10 Social Groups In Maidenhead, Henley & Wallingford
Whether you are a walker, a musician (singing or playing), like to exercise your body or mind or simply like a good meal and a chat, we have something here to suit everyone!
Sing Your Pain Away
Weekly singing classes in Henley (In person) and Twyford (via Zoom).
Henley meets at 11am on Thursdays at the Henley Rugby Club.
Twyford meet at 2pm on Tuesdays on Zoom.
The group sing happy, uplifting songs from shows, songs from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s with the odd sea shanty, silly song or new song mixed in! No singing ability is required and everyone is welcome. The groups are really welcoming and friendly and there is never any judgement. And we all know the benefits of a good singalong – many of our Care Professionals and their clients enjoy a good sing song during their visits – it always puts a smile on your face!
The cost for in-person sessions is £30/month (£7.50 per session) or it’s £20/month (£5 per session) for Zoom classes. Clients are welcome to bring a carer with them and carers go free. Sing Away Your Pain have offered Home Instead clients a free trial session at the group of their choice.
To find out more and book a place call Jane on 07788 227654 or email [email protected]
https://www.singyourpainaway.co.uk/
Alzheimer’s Dementia Support (ADS)
Alzheimer’s Dementia Support (ADS) is a Maidenhead based charity, providing support and activity groups for those living with dementia. Classes include singing groups, seated exercises, lunch groups and the ever popular ‘Mates with Plates & Ladies that Lunch’, a lunch group for gentlemen with Dementia to chat with their peer group while their female carers and talk in another part of the restaurant. This gives the ladies opportunity to connect with each other.
Mates with Plates and Ladies that Lunch takes place on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 12:30 to 14:15pm at The Toby Carvery, Stafferton Lodge, Braywick Road, Maidenhead SL6 1BN.
ADS are also launching a Dementia Hub, a meeting that takes place ever 3rd. Monday of each month, 7pm – 9pm at Dedworth Green Baptist Church, Smiths Lane, Windsor, SL4 5PE. Each month there will be guest speakers and advisors available for general information and individual discussions.
The service is for anyone who is affected by any type of Dementia and who would also like to meet others who are in similar situations. No need to book, just turn up on the evening, refreshments served throughout.
https://www.adscharity.com/service
Keep Fit/Chair Exercise/Massage
Smile with Jo are fitness and chair exercise classes for the 50+ age group. Jo is a super friendly instructor, who has a nursing background. She is very patient and will work with each individual to ensure everyone works within their own abilities – so if you want to do the whole class on the chair, she will work with you on that.
Locations include Sonning Common, Goring, Wallingford, Blewbury, Nettlebed, Henley & Dorchester. Our team would be more than happy to take clients to and from classes, as every Care Professional has their own transport.
Jo is also a specialist in massage for the elderly, which can benefit certain medical conditions, such as arthritis and aid circulation and digestion. Jo can visit you at home for the service (and for the exercises too!), so do get in touch with her for more information.
Jo can be contacted on [email protected] or by calling O7776376497.
U3A
The University of the 3rd. Age is a very popular group with many of our clients. It’s a great group for learning new things, making new friends and having fun in a social setting. Many groups provide interesting talks on a wide range of subject matters, such as guest speakers talking about the history of the local area or speaking about their profession (our care team at Home Instead often love to hear our clients talking about their old work life – we’ve heard some fantastic stories!).Other sessions are practical, so you can learn new skills, such as painting, flower arranging or a new instrument. So if you like some variety in your activities, try U3A.
Maidenhead https://www.maidenheadu3a.org.uk 01628 637160
Henley https://u3asites.org.uk/henley-on-thames/home 01491 413535
Wallingford https://www.thamesidewallingfordu3a.org/ 01491-838373
Ramblers
For the more mobile of us, the Henley & Goring Ramblers and the Didcot & Wallingford Ramblers groups are friendly, welcoming groups who enjoy a wide variety of led walks in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside. They are a social bunch, organising weekends away and trips abroad as well as the regular walking programme.
Most walks are between 5-10 miles, so only for the mobile and those of us who are pretty fit. Walks are grouped by ‘leisurely’, ‘moderate’ and ‘strenuous’ so you can go on the walks most suitable for your fitness levels. The website has maps and details of walks so you can have a good look beforehand.
Henley & Goring Henley & Goring (ramblers-oxon.org.uk)
Didcot & Wallingford https://www.ramblers-oxon.org.uk/didcot-wallingford.html
Henley Youthful Orchestra
This is an orchestra for those of us who are slightly rusty, older musicians who just want the opportunity to dig their dusty instruments out, and enjoy a few hours of creating music in a group.
The sessions happen once a month from 9am for approx. 2 hrs. The first part of the session is Funk Band & String Ensemble and then the whole group get together, forming a full orchestra. The sessions are conducted by specialist tutors, who also arrange the music according to ability.
This is a very welcoming group. The first taster session is free.
Yoga
Vikki Phillpott has been running Yoga classes in the local area for around 15 years. Her classes are mixed in terms of ages (50 – 80 year olds and beyond!) and abilities – no matter if you are new to yoga and would just like to gain a little more flexibility, Vikki can offer a variety of yoga postures accessible to everyone so the class is suitable for beginners or those well practised. With variations for those with physical ailments or the opportunity to try more challenging postures for those with more flexibility.
Classes cost £10 a session and everyone is welcome to drop in to give it a try before joining. Vikki’s classes are held at The Crowmarsh Pavilion, in the Crowmarsh Recreation Ground, Crowmarsh Gifford, on Thursday mornings from 10-11.30am and Vikki can be contacted on 07729 490942 or [email protected]
Pilates
Alyth Yealland suffered from backache since childhood as well as being diagnosed with Osteoporosis later in life. Due to these physical issues, Alyth discovered Pilates and found them so helpful to her symptoms, that she decided to train as a teacher herself and help others. Pilates can maintain and build up muscle strength and bone density to help support conditions many of us may be living with – especially as we get older.
Suitable for all ages and levels of fitness, Pilates is beneficial for bone health (osteoporosis), knee + hip replacements, arthritis, falls, Parkinson’s and for those who simply want to relax.
Sessions are held in Henley on Thames, Crazies Hill, Shiplake, Sonning Common and via Zoom. If you would like to know more about the classes, contact Alyth on [email protected] or call 07521699265.
Wallingford & District Art Club (WADAC)
Women's Institute
At Home Instead, we know the WI well – we have been guest speakers at the group in many locations, many times, covering our Scam Awareness talks.
Every group meets monthly, during which the group enjoys crafts, speakers, quiz nights, book clubs and lively discussions. Joining a WI is a wonderful way to make new friends.
There are probably too many WI groups in our region to list. They are in Maidenhead, Wargrave, Littlewick Green, Henley, Sonning and Sonning Common, Stoke Row, Benson and Wallingford. And many of these towns have more than one group! So you’d be sure to find a group that meets on a day convenient to you.
To find your local meet, click on the link below or call 0118 933 3448
https://www.thewi.org.uk/
