The Friendly Club & Café

Friendly Club & Cafe

The Friendly Club & Café launched on 5th August 2021 and will be open every Thursday afternoon between 2.30pm and 4.30pm. It is based at St Mary’s Church Wivenhoe.
The Friendly Club & Café is the initiative of the Wivenhoe Dementia Support Group in partnership with the PCC of St Mary’s Church.

The Friendly Club & Café is open to anybody who wants to come down, meet other people and socialise, or just pop in for a cup of tea or coffee.
People who have been diagnosed with dementia, and their carers, are especially welcome. We have a wonderful team of over 30 volunteers who will run the Club & Café each week. Most of them have completed a 1 hour information session on dementia and are now Dementia Friends.

We hope the Friendly Club & Café will fulfil a need for people to know that they are not alone, to provide an opportunity to meet and talk to other people in great surroundings, and be amongst friends. This is a Club with no membership requirements.
In its first few weeks we were attracting over 50 people each Thursday afternoon..

Everyone is very welcome to join us and have some fun. There is a flat fee of £2 on entrance to cover unlimited tea or coffee and biscuits.
We aim to have a bit of entertainment or maybe a speaker at each of these afternoons.

Deputy Chairman of the Wivenhoe Dementia Support Group, Michelle Burrows, will be leading Singing for the Brain sessions on some afternoons. Music will feature strongly in the sort of activities which will take place. Other activities will be introduced in due course.
A knitting table has already been established by Alison for those who want to do something with their hands. Janice and her petting dog George are likely to be regular visitors.
We have been donated a keyboard and there is a digital piano available to anyone who can come and play.

We look forward to welcoming all residents of Wivenhoe. Just pop in or stick your head round the door and have a peek if you want before committing yourself.