Thursday Club Says Thanks For Grants And Enjoys Hearty Advice

Published on: 16 Feb, 2017
Updated on: 21 Feb, 2017

A club for older people that meets every Thursday at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Rydes Hill, Guildford, has been busy with special visitors of late.

Surrey County Councillor Fiona White is presented with flowers by Mabel Welland.

Surrey County Councillor for Guildford West, Fiona White, dropped by as the club wished to thank her for her grant to it through her member’s allocation.

Her grant has funded a sound system that will be used by guest speakers and a loop system that will benefit those members of the club who are hard of hearing.

Mary Lawrence who runs The Thursday Club said: “Member Mabel Welland presented Fiona with a bouquet of flowers and thanked her for making all this possible. The new equipment will be installed by SoundAnalysts and it means our members will be able to fully appreciate our guest speakers.”

Mary Lawrence (standing) with members of The Thursday Club.

The club has also recently received funding from Guildford Borough Council’s Project Aspire initiative to provide blinds for the windows in the church hall where the club meets.

Mary added: “I feel so blessed that the club has benefited so much recently.”

And on Thursday last week the club was visited by Shirley West of the Guildford and Godalming fundraising branch of the British Heart Foundation (BHF) who demonstrated the techniques of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The message was “you are never too old to learn”, and by all accounts it was another enjoyable afternoon for the club.

Local BHF stalwart Shirley West said: “It was amazing how many took part in trying CPR after my talk and the training demonstration I gave.

Shirley West (centre) with Shirley Arthur and Jane Gilbert.

“One lady, who is aged 93, presented me with a lovely bunch of flowers because she wanted to thank the British Heart Foundation for 21 healthy years after a triple heart bypass operation.

“This is when I feel happy that all my fundraising pays off.”

The Thursday Club meets weekly on Thursday afternoon for people aged 50 and over. It offers bingo, quizzes and beetle drives, intermingled with with guest speakers.

It is non-profit making club and raises funds by a raffle each week. If there is money in the ‘kitty’ it often treats members to things such as subsidised coach trips, strawberry teas and free drinks with their Christmas dinner.

New members are welcome. For more details call Mary Lawrence on 01483 827538. Email: mary.lawrence18@googlemail.com or just go along.