No More Lonely Nights

Hampshire-based charity, Brendoncare Clubs, is launching two new clubs, providing social opportunities for older people

Situated in Lee-on-the-Solent and Gosport, the clubs will offer a range of activities, including games and quizzes. As with all Brendoncare’s clubs, members are guaranteed a warm welcome, the chance to enjoy a couple of hours with other people and to make new friends. Loneliness is a real problem today, with over one million older people feeling chronically lonely, and it can have an impact on people’s mental and physical wellbeing. One study has even compared the effects of loneliness to those of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Brendoncare Clubs runs over 90 groups across Hampshire and Dorset and these two new clubs are part of the charity’s current focus on tackling loneliness at weekends. Lora Stares, Club Support for Brendoncare, explains “Weekends can be very long when you have no family or friends around you or if your family are busy with other commitments. Some services close over the weekend and so social opportunities can be limited. Our weekend clubs provide fun and friendship for older people and we hope lots of local people will come along and find out more about the new Lee-on-the-Solent and Gosport clubs.”

Both clubs launch on Saturday 6 May. The Lee-on-the-Solent club will run every Saturday from 10am until 12 noon at Lee-on-the-Solent library, 16 High Street, Lee-on-the-Solent, PO13 9BZ, while in Gosport the club will meet every Saturday afternoon between 1pm and 3pm at the Club Hampshire Centre, The Anchorage, Willis Road, Gosport, PO12 1LZ. Both clubs will cost £2.50 per session with the first week free for members to try.

Volunteers are also needed to help run the clubs. No previous experience is necessary – just a sense of fun and a desire to support the members.

Enquiries are welcome from anyone wishing to find out more about the new clubs. Anyone interested can click here, telephone the charity on 01962 852133 or email clubs@brendoncare.org.uk for more information.