The COVID-19 pandemic meant that our 10 social clubs have had to close, and all activities usually enjoyed by the members at the club setting have ceased. For our members attending their weekly club reduces their feelings of isolation and facilitates them to see their friends; and the staff and volunteers who they have built trust and friendships with.
The organisation has made a commitment to the members to remain connected to our members, the project leader for each club continues to engage with the families and the members via online means, ensuring continuity of service and providing activities that the members can still look forward to.
We want to make Christmas as special as possible and so plans are now under way to continue reaching out to our members and make activity packs (activity sheets such as word searches, colouring, crosswords, dot to dot sweets and treats and craft kits to make something ‘Christmassy’ a cracker or a card, all age and ability appropriate. Door step visits, dropping off the activity packs, singing some Christmas carols with the Carol minibus, that will be decorated with tinsel and fairy lights, doing a drive by of houses blasting some carols. In fancy dress of course! Zoom sessions. Craft along session and sing along carols. Christmas theme bingo. We are hoping to organise a virtual Christmas concert.
During the pandemic we experienced a significant reduction in income, we halted weekly subscriptions for all closed clubs and all physical fundraising events were cancelled.