Last week our Community Builder, Richard met with The Snowden Club, a Community group for the less abled and their carers that meets every Tuesday. The group has almost reached full capacity, however still has space for an additional 3-5 members.
An update and upcoming events from Mick Harris, Chairman of the Snowdon Club
“My name is Mick Harris, I am chairman of the Snowdon Club which meets every Tuesday at the Baptist church in Corringham, SS17 7PE.
“The club celebrates its 40th year next month. The original patron of the club was Lord Snowdon thus the clubs name. The club was formed purely for the physically disabled and their carers. I became involved with the club in 2004 after an industrial injury nearly cost me my left leg so I have been involved with the club for the last 17 years. In that time we have seen many changes, the loss of members, the loss of our original venue along with the spiralling costs of running this club without any outside help and a dwindling membership of about 10 people at the start of August 2021. With a fair amount of work and talking we now have a membership of about 25, including myself, which consists of Dementia sufferers and their Carers, members of varying degrees of disability and their Carers and Carers who have sadly lost their charges.
“After the lockdown came the realisation that the club would not survive with its existing Constitution. Therefore in August this year, with the blessing of our President who incidentally was one of the original founding members of the club, I rewrote our constitution to bring it up to date with current needs. The main section which read:“Club for the Physically Disabled” now reads “A Social Club that caters for members from all walks of life and especially for the Disabled and their Carers”.
“On a weekly basis I keep in contact with all our members and did so throughout lockdown last year. The members support each other very well and they also know that they can contact me at any time if they have a problem.
“Each week a quiz, prize draw and bingo is organised. By the by our bingo caller is a lady named Gwen who is 97 years young! Last week we brought in a singer to entertain us which the members all enjoyed.
“With the still increasing infection rate of the Covid-19 virus we cannot at this time organise any meals or outings which we were doing on a regular basis and which was very popular with our members.
“I take my responsibility to our members very seriously and will not put anybody at risk. Every week, when members sign in, their temperature is taken and recorded. Anybody with a reading of 37.5 C is not allowed into the club, this includes all visitors and members friends.”
We have arranged the following diary for the rest of this year:
October 30th – Movie night with ice-cream and popcorn.
November 9th – Singer and Buffet.
November 20th – Music night with live group, coffee and cake.
December 21st – Singer with Buffet.
To be advised – Fish and Chip day. Banjo player to entertain on 2 separate days
“In 2020 before the lockdown I had booked something for each month and that included: 7 meals out and 5 day-trips to Hastings, Eastbourne, Broadstairs, Bexhill and good old Southend but this was not to be. I hope this gives you a small insight into our club’s aspirations. I have every intention to get back to a lively time-table of events once some sort of normalcy returns and it is safe to do so.”
For more information contact carole.harris141@icloud.com
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