During Loneliness Awareness Week, the Trust’s Oli Barnes and Senior Spireites participant Janet Little have spoken about the importance of the sessions for those who attend.
Senior Spireites sessions run every Wednesday and Friday afternoons at the HUB and every Thursday at the Church of Annunciation Hall for those aged 55 and over, including activities such as bingo, chair-based exercise and day trips.
Oli said: “The exercise is great; I think it’s really important for older people to get out and do exercise. But I think the more important thing is them having a cup of coffee, playing bingo, having a chat. That’s the bit that really matters.
“It brings people together. People have created friendship groups they didn’t have before. And it’s saving lives to an extent.”
Speaking about how she first got involved in the Senior Spireites sessions, Janet said: “Before I started coming, I used to get so lonely and depressed – I didn’t want to leave the house.
“Then I went to the Town Hall for a dementia session, and Oli and Olly Parkinson from the Trust were there. They introduced themselves to me and told me about the group.”
Oli spoke about the impact of getting a group of people together with similar life-experiences, adding: “There’s a lot of people who come together and didn’t realise that they have lots in common with different people.
“We had two guys who did National Service, and didn’t know each other. They were sharing stories from when they were in the Army together. People have created groups, and they see each other outside the sessions socially.”
On the impact that the sessions have had on her life, Janet said: “I’ve been coming for over three years ago now. I’ve made a lot of friends, more friends than I’ve ever had in my whole life.
“The sessions have given me sort of a new purpose in life. I’ve got something to look forward to. I go home on a Thursday and I’ve got another session the day after at the HUB.”