Now that lockdown restrictions have eased, Community and Day Centres for older people in the borough are welcoming clients through their doors again.
There are five centres in Waverley - Rowleys Centre for the Community, The Clockhouse, Haslewey Community Centre, Farncombe Day Centre and *Brightwells Gostrey, all of which work in partnership with and are part funded by Waverley Borough Council.
The centres provide a warm and welcoming environment and offer a range of services including the opportunity to meet new people, rediscover or take up a new hobby, or simply pop in for a chat and a bite to eat.
Four of the centres also provide a Community Meals Service and have collectively delivered over 42,000 meals during the pandemic, providing a lifeline for those who are unable to cook for themselves but also offering the social contact many have missed through lockdown.
Councillor Kika Mirylees, Waverley Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, said: “The work that the staff in our community and day centres do at any time is invaluable but never more so than during the pandemic when many older and vulnerable residents found themselves cut off from others. Not only did the staff make sure that those who can’t cook for themselves got a nutritious, freshly cooked meal but were also able to check that residents were ok and offer a friendly face and chat during a difficult and for some, isolated, time.”
“We are very grateful to all the dedicated staff and volunteers working at our community and day centres, what wonderful places they are and we are proud to be supporting all their good work.”
You can find out more about each of the centres via Waverley Borough Council’s Community and Day Centre’s website page.
*Please note: Brightwells Gostrey has been offering a Community Meals Service during the pandemic but will open its doors for other services on 1 June 2021.