Online and Inperson Activities
Published on 25 August 2020 04:53 PM
Activities Running at Greyhound Road & in Your Own Home!
It’s Wednesday morning. Eve is busy dusting off her favourite hats. She has decided to try out a couple of summer creations, whereas her husband is considering whether to wear his trilby or cap. “We’re parading in our hats this afternoon,” Eve explains. The Wednesday Zoom Social Meet Up & Quiz has become a regular feature, something to look forward to each week when many other activities had dried up.
A selection of our regular classes and activities have operated successfully online while the Centre has been closed. Ranging from our ‘Dance West – Bolder Not Older’ exercise class to the ‘Let’s Paint’ art group, there has been something for everyone. Switching activities to an online platform has proven successful and popular, with our Digital Inclusion Team helping many people to access the Zoom classes and activities through a variety of digital devices. Numbers grew over time, with up to 10 or 12 people attending some classes each week.
The online classes have helped people such as Margueritte who, like Eve, also attends the Social Meet Up & Quiz. “I love going on Zoom; we have a good laugh”. Thursday morning finds Brian and Theresa limbering up for the Knees, Joints & Ligaments exercise class. According to Brian, having a date in the diary has been really important: “We’re not very self-motivated and this gets us to do something!”
For many people, getting online and seeing friends in the honeycomb of boxes on a screen instead of face to face has been a new and initially strange experience. However, the numbers attending the online classes have been comparable to face to face activities previously held in the Activity Centre. The success of this transition is in no small part a testament to the dedication and ingenuity of our Digital Inclusion Team.
When we reopen on August 10th we will be using a blended model, whereby classes will operate both face to face and online, to enable people to take part in whatever way feels most comfortable. We would love to see some new faces join in with our regulars, whether in our Centre or from the comfort of your own living room.