Aimed at retired and semi-retired people, the Friendship Club provides a vital lifeline for locals who might otherwise be isolated and lonely.
The Friendship Club’s Jenny Wilcox explains more: ‘The group is a great way to meet new people and make friends,’ she says. ‘And there’s a warm welcome for everyone,’ she adds.
And with around 80 registered members, it’s clear there’s a big demand.
Club members and guest speakers are regularly invited to share their experiences on a host of interesting topics. Recent speakers include the always entertaining Sir Bob Harvey. And Lindsay Roberts from St John will make a presentation at next month’s meeting.
Days out and bus trips are always popular events. The latest outing was a visit to Ardmore’s NZ Warbirds Museum. Another highlight was a boat trip to Gulf Harbour with the bonus of seeing some of the America’s Cup yachts practising on the water.
According to Jenny, the Friendship Club’s membership fee is just $35 per year. Most events are subsidised, which means there's not much leftover in the kitty.
However, thanks to the Your West Support Fund, the group now has state-of-the-art sound speakers. This ensures guest speakers making presentations can be heard loud and clear.
The funding has given the Friendship Group a much-needed boost. Covid restrictions have meant the group was unable to meet for many months.
Thankfully, the Friendship Group is now back up and running, supporting the health and wellbeing of many locals.