Thame Day centre settling into its new home

THE Thame and District Day Centre has successfully moved to its new venue at the Thame Cricket Club pavilion.

The centre’s manager, Gill Coleman said: “The Day Centre, having been at The Community Hospital for so many years has become synonymous to the local community. Moving to our new location at Thame Town Cricket Club will ensure our own identity. Myself, staff, volunteers and members were all apprehensive about moving, but we are excited to be able to spread our wings and welcome new members to the Day Centre.

“Everyone is happy and our daily activities continue as before with more space to introduce new ideas and engage more with our local community. Please could I say ‘well done’ to our Trustees who have secured our future.”

Chair of the Friends of Thame and District Day Centre, Alison Champken Woods, explained why the move was necessary.

Alison told Thame.Net: “Over the last couple of years, it had become apparent to all the Trustees that the new Community Hub at the Community Hospital was working well and the need for services to be expanded on the site to ensure ‘care closer to home’.

“The Board of Trustees therefore investigated other venues and had discussions with the cricket club around a potential move. The Thame & District Day Centre which runs on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, had been located on the Community Hub site, formerly Thame Cottage Hospital, since 1986 and it was recognised that a move would ensure the continuation of the Day Centre.

“The Day Centre moved to the first floor of the new Cricket Pavilion at the end of March and whilst it’s very different the members, volunteers and staff appear to be settling in very well. Obviously this is a significant change for everyone and the Cricket Club has been very helpful in both facilitating the move and helping to access funding for lifts etc.

“The new venue is situated next to St. Marys church and is much larger, much lighter, brighter with natural light, access to a veranda plus parking and access is also much easier on the new site. The room overlooks the cricket pitch and when the cricket season starts, it is envisaged that there will be some midweek matches which will give some members the opportunity to watch if they so wish.

“The move has seen us lose a couple of volunteers but we have recruited some more and we now have two dinner ladies who deal with serving the two course hot meal to our members.”

On the centre’s first day, the Mayor of Thame, Anne Midwinter, visited and was very impressed with the venue.

Volunteers needed!

The Day Centre is still in need of volunteers, and is especially seeking a volunteer driver for Tuesdays, using their own car to bring our members in and take them home again. Usual hours being 9:00am to 10:00 am and 2:30pm to 3:30pm. A mileage allowance is paid for this role.

The centre also needs volunteers to help during the day to help Staff deliver activities, serve lunch, tea and coffee – but also to give time to listen and chat to the members, some of whom do not see or speak to anyone from week to week.

If you could make a difference, give the Day Centre’s Manager Gill Coleman a ring on 01844 212080 a call at the Day Centre to just have an informal chat, see if it is something that you could do for a few hours a week.

You can find out more about the life of Thame and District Day Centre by following them on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thame.and.district.day.centre/