Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire

What’s on? Issue 3 July 2012

Welcome to Issue 3 of Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire’s What’s on?

Issue 3: Our Active Age Festival

Saturday 2nd June 2012

The day started with two of Worcestershire’s Olympic Torch Bearers, Monica Martin and Frankie Tsang, all dressed up in their Olympic outfits, kindly letting people hold, and be photographed with, their precious Olympic Torches.

MP Robin Walker, Age UK’s Clare Ball and Age UK H&W Chief Exec Philip Talbot mingled with the crowd, who enjoyed free refreshments and a large variety of information stands. When everyone was seated there were welcome speeches followed by a colourful display of traditional Malayalee story dancing by a young Malayalee dance group from India.

Then everyone got ready to be active! Participants selected their activity and made their way to the start point. 45 minute taster sessions were run in Tai Chi, Solo Ballroom Dance, Lawn Bowls, Guided Walks, Drama Workshops and Gentle Exercise.

A Worcester Photo quiz, Sewing a Community Quilt, Holistic Therapies and Health and Fitness checks were on offer for anyone not taking part in an activity, and the Information Stands and Tombola were kept busy all morning.

After all the activity everyone stopped for lunch and were delightfully entertained on the piano by Mr Charles Carter of Callow End. Lunch went down a treat – everyone having worked hard, and all had a chance to discuss how they had enjoyed their different activities.

The results of the ‘An Activity a Day Keeps Old Age at Bay’ poetry competition were announced and the winning entry amusingly read out by the author – none other than Janet Hughes – the super-active 77 year old ballroom dance teacher!

All the activities were again on offer in the afternoon, and some participants even managed to squeeze in two different sessions! There was a toe tapping dance demonstration by the Strictly Solo Dance Group to entertain everyone returning to the hall, and by 3.00 many information stands had all but run out of leaflets which had been snapped up by our eager ‘active agers’.

Then - the world stopped still - when 15-year old Nikki Martin took to the stage. Her stunning singing had everyone transfixed, and when she started a completely unaccompanied rendition of the National Anthem – everyone in the hall got to their feet and joined in. It was very moving.

OUCH!

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

How did I get in this state?

My joints are complaining

Whenever it's raining

I'll never survive at this rate.

Where is the girl who could run

everywhere?

And rise with a leap and a bound?

She's somewhere beneath

These wonky old teeth

And her eyesight's becoming unsound.

I need to get active, but where do I start?

I've possibly left it too late

But here's Age-UK

Who are saving the day

Handing fitness to me on a plate!

Could I really play bowls, take a walk in

the park

Or master the art of Tai Chi?

Could I even dance Tango?

Or do the Fandango?

Yes I could, and I will, just you see!

So thanks Age-UK for giving us

hope

For putting us back where we were

Now I'm active and fit

'Cause I no longer sit

The marathon? Maybe next year!

Janet Hughes 2012

What a perfect way to start our Jubilee Tea. There was a lovely selection of cakes, including a giant flag cake.

As people settled around the dance hall to enjoy their tea and cakes the unstoppable Janet Hughes and Bernard Gilbert (age 86) encouraged couples to join in with a traditional Tea Dance.

Those who didn’t join in enjoyed watching the elegant dancing and, before we knew it, it was time to finish and say goodbye, say thank you to our wonderful volunteers, and hope we can do it all again next year!

Thank you everyone!

What’s on? acknowledges the support of the Worcester Partnership,

Public Health & West Mercia Police. Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire is the new name for Age Concern Herefordshire &

Worcestershire. Registered charity No.1080545