We are delighted to share news of progress with Duffield Helping Hands
IT Help
Drop-in sessions will soon be available between 1.00 and 3.00pm on Wednesday afternoons for those wanting general support with IT queries such as connecting to Wi-Fi, updating software, email issues and making on-line appointments. Look out for further details on our website, in the Weston Centre and future newsletters.
Tried and Trusted Services
We are regularly asked for recommendations for local services so are putting together a directory. If you have used a service and would like to provide details and a testimony for us to share with others, please let Emma know either by emailing emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk or telephoning 01332 840349.
Podiatry clinic
We are pleased to host a podiatry service at the Weston Centre in our clinic room. The aim is to add convenience for those who might not be able to travel to access such a service. This is a professional service by the Holbrook Foot Clinic. The first sessions are on Wednesday 19th April between noon and 2.00pm. Slots will be approximately 20 mins and will cost £30.00 paid directly to the practitioner. The Weston Centre is not benefitting financially from this. For further details and to book an appointment contact Emma on emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk or 01332 840349. A second session is planned for 17th May. Future clinics will be determined by demand.
Supermarket trip
Unfortunately, our planned trip to Asda in Spondon had to be cancelled due to insufficient numbers of advance bookings. The opportunity to visit a superstore out of town was a result of many visitors telling us how much they miss being able to shop further afield. We hope to offer a similar trip in future months.
Coronation
As part of the nation’s celebrations to mark the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla we will be screening the occasion from 10.00am on Saturday 6th May for older members of our community. A light finger buffet lunch and glass of sparkle will be served and we are asking for a voluntary donation of £2.00 per person to cover our costs. Booking is essential as places are strictly limited. For further details and to book a place contact Emma on emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk or 01332 840349. Closing date for bookings is Friday 21st April
Memory Cafe
We are delighted that our Memory Café will launch with an information event between 2.00 and 4.00pm on Thursday 31st March. This will be a safe space where people with dementia and their care givers can have fun, make friends, network, choose to get involved in activities and chat over a cuppa and cake. We are looking forward to meeting you so just turn up, but if you would like further details or to offer help please contact nicola.memorycafe@westoncentre.org.uk or emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk
Weston Centre Minibus
We are often asked about our minibus which we acquired in November 2020 and have run ever since in line with our charitable object. We rely on the goodwill and dedication of a small team of volunteer drivers to make this happen. Because of this we are not able to provide drivers for other groups; it is not a community bus. We are though, keen for it to be used as much as possible.When not in use for our charitable purposes the bus is available for hire. It has 16 seats plus driver, a tail lift and space for wheelchairs if some of the rear seats are removed.
Individuals or groups can hire the bus if they have their own driver. Our insurance requires that all hirers must register with us as User Groups. There is a one-off £20 fee for this to ensure that the group is fully covered whilst driving the minibus. The terms stipulate that:
a Driver Registration From must be completed for each driver before the minibus can be taken by the User Group.
All drivers must be aged over 25 years of age, and no older than 75 years of age, at the time of hire.
Any registered driver over the age of 75 years old, must submit a Grade 2 Medical Test to us.
Once registered, users can book the bus and pay the fees required to cover our costs. Note, the charity is a no-profit organisation and we do not make a profit from this.All terms and conditions can be found on our website. If you or your group would like more information please For further information contact Emma on emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk or 01332 840349.
Thursday Film Club (monthly)
April’s film on Thursday 6th is ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’.Thisstars Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Celia Imrie and Dev Patel and is about seven cash-strapped Brits who touch each other’s hearts when they journey to a retirement resort in India.
On Thursday 1st June our film will be ‘Made in Dagenham’ starring Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson and Jaime Winstone. The story is inspired by the women of the Ford car plant who stood up for their rights for equal pay. Doors open at 1.30pm for a 2pm start and we ask for a donation of £3.00 per person. Tea, coffee, wine, beer and soft drinks are available for an extra charge. Call Sandra on 928577 to book a place.
iPad Classes
Our popular and successful iPad classes continue. We are able to offer these thanks to the support of Foundation Derbyshire whose helpful staff supported us in our bid for a grant which we secured from the John Weston Fund. Since we started 31 people have participated in the 10 week courses. Feedback has emphasised the value added and confidence gained through participation.
Art Club
Our popular Art Club will be returning after a winter break. Jeff will be expanding the offer to include crafts so if you’d like to create or experiment in a friendly, supportive and social environment you’d be most welcome. Sessions will take place at the Weston Centre on Thursday afternoons between 1.30 and 3.30pm. The cost of each session is £3.00 plus an optional £1.00 for a tea or coffee. Contact Emma on emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk or 01332 840349 for further details.
Personnel Changes
After three years as Strategic Development Manager and two more in other roles, Sarah Brooksby is leaving the charity on 4th April, although she will lead the current iPad course until its conclusion on 25th April. Sarah has thoroughly enjoyed this fulfilling role and the opportunities it has presented, but most especially has loved working alongside a team of wonderful volunteers to help the charity grow and support even more people. We are delighted that most of her role will be taken over by Emma whose hours will expand accordingly when she returns from annual leave on 10th April.
New volunteers needed
If you have time to spare and would like to support your community please consider joining our team.
If you have time to spare and would like to support your community please consider joining our team.
We are currently recruiting volunteers for Duffield Helping Hands and are particularly interested in hearing from anybody who can help older people with:
everyday IT issues (based at the Weston Centre on Wednesday afternoons)
short term gardening
putting out and returning bins for the weekly collection
supermarket shopping and delivery
emergency contact liaison
buddying
For more information please see the Helping Hands page on our website where role descriptions can be found or contact Emma on emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk or 01332 840349.
Our regular events include:
COFFEE MORNINGS 10.00-12.00noon Tuesday to Friday. A bottomless cup costs £1.00. Just call in, no booking required.
LUNCHEON CLUB each Monday. Please contact Jean via the Centre on 01332 840349 to be placed on the waiting list.
FILM SCREENINGS on the first Thursday of every month. Doors open at 1.30pm, the film starts at 2.00pm. We ask for a donation of £3.00. Tea, coffee, wine and beer are also available. Phone Sandra on 01332 928577 for further details and to reserve a seat.
EUROPEAN FILM CLUB on the last Wednesday evening of each month. Doors open at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. We ask for a donation of £4.00. The bar will be open! Contact Emma on emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk to reserve your place.
iPAD COACHING We have a small number of iPads to lend. Complete beginners encouraged! Contact Sarah on sarah.sdm@westoncentre.org.uk of telephone the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 if you would like to join the waiting list.
CHAIROBICS every Monday afternoon and Friday lunchtime. Phone Suzanne on 07810 023743 to book a place.
MINIBUS DAY TRIPS to various places of interest. Email emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk contact the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 for details.
WALKING GROUP A friendly walking group departs from the Weston Centre each Tuesday at 10.00am (meet at 9.45am). For further information contact Chris on 07977 140415
On Tuesday 21st February we welcomed Samantha Hancock, Derbyshire Police Cyber Protect Officer, to the Weston Centre. She presented a brilliant talk about how to protect ourselves against scams and keep safe online. She gave us much to think about and many helpful strategies so that we can engage in the digital world with increased confidence.
On Thursday 23rd February David took a full minibus of day trippers to Hopton Hall and Carsington Water. The sun shone, the snowdrops were glorious and the air fresh. A good day out was enjoyed by all.
Do you or someone you know struggle to get to a large supermarket, but would like to shop independently? As part of Duffield Helping Hands are using our minibus to run trips to supermarkets. Our first service will be to Asda, Spondon on Friday 30th March. The minibus will leave the Weston Centre at 10.00am and return by 1.30pm. This will give plenty of time to shop and visit the café for refreshments if desired. We are limiting this to 10 people to allow plenty of room for shopping bags. The trip must be booked with Emma on 01332 840349 or emma.wcm@westocentre.org.uk The cost of the return trip is £3.00 and must be paid in advance (details to be given on booking).
Dementia awareness
On Monday 27th February Sonia Edmund from the Alzheimer’s Society came to talk to a group of our volunteers about the advice and support available to anyone affected by dementia. Sonia is a Dementia Support Advisor for Amber Valley and urges anyone in such a difficult situation to get in touch with the Alzheimer’s Society at the earliest opportunity. Plans are progressing to launch our own Memory Café in the very near future. For further details or to offer help please contact nicola.memorycafe@westoncentre.org.uk or emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk
Volunteers needed
If you have time to spare and would like to support your community please consider joining our team.
Duffield Helping Hands
We are currently recruiting volunteers to help us deliver Duffield Helping Hands and are particularly interested in hearing from anybody who can help older people with:
everyday IT issues (based at the Weston Centre on Wednesday afternoons)
short term gardening and dog walking
dustbin day
shopping and delivery
emergency contact liaison
buddying
We are planning to launch this service at the end of March. For more information please contact Emma who is managing our Helping Hands project on emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk or 01332 840
Trustee recruitment
We are at an exciting point in our development as we seek to consolidate our recent expansion and secure excellence for the future. We are looking for someone with the interest, energy and commitment to help us achieve our ambitious aims.
Our object is ‘to relieve the charitable needs of older persons in Duffield and the surrounding area, in particular by the provision of a day centre’. We run the Weston Centre on Tamworth Street and a minibus, and employ two part-time members of staff. One current project is the establishment and launch later in the Spring of Duffield Helping Hands.
This is an excellent opportunity to share and use skills you already have as well as developing new ones. You would be joining a dedicated and supportive team. The closing date for applications is midday on Friday17th March.
For further information and an application form please contact Emma Morrison by emailing emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk.
The RJ Weston Duffield Charity is committed to:
safeguarding and ensuring the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. The suitability of all prospective employees or volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment.
providing equal opportunities in employment and to avoiding unlawful discrimination.
Monthly film club
Thursday Film Club (monthly)
Our next film is on Thursday 2nd March and is ‘Castles in the Sky’ starring Eddie Izzard, Tim McInnerny and Julian Rhind-Tutt. This is a factual drama about the pioneering work on radar which was to prove pivotal in the Battle of Britain and World War Two.
April’s film, on Thursday 6th, is ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’.Thisstars Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Celia Imrie and Dev Patel and is about seven cash-strapped Brits who touch each other’s hearts when they journey to a retirement resort in India.
Donations are £3.00. Tea, coffee, wine, beer and soft drinks are available for an extra charge.
Our regular events include:
COFFEE MORNINGS 10.00-12.00noon Tuesday to Friday. A bottomless cup costs £1.00. Just call in, no booking required.
LUNCHEON CLUB each Monday. Please contact Jean via the Centre on 01332 840349 to be placed on the waiting list.
FILM SCREENINGS on the first Thursday of every month. Doors open at 1.30pm, the film starts at 2.00pm. We ask for a donation of £3.00. Tea, coffee, wine and beer are also available. Phone Sandra on 01332 928577 for further details and to reserve a seat.
EUROPEAN FILM CLUB on the last Wednesday evening of each month. Doors open at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. We ask for a donation of £4.00. The bar will be open! Contact Emma on emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk to reserve your place.
iPAD COACHING We have a small number of iPads to lend. Complete beginners encouraged! Contact Sarah on sarah.sdm@westoncentre.org.uk of telephone the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 if you would like to join the waiting list.
CHAIROBICS every Monday afternoon and Friday lunchtime. Phone Suzanne on 07810 023743 to book a place.
MINIBUS DAY TRIPS to various places of interest. Email emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk contact the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 for details.
WALKING GROUP A friendly walking group departs from the Weston Centre each Tuesday at 10.00am (meet at 9.45am). For further information contact Chris on 07977 140415
The RJ Weston Duffield Charity is looking to appoint a new trustee to the Board.
We are at an exciting point in our development as we seek to consolidate our recent expansion and secure excellence for the future.
We are looking for someone with the interest, energy and commitment to help us achieve our ambitious aims.
Our object is ‘to relieve the charitable needs of older persons in Duffield and the surrounding area, in particular by the provision of a day centre’. We run the Weston Centre on Tamworth Street and a minibus, and employ two part-time members of staff. One current project is the establishment and launch later in the Spring of Duffield Helping Hands.
This is an excellent opportunity to share and use skills you already have as well as developing new ones. You would be joining a dedicated and supportive team. The closing date for applications is midday on Friday17th March.
For further information and an application form please contact Emma Morrison by emailing emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk.
The RJ Weston Duffield Charity is committed to:
safeguarding and ensuring the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. The suitability of all prospective employees or volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment.
providing equal opportunities in employment and to avoiding unlawful discrimination.
On Thursday 2nd February Trustees were delighted to welcome more than thirty of our fabulous volunteers to a drinks and nibbles reception at the Weston Centre. Quite simply, our charity would not be able to offer the range of activities it does without the dedication and support of our volunteers. It is they who provide lunches on Mondays, hot drinks and good company on Tuesdays to Fridays, drive the minibus, run our film clubs and excursions, maintain the Weston Centre and ensure our facilities and services are well managed.
One of our longest serving volunteers is Jean who has run our Monday Lunch Club since it began in 1990. Roger, Chair of Trustees, was pleased to present her with a small token of our ongoing appreciation.
Helping to keep the cold at bay
Maggie, one of our coffee morning team, responded to Radio Derby’s appeal for knitted blankets to support people through this cold winter. She organised a team of cheerful knitters who have created and sent off 30 beautiful woollen blankets. A special mention to Janet who alone knitted more than 300 squares! Well done ladies and thank you.
New volunteers needed
If you have time to spare and would like to support your community please consider joining our team. We are currently recruiting volunteers to help us deliver Duffield Helping Hands and are particularly interested in hearing from anybody who can help older people with:
everyday IT issues (based at the Weston Centre on Wednesday afternoons)
short term gardening and dog walking
dustbin day
shopping and delivery
emergency contact liaison
buddying
We are planning to launch this service at the end of March. For more information please contact Emma who is managing our Helping Hands project on emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk or 01332 840
Keeping yourself safe on-line
At 11.00am on Tuesday 21st February Samantha Hancock, Derbyshire Police Cyber Protect Officer, will join us will join our coffee morning to talk about how to protect yourself on-line and avoid scams.
Entry is free, but please reserve a place by contacting Emma at The Weston Centre on 840349 or emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk
Tea and coffee will be available for a charge of £1.00.
iPad course
Our fifth course starts on 14th February. These ten-week courses cover the basics to help people learn new skills and gain confidence to participate safely with the digital world. Topics covered include how to:
set up the iPad, use the control buttons and keyboard, create an Apple ID and email address, join a Wi-Fi network
understand and use appropriate terminology such as app, wi-fi, account, cookies
use the iPad’s cameras to take photos and videos, store, edit and share photos via email
send and receive emails, attach documents, flag, categorise and delete emails, check and switch between mailboxes
search for information on the internet safely, open and close tabs, mark favourite websites, read off-line
use some popular apps and download apps from the App Store
use video conferencing such as FaceTime and zoom.
The course costs £100.00 which includes an individual introductory meeting, all ten 2½ hour sessions, notes to accompany the course, the loan of an iPad if required, and tea or coffee. If you would like to put your name down for a future course please contact Sarah on sarah.sdm@westoncentre.org.uk or 01332 840349.
Thursday Film Club (monthly)
Our next film is on Thursday 2nd March and is ‘Castles in the Sky’ starring Eddie Izzard, Tim McInnerny and Julian Rhind-Tutt. This is a factual drama about the pioneering work on radar which was to prove pivotal in the Battle of Britain and World War Two. Donations are £3.00. Tea, coffee, wine, beer and soft drinks are available for an extra charge.
European Film Club
The next screening of this popular venture takes place on Wednesday 1st March. The film is ‘The Secret in their Eyes’, an Argentinian thriller with English subtitles. Doors open at 7.00pm, the suggested donation is £4.00 and the bar will be open!
COFFEE MORNINGS 10.00-12.00noon Tuesday to Friday. A bottomless cup costs just £1.00. Just drop in, no booking required.
LUNCHEON CLUB each Monday. Please contact Jean via the Centre to be placed on the waiting list.
FILM SCREENINGS on the first Thursday of every month. Doors open at 1.30pm, the film starts at 2.00pm. We ask for a donation of £3.00. Tea, coffee, wine and beer are also available. Phone Sandra on 01332 928577 for further details and to reserve a seat.
EUROPEAN FILM CLUB on the last Wednesday evening of each month. Doors open at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. We ask for a donation of £4.00. The bar will be open! Contact Emma on emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk to reserve your place.
iPAD COACHING We have a small number of iPads to lend. Complete beginners encouraged! Contact Sarah on sarah.sdm@westoncentre.org.uk of telephone the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 if you would like to join the waiting list.
CHAIROBICS every Monday afternoon and Friday lunchtime. Phone Suzanne on 07810 023743 to book a place.
MINIBUS DAY TRIPS to various places of interest. Email emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk contact the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 for details.
WALKING GROUP A friendly walking group departs from the Weston Centre each Tuesday at 10.00am (meet at 9.45am). For further information contact Chris on 07977 140415
We hope that 2023 brings you peace, good health and happiness.
Helping Hands
First, we would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone who supported us in our Big Give Christmas Challenge to raise funds for Duffield Helping Hands. The terrific news is that we smashed our target and raised a total of £14, 442.96. This has been tremendous community effort for which we are enormously grateful. The real work starts now. We aim to have our first bookings ready for the end of March and are working to recruit volunteers and get the best operating structure in place. If you are able to volunteer any time, advice, or other support please contact Emma by email at emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk or by telephoning the Weston Centre on 01332 840349.
We were delighted to welcome so many people to the Weston Centre during the Christmas Challenge Week. The week was book-ended by Saturday evening music from Tom Brooksby on 30th November and our Christmas Quiz on 3rd December. Special thanks to everyone who contributed including Tom for entertaining us American style, Angelo’s Bistro for catering, members of Duffield Singers for leading a Christmas sing-song, Jan for his musical accompaniment, Paul for singing in the rain (not literally), Sandra and Delyth for screening two very different films, David for organising two minibus trips and being a very tough quiz master, and everyone who came along. We hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as we did.
More photos can be found in the Gallery on our website www.westoncentre.org.uk.
We are putting together a programme of events for this year so please email sarah.sdm@westoncentre.org.uk if you have ideas or skills you are willing to share. We are particularly keen to offer more music evenings so…Duffield musicians where are you?!
Kind bequest
Many of you will remember Mr John Weston who lived in the village for many years. He was a supporter of numerous charities and good causes in the area and we were very sad to hear of his passing. Generous to the end, he bequeathed £5,000 to the Weston Centre to fund new kitchen equipment and to help with the Memory Café. We are very grateful and know that the Lunch Club and our regular visitors will especially appreciate his kind act.
screening takes place on Wednesday 25th. The film is ‘Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis’. Doors open at 7.00pm, the suggested donation is £4.00 and the bar will be open!
Coffee morning volunteer needed
Can you spare some time every other Wednesday morning to run our coffee morning? We need someone to open the Weston Centre at 9.50am, serve teas and coffees (rarely more than 20 people), join in with the conversation and clear away at midday before locking up again. We’d make sure you are given plenty of support. If you are interested please telephone Sandra for more details on 01332 928 577.
Emma’s new role
We are delighted to share the news that Emma Morrison is expanding her role and becoming the Weston Centre Manager. As well as general administration and facility bookings, her role now includes overseeing our charity activities and volunteer liaison. Her new email address is emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk. Please contact her for all facility and activity enquiries.
Our regular events include:
COFFEE MORNINGS 10.00-12.00noon Tuesday to Friday. A bottomless cup costs just £1.00. Just drop in, no booking required.
LUNCHEON CLUB each Monday. Please contact Jean via the Centre to be placed on the waiting list.
FILM SCREENINGS on the first Thursday of every month. Doors open at 1.30pm, the film starts at 2.00pm. We ask for a donation of £3.00. Tea, coffee, wine and beer are also available. Phone Sandra on 01332 928577 for further details and to reserve a seat.
EUROPEAN FILM CLUB on the last Wednesday evening of each month. Doors open at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. We ask for a donation of £4.00. The bar will be open! Contact Emma on emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk to reserve your place.
iPAD COACHING We have a small number of iPads to lend. Complete beginners encouraged! Contact Sarah on sarah.sdm@westoncentre.org.uk of telephone the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 if you would like to join the waiting list.
CHAIROBICS every Monday afternoon and Friday lunchtime. Phone Suzanne on 07810 023743 to book a place.
MINIBUS DAY TRIPS to various places of interest. Email emma.wcm@westoncentre.org.uk contact the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 for details.
WALKING GROUP A friendly walking group departs from the Weston Centre each Tuesday at 10.00am (meet at 9.45am). For further information contact Chris on 07977 140415
Giving Week runs from midday Tuesday 29th November to noon Tuesday 6th December. It will be a busy week at the Weston Centre. Please join us to raise funds for Duffield Helping Hands.
Doors for all evening events open at 7.00pm with wine and beer available from our bar.
Tickets available from emma.admin@westoncentre.org.uk
Saturday 26th November Tom Brooksby Live
An evening of acoustic Americana with supper from Angelo’s Bistro. Tickets £20.00 pp available in advance.
Wednesday 30th November
10.00am minibus trip to Melbick’s Garden Centre, Coleshill, Birmingham. Tickets £7.00pp in advance.
11.00am Carols Join us at the Weston Centre for a festive singalong.
7.00pm European Film Club ‘The Beat That My Heart Skipped’ (De Battre Mon Coeur S’est Arrete). French with English sub-titles. Award winning noir thriller. Donation £4.00pp.
Thursday 1st December 1.30pm Film Club ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. Suggested donation £3.00pp.
Saturday 3rd December Christmas Quiz
7.00pm. Tickets £5 per person available in advance. Max team size 6. Bring your own Christmas supper.
The Weston Centre is open for tea, coffee, warmth and good company each Tuesday to Friday 10.00am-noon. A bottomless cup costs just £1.00. We’d love you to join us.
Please help if you can
We are raising money to set up and runDuffield Helping Hands, a support network to help older and isolated people stay safe and independent in their own homes. We will help with small, everyday tasks such as using technology, making on-line appointments, shopping, and assisting with hard-to-reach items at home.
🌟🌟🌟We are truly excited to have been selected to take part in this year’s Christmas Challenge. We aim to raise £6000 to set up and run Duffield Helping Hands. We have already secured £3000 in pledges and support from Big Give Champion the Reed Foundation which means that the first £3000 donated between midday on 29th November and noon on 6th December will be doubled. One donation, twice the impact.🌟🌟
How you can help
Save the date! Donations open at midday on Giving Tuesday, 29th November and remain open until noon Tuesday 6th December.
Donate If you would like to support this project, we highly recommend doing so during the Christmas Challenge, when your donation will be doubled and make even more of a difference. You can donate to us on our campaign page by clicking on the link below:
We will offer a three day a week service in the first instance which will be run and administered from the Weston Centre. We will use the funds to:
recruit, check, train and support new personnel
set up and run a booking and administration system
run, monitor and evaluate the service
liaise with other bodies as appropriate.
Evidence of need All names have been changed.
Gerry is in his late 80s. He called into the Weston Centre for help paying a parking fine. He had waited for and caught the bus into Derby, walked to where he hoped to pay only to be told no-one could help and he would have to pay on-line (he had no facility to do so) or by using the keypad on his phone (he doesn’t have a mobile). He tried, but couldn’t work out how. We guided Gerry through the process and provided reassurance and support. He now calls on us if he needs advice and reassurance with IT matters.
Deborah lives alone and is largely housebound. She had a GP appointment, but couldn’t manage the short walk to the practice. She had no-one to help so The Weston Centre was contacted. One of our volunteers gave Deborah a lift to the surgery, secured a wheelchair, accompanied her whilst she waited for her prescription, returned her home and had a social cup of tea afterwards. Deborah was very relieved.
David, in his 90s, also lives alone. His watch battery had run out and he was lost without it. He came to the Weston Centre for help as he can’t get to a shop or access the internet. We installed a new battery for him the same day and made him a cup of tea and chatted with him while he waited.
Dorothy lives by herself with no telephone or internet connection. She is eligible for support, but services can’t contact her. We were asked to help and now act as a contact point. Dorothy comes to the Weston Centre when she needs to make a call or pick up messages and can enjoy a chat and company at the same time.
Please help if you can
Donate at Helping Hands for Duffield (thebiggive.org.uk)or call into the Weston Centre between 29th November and 6th December where we will have Donation Stations and ways to help you make your donation if you can’t give online.
🌟🌟🌟We are delighted to have met our target of £1500 in pledged funds in support of our Duffield Helping Hands campaign. 🌟🌟🌟We are enormously grateful to everyone who has pledged support and now have a chance of winning the backing of a Big Give Champion to add to this pledge pot. The final part of the campaign will begin on 29th November and run until 6th December when we will be seeking donations totalling £3000 to help us ensure wider support for older and isolated people in our community.
We’ll keep our website updated with news of the campaign and how you can help. You can go directly to the Duffield Helping Hands page here: www.westoncentre.org.uk/projects/helping-hands
In a further drive to raise funds we have several exciting social events in the coming months and would love to see lots of new faces. Doors will open for all events at 7.00pm.
Supper quiz We are sure there will be plenty of friendly competition at the quizzes. Do you fancy your chances? Bring your friends and form a tea
We are delighted to be hosting our first musical events. The GRK Collective are a sought-after duo based in Greater Manchester. They are bound to get your toes tapping or even tempt you to dance to covers of popular songs from the 1950s. Why not check them out on Facebook under Georgia Rae K?
Tom Brooksby, front man in ‘Glory Days’ Springsteen tribute band, and seasoned solo performer, is well-known nationally for his magnetic performances. You might have seen him front ‘The Sensational Hot Rocks Band’ at this year’s carnival on Eye’s Meadow. He will be treating us to an acoustic set of well-known Americana. This is one not to be missed! Tom regularly sells out much larger venues so be sure to get your tickets early. You can listen to him on Apple Music and Spotify for a taste of what will be in store.
Christmas Quiz We are looking forward to an early festive opportunity on 3rd December when David will challenge us with a range of questions on a festive theme. Why not bring a team, decorate your table (and yourselves!) and enjoy your favourite nibbles by bringing your own Christmas foodie treats?
We are very pleased to announce yet another new venture starting on Wednesday 28th September. We will be hosting a monthly European Film Club thanks to the support of Delyth. Our first film, ‘Tais Toi’, stars Jean Reno and Gérard Depardieu and will be shown with English sub-titles for those not confident in French. Doors open at 7.00pm and the film will begin at 7.30pm. Tickets cost just £4.00 and our bar will be open. All welcome.
Memory Café
We are looking for volunteers to help set up and run a monthly Memory Café for people living with dementia. This will take place on Friday afternoons between 2.00pm and 4,00pm. You will have the support of our charity and a small budget. If you are able to spare some time or expertise, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Sarah on sarah.sdm@westoncentre.org.uk or 01332 840349.
Film Club
Our October film is ‘The Glenn Miller Story’. This will be shown on Thursday 6th October, with doors opening at 1-30 pm, and the movie starting at 2.00 pm. Once again, the bar will be open for those who fancy something stronger than tea or coffee. Entrance is just £3.00.
Our regular events include
COFFEE MORNINGS 10.00-12.00noon Tuesday to Friday. A bottomless cup costs just £1.00. Just drop in, no booking required.
LUNCHEON CLUB each Monday. Please contact Jean via the Centre to be placed on the waiting list.
FILM SCREENINGS on the first Thursday of every month. Doors open at 1.30pm, the film starts at 2.00pm. We ask for a donation of £3.00 which includes a cup of tea or coffee. Phone Sandra on 01332 928577 for further details and to reserve a seat.
ART GROUP 2nd 3rd and 4th Thursdays, 1.30-3.30pm. No experience necessary and materials are provided. The cost is £5.00. Phone Jeff on 01332 585426 or 07930 841538 for further details and to book a place.
iPAD COACHING We have a small number of iPads to lend. Complete beginners encouraged! Contact Sarah at the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 if you would like to join the waiting list.
CHAIROBICS every Monday afternoon and Friday lunchtime. Phone Suzanne on 07810 023743 to book a place.
MINIBUS DAY TRIPS to various places of interest. Please contact the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 for details.
WALKING GROUP A friendly walking group departs from the Weston Centre each Tuesday at 10.00am (meet at 9.45am). For further information contact Chris on 07977 140415
Are you looking for a venue to hire?
The Weston Centre is available to hire for clubs, societies, children’s birthday parties and meetings. We are located in Tamworth Street and share a car park with the Viceroy Restaurant where we have five allocated parking spaces next to the Centre. Our kitchen is well resourced, and we have excellent audio-visual facilities too. Our 17-seater automatic transmission minibus with tail lift is also available for hire. For further details please see our website or contact Emma on 01332 840349 or emma.admin@westoncentre.org.uk
We are excited to share news of our most ambitious project to date: we are taking part in The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge to raise £6,000 to fund Duffield Helping Hands.
You will know that during the pandemic we ran DuCS (Duffield Coronavirus Support) where volunteers helped others with shopping and other needs. Our aim is to build on this with Duffield Helping Hands. Local authority cutbacks are affecting our community. It’s our aim to help older and more isolated people stay safe and independent in their own homes. We will co-ordinate and run a support network to help with everyday tasks such as using information technology, making on-line appointments, shopping or moving heavier items in the home. Our service will be run and administered from the Weston Centre. To achieve this we need funds which will be used: to recruit, check, train and support new personnel; set up and run a booking and administration system; run, monitor and evaluate the service; and liaise with other bodies as appropriate.
If you are in a position to make a pledge, or have links with an organisation that could, please consider doing so. We need 15 pledges to reach our target. No funds arepaid at this stage; rather a pledge is a promise topay after donations are collected in stage 3 below.
Attract £1500 from a Big Give Champion. This is dependent on us meeting our pledge target above.
Raise £3000 in donations during the week of 29th November and 6th December. More information on this will follow in due course.
Funds promised in stages 1 and 2 will only be released once donations are made during the Christmas Challenge week. In this way, donations are doubled: donate once, twice the impact.
Please look out for news of evening events to be held at the Weston Centre between September and December to raise further funds.
A second plan we have is to set up and run a monthly Memory Café for people living with dementia. This will take place on Friday afternoons between 2.00pm and 4,00pm. To make this happen we need volunteers. If you are able to spare some time or some expertise, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Sarah on sarah.sdm@westoncentre.org.uk or 01332 840349.
Minibus trips
We have enjoyed some excellent company on our two most recent days out. On Wednesday 27th July a party travelled to Repton and Mercia Marina for a day providing cultural and retail opportunities.
Our August trip was to East Kirkby Air Show on Saturday 6th. The weather was warm with very little cloud, perfect for a flying display. After a scenic drive the party arrived in time to join the sell-out 5000 crowd and enjoy the D-Day Darlings’ musical entertainment and watch the flying displays. Highlights included the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, The Blades’ spectacular aerobatics, the taxi runs of the ‘Just Jane’ NX611Lancaster and the De Havilland Mosquito HJ711 aircraft. There were also stalls, refreshment stands, music and dancing. Details of future excursions can be found on our website or by contacting Emma on emma.admin@westoncentre.org.uk or 01332 840349
Film Club
Another full house enjoyed our most recent offering, ‘Kinky Boots’on Thursday 8th August. Upcoming films include ‘Tea with Mussolini’ and ‘Kind Heart and Coronets’. Entrance is just £3.00 and includes a cup of tea or coffee. We also open our bar so you can enjoy a stronger drink for an additional fee. This is proving to be a popular option!
Our regular events include
COFFEE MORNINGS 10.00-12.00noon Tuesday to Friday. A bottomless cup costs just £1.00. Just drop in, no booking required.
LUNCHEON CLUB each Monday. Please contact Jean via the Centre to be placed on the waiting list.
FILM SCREENINGS on the first Thursday of every month. Doors open at 1.30pm, the film starts at 2.00pm. We ask for a donation of £3.00 which includes a cup of tea or coffee. Phone Sandra on 01332 928577 for further details and to reserve a seat.
ART GROUP 2nd 3rd and 4th Thursdays, 1.30-3.30pm. No experience necessary and materials are provided. The cost is £5.00. Phone Jeff on 01332 585426 or 07930 841538 for further details and to book a place.
iPAD COACHING We have a small number of iPads to lend. Complete beginners encouraged! Contact Sarah at the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 if you would like to join the waiting list.
CHAIROBICS every Monday afternoon and Friday lunchtime. Phone Suzanne on 07810 023743 to book a place.
MINIBUS DAY TRIPS to various places of interest. Please contact the Weston Centre on 01332 840349 for details.
WALKING GROUP A friendly walking group departs from the Weston Centre each Tuesday at 10.00am (meet at 9.45am). For further information contact Chris on 07977 140415
Are you looking for a venue to hire?
The Weston Centre is available to hire for clubs, societies, children’s birthday parties and meetings. We are located in Tamworth Street and share a car park with the Viceroy Restaurant where we have five allocated parking spaces next to the Centre. Our kitchen is well resourced, and we have excellent audio-visual facilities too. Our 17-seater automatic transmission minibus with tail lift is also available for hire. For further details please see our website or contact Emma on 01332 840349 or emma.admin@westoncentre.org.uk
