’s a safe space.

She added: “The strictest thing about my group is that everything has to be confidential. What’s mentioned there stays there.

“It’s very friendly. There’s tea, coffee, and biscuits. People can come and just talk about the weather if they want to just give their mind a break.”

The next meeting will be held on June 7 at the library. More information can be found on the Relatively Speaking’s Facebook page.