Sue Broster, our Activities Co-ordinator, is settling in her new role and enjoing meeting our tenants in their communities. Here, she shares her recent visit to independent living scheme Martinfield in Penwortham:

I had a great time visiting Martinfield. It was lovely to see the community centre filled with people enjoying breakfast (some a full English) cooked by two lovely ladies, Sue, who is a tenant, and volunteer Tanya.

This community had nothing after Covid, and I wanted to know how they managed to get to this point.  I soon learned it was ‘a lot of hard work’, followed by ‘trial and error’.

The first thing they did was hold a house meeting run by their ILC Suzanne Denham.

There was no money in the kitty to buy stock, so tenants organised fundraising events, such as a jumble sale and coffee mornings which involved a lot of hard work. This allowed them to decide what they wanted regarding community activities. 

The group tried games afternoons and craft sessions, but that was not successful. They then decided to put on the Breakfast Club on a Wednesday, as they realised food always encourages people.

Asking Suzanne why it has been so successful, she says: "There is a good community feeling and support network amongst the tenants. They are always looking ahead and are even planning their Christmas party already." 

One tenant tells us: "I moved from Chorley during lockdown, and although I was near my family, it took me a long time to settle. Having the community centre open was a lifeline for me. I have made so many friends. I really like it here."

Another tenant adds: "We appreciate the work Sue and Tanya do. It is nice for us all to be able to get together."

Sue and Tanya are lovely hosts who keep people in line and are always there with a smile and a bit of banter. The atmosphere was relaxed and accepting of everyone, a pleasure to visit. So if you are passing on a Wednesday morning, I highly recommend a visit.

  • Martinfield also holds regular bingo afternoons and pie and peas evenings.

Sue Broster Small

Sue Broster

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