Community first at Exeter City
Exeter City Football Club has developed a range of free activities for people of all ages to support them through the challenges brought about by the cost of living and energy crises.
The activities are all on offer through the club’s Extra Time Hub, which is based at the Grecian Centre at St James Park, offering a space for people to meet up, keep warm and take part in activity.
The activities include:
- Social Café -Tuesday, 10.30am – noon
- Community Lounge – Tuesday and Thursday, noon - 4pm
- Sporting Memories – Thursday, 10am - noon
Launched this month is the Community Lounge; this free, warm and welcoming space, with free hot drinks for all attendees, is open to people of all ages. Whether you want to relax and watch television, read the paper or play some games with others, just drop in. There will also be a dedicated children’s area with toys and games.
The Community Lounge is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12pm until 4pm.
Jenna Berry, wellbeing lead at Exeter City Community Trust, said: “As a supporter-owned football club we put our community at the heart of everything we do. We understand that many people have been severely impacted by both the increase in cost of living and the energy crisis. We are aiming to respond to the needs of our community by providing a warm space for visitors over the next three months.
“We are opening up the community lounge to all and we will be providing lots of activities – whether that is toys for toddlers, or games and jigsaw puzzles for the older members of our community. Everyone is welcome and importantly the provision is completely free.”
The Grecian Centre is also the location for the social café, which takes place on Tuesdays from 10.30am until noon. The social cafe is open to anyone who would like to spend time with others in a relaxed environment.
Jenna added: “We know that many people have missed out on social interaction during the pandemic, and may need some time to get used to going out and about again. The social cafe is a friendly place to come together and enjoy a conversation over a cuppa.
“We have a range of activities on offer each week such as games, quizzes, art and crafts, guest speakers and gentle exercise sessions. We want to be led and inspired by attendees so we are always open to any ideas, hobbies or interests that you might like to share with others.”
And finally, Sporting Memories, which caters for older men, takes place every Thursday from 10am until noon. It’s perfect for men who enjoy reminiscing about their experiences of watching or playing sport.
The club is a friendly, welcoming environment that is open to all. Many of the participants attend to enjoy the company of other older sports fans. Some of our members live with dementia or have memory problems, some have experienced depression, or may have had a stroke or live with Parkinson’s, but they all have one thing in common - a love for sport and the enjoyment from discussing their favourite sporting moments over a cup of tea and cake. It is always great fun and there is lots of laughter in the sessions. New friendships are forged and some remarkable sporting stories often emerge.
You can drop into all of the above free activities, with no need to book in advance. Or visit exetercct.org for more information.
