A COUPLE who attend a carers’ café at a Penarth hospice have praised the support they’ve received – and urge others to attend as the service begins its fourth year.

Elizabeth and Nick Gelsei have been attending the café, hosted by Marie Curie in its day therapy unit at the Cardiff and the Vale Hospice, since last summer.

Mrs Gelsei, who has volunteered in a variety of roles for the terminal illness charity for the past 12 years, said she found out about the café – which runs on the first and last Tuesdays of the month – after attending a volunteer thank-you event.

“I came on my own at first, but they said that Nick was welcome to come as well.”

Mr Gelsei was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at a memory clinic in Barry in February 2017 and his wife has since become his primary carer.

“Because I’m now on my own so much, I enjoy coming to the Carers’ Café because I’ve always been a talker, so it’s nice to talk to people and meet new people,” said Mrs Gelsei.

“We’ve met some lovely people here and it gives me emotional support too.”

Since the launch in March 2015, Marie Curie has welcomed 742 visitors to its cafes, including carers, families and patients.

The café will next run on Tuesday, March 27.