Parish council fish, chips, and games evening goes down a storm

Haydon Wick Parish Council recently hosted a ‘Quiz, Fish and Chips and Play Your Cards Right’ evening at the Haydon Wick Working Men’s Club, to tackle loneliness.

The Quiz, Fish and Chips and Play Your Cards Right event was delivered as part of the parish council’s reducing loneliness and isolation programme.

The programme is designed to encourage members of the community to meet new people. The tickets (priced at £5) went on sale early in the New Year.

Fish and chips were supplied by Thames Avenue fish and chip shop, and were said to have been thoroughly appreciated by all.

The winning quiz team also took away some prizes. After the quiz had finished and everyone had eaten, the Haydon Wick version of Play Your Cards Right was held.

Attendees from the event said: "I felt a bit guilty because I am not lonely or isolated, but I met and chatted to a couple of people who were struggling a bit and then I realised that those people were glad to meet people who were  bit more outgoing".

"I used to go into the office every day and that meant I could chat to people, now I work from home, I can go days without talking to anyone face to face. Tonight, a few of us who usually only chat on social media decided to come and we have really enjoyed it.”

Cllr Ellen Baker Lee Vice Chairman of the Council said: “Our reducing Isolation and Loneliness Programme has been really successful in bringing the community of Haydon Wick together. Residents are hearing about the events through word of mouth and the leaflet we delivered a few months ago.

"We hope to continue putting these events on as they’re proving to be popular and so beneficial to people who live alone.” 

The parish council says it is always keen to hear from the community about how it can continue to deliver popular events for everyone to enjoy.

Those with suggestions they think would be well received in the parish, can contact the Community Development Officer via [email protected]