Chesterfield waste firm chips in to help Loundsley Green social club for isolated people

Ward has given £520 to the chit chat club at Loundsley Green Community Centre to cover the costs of room rental over the next six months so members can continue to get together during the pandemic.

The meeting space fees were previously subsidised by the Loundsley Green Community Trust, yet due to economic difficulties resulting from COVID-19, the organisation was forced to start charging room hire.

The firm’s operations director Donald Ward said: “This is an extremely challenging time, particularly those who may live alone or have limited family to rely on.

“Supporting the local community is really important to us and as a local business we have a duty to provide assistance where we can to support mental health and well-being of each other.”

The volunteers who organise the club initially proposed closing for the duration of the pandemic, but were urged to rethink by members.

Kathleen Goodwin said: “The response was an overwhelming ‘no’. We have a large room so we can keep a safe distance from each other. We sanitise everywhere many times during our sessions and everyone wears masks.

“It is really important to people to keep meeting up. We’re so grateful for the support from Ward.”

She added: “Everyone is so passionate about keeping the group going. Members were happy to contribute £2 per week to cover the costs as our usual fundraising activities have been curbed by recent events.

The weekly sessions – every Thursday, 1.30-3.30pm – give people the chance to see friends, enjoy a game of bingo and talk over a cup of tea, and members were anxious about being cut off from social contact.

Sheila, 87, said: “I may only have a few years left and I don’t want to be in the house seeing no-one, so I will risk the virus.”

Daphne, 92, agreed, adding “The thought of being on my own is more frightening than catching the virus.”

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