Irene Niman from Whitefield took part in the Self Care for You course when it was delivered from Bury Carers Centre. Irene is a full time carer for her husband Henry and before taking part in the course didn’t really have very much time for herself, to relax and do the things that she enjoys.

Irene said: "I found out about the Self Care for You course when I visited the Carer’s Centre in Bury. Being a full time carer it can be difficult to put time aside for myself. When I heard about the course it really appealed to me, and I thought I’d give it a go.

"Self Care for You gave me the motivation to make sure there was some time set aside for myself, and the course teaches you a range of things including managing stress and looking after yourself.

 "I’ve got a garden but had never really had the time to tend to it. After taking part on the course I set myself a goal of bringing the garden back to life, so that we could enjoy the outside space, and to give myself something to focus on beyond my caring duties.

"I started to clear the garden myself and source rockery plants from friends and family, and slowly but surely my overgrown patch started to flourish into a beautiful cottage garden. I entered a local gardening competition run by the Elms Community Association, and went on to win a Gold award for special effort.

"The course really helped me to take a step back and think about what I could do to relax. Finding a relaxing hobby has improved my overall health and wellbeing. I now take joy in tending my garden and taking in the peace that it offers. I’d encourage others to get in touch with the team, and find out how the course could help them."

To find out more about the course, how it could benefit you, or when the next course is running in your area, please call 0161 272 4070/4073.