Keeping up the things they love is most of what makes a day good. 2,015 vetted live-in carers could come to live in Southwark. This page shows what they enjoy, what Southwark offers for each interest, and how to find someone who shares your mother's or father's.
13 carers near Southwark have told us what they enjoy
What the carers enjoy
Live-in carers move in rather than travel each day, so the choice is wide: 2,015 are within about three hours of Southwark. These are the interests on the profiles of the nearest of them. Tap one to see what Southwark offers for it.
Listed by manyLess common, so a better matchFrom the profiles of the 17 nearest live-in carers within about three hours of Southwark, September 2026; 13 of them list interests.
Common ground is easy
Most carers list cooking & baking and walking. If that is what your mother or father enjoys, nearly anyone will share it, so choose on the things that matter more: experience, manner and whether they get on.
The less common interests
Fewer carers list these, which is exactly why they are worth searching on. Someone who shares a real passion makes a long week go quickly.
Carers choose the interests on their own profiles. A shared hobby is a good start, not a guarantee, so talk about it when you meet them.
Interest 1
Southwark has fed London for centuries through its riverside markets and its old working class eel and pie trade, so ingredients and food memories are both close at hand.
12 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list cooking & baking
Somewhere to go
Bankside
London's oldest food market, trading near London Bridge since medieval times, with a market hall running tastings, workshops and cookery demonstrations. A carer could shop a short list with someone who still likes choosing their own fish or cheese, then sit down rather than walk the whole site.
Source: pps.org. Check opening times and access before you go.
Local food
Peckham
The Peckham branch of M. Manze opened in 1927 and still serves traditional pies, mash, parsley liquor and jellied or stewed eels. A visit gives an older person food they may have grown up with, and a carer can order and carry the tray.
Source: manze.co.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
A carer does the lifting, the hot trays and the washing up, so the recipes, the judging and the tasting stay with the person who knows them.
Live-in carers who enjoy cooking & bakingSome who could come in Southwark
Interest 2
Southwark runs from the Thames riverside down to old Victorian parks and commons in the south of the borough, so most walks are flat, paved and close to a bus stop.
11 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list walking
Somewhere to go
Dulwich
A large Victorian park with a lake, a boardwalk and a cafe by the College Road entrance. A carer can plan a short circuit with sitting stops and use the accessible parking bays if arriving by car.
Getting around: Southwark News reports the park has accessible parking, wide flat pathways, a level-access cafe and an accessible toilet with a hoist.
Source: southwarknews.co.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to go
Peckham Rye
A park of 1894 with an ornamental lake and the formal Sexby Garden of paved paths, pond and pergola. A carer could drive or bus to the nearest gate and keep to the surfaced lakeside loop, turning back at the garden.
Getting around: The park record describes an asphalt path running around the lake and paved paths in the Sexby Garden.
Source: parksandgardens.org. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
A companion walks at their pace, knows when to turn back, and drives to the flat, well-surfaced routes so a short walk is still possible when a long one is not.
Live-in carers who enjoy walkingSome who could come in Southwark
Safiyo M.£161 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys painting, dancing, card games, puzzles
Julia Hazvinei L.£135 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys cooking & baking, gardening, knitting, reading
Jennifer N.£165 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys cooking & baking, reading, watching TV
Zahra A.£145 a day5 yrsAlso enjoys dancing, cooking & baking, puzzles, yogaInterest 3
Dancing in Southwark tends to happen in community halls and day centres rather than dance studios, often as part of a wider programme for older residents.
7 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list dancing
Somewhere to join
Link Age Southwark runs around 25 exercise and activity groups across the borough, including gentle exercise, seated yoga and seated dance, with some sessions aimed at people living with dementia. A carer can find the nearest group, go along the first few times and handle the journey there.
Source: ageingwellsouthwark.org. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
From tea dances to seated movement to music, a companion can find the right session, drive there, and make sure it is enjoyable rather than tiring.
Live-in carers who enjoy dancingSome who could come in Southwark
Dorothee A.£150 a day6 yrsAlso enjoys card games, cooking & baking, puzzles, embroidery
Gladys A.£140 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, card games, cooking & baking, puzzles
Rugiatu M.£140 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys walking, cooking & baking
Maria Del Mar A.£160 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, card games, cooking & baking, decoratingInterest 4
The borough has a long habit of turning leftover land into growing space, from community gardens on old bomb sites to planted enclosures inside its public parks.
6 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list gardening
Somewhere to go
Walworth
A community garden and horticultural charity open seven days a week, running gardening therapy sessions, workshops and free training courses for local residents. A carer could book a therapy session or simply come along for an hour of potting and a sit in the garden.
Source: southwarknews.co.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to go
Burgess Park
A set of walled world gardens beside the old almshouses, planted in English, Asian, Mediterranean, Oriental and Caribbean styles, with raised beds used by community growers and a cafe on site. Free to enter, so a carer can make it a short visit to look at the planting and stop for tea.
Source: southwark.gov.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Potting on at a table rather than kneeling, deadheading from a stool, visiting gardens with level paths and a tearoom: a carer keeps the garden in their week.
Live-in carers who enjoy gardeningSome who could come in Southwark
Carmen A.£172 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, cooking & baking, puzzlesMaria Del Mar A.£160 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & baking
Pere O.£160 a day17 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, cooking & baking, yogaSafiyo M.£161 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesInterest 5
Music in this part of London ranges from cathedral choirs and organ music by the river to back street pubs that have hosted live bands for generations.
5 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list music
Somewhere to go
Nunhead
A Grade II listed 1930s pub with a ballroom, known as a live music venue since the 1970s and now London's first co-operatively owned pub. A carer could check the listings for an early or afternoon gig and book a table rather than standing.
Source: heritageoflondon.org. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Old records, a choir concert, singing along in the kitchen. Music often stays with people long after other things fade, and a companion who enjoys it makes it part of the day.
Live-in carers who enjoy musicSome who could come in Southwark
Maria Del Mar A.£160 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingSafiyo M.£161 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesJulia Hazvinei L.£135 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, cooking & baking, gardening, knittingDorothee A.£150 a day6 yrsAlso enjoys dancing, card games, cooking & baking, puzzlesInterest 6
The borough offers two very different subjects, the Victorian burial grounds and woods of the south and the working riverside and dockland skyline in the north.
5 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list photography
Somewhere to go
Nunhead
One of London's Magnificent Seven Victorian cemeteries, with overgrown monuments, good birdlife and a framed view towards St Paul's Cathedral. A carer could drive to the Linden Grove entrance, stick to the main avenue and give someone time to set up shots.
Source: londonmuseum.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to go
Rotherhithe
A five acre nature reserve on the site of the old Stave Dock, minutes from historic Rotherhithe and across the water from Canary Wharf, with meadow, ponds and woodland. A carer could time a visit for morning light and carry the camera bag between stops.
Source: tcv.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
A companion can plan an outing around the light and the tide, carry the kit, and help sort the pictures afterwards.
Live-in carers who enjoy photographySome who could come in Southwark
Carmen A.£172 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, cooking & baking, puzzlesMaria Del Mar A.£160 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingPere O.£160 a day17 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, cooking & baking, gardeningSafiyo M.£161 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesInterest 7
Southwark's libraries are well used neighbourhood buildings, and several run long standing reading groups for adults.
5 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list reading
Somewhere to join
The council lists adult book groups meeting in libraries across the borough, as well as online groups for people who cannot easily travel. A carer could pick the nearest one, collect the monthly title and read parts of it aloud during the week.
Source: southwark.gov.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to go
Peckham
The landmark Peckham Hill Street library, whose adult book group has been running since 2000, with many bus routes stopping nearby. A carer could combine the trip with borrowing large print or audio books for the fortnight ahead.
Source: allthelibraries.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Library trips, reading aloud when eyes tire, audiobooks set up and ready, and somebody to talk about the book with.
Live-in carers who enjoy readingSome who could come in Southwark
Maria Del Mar A.£160 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingPere O.£160 a day17 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, cooking & baking, gardeningJulia Hazvinei L.£135 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, cooking & baking, gardening, knittingDorothee A.£150 a day6 yrsAlso enjoys dancing, card games, cooking & baking, puzzlesInterest 8
Southwark has a deep tradition of settlement work and friends groups, so there is steady, unhurried volunteering that suits people who still want to be useful.
4 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list volunteering
Somewhere to join
Nunhead
A volunteer group that looks after the cemetery and runs guided tours, an annual open day and family history help, meeting at the cabin by the Linden Grove entrance on working days. Volunteers are welcome for an hour or two rather than a full day, and a carer could stay alongside for the session.
Source: fonc.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to join
Rotherhithe
A long standing community organisation in Rotherhithe and Bermondsey with groups and social activities for older people, including trishaw rides through its Cycling Without Age programme. A carer could help someone move from being helped to helping out, for example by joining a group as a regular volunteer.
Source: teamlondonbridge.co.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
A carer can help find a role that suits sitting down or short sessions, and handle the lifts there and back.
Live-in carers who enjoy volunteeringSome who could come in Southwark
Maria Del Mar A.£160 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingPere O.£160 a day17 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, cooking & baking, gardeningSafiyo M.£161 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesDorothee A.£150 a day6 yrsAlso enjoys dancing, card games, cooking & baking, puzzlesInterest 9
Southwark has an unusually strong gallery tradition for an inner London borough, including one of the country's oldest public collections and galleries that run their own art classes.
3 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list painting
Somewhere to go
Dulwich
England's first purpose built public art gallery, opened in 1817, with a permanent collection of old masters, changing exhibitions and practical art courses. A carer could book a wheelchair in advance and plan one room at a time with a break in the cafe.
Getting around: The gallery says wooden benches are placed throughout the building and grounds, wheelchairs can be borrowed and there are disabled parking bays on Gallery Road.
Source: dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Setting up the table, washing the brushes, finding a gallery with a lift: a carer handles the practical side so the time goes on the painting.
Live-in carers who enjoy paintingInterest 10
Sport here is mostly neighbourhood level, park greens and pitches plus one long established professional football club with a strong local following.
3 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list sports
Somewhere to join
Peckham Rye Park bowling green, Peckham Rye
Peckham Bowls runs the bowling green and pavilion in Peckham Rye Park as community bowls, with no membership and no dress code and sessions open to all ages and abilities. A carer could book a slot, carry the woods and play alongside someone who used to bowl.
Source: peckhamsociety.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to go
Bermondsey
Millwall's ground in Bermondsey, where a home match is a fixture in the week for many local supporters. A carer could arrange accessible seating with the club in advance and drive or take an accessible route in, as the nearest stations are not step free.
Getting around: The ground guide states that Millwall provides accessible seating and facilities for disabled supporters.
Source: tothe92.co.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Watching the match together, a trip to the bowls green or the cricket, or gentle exercise done safely with someone alongside.
Live-in carers who enjoy sportsInterest 11
Southwark's fishing is park fishing, on lakes made when old industrial and canal land was turned back into open space.
1 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list fishing
Somewhere to go
Burgess Park lake, Burgess Park
Fishing is allowed from dawn to dusk on half of the lake near Old Kent Road and Albany Road, with a day ticket bought from the council and a rod licence. A carer could sort the ticket and licence in advance, carry the tackle and sit out a couple of hours by the water.
Source: southwark.gov.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
A carer can sort the permit and the tackle, drive to a bank spot close to the car park, and bring the chair, the flask and the patience.
Live-in carers who enjoy fishingCarers list their interests on their profiles. Search live-in carers in Southwark and the ones who share this interest are shown first.
Interest 12
Knitting in Southwark mostly happens in day centres and community hubs, where the craft is tied up with fundraising and company.
1 of 13live-in carers we looked at
list knitting
Somewhere to join
A weekly Thursday afternoon knitting and sewing circle for older residents, where members make items such as cushions and bags to sell at fundraising bazaars, alongside art and craft sessions midweek. A carer could bring the needles and wool, help with casting on and stay for the two hours.
Source: ageingwellsouthwark.org. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Winding wool, reading the pattern aloud, picking up dropped stitches, and a trip to the wool shop or a knitting group.
Live-in carers who enjoy knittingSome who could come in Southwark
Closer to home
Not every good day involves going out. These are the everyday interests the carers who could come list most, and each is easier, and more fun, with somebody to share it.
From interest to introduction
Use the link under any interest on this page. It opens a search of live-in carers in Southwark with the carers who list that interest first; nobody else is hidden, so you still see everyone who could come.
Each profile shows the carer's interests next to their experience, the conditions they have cared for, their day rate and their reviews. Shortlist two or three.
Message and meet them for free. Ask about the hobby: someone who really gardens will tell you what they grow. Nothing is booked until you decide.
We set up the contract, handle invoicing and payment, and insure the care while the carer works. The rest of the week is theirs to fill.
Charlotte
Care manager for families in Southwark
Someone to talk to first
Most families start with a call: what your relative needs, what it would cost, which carers share your parent's interests, and whether live-in care or companionship visits suit them better, and what to ask a carer when you speak to them. Charlotte has those conversations every day and can tell you which of the carers in Southwark might suit, though the choice is always yours.
Questions
Yes. Getting out is a normal part of a live-in carer's week: a walk (Dulwich Park is a good one), a garden visit, a choir concert, the bowls club or a lunch with friends. Many carers drive, and the search shows who does. Mileage is only charged if you agree it in advance and in writing, and 55p a mile is the usual figure when a carer uses their own car. Entry tickets and cafe stops for the carer are worth agreeing up front too.
Use the link under the interest on this page: it opens a search of live-in carers in Southwark with the ones who list that interest shown first, and the rest still there below them. Every profile shows the carer's interests alongside their experience, rates and reviews. Message the ones you like, and talk about the hobby when you meet them: it is the quickest way to tell whether the interest is real.
For live-in care it matters more than people expect. A live-in carer shares the house for weeks at a time, and the hours between the care tasks are most of the day. Somebody who likes the same programmes, games or garden fills those hours naturally. It is still second to experience and temperament, so treat it as a tie-breaker between good carers rather than the first thing you filter on.
Live-in care through PrimeCarers is typically about £1,120 a week, with our fee included, and each carer sets their own rate, shown on their profile. That covers somebody living in and helping through the day. If your parent needs company rather than round-the-clock help, hourly companionship visits start from about £15 an hour. Companionship care in Southwark compares the two.
Then the interest comes to him. A carer can bring the garden to a table on the patio, put the old records on, set up the jigsaw, read the paper aloud or play cards most afternoons. The interests further down this page are mostly the ones done at home, and plenty of carers share them.
Each local suggestion was researched from published sources, and every one on the page has passed a check before appearing: either it was found on a map inside Southwark, or its source page, which we link to, is live and names the area. Anything that failed was left out. Opening times, prices and access change, so check with the venue before you go, especially for gardens such as Walworth Garden, where it is worth asking ahead about wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
Yes. Before a carer appears on PrimeCarers they have passed an enhanced DBS check, an identity check and a right-to-work check, and had an online interview with our team, with renewal or rechecks depending on the accepted route. Carers write their own profiles, including their interests and skills, so ask about anything that matters to you when you meet them. How we vet carers sets out each step.
See live-in carers with their photos, interests, rates and reviews, and talk to your favourites for free. Nothing is booked until you say so.
