On Sunday 4th August tenants living in 18 NPT Homes sheltered schemes in Wales got together to hold a Big Lunch as the first ever event organised by the newly formed Sheltered Social Group. Here, NPT homes Rachel Gardiner James tells us about getting together so many people across the schemes and the lasting impact it has made for the tenants.
“The Big Sunday Lunch was the first event organised by the newly established Sheltered Social Group; which has recently been set up by NPT Homes and Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service (CVS). The group consists of local sheltered and older residents who have offered to volunteer, to help organise social activities to benefit older tenants. Approximately 65 sheltered tenants attended our Big Lunch; which included people from 18 different schemes from across the Borough.
After establishing the interests of tenants, the group organised a Sunday lunch at the Four Winds Hotel, Aberavon. The social gathering saw around 65 residents from different schemes across the Borough coming together to meet new people and to take part.”
What the tenants thought of the day…
- 100% stated they enjoyed the event and felt they had benefited from attending.
- 89% stated they had met new people
- 96% stated they would come again
- 89% enjoyed the meal
- 91% liked the venue
- 93% felt more confident to attend future activities
Resident, Hilary Blunden, said:
“Everybody loved it. People could not stop talking about how much fun they had on the way home on the bus. I can’t wait for the Sheltered Social Group to organise another event to bring us all together.”
Tenant Empowerment Officer, Sian Roach, said:
“The event was a great success and it was heart-warming seeing so many residents together interacting and having fun. It is really important to encourage social interaction amongst people who could otherwise become quite isolated. I look forward to the next Sunday lunch event which is planned to take place on Sunday 29th September at The Four Winds Hotel.”
* Survey results courtesy of NPT Homes post event research