Club for over-60s is moving '“ and expanding

Rustington Platinum Social Club is moving all its classes to the new Samuel Wickens Centre, in the Broadmark Lane car park, behind Waitrose.

The new venue will enable the club to increase its activities to cover five days a week.

Annet Ziraba, who set up the club in 2014, said: “Because we have been successfully doing three days, we have now been offered five days a week.

“We mainly deal with people who are over 60, and mainly those who are lonely or have no-one else.

“It has been really good for them in terms of support and they have built new friendships.”

The first meeting at the Samuel Wickens Centre will be a drop-in social session on Tuesday, May 8, from 10am to 2pm.

Annet said: “Our social meeting is to encourage members to come and make friends, knit, play cards and games, because playing games is beneficial for the mind and body. They keep our brain active, allow for social interaction and help with memory.

“We also encourage members knitting for any cause to come and do their knitting at the club for great company.”

The club will then run two drop-in social sessions a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am to 2pm.

On the other three weekdays, the club will run eight exercise sessions, including Zumba Gold, tai chi, yoga and gentle fitness.

Annet said: “With the exercises, sometimes we struggle but it is really good for people with mobility issues. Just to get people moving is so important because it really helps a lot of people.”

Zumba Gold is a dance workout designed for older adults, with simple dance combinations at a pace suited to help people keep fit.

The tai chi classes concentrate on mental and physical relaxation, enhancing co-ordination and working on the health of the whole body.

Gentle fitness is a therapeutic class with low-impact chair exercises, excellent for people with mobility issues.

Gentle yoga strengthens, stretches and mobilises the whole body. Chairs are used to aid balance and the class finishes with a guided relaxation.

All classes will take place at the Samuel Wickens Centre. Visit www.rustingtonplatinum.com for more information.