Pensioner’s Saturday Club – Dow Foundation Follow Up (October 2022)
During their last event, Irene Hopkins (Business & Community Liaison Officer) met with the Saturday Pensioners Club to discuss their award from the Dow Foundation.
Held at St. Oswalds, Netherton, the Pensioner’s Saturday Club holds a monthly event, providing both a meal and entertainment to local pensioners in and around the Netherton area. The club currently has over 50 members.
Run by Brenda Mellor and her team, the club offers a great opportunity for local friends to meet, bring the community together and helping out those pensioners who really benefit from social interaction for a variety of reasons.
The Pensioner’s Saturday Club has an established history with Dowhigh, who have helped in the past by providing Christmas hampers to those pensioners in the community who needed support, as well as helping with previous events.
As well as providing this financial assistance, Irene has also been involved with the club, helping at events and keeping the close connection between the club and Dowhigh alive.
So Why Did The Dow Foundation Choose The Pensioner’s Saturday Club For An Award?
Because of our close connection, this award was close to the boards heart.
St. Oswalds is a stones throw away from the Dowhigh head office, our team has a close affinity to the group and it’s a group that benefits massively for any financial support which can be offered.
Many of the members suffer from social isolation, often without close family who can help support them, coupled with poor physical and / or mental health.
Having regular events helps brings these people together – whilst also ensuring they have a good meal and entertainment – usually through music or dancing. Previous entertainment has included bingo with raffles and prizes during valentines day and an Elvis tribute!
The Dow Foundation thought that the proposal for an award from the Pensioners Saturday Club met a lot of their criteria including:
- The group were focusing on group that struggles to get regular funding from other sources
- It helps a group of people that suffers from mental health issues due to social isolation
- It’s a great opportunity to bring a group of individuals together to ensure that their mental and physical well being is maintained
- This is a group at the very heart of our community and one that we’ve got a long term relationship with
How Much Did The Dow Foundation Award The Club And What Was It Used For?
The club was awarded a donation of £760.
This award will be used to help with the annual upkeep of the club, beyond that of the food and entertainment provision, which covers the financial costs which the Club incurs such as heating, lighting, food and petrol.
As with any self-funded club such as this, finding funding can be incredibly difficult, therefore Dowhigh are proud to provide our continued support by awarding the club funding for a years on-going bills.
How Will The Award Benefit The Club?
Ultimately, the award will allow the club to have the peace of mind that their bills for the ongoing year will be covered so that they can focus on fund raising for all of the additional monies they need for food and entertainment.
By ensuring that the heating and lights are on will also allow the club to provide a safe and warm space for their members, with the goal of growing the club and expanding the monthly luncheon to more seniors within their community.
With the increase in electricity and gas bills, as well as the ever increase in food prices, events such as this as a welcome break for many of it’s members, knowing that, at least for an afternoon, they can forget about their worries and spend time with friends and enjoy an afternoon.
Dowhigh and the Dow Foundation are proud to continue our relationship with the Club and we wish them all of the best and continued success for the forthcoming year.
Dow Foundation award to The Friends of Derby Park –
