Laughter, connection, value and friendship all play a vital role in our well-being. Meaningful connection and community help our sense of belonging and purpose into later life.

Caraway aims to facilitate this for older people across Southampton. Founded in 2018 we have been growing a dedicated team of Chaplains and volunteers who come alongside older people and help them to navigate the experiences and changes later life brings.

Whether a home visit, a telephone call, or at a local community group or Care Home – we aim to:

• Combat loneliness
• Create community
• Celebrate life

Our Team

Meet our wonderful team of staff and volunteers.

Team

“I like getting out and about, meeting people, having a laugh and a joke, all those sorts of things…”

Guest with Dementia, Memory cafe

"Just wanted to say a huge Thank You to you and your colleagues who put together yesterday’s event. Our Residents that came along had a fantastic time, it was lovely hearing all about their day when they got home. Many Thanks."

Care Home Manager, Holiday at Home

You do see your friends and neighbours, all being brought in. It’s a relaxed atmosphere . It means you do feel included in the church family. We’re a very close family and have friends of friends of friends, but the young people, they don’t have anybody . It continued church as I haven’t been so well lately after a fall. My balance is poor and my voice isn’t what it used to be, and I love to sing. I always knew when it was time to get up as I could hear Grandma in the kitchen, she sang.

Liz’s Mum

Why do you come as a volunteer to help with events like Vintage Adventure in church? …Well, as I’m getting older, I realise that for an awful lot of the elderly, they’ve not got very long left to get to know the lord So I think this generation is the most important ministry. If you’re in with students and you mess it up, they’ve got a whole lifetime when they can met somebody who will correct it. We haven’t got that luxury so this is a very important ministry and I just want to do my little bit.

Rob Childs

"Whilst visiting the bereavement group I was handing out the Christmas Prayer cards when one of the recipients mentioned she had been reading her last copy yesterday evening, when she read something that really helped her. She didn't say what it was - but she was blessed!"

On receipt of our Caraway Prayer Cards