Stagecoach and Age UK Thanet agree they're on each other's team!

Representatives of the wellbeing team and Stagecoach met recently to partner up and discuss how they might work together to support locals 50+ and 70+ in Thanet to get out and start living again!

It was agreed that Age UK Thanet’s wellbeing team activities, which currently include coffee mornings, pub quizzes, arts activities and bingo at Mecca would be advertised on relevant bus routes to get the message out that a wellbeing activity is happening near them.

Activities are either free/or up to £5 depending upon whether it’s being facilitated by an external sessional tutor. They are piloted in new locations every eight weeks. Each new timetable has a new area to explore. This might be a coffee morning at a local garden centre, local pub or restaurant or at Age UK Thanet’s hub. The wellbeing team have gone as far as Cliffsend; social circles are springing up everywhere. Coffee mornings have up to 40 people. There’s definitely something for everyone. 

Active sessions include Chi Ball, Tai Chi, low impact aerobics and chair-based exercises too. This has really gone down well with men and women. New activities coming up include languages, ceramics, tap dancing and digital inclusion. 

Vanessa Wood, CEO of Age UK Thanet said, “This change in Age UK Thanet’s direction is very exciting. It’s encouraging to see the immediate impact on improving mental and physical well-being. The new team brings people together, supports friendships and activity, which really can reduce loneliness. Stagecoach are important partners of ours because we believe that advertising on the buses, can only help more local people to engage in their community and get back on the bus.”

Danny Millis, Stagecoach Operations Manager at Thanet “We’re developing a partnership that we want to grow into something more meaningful for the Stagecoach staff and the local people of Thanet. There have been all sorts of ideas, like outreach from a vintage bus in warden assisted locations and particularly getting feedback from male staff. We all agree that the staff could potentially come up with some really great ideas, because they live out in the community and know what their communities need.”

If your company would like to become partners and support Age UK Thanet’s work, then please contact Joanne Spiteri, Fundraising Manager on 01843 223 881.