Community ‘Tuesday Club’ that’s a lifeline to locals up for national accolade
Sussex charity, The Good Morning Tuesday Club, has been nominated in The BIG Christmas Giveback, a national competition that aims to shine a light on unsung heroes in the community.
A community club tackling loneliness and isolation has been nominated in a national competition, The BIG Christmas Giveback, which could see unsung heroes winning a share of £1500 in Chichester Gift Cards.
The Good Morning Tuesday Club is a weekly meet up run by volunteers. Sessions include a pop up help desk to support attendees with a range of issues, activities from painting to knitting, and time to socialise over cake and coffee.
A registered charity running for over 6 years, The Good Morning Tuesday Club runs every Tuesday, 10-12 at Downview Hall in East Wittering. The club is open to all and welcomes around 40 locals each week, including people with dementia and younger people with learning difficulties.
June Bevis is a volunteer at the Good Morning Tuesday Club and said it’s a lifeline for locals: “Tuesday Club is about companionship, connection and community. There are homemade cakes, gentle exercises and an array of activities – we’ve had everything from a sports day to a Hawaiian party, bingo to a Ukulele band. People bring in windfall apples, plants or books to swap, and they love ‘The Macarena’. And the new help desk is there to offer support with anything from applying to a new bus pass to advice on care. We have talks, and give reminders on things like flu jabs.
“People don’t have to attend every week but many say they don’t know what they’d do without Tuesday Club. It’s something to look forward to every week and a chance to make friends, easing the loneliness and isolation that many feel. We celebrate everyone’s birthday with flowers or chocolates, and many attendees meet up outside of Tuesday Club too.
“There are around 16 volunteers who run Tuesday Club, and we do it to give back to the community. We also raise money for local charities. It would be wonderful to win this competition so we could recognise and show our appreciation for the Tuesday Club’s volunteers and the other organisations that support us, like Vitale Care in Chichester, and of course the people who visit Tuesday Club every week. The Chichester Gift Card is a brilliant idea to support local businesses.”
Backed by Chichester BID, The BIG Christmas Giveback aims to shine a light on individuals, community groups, and organisations making a real difference locally. The nominee with the most submissions will receive a £1,000 Chichester Gift Card, with a £500 card going to one of their nominators. Over 170 businesses, including high street names and local independents, currently accept the Chichester Gift Card.
Natasha McLeod, CEO of Chichester BID, said: “It’s wonderful to see a nomination for a grassroots charity that gives so much back to the community. Every vote counts, so we’re encouraging people to keep nominating. A Chichester Gift Card is a fantastic way to celebrate and support local businesses at the same time.”
The Chichester Gift Card is part of the award-winning Town & City Gift Card concept by fintech Miconex.
Colin Munro, CEO of Miconex, added: “With The BIG Christmas Giveback, we’re heralding the festive season with a wave of positivity, shining a light on the local heroes making a difference locally. The Good Morning Tuesday Club is a worthy nominee, going above and beyond to create a vibrant and inclusive community hub.”
Nominate your local hero today at: www.lovelocalwin.co.uk and view the video online.