A local charity that provides days out for the elderly is back on its feet and ready for an exciting future – even without one of its founder members at the helm.
The Meadows in Spalding is back offering people the chance to socialise, learn new crafts and enjoy food and drink together after the enforced COVID-19 break.
A special open day held on Tuesday proved a success and provided a chance to show off the work staff have done ahead of last month’s reopening.
But one change will be the lady who has overseen it from day one, Liz Walmsley, retiring after 25 years of helping the elderly in the town.
Liz officially retires on August 27, but she has vowed to continue to work two days a week for a while.
A management team of Maisie Wenham, Michelle Housam and Carol Stimson will take on the running of the charity which includes its Pinchbeck and Holbeach based furniture shops.
Liz has been involved since the very start, helping to oversee the building of The Meadows by the Age Concern charity she was working for at the time in 2000.
Since 2018 its been its own charity, something Liz helped to set up: “It’s good being a local charity and people have been happy to help and donate.
“I think they have more pride in it and know all the money raised is being used in the local area.”
When asked what her highlights have been, she continued: “I was really pleased to get the number of days we run from three up to five and to get lottery funding.
“But overall the highlight has been making so many friends, be they staff members, volunteers, trustees or the people we’ve welcomed here who may have had to go into a home instead if The Meadows wasn’t here.
“I’ve met so many fantastic people over the years and I’ve learned a lot.
“I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect job and I’ll be sad to leave it.
“But the time is right for the young ones to carry it on and I know they will be fantastic at it.”
Liz plans to spend more time with her family grandchildren aged eight and 11 though husband Richard will continue to look after The Meadows furniture store while she enjoys more of her favourite afternoon teas.
“I’m looking forward to more me time,” she said.
Michelle said: “We’ll be really sorry to see Liz leave the role but pleased she’s stopping on two days a week so we can ask her advice on a number of things. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”
“It’s exciting to put our own spin on it,” Maisie added: “Everything here works well but we have to adapt to the times and embrace things like social media.
The Meadows has eight staff and around 16 volunteers, but they are in need of more people who can help out as more people come back to the service.
As well as helping out with the activities, volunteers are needed for things like driving people to and from the centre.
This week they also opened the doors to the centre off Pennygate by holding an open day so people could enjoy a taste of what they get up to.
It was also a chance to show the continued COVID-19 safety measures they have in place which includes checking the service users’ temperatures before they get on the bus to come.
“We wanted people who have been isolating to come and look round and see if we can help them.” Liz said. “We’re all getting our lives back to normal and we want to get people back enjoying themselves and interacting with other people.”
For more information on The Meadows, be it about attending or volunteering visit www.themeadowsspalding.co.uk/ or contact 01775 720305.
