For the past 34 years Thame and District Day Centre, a registered Charity, has been a well loved and respected part of the Community of Thame. The Charity has experienced many changes during those 34 years. The most significant change before the current pandemic was the move to the new Cricket Pavilion from Thame Community Hospital. The hospital needed more clinical space and having a larger space for the Charity would provide an opportunity to support a larger number of members.
Over the last year after a significant amount of discussion at the Trustees meeting and AGM it was an opportune moment to look at the name and branding of the centre. When the Day Centre started it was part of Age Concern and since then there have been significant changes in health care in conjunction with the needs and expectations of the elderly community of Thame. Now the centre is an independent Charity it is important to continue to reflect our members needs to ensure they continue to live independently. The new name of ‘Thame Senior Friendship Centre’ will help us do this.
Unfortunately, as many of you know we closed on 17 March due to Covid-19 and unfortunately, we have no date for reopening due to current restrictions. We know that when we do re-open the way in which we operate will change significantly. However, whilst we have been closed, we are in contact with all our members to make sure they are fit and well. The staff, volunteers and trustees have continued to work during the closure to support those isolated within the community and this has also afforded us the time to rebrand, print new leaflets and create a new website which will allow forms to be completed on line.
Via our website you will see links to join the South Oxfordshire Lottery, donate via Givey and via purchases from Amazon smile.
The aims, and values of the centre are the same as the day it started in 1986. A friendly space in which to socialise is the key to helping tackle one of the biggest challenges as we grow older – loneliness. Thame Senior Friendship Centre provides a welcome to everyone on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and we can arrange transport through volunteers and much more. On arrival, members get a cup of tea or coffee and a chance to catch up with and interact with other members. Some of the members like to chat and do puzzles, jigsaws or some like to play games like indoor curling. At lunchtime members are offered a glass of sherry and a 2 course lunch followed by afternoon entertainment.
Providing this key service to our older community cannot exist without the support of the rest of the community in the form of grants, donations, volunteer helpers and drivers and we hope that this will continue for many years to come.
