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New lunch club for older residents

ChairBasedExercisesGroup activities being delivered by Jigsaw Friends in local community venues are proving popular with older residents.

Around thirty people are benefiting regularly from weekly chair-based exercise sessions held at Melville Court in Meden Vale on Wednesdays, and on Thursdays at George Shooter Court in Warsop.

The exercises are funded by Big Warsop and led by Jayne Bradley, a development worker from the Jigsaw Support Scheme, a Nottinghamshire charity that supports disabled, vulnerable and older adults to help maintain their independence or their health. Jayne is supported at the sessions by volunteers.

Jigsaw Friends has also organised a weekly lunch group, which held its first meeting on Thursday 18 February.

ChairBasedExercises2“The lunch club attendees told us that they preferred a hot meal, and at first we struggled to find a venue,” said Jayne Bradley. “Initially we were going to use The Gate pub – but that closed, re-opened and then closed again. We’ve now opted for the re-opened Plough. The staff there have been very welcoming and are happy to accommodate the group.”

The exercise sessions are aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of older residents, enabling them to learn new things, and provide somewhere for them to socialise with people who live in the same complex as well as from the surrounding area. The lunch group also improves quality of life and reduces isolation.

Here’s what the participants say about Jigsaw Friends:

We exercise our brains as well as our bodies.

We have such a good laugh.

I love it when we reminisce about what Warsop used to be like.

It’s something different to look forward to each week.

I’ve seen people I haven’t seen for years.

It’s lovely to meet for lunch and so much nicer to eat with friends.

You can read the full report from Jigsaw Friends here on our website.

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