Pensioners’ club to enjoy reunion meal ‘when safe’
Maidenhead: Baylis donation to fund post-COVID celebration for Darby and Joan
The Darby and Joan Club of Holyport will use an £800 donation from the Louis Baylis Trust to celebrate with a meal for all members, once it is allowed to reopen.
Usually the Holyport club would be arranging to have a Christmas dinner at Bird
Hills Golf Club in mid December. However, as with many Christmas meals and activities, this cannot now happen.
Darby and Joan has not been able to meet since March – not even digitally, as only a couple of the members are able to navigate internet communications.
“Even when it was a bit better in the summer, I think we all had the feeling it would go wrong again,” said Marcelle Stoughton, who jointly runs Darby and Joan.
There have been other restrictions – even when
Holyport War Memorial Hall, where the club meets, was open, its kitchen was closed as a further COVID-19 measure. This would have restricted the club’s ability to provide refreshment.
On the upside, the club is not struggling too much financially for the time being, as it is no longer paying room hire. The club tends to run at a slight loss every week.
Darby and Joan is hoping to be back in February, if the vaccine is rolled out for the elderly in January.
“The plan is to have a celebratory meal. I think we’re all going to need a celebration,” said Marcelle.
Darby and Joan is also hoping it will gain members off the back of the pandemic.
“We find it difficult to get people to come along but when they do, they love it.
People have this perception that it’s full of old people, but old people aren’t ‘old people’ anymore – they’re a sprightly lot,” said Marcelle.
“COVID may change people’s views of life and enjoying every moment. Normal life can just disappear.
“This has been a wake-up call to realise what’s important to us – and maybe people will decide they do want to get out more.”