The Brendoncare West End Club, run by Winchester based charity, Brendoncare Clubs, is delighted to be meeting virtually to give members and volunteers the opportunity to join together each week, whilst the physical club is temporarily closed.
During the Monday afternoon sessions, the members and volunteers are enjoying a variety of activities including quizzes, charades, chair-based exercises and some music and singing. There has also been a lot chat, laughter and a virtual cuppa.
Eve, Brendoncare West End Club member, commented:
I am so grateful for the Zoom meetings and thank Brendoncare for helping and supporting me to keep in contact with my friends from the Club. I have been pleased with all the technical help to get me started on Zoom and all the telephone calls I have received too. I really look forward to seeing everyone on a Monday afternoon.
Amber Babey, Brendoncare Club Support, and leader of the virtual meetings, said:
We have a lot of laughs together and we would love more of our members to get involved, they are missed. We cannot wait to get back to the Club, but, in the meantime, this is a lovely way to spend time together.
Brendoncare staff are helping all members who want to join in with the virtual club, but who don’t yet have the skills, confidence with technology, or the equipment to do so. The plan is to develop further virtual clubs to help people connect with the outside world during this time of enforced isolation.
Brendoncare Clubs is a well established and trusted community service, offering a vital lifeline for 1,700 older people in Hampshire and Dorset, through 94 clubs across 40 locations during the week and over the weekend. The clubs are temporarily closed at present, but when running they provide a friendly, fun, relaxed and supportive environment where older people can meet other club members, make friends and develop strong peer support networks.
The West End Club usually meets every Monday from 2pm-4pm, at Hilldene Community Hall, 86 High Street, West End, Eastleigh, SO30 3DU.
To learn more about Brendoncare Clubs please call 01962 857099, clubs@brendoncare.org.uk, www.brendoncare.org.uk/clubs.
