b'Strengthening community connectionsCommunity and socialWhen people live in a strong community, they feel like they belong. They feel safer and interaction play a vitalhappier, because they know they have people they can turn to for help and support. role in wellbeing andBy bringing people together through community activities we create invaluable opportunities for conversation, collaboration, fun and friendshipthe perfect antidote happiness. to loneliness and social isolation. Reaching out with Warm HertsBrrrrrrrr! What a winter that was. As temperatures dropped and the price of food and home energy soared, many people had to tighten their belts to get by. Around the country, households were restricting their weekly supermarket shop to essential items and turning their central heating thermostat down by a few degrees. With that in mind, we teamed up withsomeone says come along, youll enjoy Welwyn Hatfield Council to set up theit! you need to give it a go. I go to the Warm Herts Friday Club. Since the endFriday event at Woodside House, but I of January, local over-55s have beendont live there. We usually have a bowl attending the club at Jack Lee Hall, partof soup and a roll, followed by cake, and of our Woodside House scheme in WGC,theres a singer too. It gets me out and I to enjoy each others company in a safe,talk to people I dont normally see. warm environment. The club is extremely popular, with around The friendship club is open to FGCH45 attendees on average, so we decided to residents and the wider community. Patkeep it going during the warmer months Wilson said: People are very reluctanttoo. Its now held on the last Friday of the as they get older to come out. But whenmonth, from 11am to 4pm. A warm welcome is extended to all at our friendship club If youd like to join in, call Christine Prescod or Helen Williams on 01707 322125. Muscles matter:use them or lose them!Regular exercise is important at every age, but it can have a massively positive impact in later life, by helping to keep our heart healthy, strengthening our muscles and bones, and enhancing our balance and flexibility. It can also work wonders by lifting our spirits and giving us a sense of achievement.We now run weekly seated exercise classes at six of our schemes: Greenfields (Cuffley), Hollier Court (Hatfield), Kingfisher Court (LGC), Macfadyen Webb House (LGC), Swan Field Court (Welwyn) and Woodside House (WGC).We are hugely grateful to North Herts Council, Welwyn & Hatfield Council and ARISE Hatfield, whose generous funding and support have enabled us to offer theIts good to stretchclasses to our residents and the wider community.Our four weekly Kingfisher Clubs help local people who are experiencing memory impairment, loneliness or social isolation. The clubs run from 10am to 3pm and include refreshments and a hot, nutritious two-course lunch. They cost just 18 to attend.The clubs provide a happy, positive and stimulating environment for members, with a winning combination of arts and crafts, exercise, music, games and competitions. Many members loved ones benefit from the clubs too because they get five hours Interested? Call us on 01462 683307. of much-needed respite each week, enabling them to do something for themselves.Residents First|Page 6 Residents First|Page 7'