Activities attract all ages
Up to 80 elderly residents are making use of Ollerton’s Scout and Guide Activity Centre for weekly games and a chat over tea and biscuits.
It is part of efforts to open up the new centre to all sections of the community.
Mrs June Yates, the chairman of the Scout and Guide group in Ollerton, said part of the remit for securing lottery for the centre on Back Lane was to provide community activities.
The group meets on Wednesdays between 11am and 3pm to play games such as bingo, chess and dominoes.
Mrs Yates said: “It was lovely. Some people had never met before and it is a really friendly group.
“Everything was more or less up at the Dukeries College so it has brought something back into the old village.”
The outside area in front of the activity centre is due to be landscaped soon and when that is complete, it is hoped that members of the society will use the outdoor space to start a croquet club and do gentle exercise.
Mrs Cissie Froggatt (81) of Forest Road, Ollerton, attended the second meeting of the group.
She said: “I thought it was very interesting because people like me do not get to mix much.
“It takes you out of yourself a bit.”
She now plans to set aside every Wednesday to meet new people and have fun playing different games.
Mrs Froggatt said: “At my end of the village there doesn’t seem to be much so I think people will go to this new club.
“It is a shame to waste that beautiful building in the day.”
She said going to the club had allowed her to get back in touch with people of her generation in the village.
People attending the club pay £1 a week, which gets a cup of tea, biscuits and two tickets for snowball bingo.
Mrs Yates said that she was looking for other groups to meet in the activity centre, such as toddler groups.
The £360,000 centre opened in November.