Nearly half of all carers in Croydon are lonely all or most of the time.

To combat this, the Carers Support Centre in George Street runs free activity sessions including drop-in advice and dance classes.

To learn more about the good work the service does MP Mims Davies, minister for sport and civil society, visited on Friday, March 1.

While she was there, she showed off her best Bollywood moves in the carers creative dance class.

Ms Davies cared for both of her parents and went to school in Croydon.

She said: “This fantastic local facility, by providing a drop-in service for local carers, dancing classes and support through bereavement for former carers, is playing a key role in tackling isolation across the Croydon community.”

Last year, the centre published a report called No One Should Care Alone which found that 45% of Croydon carers are lonely all or most of the time, and 65% struggle to find time to spend with friends and family, apart from the person they care for.

Helen Thompson, manager at the Carers Support Centre , said: “We welcome the minister’s positive attitude towards tackling carer loneliness.

“Our Carers Café and free wellbeing activities offer Croydon carers an opportunity to meet others and take a break out of caring. But we know many carers still face the pain and stigma of chronic loneliness.

“Feeling frequently lonely can be as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. We therefore call on local and national government to make carer support and carer respite breaks a priority, so carers can take care of their wellbeing and maintain crucial social networks.”

According to the most recent census data, one in 10 people in Croydon are carers.

The Carers Support Centre provides information, advice and support to unpaid carers in Croydon and is open from 10am to 4pm each day.

It is run by the Carers Information Service and is also home to other organisations helping carers, including Healthwatch Croydon, Parents in Partnership and the Young Carers Service.

And it is funded by The Whitgift Foundation and Croydon Council.