Last December, thanks to the generosity of our community, we raised over £2,500 to help our older neighbours through the winter.

Unfortunately, due to the Covid situation, we had to put our plans for a Christmas event on hold. But the good news is that it left us with some money to plan something special this Spring instead…

So last week, more than 70 local people aged 65+ joined us for our ‘Spring Forward into Friendship’ event. For some of our guests, this was the first big social event they’ve attended since the pandemic started two years ago.

Though the weather was warm, we did our best to make it feel like Christmas! We served a special meal which included roast chicken, all the festive extras like pigs and blankets and stuffing, a choice of gateau or cheesecake, and a cheeky glass of fizz to wash it down.

Our guests gave lots of compliments to the kitchen, and really enjoyed the food. But the best bit for us was seeing so many of our older neighbours enjoying themselves, letting their hair down and renewing their friendships after what has been a very lonely and difficult few years for many.

We had a DJ playing party classics, and our guests put their line dancing skills into practice with the legendary hit Candy by Cameo! We also had a free raffle with a variety of prizes that put a smile on a few faces.

As Michelle from our 65+ project team says: “We’ve worked hard to support our older neighbours throughout the pandemic – from online fitness and social activities to help them stay active and connected, to a befriending service to help them fight loneliness.

“So for me, it was a real highlight to have everyone together again, see all the happy smiling faces, and be able to dance and laugh with our guests, just as we did in pre-pandemic times!”